How to Become Fluent: 8 Best Practices I Learned from My Students

Hi everyone. I'm Jennifer from English with Jennifer. I know that you

might expect me, as a teacher, to provide all the study

tips, but actually the best tips I can offer

come from my students, learners like you. Over the years, I've

had the pleasure of working with many different students,

and I've seen students meet with success. They've either told me what works for

them or I've observed their behavior and seen their efforts rewarded.

In this video, I'd like to share eight practices I've learned

from successful English language learners.

First, don't make excuses. Make a plan. Set your goals and decide how to get

there. A teacher can help you as you make a

study plan, but it's up to you to stick to it.

The students who make progress are those with the qualities of

self-discipline and determination.

"Self-discipline" is when you make yourself do what you need to do.

"Determination" is the desire to continue even when it's hard and you may think

about giving up.

I know some of my YouTube subscribers by name,

not because I've met them in person, but because they're on my channel

every week. They watch my lessons. They comment. They try any task I give

them. They have the self-discipline to study

each week, and they have the determination to apply

what they've learned.

Second, don't fear mistakes. Learn from them and, at certain times, let

them go. One of my subscribers on Hallo recently

gave a presentation, and she shared her tips for learning

English. She said that sometimes, especially in

the flow of conversation, you have to forget about mistakes and go

on. I completely agree.

You can't let your fear of mistakes hold you back from communicating.

It's true you should accept correction when it's offered constructively

because feedback is something that you can reflect on.

But try not to feel embarrassed or upset when you struggle.

Instead, be resilient.

"Resilient" is being able to come back from failure.

You get back up on your feet after you fall.

As a language learner, show resilience.

Third, be resourceful as a communicator. Again, I'll share advice from my Hallo

subscribers, who recently discussed the potential of

verbal and nonverbal language. If you can't

find the right word in English, use another or use a few others that

come close to what you want to say. Remember

you can also use sounds. You can use gestures. You can even

draw. Resourcefulness is a tool.

Fourth, learn to laugh and cry in English. What do I mean by that?

Students who allow themselves to react emotionally

to conversations and content in English have a better chance of learning,

retaining, and using the language. Learning a

language should be fun, so be open to being silly and

playful. But learning a language can be serious

too. Talking about what angers you, worries

you, amuses you, and inspires you

makes language learning meaningful. It's about being

open -- open to new experiences. Openness is part of communication.

Fifth, go out of your comfort zone. Openness includes a willingness to talk

about things you've never talked about and read about things you've never read

about. Strong communicators become strong by

gaining comfort through familiarity. They practice talking. They expand their

circle of comfort by stepping outside that zone.

I have private students who've studied with me long term,

and they continually allow me to recommend new topics to study and

discuss. They trust me when I present them with

new challenges, like making a presentation, reading a

commercial script, or reading a novel. As a learner,

be adventurous. Develop a sense of adventure.

Be willing to explore and experiment.

Sixth, embrace both the spoken and written language.

I'm often impressed by learners who already have a solid foundation

when they come to me for language support. One thing they almost

always have in common is a love for reading.

They've spent a lot of time reading books and articles.

As my private students, we can build on that knowledge.

We can expand their vocabulary and develop both their oral

and written expression.

Don't focus entirely on speaking English. Learn to be a good listener, reader, and

writer. Be thorough in your studies. Don't leave

out a certain skill just because you're not comfortable with it.

Seventh, aim to sound natural, but still be yourself.

There's a lot of focus on repetition and imitation

to achieve clear pronunciation. The goal, however, doesn't have to be accent

elimination. You don't have to sound exactly like the

teacher you're studying with. The goal can be accent reduction. You

want to sound clear and natural so that you're

understood in conversation.

We all have accents. I have an accent. I have an American accent. I have a

Northern accent. It's all part of who I am. I can serve as

a model for you, but the influence from your first

language is part of your identity. Have the confidence that you don't have

to lose all that influence in order to be a

successful English speaker.

My private students have included businesspeople,

scientists, professors, and medical staff. They function in English-speaking

environments because they have the confidence to communicate.

Finally, actively review what you've learned.

I know that some learners take notes when they watch a YouTube video

or a Hallo live stream. Taking notes is one way to help you process new information.

The next step is to apply the information.

If it's a new word, try to use it in conversation.

If it's a new grammar structure, try to create your own example.

Then to make sure you don't forget it, you have to review the information

and apply it again in new contexts. This is another example of being

thorough and diligent. Successful learners work hard, and they

don't skip important steps of the learning process.

There isn't a shortcut to fluency.

Can you remember all that? In summary, don't make excuses. Don't fear mistakes.

Be resourceful.

Learn to laugh and cry in English. go out of your comfort zone.

Embrace both the spoken and written language.

Aim to sound natural, but still be yourself.

And actively review what you've learned.

Try your best to develop the qualities that will lead to success.

Have self-discipline. Show determination.

Show resilience. Be resourceful.

Develop openness. Have a sense of adventure.

Be thorough and diligent. Develop your confidence.

Be sure to check the video description. I'll include some resources that will

help you put all these tips into action. Please like and share the video if you

found it useful. As always, thanks for watching and happy studies!

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. And try something new!

Download the app Hallo and join me for a live stream.

Students can hop on camera and get speaking practice in real time.