In this post I’ll discuss different phases that I’ve noticed English learners go through when they start speaking English. They are based on my personal experience and observation. So, if you are learning English, but feel stuck and shy away from speaking with native speakers, this read is for you. Understanding where you are in […]
Where are you from? How to react to this question
I often hear that if your pronunciation in English is clear, your foreign accent doesn’t matter. Then why do I meet so many people whose English is intelligible and fluent, but they still cringe when someone asks where their accent is from? In this post, I’m gonna talk about having a foreign accent in the […]
Are you fluent in English?
Paralinguistics and how to sound like a native
Every now and then some of my Polish and American friends would tell me that they sometimes forget I’m not a native Polish or English speaker. As a side note, these are two languages I’ve learned as an adult. But it’s not because I never make mistakes. I’m not perfect and I’m definitely not sharing […]
Do you need feedback when you learn English?
Let’s talk about the power of feedback when we learn English. Do you actually need feedback? And why are some people so annoyed when they get corrected? Through my experience as an English learner and now a teacher, I’ve come to realize that there are two groups of learners – those who don’t want immediate […]
Can you lose your foreign accent in English?
Can you really sound like a native English speaker if you started speaking English as an adult? There are some courses out there that promise you that in no time, you will be speaking with no foreign accent. But is that really possible? In this post, I’ll be talking about the challenges of gaining a […]
Fear of speaking English and how to deal with it
The sound of your voice
Back in the days when I worked in Journalism and had to interview people, I would record the interviews and then listen to them again before writing an article. This was easier for me than taking notes because it allowed me to just listen and be fully present while the interviewee was speaking. But when […]
The power of feedback and how it can help you
A couple of weeks ago, I received an email from Luca Lampariello, a polyglot I follow on social media, about receiving feedback when learning a foreign language. He argues that it is indeed very beneficial for learners to receive feedback, but it depends on the student’s level and the way the feedback is given. In other […]
