2 Easy Ways to Build Your English Confidence

2 Easy Ways to Build Your English Confidence

Has it been your dream to study English abroad since you were a child? Is your dream becoming a reality? Are you preparing to study English in Canada? 

It can be quite overwhelming when you first arrive in a new country, especially when you don’t speak the native language of that country. You probably studied English when you were in school, or maybe in university. 

Perhaps if you did some language preparation before you arrived in your new country, it would help you feel more confident and help you get ready to tackle English. 

Listening seems to be one of the biggest challenges for students arriving to a foreign English speaking country. Here is my favourite listening practice website- 

www.esl-lab.com

There is a variety of levels from easy to medium to difficult listenings. Each listening activity has a series of questions to answer to check comprehension and will give you a score at the end of the quiz. You can try again and again if you would like to. Each of the listenings is a different scenario that is related to real life situations. For example renting an apartment, dealing with a car accident or planning a New Year’s Eve party. 

To have confidence in speaking skills can be very difficult. Many people feel very nervous to make a mistake or feel embarrassed about their skill level. The first step here is to practice and not worry about being wrong. 

My suggestion is to start by practicing with a friend or family member you feel comfortable with for 20-30 minutes at a time. Here is a list of 101 conversation starters so you have some direction with your conversations- 

https://www.conversationstarters.com/101.htm

If you don’t have someone to talk to in person, try using online video conferencing like Skype or FaceTime. 

These are two very easy ways to help you gain confidence before you begin studying English at CLLC. 

Happy Studying!