It has been about seven years since I started learning English. At ICU, with its international atmosphere, I have realized how enjoyable studying academics and other subjects in English are, and most of all, the fun of having conversations in English. But it wasn’t easy to gain confidence in my English speaking ability. This was when I met this TED talk.
The above is Marianna Pasca at TEDxPenangRoad presenting her speech, “Speak it like you’re playing a video game”. Marianna explains that the most important thing when communicating in a learning language is “to concentrate on the person you are talking to and make an effort to communicate”. This seems to be a common thing that everyone knows. If you talk in a native language, you’ll probably communicate without being aware of it. But what about in your learning languages? Many of us have experienced the fear of making mistakes, making it difficult to say our thoughts out loud.
In her speech, Marianna mentions a boy who is a good communicator, even though his English speaking ability isn’t good. But he listens carefully to people and tries very hard to express himself. This makes the other person feel comfortable talking to him. The boy’s attitude made me realize what is important in communication once again. The person we talk to isn’t a judge in a speaking competition but is a regular person. Most people don’t point out mistakes and judge you by them. If they do, you should distance yourself from them because they probably have a personality problem. Even if you are not confident in your speaking ability, the most important thing is to concentrate on the other person’s story and try to enjoy the conversation. Then surely, both you and the other person can be comfortable with the conversation.
This speech has given me a more positive attitude towards English conversation. I would like to enjoy the coThis speech has given me a more positive attitude towards English conversation. From now on, I want to enjoy communication with others, having the enthusiasm to express myself as much as I can. And if I feel frustrated not being able to express myself fully, I will learn and improve my English skills, increasing my vocabulary and expressions.
I hope this article will help people like me who have difficulty speaking English!