Back to the Lab
Back to the Lab
Creating English Speaking Opportunities Wherever You Can
Creating English Speaking Opportunities Wherever You Can
I don’t know why I titled this “Back to the Lab” since people can work in labs in many different professions all year long. I guess with the summer coming to an end and football season starting, I’m still thinking of this month as “back to school” and there are a lot of people who may be starting classes, research, or positions in labs lately.
I work with many people in STEM fields who tell me they don’t have many opportunities to practice their English speaking skills because everyone in their work environment also speaks a language other than English as their first language. That’s a great place to practice! The same skills you need to be easily understood by native English speakers are used in a slightly exaggerated way when speaking to other non-native speakers.
Control These Speech Features
Use your environment as your English Practice Lab.
Consciously control these speech features in your own speech and listen for them in other people’s speech. Notice differences in these features between who you find easy to understand and who you find more difficult to understand.
Pace - Slow down, but don’t speak in slow motion. Slow down your pace by stretching the vowels longer in the stressed syllables of words. Take pauses between groups of ideas (think in terms of thought groups instead of complete sentences).
Volume - Do not use too much extra volume when emphasizing important words, use higher pitch instead. Extra volume can be associated with being angry or annoyed.
Intonation - Make the important words stand out in a sentence by pronouncing them with higher pitch and stretching the stressed vowel longer. Go down in pitch at the end of your complete idea so the listener knows you are finished and it is their turn.
Word Stress - If American English is your goal, use an American English dictionary to check the pronunciation and which syllable is stressed in a word. I use Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com.
Experiment! Here are some practical ways to create speaking opportunities:
1. Leave Voicemails
Instead of sending an email, try calling someone. Leave voicemail messages whenever you can, even as the voice option in a text.
Start small: ask a question or check in with a colleague by voice instead of writing a message.
2. Speak Up in Meetings
Don’t just observe during meetings, conference calls, or webinars. Ask a question or make a short comment, even if it’s just to show you agree with someone.
This will help you get used to hearing your own voice in professional situations.
3. Join (or Create) a Presentation Practice Group
Ask colleagues about how they prepare for presentations. You can discuss what works for them and practice presenting in front of others.
It’s helpful to practice in the same room or environment that you will be presenting in.
4. Attend Social Work Events
Whether it’s a birthday celebration in the break room or a casual team lunch, these are great opportunities to practice conversational English in a relaxed setting.
The informal speech you hear and use in these moments is essential for becoming fluent.
5. Explore Events Outside of Work
Check out Eventbrite or Meetup.com for professional or social events (either online or in person). Set yourself a small goal: introduce yourself to one person and explain what you do. It’s a simple but effective way to test how easily strangers understand you.
Join My Meetup Groups!
I host weekly Meetup sessions designed to help non-native speakers with their pronunciation and intonation in American English. Feel free to join us live:
American English Pronunciation Q&A - Meets on Zoom on Tuesdays at 1:00pm US Eastern time for one hour.
American English Intonation - Meets on Zoom on Wednesdays at 6:00pm US Eastern time for one hour.
If you can’t make it to practice with us live, you can always watch the videos that I post on my YouTube channel of me pronouncing the words or sentences we practiced together.
Prepare & Practice
Before your next speaking opportunity:
Prepare notes on what you want to say (just bullet points, not full sentences).
Practice difficult vocabulary, focusing on sounds that are tricky for you and stressed syllables.
Record yourself speaking, listen back to notice any mistakes, and re-record.Try recording your side of a phone call so you can go back and listen to yourself when you’re not busy having the conversation.
Small Steps Add Up to Big Results
Remember, every small speaking opportunity is progress toward improving your skill and fluency in English. Practicing in an environment that you are familiar and comfortable with is the best place to start. You are conducting secret experiments every time you speak with someone, nobody has to know what you are trying to consciously control with your voice so nobody will know if you felt successful or not.
Keep data on yourself. Use your analytical skills to document what you tried, the results, and what the next trial will be. Learn from other people by listening to them speaking and notice successful (understanding) and unsuccessful (misunderstanding) moments.
Most importantly - Experiment!