Improving myself for spontaneous discussions in english language

[stritar]

Hello,

I have just found this forum while seeking online for tools and lessons that will help me to improve my use of english in an spontaneous discussion. I am working on my rhetorics by reading aloud every day for 20 - 40 minutes. I'm also repeating tongue twisters on a regular basis. I am forcing myself (in a kind and attractive way) to think in english - inner voice and conversations that we all have. I have no means to interact with native english speakers on a daily basis. I do however have occasional Skype talks with my friends from abroad who speak english. But I find my self having some difficulties to be really "smooth" in lengthy spontaneous discussions. How can I improve on that? I listen to all kinds of youtube speeches and lectures, trying to absorb the nature of talk. Trying to repeat the lines myself and trying to think how I would react to a certain situation in my own words.

Also, can you correct my grammar. I have a trouble placing commas in sentences.

Thank you in advance.

 

[algebra010]

Hello,

I do however have occasional Skype talks with my friends from abroad who speak English. But I find my self having some difficulties to be really smooth in lengthy spontaneous discussions. How can I improve on that I listen to all kinds of you tube speeches and lectures, trying to absorb the nature of talk.

 

[sharkerr]

The problem is, unfortunately, you won't achieve fluency in speaking unless ... you speak a lot ! Listen to youtube's vlogs might help you out with your listening skills but actually do only little when it comes to speaking. If you don't have any natives around, willing to have a conversation with you, you have a few options:
1. use sites like Chatroulette.com (personally I have never used sites of that sort, and you probably must be wiling to dig through a lot of weirdos and trolls before you'll find a proper conversation partner, but is there something you won't do to reach your goals ?)
2. xbox ! That's pretty good opportunity to speak with natives (I believe, at least from my experience, most guys there are Americans) and have a lot of fun! Best way to learn.

But my bottom line would be: to be confident speaking you have to speak a TON. And I had to learnt that the hard way along with others who decided to live abroad. Before I came to UK I'd been learning English for like 10 years! Best grades at schools, superb result at all my finals and all that, but first day I came to UK I had a lot of problems with ordering a train ticket!!! Like in front of a teacher I could give a perfect English speech about current social, political and economical situation in South Sudan, but was struggling a lot with a simple conversation with a native. Basically that's the main problem with foreign students, they know how to write, read and even listen but have literally no idea how to speak fluently in casual situations (especially with natives, other foreigners are always easier to have conversation with for some reason). But after some time hanging out and living with Brits, speaking fluent English came quite natural, and yes I still make a lot of mistakes, and I reckon I'll never be 100% perfect but I don't see any big difference now speaking English and my mother tongue. So only actual working advice is: speak as much you can with people who know English better than you do.

Hope I helped!