3 Steps to Conversational Fluency

From a "language learner" to "fluent speaker"

Summary of today’s blog post:

• Step 1: Learn the fundamentals with classes, apps, or other self-study resources

• Step 2: Do lots of targeted conversation practice

• Step 3: Focus on poise. At this stage, how you speak trumps what you say

By step 3, native speakers will no longer view you as a learner. Instead, they will view you as a fellow fluent speaker.

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I shared this graphic in another blog post.

As you’ll see, there are three primary benchmarks I use to track a student’s conversational fluency:

• Benchmark 1: Able to hold 10-20 minutes of conversation with an acceptable speech cadence

• Benchmark 2: Able to hold 30-40 minutes of conversation with an acceptable speech cadence

• Benchmark 3: Able to hold 30-40 minutes of conversation with excellent speech cadence.

Each level needs to be repeated at least 3 times (i.e., a success streak of 3.) The topics are flexible and vary based on student needs.

The first two benchmarks focus on what to say.

In order to hold a conversation, first learn the fundamentals (e.g., words, phrases, basic grammar, pronunciation, etc) followed by conversation practice to ramp up the length of conversation you can carry. Simple enough.

But what about the third benchmark? How does one improve their speech cadence?

Speech cadence is all about how you speak and not what you say.

The key at this stage is to look and sound confident. It’s about poise and, interestingly, an identity shift from “learner” to “fluent speaker.” If you can hold long conversations with excellent speech cadence, native speakers will stop viewing you as a language learner. In their eyes, you will graduate to a fluent speaker.

Here are 5 simple strategies to look and sound more confident.

Do these to quickly come across as more poised.

1. Vary your rate of speech and your tonality

2. Look at the person you’re speaking to most of the time

3. Replace English filler words with ones in the target language

4. Implement natural pauses in your speech (i.e., speak in phrases)

5. Find your message as you speak, not before you speak

   1. It’s ok to have false starts

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Thanks for reading!

I hope you have a wonderful rest of your week :)