How do you build confidence speaking in your target language? Practise. Easy answer. But how? Have you noticed that there are topics you can talk about in your native language without even thinking? Your family, your job. You make the same joke every time and it always gets a laugh – or at least a smile! – and you didn’t use your brain once. In his book "How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately", Boris Shekhtman calls these *Language Islands*. Imagine that speaking your new language is like swimming across an ocean – you are constantly battling with the waves. The ocean is vast and, even with determination, you will get tired. You can’t swim forever. Build yourself an island to take a rest on! Identify small topics that you need to talk about frequently, learn the specific vocabulary you need and then practise this tiny piece of conversation with your teacher. A teacher can make any corrections and help your language to sound more natural. Then you practise this chunk of language until you can do it without thinking – you’re standing on dry land! After this island, you can build another until you have an archipelago of language! [An archipelago is a chain of islands.] Now crossing the ocean isn’t one enormous swim, it’s short laps from one island to the next and you can enjoy having time to breathe! Ideas for your first Language Islands: • your passions (it’s always good to start with something you’re enthusiastic about!) • your work • your travels • your friends • your goals