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When learning a new foreign language, the lessons of a traditional course are generally based on teaching grammar and writing in general, learning texts in the language, and speaking. However, those who know and speak a language are often more confident in writing than in speaking.
This happens because sometimes the language teaching is not complete: many times we rely too much on grammar and writing, and as a consequence, the accuracy part will be outstanding, but there will be shortcomings on fluency, that is, on oral production. However, other times, it happens that some people are much better at communicating than at remembering this or that rule.
This disparity derives from the fact that there was a tendency to teach too much or exclusively the grammar rule in the past without allowing the student to relate to a real mother tongue teacher or the natural spoken language.
After all, not all primary or secondary schools require the presence of a mother tongue teacher, a helpful figure for the student to get involved with the spoken language, having in front of a tutor ready to help him with both fluency and pronunciation, same as words.
If you want to improve your pronunciation, discover our courses, where you will find teachers who will help you:
The importance of speaking and pronunciation
Grammar is undoubtedly a vital part of teaching a foreign and non-foreign language (after all, buildings are built from the foundations). Still, speaking and pronunciation cannot and must not be left behind, especially when 'English is, as they say, an opaque language. An opaque language is a non-transparent language in which there is no correspondence between graphemes and phonemes, therefore between written and spoken.
Therefore, speaking and pronunciation need to be treated and practiced just like written production, even more so in this historical period in which English is the international lingua franca, the language used for private and business purposes between people who do not speak the same language.
Therefore, it is easy to understand why all jobs require English at least at a reasonable level: to communicate, whether it is with foreign companies or with tourists visiting the city. Therefore, knowledge of English is an essential element nowadays, especially at the oral level, to communicate better.
Learning to speak English is possible, and it is also possible to practice your pronunciation. So let's see together how to do it best, following these simple tips for everyone:
If you are currently in your country, you can start by taking a dedicated English course to improve your speaking and pronunciation. This must be held in schools with a certified method and by qualified tutors, possibly native speakers.
And even if it is true that there are as many pronunciations as there are English speakers, it is also true that getting used to understanding them a little at a time never hurts and will take us a step further. But, over time, it will get easier and simpler.
Suppose it falls within your possibilities, both from an economic point of view and in terms of the time you have available. One of the best tips is undoubtedly to go abroad. Staying abroad for a shorter or longer period will undoubtedly help you improve.
Especially if you are alone, you will immediately learn that you can't do anything if you can't communicate. And being continually among native speakers (in this regard, large cities are not recommended, those full of non-native speakers, whose pronunciation is heterogeneous), it will be easy to learn to understand them and try to imitate them! Or better yet, you could take a general or speaking-focused English course directly in an English-speaking country.
Another tip for improving both listening comprehension and pronunciation is to listen to audiovisual products in English. It will be just like being abroad, with the advantage that you will hear - and therefore make your own - different types of pronunciation starting from the typically English one to get to the American one, passing through the Australian one. Only this way will you realize how many differences there are in a language that is always the same base.
This comes from the fact that English is spoken by so many people that everyone has their ideal, something that characterizes it. But what to listen to in English? What you like best: watching movies and series are usually recommended. But there are many other alternatives such as songs, documentaries, podcasts, videos on online platforms.
After listening to others, listen to yourself: to understand what you have learned and made yours and what to improve, it is essential to know where you are. Then, by recording and listening again, you will be able to make self-criticism, and therefore you will force yourself to improve more and more.
You will notice the pronunciation errors, you did not see during the discussion - concentrated as you were - and next time, you will correct them. If necessary, also look in the mirror: some English phonemes in Italian do not exist, so you have to understand how to pronounce these new sounds.
Give yourself time:
Don't speed things up and take the right time to assimilate the previous topic before moving on to the next. After all, it is only in this way that you will truly understand what you are doing, and in this way, you will not forget it easily.
