How to practice English in a non-spoken english country

[Migmam]

Hello everybody!

My problem is that I live in Spain and I have very few opportunities to practice my english.

I'm trying to contact some people through messenger and other internet services but it too difficult. People are not willing to waste their time talking to someone that make a lot of mistakes.

How can I practice then if I don't have people speaking english around me?

[Che Gevara]

migmam

Study English in London
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Bombing for peace is like f.. for virginity

[Migmam]

It's a good idea but I can't afford to stay in London more than a week.
So the only solution is using the Internet.
Fornutately, in my country now there is radio station that is broadcasting in english to the spanish people.
They are giving for free english lessons.
But I would like to contact people around the world to chat through skype or Gtalk to practice my pronunciation skill.
Is someone willing to help me?

[NinaZara]

Try reading aloud.

And welcome to English-test.net.

Nina

[Aleaf]

It is also a question which has been haunting me for many years.(
Reading alound is not a perfect solution, i think. Because i find when i am reading my pronunciation is pretty good but when i talk with a native speaker, everything becomes worse. Terrible pronunciation. Terrible expression.
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Try to change youself before you try to change others.

[Stew.t.]

hi all

and concerned residents in non-native speaking countries.

Tips;
read. read. read.
watch DVDs in English with subtitles, then in English alone.
watch tv on www.tv-links.co.uk
Join xing or other networking on-line communities.
Use skype, a free software where you can make calls form pc to pc, all you need is a head set, a webcam (optional) and a good internet connection.
Find clubs that are international or English based (look in your phone directory) i.e. toastmasters.
Find out where the ex-pats hang out (more than likely Irish pubs LOL) and befriend some.
Search for pen (e mail) friends.
Ask your friends & family if they speak or would like to practice English.
Take up an on-line game i.e Poker, chess, Mah Jong.

Good Luck!
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Please meet Stewart Tunncilff

[Torsten]

Hi Stew,

Many thanks for your comments, I agree with all of them. When it comes to reading though, Migmam should really be careful because as you know English is a 'non-phonetic' language. This means you will encounter many words that are new to you and when you see them before you hear them, the chances are you will try to pronounce them incorrectly in your head. That's why I think it's much better if you first hear a word before you see how it's spelled.

Regards,
Torsten
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Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary

[Stew.t.]

hi Torsten

In Part true however pronunciation ignores accent differences. Intonation is more problematic. Stress in words and sentence rythmn. But getting an audio file of a book and reading it at the same time may solve these issues.
_________________
Please meet Stewart Tunncilff

[Migmam]

Hi everybody again.

One method that I found very effective is reading aloud a transcription while I'm listening to the original author. That makes me compare my pronunciation with the original one and see if I'm saying something wrong.
The website http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/index.cfm is very good for that because they use "special english"
that is english read in a slower pace.
Watching TV or films for me is not very good because they talk very fast and use slang expressions. I don't recommend it until someone has a very good level of english.
And reading and reading and if I don't know how a word is pronunciated then I look up in a dictionary the phonectics.
Stew had a great idea about looking for some ex-pats and try to contact them, but if you live in a small town that's difficult.
Skype could be a very good choice but I haven't found a forum or website yet with people willing to teach someone english for free or just to chat in english with a foreigner.

And finally we have the great forum of www.english-test.net

Regards.

P.D. Remember. I'm learning, so you are allowed to correct my english if you see a mistake.

[Che Gevara]

migmam
I'm not very good in English
Find someone in Skype who will be talking to you...
_________________
Bombing for peace is like f.. for virginity

[Migmam]

Thanks che for your offer.

[Stew.t.]

hi migmam

There are some skype groups in www.xing.com

I run the odd free chat group.
_________________
Please meet Stewart Tunncilff

[NinaZara]

Hello,

I also think that we should enjoy the things we do to persevere. If you're going to read, you should enjoy the material. I read magazines a lot but I hate comics. This gave me trouble coping with spoken Japanese when I first came to Japan, because a lot of beginners improve their Japanese by reading comics(Manga). I had to do it the conservative way, reading comprehension and a lot of listening too, by watching Japanese dramas and songs. And of course by socializing with Japanese and other foreigners who are also learning Japanese.
The important thing is to enjoy what you do. The only drawback I am now having is I am so used to dialectal Japanese I'm having trouble speaking formal/polite form with my boss.
It's like learning to play the guitar, when you love the song and you want to play it beautifully, naturally you persevere until you get it right.
And imitating is also a very important process in learning. Small children imitate words they hear all the time. When I together watched my baby sister's favourite movies or cartoons with her, she always utterred the dialogues before the actors say them (she learnt them by heart). And I saw my baby sister making notices around the house with so many cute misspellings. She spelled them the way she heard them. So I'm guessing she learnt the language by ears a lot.

Happy reading!

Nina

[Aleaf]

When i told some chinese that it was reported that 1/3 chinese believe in religion, they felt very strange. They didn't believe the figure.

Yesterday i entered a room in skype and made a survey and found there was no chinese believing in religion at least in that room.

Aleaf
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Try to change youself before you try to change others.

[Englishuser]

Hi aleaf,

I am told only around ten per cent of the Chinese have access to the Internet...

All the best

EU