Immersive B1 English Story Challenge #day2

Vocab Challenge (B2) #day14

American English Language Learning students.... Do you feel 'Limited' when you speak? Do you feel like you know how to say a bunch of stuff in American English but in the moment you forget? Or maybe you don't know a lot to say.... Maybe you only know a few phrases when people ask you a question. Maybe you say the same few phrases to someone when they ask you a question. Maybe you want to move past the idea that, "Well my listener at least will be able to get the 'main idea' of what I'm saying." But that can lead to mis understanding, assumptions and confusion. How do you absolutely know for sure that they understand the main idea of what you're saying to them in American English if they themselves are American English speakers from the US? If you really want to work on improving your spoken American English not just learning more things to say so you don't sound repetitive or have awkward silences where you have no idea what to say...that way your listener will say more to you and interact more with you. The conversation will be more smooth and less awkward. So you can really communicate. Not just say one or two sentences in response to someone. Let me know. I have been tutoring since August of 2018.

What changes when you stop waiting for perfect. You speak first. You present without apologizing. You sound like the leader you already are in your native language. Not because your English improved overnight—because your identity shifted. That’s the work.

You’re not bad at English. You’re stuck in “student” identity. You know grammar. In meetings, you freeze. Your brain says: “Not fluent enough.” That’s not a language problem. It’s an identity problem. Leaders don’t wait for perfect. They speak before ready. Harvard Business Review found it through analyzing women & men in career transition. The pattern is the same.

Questions for English language learners: What do you struggle with the most in regards to speaking American English with native English speakers? Is it coming up with words to say? Is it saying enough so you don't sound limited or be able to give enough variety in your responses so you don't sound repetitive? Is it phrasal verbs? Do you use them? Do you understand them? Do you know how many there are? What about your confidence? Do you second guess yourself when you speak English? Do you have a lot of 'ums' and 'uhs' when you speak American English? Do you repeat words and phrases? Do you have long pauses in between your words and phrases? Do you translate in your head before you say it? Do you depend on translating? Do you say the bare minimum which is only the few things you know how to say but if someone asks you to 'say more.' you'd have difficulty? Are you not really sure where you struggle? Have you ever had someone from the United States... a tutor or teacher really judge your speaking and give you feedback?