Speaking is definitely the most difficult skill you have to come across when you are learning a new language. Follow these 5 hacks to improve your ponunciation and speak perfectly.
Stop reading, start listening.
When we read, we need to decode the letters into sounds to make sense of those symbols. If you aim improving your pronunciation you should prior listening tasks to increase your knowledge on how the words sound.
Speak.
It is a skill, it is physical (muscles, organs) not only intellectual, thus, "thinking" won't help you master it. Some people think being corrected all the time is the only way to go, but actually HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK is the most precious environment a language learner could have. Talk to peers, to friends, to everyone you can!!! Soon you will be able to say the words as beautiful as they sound in your head.
Failed? Try again. Fail better. Ignore the bullies. Keep doing your thing. You will get there!
Find your Achilles Heel.
All of us, speakers of a second language, make mistakes influenced by our first language(s). Observing ourselves and other people with same language background speaking English will help us to spot those troublesome sounds we always mispronounce and tackle them. Being aware and REALISTIC about your acquired skills is the best thing you can do to improve.
Learn new sounds.
Our brains trick us, they approximate unknown sounds to the ones we are familiar with, thus, we need to FIGURE OUT what these new sounds are in order to actually LISTEN AND MAKE them. For that you may need a little help...
Use tools.
Pronunciation teachers, phonetics, techniques, technology... Use whatever is available in order to learn how words can be said perfectly (or closest to it).
And don't forget to follow me on facebook for free lessons: https://www.facebook.com/eteachermarianaenglish/
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