Speech Anxiety: What Can We Do?

Text by: Neringa Jagelavičiūtė-Teišerskienė, Language & Confidence Coach

Photo credit: Neringajag

Speaking in your native tongue is one thing. Learning a foreign language and applying it is quite another. But why is it such a challenge? Is it a concern about mispronouncing words? Or is it due to a lack of vocabulary and grammar knowledge? These reasons are only partially correct. In fact, you might be surprised to learn that the principal factor that will enable you to succeed in learning a second language is none of these three. In fact, the method of learning a new language is simpler and more enjoyable than you may ever have imagined.

Allow me to briefly explain how I came about this knowledge.

As a general rule, people consult me about three aspects of language: pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar. They believe that in learning these three pillars of language they will be able to speak without any embarrassment. Ultimately, people don’t want to be criticized for their errors, so they don’t take chances and they don’t practice. This then leads to a loss of desire and motivation to learn.

Now the good news…

If you could remember when you were a toddler; how quickly language came to you! You could not read, yet you acquired language at a miraculous pace. How could this be? A major reason is, of course, that your brain was developing incredibly quickly. But there is another reason that is often overlooked, and this is where I have found incredible results in my students. The first thing to understand is that there is a reason why we refer to one’s native language synonymously as their ‘mother tongue.’ Imagine the attention, the support and emotional reinforcement young children receive and you will understand how and why they acquire language so quickly. Educators and linguists refer to this as the ‘affective domain.’ In brief, your ability to learn a language lies almost entirely in a pleasant environment where taking chances is encouraged.

As a person who has been teaching languages for close to a decade now, I have observed a rapid transformation in many students. That transformation came about when the student lost his or her fear of rejection or criticism. Being able to speak in a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere boosts confidence and generates powerful biochemicals which further develop the acquisition of any language.

Whenever you are able to say what you think, you will soon forget about your pronunciation, vocabulary, or grammar skills and simply tell it. If you are discussing a captivating topic, you will feel a wave of enthusiasm, and you will surf on it.

That is why among the top five questions I ask my potential students are these: What do you love doing? What is your hobby? What do you need the English language for? On the one hand, it helps me get to know the person deeper. On the other hand, it raises our communication to a higher level. This is how we develop grammar and vocabulary skills: we contextualize what is important to you.

And that is how I see language learning. The student is as important and active in the process of teaching as the teacher is. If we both give our 100% to the process, the results will be far beyond satisfactory.

Do you believe learning can be fun? Would you like to discover inner resources you didn‘t even know you had? Take the opportunity now!