It is often said that practice makes perfect. In the art of speaking and reading effectively it requires conscious and deliberate effort to perfect one’s skills. Experienced speakers who've ‘perfected’ their skills, still make mistakes, sometimes blatant and obvious ones. Thus, I stand to believe that it is more realistic to strive to get better and better in order to attain proficiency in a language. Until I have been proven wrong, I’ll replace the aforementioned expression; practice makes perfect  - practice makes better!<o:p></o:p>

The more you practice the better you will be in the art of speaking and reading. Always remember that there’s room for improvement. <o:p></o:p>

Fluency and proficiency in the English language may make one sound intelligent, well educated and sophisticated. This is especially true for non-native speakers. I live in a society that equates fluent English speaking like a native speaker to intelligence, well educated, smart and sophisticated. But you know what, that’s rubbish. Fluency in the English language as a non-native speaker doesn’t mean I’m smart, intelligent or sophisticated. Our proficiency in the language is evidence of conscious and deliberate effort. In my opinion, one of the identifying marks of non-native speakers’ proficiency in any language is to speak clearly and understandably. Of course we’re bound to have ‘mother-tongue interference’ in our second language. A native English speaker once said to me that he finds it funny when non-native speakers try to put an accent. i.e native English speaking accent. This is especially true when the native accent doesn’t come naturally. It really irks.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

From my childhood up, I’ve been groomed to speak clearly and understandably. I wasn’t taught to adopt a native speaking accent. However, native accent was often the model for ‘correct’ English speaking. A take home for non-native English speakers is this; don’t fake or put an accent. And if you’re proficient in the language don’t get puffed up, thinking you’re smarter or more educated than others. Be humble. You just speak a language fluently.<o:p></o:p>

How about learning English using voiceover techniques? As a seasoned voiceover artist i've seen first hand how voice acting improved my English. Would you like to try something new?