Improve English Speaking Skills Everyday (Tips to speak in English) English Conversation Practice

Francisco what are you doing here why  didn't you go to the English class today

hello teacher I'm really sorry I  didn't feel like going to classes today

okay but what happened couldn't  you make it on time or what

no teacher I had arrived on time but I  just stopped to think about some things

um can I know what those  things are maybe I can help you

I don't think you can help me I mean you are  an excellent teacher but this is something

well I was going to English classes as usual  but then I asked myself what are you doing  

you know I'm about to be 60 years old  and I'm trying to learn a new language

I know you also think it's impossible for an  old man like me to learn a new language right

oh then that's the problem I see can I sit here

sure it's not like I'm waiting  for someone you can sit there

so you think you're too old to learn  English I'm gonna tell you some things

you're never too old to learn something new  and that includes of course a new language

I knew you were going to say something like  that but the truth is different I know that  

look it is quite common for me to hear comments  such as it's more difficult because I'm older  

or I am too old to learn English however this  is not actually true I will explain it to you  

it has been scientifically proven that you're  never too old to learn a language or pick up any  

other new skill your body might not have the same  agility or flexibility to do a sport for example

but your brain can definitely be stretched and  challenged to create new neurological connections  

which can make you an effective learner people  have a wrong idea about learning English

learning English is not about learning  something totally new that's not correct

learning a language means linking  your pre-existing knowledge of the  

world to the new input that you receive

specifically for this reason adults can be better  or at least more efficient Learners than children  

your many years of schooling and  life experience make you receptive  

and allow you to better understand the intricacies  of a language as well as the strategies

to apply when analyzing and  memorizing new Concepts you see

then why do older students think that age is  so crucial to their ability to learn English  

there are three common factors that students often  confuse with age risk taking time and repetition  

we improve by trying to communicate  

and be understood and this means  taking risks and making mistakes

adult Learners are typically less  happy to do this than younger students

so it is easy to think age is the barrier to  the learning process and use it as a reason  

to justify not taking risks typically adults  also understimate how much time it can take  

children to learn we imagine young people as  sponges that absorb everything very quickly

and this can be true in some circumstances  but we should also remember something

how many years of school it can take children  to for example learn their multiplication tables  

in maths compared to children adults usually  have less time to spend on learning a language

as they also have to focus on many aspects  of life and not only on their studies

moreover children often find that repetition  is comforting and it reassures them of what  

they're producing whereas adults can find  this process quite boring or frustrating

which means they are less likely to repeat  new language in the same way that's the thing

however repetition of expressions in  meaningful encounters such as seeing hearing

or using the word in a memorable  situation is key to learning believe me

research suggests this needs to be done at  least seven times before we can say we can  

actually know the new word or sentence  that's the best way of memorizing new words

now is also a good moment to consider  what it means to be a good language user

often students have a very narrow definition  for example not to make grammar mistakes

or to know a lot of vocabulary  while this can be important

most of the time what we need is to be  effective communicators and that means

knowing how to build relationships  express yourself and interact yeah

essentially social and Intercultural skills  can be as important language knowledge

which is why we spend time focusing on  this in our English videos for example

these are also elements that are often easier for  more mature people to understand than for children  

is that true I mean I get what you're  saying and it makes sense but I don't know  

sometimes it's difficult for me to memorize a new  word I repeat it over and over again and nothing

and what does knowing a word  actually mean it's not only  

a matter of recalling it at the right time

or being able to use it in the right position in  a sentence for example it's also about knowing  

its pronunciation it's a spelling and  what words best go with it for example

we say blonde hair not yellow hair right  words can also have different meanings

Bank as a financial institution on the  side of a river or variations depending on  

if it's a noun singular or plural with or with  our article or if it's a verb or an adjective  

another example is photograph  photographer photography photographic Etc

there are also other considerations for example if  there are words with similar or opposite meanings

if there are differences in register maybe it's  four model or informal polite or not polite  

or if there are other words that have the same  sound but a different spelling like hair and hair  

what I mean is all of these elements require  you to make links and Connections in your brain

which can become a conscious activity  for mature adults and as a consequence

it becomes easier for them to learn a new word  because you can think clearly about more things

you can interact with more people you have  more things to relate to that new word

learning English as an adult has a  lot of advantages that's for sure

that myth that says children learn English  faster or better than All Odds it's not true

I hope you could understand what I said  there is no right age to learn something new

I think you're right teacher plus I got  the higher score on the last exam so  

exactly you're doing great on  your process of learning English

thank you so much teacher I feel much better  now and I'm sorry for not going to your classes  

that's okay don't worry all I want is  you to learn and improve your English

and if you have any questions you know  you can always count on me Francisco

yes teacher I know that now  thank you so much for your help

I hope you liked this conversation if you  could improve your English a little more  

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