My Secret to Speaking Fluent English
Summary
TLDRNatee from Thailand shares his journey to fluency in English without leaving home. He emphasizes the importance of building 'unconscious knowledge' through extensive listening and input-driven speaking practice, rather than studying grammar. Natee advises focusing on enjoyable English content and imitating native speakers to internalize the language's complexity naturally, akin to learning one's first language.
Takeaways
- 🌟 Unconscious knowledge in English is crucial for fluency, as it allows for automatic, effortless speech.
- 🚴♂️ Unconscious learning is like learning to ride a bike or play an instrument—it's automatic and doesn't require conscious thought.
- 🧠 Conscious knowledge, gained through studying grammar, is not as useful for speaking fluently because it requires active thinking.
- 🎧 Regular listening to English content is essential for becoming familiar with the language and improving speaking skills.
- 🎬 Consuming content you enjoy, such as movies, podcasts, and YouTube videos, helps maintain motivation and makes learning enjoyable.
- 📚 Avoid focusing on grammar lessons, as they can lead to overthinking while speaking English.
- 🗣️ Input-driven speaking practice, such as imitation techniques, helps improve pronunciation, rhythm, and vocabulary.
- 📢 Practicing with native speaker material allows for better exposure to correct grammar and vocabulary.
- 💡 Expressing content in your own words during practice helps develop improvisation skills and fluency.
- 🕒 Consistency in listening and speaking practice, even for short periods each day, leads to significant improvement over time.
Q & A
What is the main secret Natee shares for speaking English fluently?
-The main secret Natee shares is building a high level of unconscious knowledge in English, which is the ability to perform tasks automatically without conscious thought.
What is the difference between unconscious knowledge and conscious knowledge in the context of language learning?
-Unconscious knowledge allows you to use language automatically without thinking about grammar rules, while conscious knowledge requires you to think about grammar and syntax when speaking.
Why is it difficult to acquire unconscious knowledge in English through traditional study methods?
-Traditional study methods like reading grammar books or watching grammar lessons on YouTube tend to develop conscious knowledge, which is not automatic and requires thought and attention when using.
How does unconscious learning differ from conscious learning in terms of awareness during the learning process?
-Unconscious learning occurs without the learner being aware that they are learning, whereas conscious learning involves deliberate study and focus on the learning material.
Why is listening to English crucial for improving spoken English skills, even if the goal is not to improve listening comprehension?
-Listening to English regularly helps to familiarize oneself with the language's complexity, making it easier to improve speaking skills without getting confused by the language's intricacies.
What is the role of reading in language learning according to Natee's script?
-Reading in English can be beneficial, especially when combined with listening, as it helps familiarize oneself with the language's written form and can also reinforce listening skills through subtitles.
What type of content should one focus on when listening to improve English skills?
-One should focus on content that they enjoy and are interested in, as this makes the learning process more engaging and less like a chore.
How can one practice speaking English without a conversation partner?
-One can practice speaking English by talking to themselves about various topics, but Natee suggests input-driven speaking practice, such as imitating native speakers, for more effective learning.
What is the Imitation technique that Natee recommends for practicing spoken English?
-The Imitation technique involves repeating after a native English speaker, word for word, while trying to copy not only the words but also the rhythm, pronunciation, and emotion in the voice.
How can one make the Imitation technique more challenging as their speaking proficiency improves?
-As proficiency improves, one can increase the challenge by memorizing and repeating longer segments of speech, or by expressing the meaning of what they hear in their own words if they can't remember the exact phrasing.
What is the significance of practicing with input in the Imitation technique?
-Practicing with input ensures constant exposure to proper English, helping learners to acquire new vocabulary and proper grammar, which aids in speaking and sounding more native.
Outlines
🗣️ The Secret to Fluent English: Unconscious Knowledge
Natee from Thailand shares her journey from poor English to fluency without leaving her home country. She emphasizes the importance of developing unconscious knowledge in English, which is the ability to use the language without conscious thought, similar to riding a bicycle or speaking one's native language. This type of knowledge cannot be acquired through traditional study or grammar lessons, which only provide conscious knowledge that requires deliberate thought. The key to achieving unconscious knowledge is to practice as if learning a first language, focusing on communication rather than grammar rules.
🎧 Listening as a Foundation for English Fluency
The second paragraph delves into the necessity of listening to improve spoken English. Natee explains that listening regularly helps familiarize oneself with the complexity of the English language, making it easier to speak without getting confused. She suggests consuming English content such as YouTube videos, podcasts, audiobooks, movies, and TV shows, preferably with English subtitles to enhance listening and occasional reading skills. Natee also advises choosing content that one enjoys to maintain motivation and interest in learning English.
🚫 Avoiding Grammar Lessons for Natural English
In this paragraph, Natee advises against consuming grammar lessons to prevent the habit of thinking about grammar while speaking, which can hinder natural speech. She shares her personal preferences for content related to Japanese culture and scary podcasts, as well as fantasy series audiobooks, to keep the learning process enjoyable and engaging. Natee also recommends listening to English during daily activities that don't require concentration, such as working out or doing chores, to maximize exposure to the language without taking away from leisure time.
🤔 The Limitations of Self-Talk and Online Conversations
Natee discusses the limitations of practicing English by talking to oneself or with other English learners online. She points out that self-talk does not introduce new vocabulary or correct grammar and pronunciation mistakes, while conversing with fellow learners exposes one to incorrect English and limits vocabulary expansion. Instead, she suggests focusing on input-driven practice with native English materials to improve speaking skills and sound more native-like.
🎙️ Mastering English Through Input-Driven Speaking Practice
The final paragraph introduces input-driven speaking practice, where one imitates or copies native speakers from materials like YouTube videos or podcasts. Natee describes her preferred Imitation technique, which involves listening to a native speaker and then repeating their speech, focusing on mimicking words, rhythm, pronunciation, and emotion. As proficiency improves, one can increase the challenge by memorizing and repeating longer sentences or expressing the same meaning in different words to enhance improvisation skills.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Unconscious knowledge
💡Fluency
💡Conscious knowledge
💡Input-driven speaking practice
💡Listening
💡Grammar nerd
💡Imitation
💡Complexity
💡Conscious part of the brain
💡Enjoyable content
💡Input
Highlights
Building unconscious knowledge in English is key to speaking fluently without conscious thought.
Unconscious knowledge allows performing tasks automatically, like riding a bike or speaking a native language.
Conscious knowledge requires thinking and focusing, which is not suitable for fluent spoken English.
Grammar study leads to conscious knowledge that hinders natural English speaking.
Speaking a language engages both the conscious and unconscious parts of the brain.
Grammar-focused learners struggle to speak fluently as their brain over-focuses on grammar.
Unconscious learning happens when learning occurs without awareness, like listening to a conversation.
Listening to English regularly is crucial for familiarity and ease in speaking.
Input-driven speaking practice exposes learners to native speech, improving vocabulary and grammar.
Talking to oneself or other learners can reinforce mistakes rather than correct them.
Imitation and shadowing techniques are effective input-driven practices for speaking improvement.
Practicing with material that contains native speech helps to sound more native and avoid developing bad habits.
Enjoyable content is most effective for sustained English learning without feeling like a chore.
Avoid grammar-focused content to prevent developing the habit of thinking about grammar while speaking.
Listening while doing other activities can help incorporate English practice into daily life without extra effort.
The Imitation technique involves repeating native speech to improve pronunciation, rhythm, and emotion.
As proficiency improves, the Imitation technique can be adapted to memorize and repeat longer sentences.
Expressing meaning in one's own words during Imitation practice enhances the ability to improvise and find words.
Transcripts
Hi, my name is Natee, and I'm from Thailand. Many years ago, my spoken English was pretty bad. I had
a lot of trouble expressing myself in English. But then, I found a way to improve my spoken English.
And I managed to become fluent while living in Thailand. The methods I used can be done at home,
from anywhere in the world. And in this video, I'm gonna tell you how you can do the same. First,
let me tell you the most important secret. To speak English well, you need to build unconscious
knowledge in English. Let me repeat that. If you want to speak English fluently, you need a high
level of unconscious knowledge in English. So, what is it? Well, unconscious knowledge is the
ability to do something without conscious thought. It's the ability to perform a task automatically.
For example, riding a bicycle, playing a musical instrument, and speaking your native language.
Unconscious knowledge is automatic. To use the knowledge, you don't have to think about it. You
don't have to focus your attention on it. That's why you can ride a bicycle and talk to someone at
the same time. You don't have to focus on the movement of your legs. They move automatically
on their own. It's also why musicians can sing and play the instrument at the same time. With enough
practice, the skill becomes automatic, and so the hands and fingers can now move automatically. Now,
think about how you speak your first language. When you talk in your native language,
do you think about grammar rules? Do you think about syntax or sentence structure?
No, you don't think about any of that, right? But for some reason, every sentence that comes out of
your mouth is grammatically correct. Even though you're not thinking about grammar, everything you
say makes sense grammatically. Why is that? Well, it's because you have a high level of unconscious
knowledge in your native language. So, if you want to speak English well, you need to increase your
unconscious knowledge in English. If you do that, speaking English will feel natural and automatic,
much like speaking your first language. So how do you acquire unconscious knowledge? Unfortunately,
this is very difficult to do. The problem is that this type of knowledge cannot be taught.
It cannot be acquired through study. You can't improve it by reading grammar books or watching
grammar lessons on YouTube. If you do that, you will acquire a different type of knowledge called
conscious knowledge. This type of knowledge is not automatic. To use the knowledge, you have to think
about it. You have to focus your attention on it. This means that when you speak English, you have
to think about grammar. You have to decide what tense to use and all that stuff. And that doesn't
work because when you're talking to someone, you don't have time to think about grammar. If the
other person says something to you or asks you a question, you have to respond immediately. Sadly,
many people love studying grammar. They love watching lessons about tenses, prepositions,
adjectives, and so on. They believe that it will make them speak better. What they don't
realize is that the knowledge they gain through study is conscious, non-automatic knowledge,
which is not very useful in spoken English. The thing is, speaking a language involves
two parts of the brain: the conscious part and the unconscious, automatic part. When you speak
your first language, the conscious part focuses on the information that you want to communicate,
while the unconscious part focuses on the grammar. This coordination allows you to
speak fluently. If you want to say something, you can just say it. And the unconscious part will
make sure that your speech follows the grammar rules. The process is automatic. It's amazing,
actually. But what happens when a grammar nerd, you know, someone who studies a lot of grammar.
What happens when they try to speak English? Well, here's what happens. The conscious part
now has to focus on the information and the grammar at the same time. It has to focus on
two things simultaneously, which is impossible to do. This is why many students speak poorly
despite knowing all the grammar rules. So don't learn English through study. Instead, you have to
learn English the same way you learned your first language. We call this way of learning unconscious
learning. What is unconscious learning? Does it mean learning while you sleep? Actually,
no. In this context, the word unconscious means unaware. So, unconscious learning means you're
unaware that you're learning something. The learning takes place outside of your
awareness. One example of this way of learning is listening to a conversation in English. When
you listen to a conversation, your goal is not to learn English but to understand the conversation,
right? But as you listen...as you focus on the information, the unconscious part of your brain
is learning English behind the scenes. You may not be aware of it, but your brain is learning things
like grammar, vocabulary, and many other things. This is how you learned your first language. You
didn't learn through study. You learned by listening to people talking over and over.
And you didn't try to memorize or understand any rules. You just focused on the information and let
your brain learn the language in the background. So remember, when you learn English unconsciously,
you get unconscious, automatic knowledge. when you learn English consciously by studying grammar,
you get conscious, non-automatic knowledge. Now, there are two methods you can use to
build unconscious knowledge. These are the only two methods I used to become fluent in English.
The first one is listening, of course. The second one is input-driven speaking practice. Let's talk
about listening. Listening is a very popular method for learning English. Everybody tells
you to listen to English. But is it really necessary? I mean, what if you're not looking
to improve your listening? If your goal is to improve your speaking, why do you need to spend
time listening? Why not just focus on speaking practice? Well, here's the deal. Even if improving
your listening is not your goal, you still need to listen to English on a regular basis. In fact,
it's impossible to become fluent without a lot of listening. The reason is simple. Regular listening
makes it easy to improve your speaking. You see, the English language is very complex. If you don't
listen to English very much, you'll never become familiar with the complexity of the language. So,
when you try to practice speaking, you will get confused very easily. Forming a sentence will be
confusing. Practicing new words will be confusing. Everything will be confusing because your brain
cannot handle the complexity of the language. On the flip side, if you listen to English regularly,
you will become comfortable with the language. So the complexity will not confuse you as much. As
a result, improving your speaking will be a lot easier. That's why you need to listen to English
regularly. You need to feed your brain with as much input as possible. But what about reading?
Should you also read in English? Well, if you can do both listening and reading, that's great.
That's even better. But if you don't have a lot of time, I suggest you focus on listening because
it helps you become familiar with the sounds of English, you know, pronunciation, intonation,
pitch, things like that. Besides, when you watch a movie or a YouTube video with English subtitles,
you are essentially reading in English, right? So, even if you focus on listening,
you will sometimes get to practice your reading skills as well. So, make sure to consume a lot of
content like YouTube videos, podcasts, audiobooks, movies, and TV shows. If you don't understand
the content and need to read subtitles, make sure they are in English, not in your native
language. At this point, you might have questions like... What podcasts should I listen to? What
movies should I watch? What content is best for learning English? The answer to these questions
is simple. The best content for learning English is content you enjoy. For example,
if you like travel, you might watch YouTube videos about travel. If you are interested in business,
you might listen to business podcasts. If you like action movies, then watch action movies. Watch or
listen to things you like. It's that simple. Don't consume content you don't like just for the sake
of learning English. If you do that, listening will feel like a chore for you. It will be
something that you have to force yourself to do. When you listen to something you don't care about,
you will get distracted and get bored. At some point, you're gonna lose motivation and stop
doing it. I don't have this problem because I only listen to stuff that interests me. For example,
I like Japan, so I'm subscribed to YouTube channels about Japanese culture, Japanese food,
and other things related to Japan. I love scary stories, so I listen to a number of
scary podcasts. I'm also a big fan of fantasy series like Harry Potter, and I've listened
to the Harry Potter audiobooks multiple times now. So basically, I listen to things I enjoy.
This way, I get to have fun and learn English at the same time. By the way, there's one type of
content I avoid, and that is grammar lessons. When I'm on YouTube, I never watch videos about tenses,
prepositions, adjectives, you know, all the boring stuff. Because I know that if I consume
this type of content, I will develop the habit of thinking about grammar when speaking, which is not
what I want. I want to speak English naturally like I speak my native language. So, make sure
you listen to things you find enjoyable and avoid content related to grammar. How much time should
you spend listening each day? The answer is as much as possible. Like I said earlier, English
is very complex, and so your brain needs a lot of input before it can master the language. So,
the more time you spend listening, the better. If you have 30 minutes a day,
listen for 30 minutes a day. If you have 10 hours a day, listen for 10 hours. The more input you
get, the faster your English will improve. But if you're busy and don't have time, that's okay. Let
me share a tip that has worked well for me. So, if your listening is good enough, and you don't need
to look at the screen to read subtitles, you can practice listening while doing other activities.
Personally, I like to listen while working out, doing chores, or commuting. With this simple
strategy, I've been able to listen to English for at least 30 minutes every day without much
effort. I don't need self-discipline to do this. It's very easy to do. So, feel free to listen
while doing your daily activities. But don't do it while working or studying, alright? The activities
have to be something simple. Something you can do easily without concentration. With this approach,
you really don't have to spend your free time listening to English, which means you can dedicate
some of that time to your speaking practice. Practice is essential to improving any skill. If
you want to speak English well, then you're gonna have to practice. You have to open your mouth and
speak some English. But what if you have no one to speak with? What do you do then? Some people
solve this problem in a simple way. They simply talk to themselves in English. And I used to do
that. When I was just starting out, I would talk to myself about random topics. So one day I might
talk about my job, the next day I might talk about my hobbies, and so on. But after a while,
I stopped doing it because there are two problems with this approach. The first problem is that when
you're talking to yourself, you're not learning any new words or phrases, right? You're just
practicing words and phrases you already know. You're not learning anything new. The second
problem is that if you make a lot of grammar and pronunciation mistakes when speaking,
this practice will not correct those mistakes. If you practice by talking to yourself alone,
you will keep making the same mistakes. So, after practicing this way for a while, you might be able
to speak more quickly, but your English will be difficult to understand because you don't speak
or sound like a native. You have your own way of talking in English. So, if talking to yourself
doesn't work, how about talking with someone online? Unfortunately, the same problems still
apply. If your speaking partner is an English learner just like you, they probably make a lot of
mistakes when speaking. So when you're talking to them, you're exposing yourself to broken English,
you know, bad grammar and incomplete sentences. Also, your partner probably has a small vocabulary
just like you, so talking to them isn't gonna help expand your vocabulary. Now,
don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that you should never chat with other English learners. It's okay
to do that from time to time. But if your speaking needs a lot of improvement, then you should focus
on something called input-driven practice. What is it? Well, input-driven practice is when you
practice with some type of English material. It could be a YouTube video, a podcast, a movie, or
anything that contains native speech. The idea is that, by practicing with input, you're exposed to
new vocabulary and proper grammar, which will help you to speak and sound more native. Input-driven
Practice usually involves imitating or copying a native speaker. If you've ever heard of language
learning methods like Shadowing or Imitation, those are all input-driven exercises. Personally,
I like the Imitation technique the most, so let me explain how you can practice this technique.
To get started, find an audio or video of a native speaker talking. Try to find material
where the speaker doesn't speak too fast. Once you have the material, you're gonna listen to it
to familiarize yourself with the speech. You don't have to speak yet. Just listen
and make sure you understand everything. Be sure to look up words and phrases you don't know. Now,
if the speech is long, you don't have to listen to the whole thing. Just listen to the first 3 to 5
minutes. After you finish listening, you're ready to begin your practice. Play the speech from the
beginning. This time, you're going to repeat after the speaker word for word. So, after a few words,
pause the audio and repeat what you hear out loud. You don't have to wait until the end of
each sentence because that might be too difficult. You can pause mid-sentence and repeat 4, 5, or 6
words at a time. When you imitate, try to copy not only the words but also the rhythm, pronunciation,
and the emotion in the voice. Copy everything so that you sound exactly like that person. So
that was one way to practice Imitation. But this technique is flexible; as your speaking improves,
you can make the practice more challenging to match your proficiency level. For example, instead
of repeating a few words at a time, you can try to memorize and repeat one sentence at a time.
If you come across a very long sentence, and you can't remember the exact words,
that's okay. The human brain is not very good at remembering individual words or small details,
but it's good at remembering meaning or key information. So, if you forget the original
sentence, try to express the meaning in your own words. For example, if the original sentence was
"Walking alone in a dense forest at night is absolutely terrifying", you might say
something like "Walking alone in a forest at night is very scary." Or, if that's still too difficult,
you can just say "Walking in a forest is scary." The process of expressing something in your own
words is really helpful. It improves your ability to improvise and find the right words to express
yourself. As you can see, there's more than one way to practice Imitation, so feel free to do
it however you like. The important thing is to always practice with input to ensure constant
exposure to proper English. So there you have it. That's how you can increase your unconscious
knowledge and become more fluent in English. A lot of listening and a lot of speaking practice.
Voir Plus de Vidéos Connexes
My Top 10 Tips for Better English Speaking
5 Smart Ways to Improve your English Speaking Skills
How I learned English at home by myself *for free* | No boring language learning tips
How to Learn ANY Language Without Studying
How I learned English by myself for free without studying
Cara lancar bahasa Inggris dalam 7 hari
5.0 / 5 (0 votes)