Quelles sont les meilleures façons d’améliorer votre confiance en vous lorsque vous parlez une langue seconde ?

Be aware of your level, and just go with it! You are likely not at a native level if you're reading these advices. If you're a confident person you will be fully confident and quite fluent even if your skills aren't academically perfect. I'm trilingual and speak them all at a native level, and I can tell you I have no shame trying languages I'm not fully competent on- and guess what? It works, just go with it, associate words, make gestures-people understand you. If you don't practice you'll never learn or get the mental sharpness to fill gaps.

When it comes to learning a language, everyone focuses on the big picture and creates vague goals. Backward goal setting might be a game changer. Break down your language learning goals into smaller, achievable tasks

In my first year of university, I transitioned from the comfort of my native language to the challenge of a second one. The key to building confidence? Embrace your mistakes. Don't fear errors; instead, actively seek corrections and learn from them. Initially, I made countless mistakes, but persistence was key. Surrounding myself with native speakers was a game-changer. By engaging in conversations, paying close attention, and asking questions, I improved dramatically. Remember, every correction is a step towards fluency. Stay curious, stay resilient, and keep talking!

As someone learning a second language, I found that setting realistic goals is a game-changer. For Example, I decided to learn five new phrases a week. This manageable target not only made the learning process less overwhelming but also boosted my confidence. Celebrating these small victories encouraged me to continue, proving that progress, no matter how gradual, leads to increased self-assurance in language speaking.

I am totally agree with you as I comes from the country where English is second language but it’s a process, you learned the English in secondary school and grow up in the environment where people aren’t speak English it’s little bit difficult to deliver your speech. I graduated from India and I grew up in the same environment as any ordinary Indian whose first language isn’t English but in my under graduate I started learning English as a first language and improve so much in myself also. I created a suitable environment and now I am in United States,and graduating. So as far as I experience one needs to make a suitable environment to adopt anything. Nothing is impossible to achieve we just need different perspectives.

I would add to the previous, that you need to understand that as a second language, you most likely will always have an accent, and that is ok.

There can be two different situations of feeling language insecure when speaking in public: One is when speaking a second language, and the other is when learning a new language. In the first case I find there are two main hurdles: 1. Accent or articulation. 2. Vocabulary. One can also consider grammar as a third hurdle, but I think it's more pivotal in writing than speaking in public. In order to feel confident and not stumble when trying to remember the correct word on feeling self conscious when speaking, one should practice. When preparing a speech write down all you intend to say, learn the correct nouns and record yourself speaking. In the second case of learning a new language, it's mainly trial and error, You just have to stumble.

You could focus on particular tasks and situations, and prepare key phrases and vocabulary ahead of time. For instance, if you are about to attend a networking event held in the foreign language, you can prepare your introduction and some key Q&A.

Practice, practice, practice! It's important to put yourself in situations where you listen to and speak the language on a regular basis. People usually focus on trying to speak early on in their language learning journey, but I believe it is essential to focus on listening to the language. This was you will pick up new words, as well as the context in which they are used. Once you are more comfortable with hearing the language, it's time to make the next step and start speaking the language. One of my best tips would be to start in situations where you have had a chance to prepare your topic beforehand (i.e. public speaking groups), and progress to talking freely after you've built more confidence.

I like to remind students that they became native speakers in their first language by having thousands of hours of exposure and practice starting from their earliest age. We see seem to be forgetting that a large input is necessary to support students in being very confident to use the target language. Variety of input is also quite useful but there is one thing which I regard as extremely important - it must be interesting for the student. If we manage to couple language input and language acquisition with an interest or hobby of the student, we are very close to the proverbial "teacher a man how to fish..."

Think of it like building muscles at the gym – the more consistent you are, the stronger you become. In my journey, I committed to practicing a bit every day, whether through short conversations with native speakers, language exchange apps, or even talking to myself in the mirror. This routine not only made language learning a habit but also significantly boosted my confidence over time. So, if you’re a fan of routine, make ‘language practice’ a part of your daily schedule and watch the progress unfold!

To boost confidence in speaking a second language, practice regularlyby watching movies and listen to the songs and read lyrics in that language, engage in conversations, seek constructive feedback, and gradually challenge yourself with more complex language tasks.

Practice makes prefect as the saying goes, there will definitely be times you would make mistakes when trying to speak a second language but focus on the positives which is for everytime you make mistakes know that you are a step towards perfection. I will advise that you do not just practice for the sake of just knowing the language but try and incorporate it in your daily life. This can be done through talking to a friend who speaks that language or when you are ordering food or talking to customer service, try and choice the use of the second language you are practicing to get real life experiences. Remember, it is better to be wrong than not to try at all.

This is important to cement your knowledge, if you don't use it you will forget- you'll forget fully. Consume media in that language, listen to social media so you can grasp how natives speak.

Practice leads to perfection. A hard task at first sight will look foolish after one learns it to the point of automating its process. To print something in ourmemory we need to repeat it. There is no way around.

As a multilingual myself I agree that the best way to learn a language is by regularly practicing it. It does require some bravery to put yourself out there but it is important to get out of your head. I used to spend time with friends that I was comfortable speaking the new language with. I trusted them enough and we would be speaking that language from the start to the end of our meeting. During that time there was no interruption or correction however usually my friends would follow-up at the end to let me know where improvement was needed. Something else that i find helpful was using apps, changing phone language, watching tv, reading media in the language as well. The more you use it in your day to day, it will continue to develop.

Start with simple and short sentences related to daily situations. Focus on the words related to a daily situation such buying food. Get to know the different food name, colour, taste and the price of the food. And then we can gradually increase the difficulty and the coverage of the topic. Get into harder words and sentences. This should be apply when dealing with other daily situation, start with simplicity and end with difficulty.

Challenge yourself on a daily basis. I'm not being a motivational speaker!! Challenge yourself in practicing, give yourself "dare" that helps to improve your second language.

Yes we need lots of practice to be sounds like a native speaker. As I was in my learning phase I have struggled so much but I watched some YouTube tutorials how to speak English fluently and also I practiced everyday, on top of that I used to read English newspaper which helped to grow my vocabulary.so that’s how one should practice on daily basis to become fluent English speaker.

When learning a new language, we need feedback to tell us whether we are doing it correctly and if there are things that we need to improve. The best feedback we can get is from someone who is a language teacher and also a native speaker of the language. This is someone who teaches the language and practicing it daily, which is very familiar and expert in the language. When you're looking for expert feedback, you will get an expert response.

Okay this one is too important for self reflection. As I recall my memory I started learning English with my friends. Everyday we spoke on random topics, news, politics and etc, after the conversation we used to give the feedback about the speech and after getting that feedback very next day we were continuing the same process with some corrections according to the feedback we got last day. So this feedback thing helped me a lot to improve my communication skills.

Understand that making mistakes is a natural part of the learning process. Instead of fearing errors, view them as opportunities to learn and improve. Correcting mistakes helps solidify your understanding.

Accept all advice!, you never know which one will impact you for a lifetime. Listen to suggestions, tips, and information you receive about grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation. You might have heard many of them before, but it's worth it when you find something that really worked for someone else and works for you too.

Many times you will hear your mistakes as you make them. That's ok. Be your own feedback! Don't feel bad about it. Correct yourself if possible, otherwise let it drop. Try to remember it next time :) When not sure about something, don't hesitate to ask a friend or colleague, or try to go around it using other words!

Embrace feedback as a crucial tool for improvement. Seek input from native speakers, language teachers, or language exchange partners. Analyze errors constructively, understanding the underlying patterns. Focus on specific aspects, such as pronunciation or grammar, and work on targeted improvements. Regularly review and apply feedback in practical conversations to reinforce learning. Cultivate a positive mindset, viewing corrections as stepping stones to fluency. Consistent refinement based on feedback accelerates language mastery and bolsters confidence.

Communication is connection. Focus on connecting with people first and the words will follow. Connect through: Curiosity Listening to understand Your body language - smile, voice, eyes Asking questions Empathy Desire to learn from them Focus on the other person. When people see you care, the conversation flows naturally (mistakes or no mistakes).

I could not agree more that communication is the focus...Getting your point across. Can you say something, and will the other person understand it in their language? That's should be the focus of second language acquisition, not memorizing grammar and syntax rules. I had this moment while I was going through the defense language institute, which puts a very large focus on passing tests. I was always dreadfully scared of failing a test. I was selected to go on the immersion trip to Beijing, China. There, I gained a newfound confidence in the language. Here, the focus was communicating and being understood, not passing tests. That was the ultimate test, can I go through daily life in China using Chinese? Turns out I could.

Think about it! Before speaking, create the idea you want to share in your mind. Simplify it so that the message is straightforward. Later, you can add other ideas to complement your main argument. But this way, you ensure effective communication and stay focused on your objectives.

Start discussions. Your aim is to communicate with others, not to sound like a native speaker as fast as possible. It is this rewarding feeling of understanding, replying and holding a conversation, in a new language. That's what you are after!

Making your comments in the simplest way, even with a touch of irony or joke, is much more fun and challenging. You don't have to spend much time thinking about how to say your comment in the other language; instead, you express your opinion. Beyond the language, your audience, colleagues understand that you are fully engaged in the conversation and more than capable of participating in it.

Technology is offering new paths to boost speaking confidence. AI-driven conversation apps are a standout, allowing learners to engage in simulated dialogues, improving both pronunciation and fluency. Pronunciation-focused apps specifically target clarity and accuracy in speech. Moreover, language learning games introduce an element of fun while reinforcing vocabulary and conversational scenarios. These tech tools are reshaping English learning, making it more accessible and engaging, and are especially valuable for those looking to build their confidence in spoken English.

Have fun and explore new language. Enjoying every process of learning is important because you don't want to pressure yourself. Challenge yourself on building long sentences and use complicated words and topics. Test your language comprehension and communication with a stranger who speak the language.

There are some who are born linguists and pick up a new language in a jiffy. They enjoy their errors and mistake and are never offended at being corrected.

I had fun in the language by directly translating the characters to English. For example the word train in Mandarin Chinese is huo che. Literally, that means fire cart. Because that's how trains used to move in the old days, using fire and boilers. I was always fascinated with what the Chinese called something, and why it was translated oddly in English. For example, there is a common misconception that penguin in Chinese is literally translated as "business goose". The fun part is confirming or denying that. Then you learn that the first Chinese character in penguin has to do with an old interpretation of "standing up" and the pronunciation (thousands of years ago).

In my experience as a Spanish-as-a-second-language speaker, it can be really fun and rewarding to "lean in" to doing the languages "accent" fully! Fluent Spanish speakers have found it charming that I take care to pronounce everything correctly, even if you might think you sound silly at first. It shows effort, makes you seem confident, and ultimately is a total blast!

Recuerda que, talvez con la persona o grupo con quien hablas, no hablen dos lenguas, entonces siempre piensa que estás en ventaja… ellos te van a entender!

Positivity and optimism are key to mastering almost any challenge. When starting to speak a new language, making mistakes is natural - even many native speakers slip up regularly. Languages are rarely as strict as text books make them out to be. What matters most is your willingness to learn and your persistence to improve. Your business partners or colleagues will be immensely appreciative of your efforts to speak their language. You can expect a warm, friendly response and a lot of goodwill in your interactions. Learning and speaking a second language is a commendable step, considering many cannot or choose not to. Be proud of the progress you have already made and confident that you will only improve the more you practise speaking.

I spent 70% of my labor time speaking a second language (english). My two cents: 1) Do not trust in AI for translation. It is a great tool, but not perfect. 2) Fake it, til you make it.

Positive visualization can help reduce anxiety and increase your confidence when speaking in a second language.Picture the scenarios vividly – expressing your thoughts with clarity, understanding native speakers, and seamlessly navigating conversations.

One thing I have found helpful is complete avoidance of comparing your ability in another language to your native language. Speaking any additional languages is better than not, and perfect is very much the enemy of not only good, but progressing in communication.

One of the best things my high school Japanese teacher taught us was how to make all the "incidental" noises in Japanese. How to say, "Umm", "Let me see", "Just a moment while I think", show excitement and appreciation, etc. Even if your vocabulary is small, these daily conversational fillers can really help to convey what's going on for you and help smooth the way for more natural conversation.

Learning a language is a non-stop process... - Watch series in the language you are learning. Apart from unknown words, notice things such as intonation, common phrases, expressions, gestures. They are all important! - Read whatever you can, from small books to bus stop ads. - When you read something, read it out loud. You can also use the voice in your head, as if you were reading it out loud, or even whisper the difficult words, if you are somewhere where you won't look like a schizophrenic. - Participate in social events, such as language caffés.

One of the things that prevented me from learning the Chinese language more quickly was comparing it to English. We would learn a concept, then there would be an exception to the concept that wasn't like English. Instead of just accepting that and moving on, I chose to fight it in my head. I would complain that it didn't make sense. At some point in my course, I rationalized that Chinese was not a difficult language. If 1.4 billion people can speak it, clearly it can't be that insurmountable of a language to learn. From then on I found fun in the differences between English and Chinese. I marveled at how few characters I could use to get an entire point across. The lesson here is just accept that the language is the way it is.

Translating song lyrics and reading with a parallel dictionary proved to be effective language-learning methods for me. They offer a dynamic approach, incorporating interest, cultural elements, and context. Of course, nothing beats being immersed with the natives, using every opportunity to practice.

There is no secret, based on my own experience, interacting with natives in real situations, in the foreign language you want to practise, is the best way. So consider visiting the country and have real experiences! This is the way children learn a language by the way...

The basic point to set the confidence is "the knowledge background" of the topic you are speaking about. "How you are expressing yourself" is important but the main point is "what you have in your mind to speak about". The biggest challenge is not the way or the ability of you oral expression. It is the "knowledge". If you do not have data in your mind, your focus slides into grammar of the expression unconsciously. You really want to speak well? Then enhance your knowledge about the topic... Do not forget this: Languages are the carriages of the ideas... "No idea" is the reason of fatal errors in your speech. Do not try to find the fluency in your grammer or vocabulary treasures... The fluency comes out by the existence of ideas...

First get to the root of where the low confidence is coming from. Find the root cause that has become subconscious and work on that. Most learners hate speaking out of fear of humiliation, that social rejection, and that's where we start. As we dig into where it all started, clear goals and dealing with those root causes, their language and confidence improves.