Do you feel nervous about speaking in another language? Perhaps you get sweaty hands or your heart rate increases. These are signs that you might be feeling anxious. People often experience anxiety when speaking in front of classmates or conversing with native speakers. Don’t worry, we have some tips to help!
Anxiety is very common, but if the worries stop you from speaking you are missing opportunities to practise your target language. You’re also missing out on feedback as well as the chance to let other people hear your ideas.
It takes time to overcome anxiety about speaking in another language, but it can be done! Here are some ideas.
Set a goal
Start small. Set a goal that is a bit challenging but achievable and not too scary. For example:
- Initiate a conversation with “How are you?” to a classmate or a foreign lanuage -speaking friend.
- Decide to ask the teacher one question in your next class.
Here are some more challenging goals.
- Chat with somebody for a few minutes.
- Speak in front of an audience.
- Make a phone call.
Remember, the goal is not to do these things perfectly, it’s just to do them! Search for opportunities, and if you achieve your goal, that’s great! Increase the difficulty of your goals over time.
Positive thinking
Tell yourself positive things: I can do it. I’ve got this. It will be OK! Whether you are a beginner or an advanced-level speaker, thinking negatively will limit what you do. Thinking positively will help you do your best and improve.
Face your fears
If you feel anxious, you may want to avoid speaking. It might be easier to do something totally different, such as reading or grammar exercises. However, avoiding the issue can just make it grow bigger and scarier. Just like any other fear, you must eventually face this one. Try to unblock yourself and don’t be afraid of making a mistake. You learn from everything, especially from your mistakes. Don’t wait – start speaking little by little. It will be OK!
Look for a good conversation partner
Try to find someone you feel comfortable speaking with, perhaps somebody who is patient and kind and interested in speaking in the desired language too. Of course, a teacher can guide you to learn more and more. If you can practise speaking regularly, it should help to reduce anxious feelings. Being in contact with the language at least two or three times a week is crucial to advance at a good pace.
Accept problems and mistakes
Learning a language is not easy, and you will definitely have problems and make mistakes along the way. Everybody does! But making a mistake can teach you a lot and help you improve your skills. Remember that good speakers are not people who speak perfectly all the time. Instead, good speakers can solve communication problems when they occur.
Plan what to do in case a problem occurs
We often worry about not knowing what to do when confronted with one of the following situations.
- What if I forget a word?
- What if my mind goes blank?
- What if I don’t understand what the other person is saying?
By planning what you will do and say, you may feel less anxious. If you forget a word, for example, prepare some phrases such as I can’t remember the word. What I mean is … and then try to describe the word. You could perhaps use synonyms (It’s similar to …) or antonyms (It’s the opposite of …). Or if somebody says something you don’t understand, you can say Sorry, I didn’t get that or Sorry, could you say that again? Write these phrases in your notebook and practise them.
Communicating is not always smooth and perfect, even for native speakers. Overcoming such problems is a very normal part of speaking.
Note your progress
Over days and weeks, experiment with different ways to reduce and manage your anxiety. Keep notes of what works for you and what doesn’t. Write down your speaking goals and check them off as you achieve them. Doing this allows you to monitor your progress and build positive experiences of speaking.
Reward yourself
It might not be very motivating if you work hard and make progress, but only reward yourself with more practice! Enjoy a chocolate bar, a new notebook, take some time off to relax or do something that makes you feel good. Reward yourself when you achieve a goal, overcome a problem, learn something important or do something challenging.
Talk to yourself
Talking in front of a mirror is very important, it’s a good way to identify your qualities and defects. This will help you gain confidence.
Don’t compare yourself to others
Don’t waste time comparing yourself to others, we are all unique and learn at our own pace. Focus on yourself.
Forget the accent
Although phonetics are very important and at some point you must know the pronunciation of each word, the initial step is to understand and be understood. With practice and the help of a teacher you will also be able to improve your accent.
Think in the foreign language
This is one of the biggest challenges. Before starting a conversation, it is important to think about what you want to convey in the other language so that you can say it correctly.
Visualize your success
Sometimes the fear of speaking comes from low self-confidence. Visualize yourself speaking fluently, be positive and with practice, this will come true.
Make the foreign language a part
of your life
Try listening to music or watching TV shows or reading books or magazines in the target language.
Inhibition refers to a temperamental tendency to display wariness or restraint in response to unfamiliar situations. It is connected to worrying about making mistakes and discomfort with the extra attention that speaking in a foreign language might attract.
There are some factors that cause inhibition, such as a lack of motivation, shyness or low self-confidence. It is also interesting to note that there are levels of inhibition. Teachers can support their students to reduce their inhibitions in many ways. An important aid is good classroom management including the establishment of a good rapport between teacher and learners.
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