akamonkai_online Speech is a key element of language, and it will be one of your priorities while learning Japanese.
Given that it is more fast-paced than reading or writing, some people tend to struggle with their Japanese speaking skills. It is understandable, but this does not have to be the case!
There are many ways you can improve your speaking skills in your Japanese speaking online course. Today, we will be going over 10 foolproof methods/mindsets that will help you achieve fluency and feel more comfortable while speaking Japanese.
These are not ranked in any particular order, but indubitably, the first thing you should aim for is:
1. Regular practice sessions
Let’s get right into the harsh facts. If you want to improve any skill, especially speaking, you have to be practicing regularly. Maybe not for a long time, maybe not perfectly, but it has to be regular. While building your schedule, block out a certain time window each day to exclusively practice speech. This allocated time will be separate from your reading and writing practice
In your Japanese speaking course online, you will already be in an environment where you will practice your speaking. You will be much further ahead, though, if you put extra time into it.
How often, and how long should you practice speaking?
Once again, it could be as modest as 20 minutes a day. If you cannot maintain the momentum daily, practice on the days where you don’t take your Japanese speaking course online. Speaking does not take as much preparation or setup as reading & writing, making it very convenient to fit in your schedule.
This is a supplement to your practice in class. Short and frequent practice sessions will boost your progress. Your vocabulary and grammar will be further reinforced, and if you feel stiff during conversations, this will definitely help you loosen up.
2. Immersive listening
Just as reading and writing go hand-in-hand, speaking and listening cannot exist without each-other. In similar fashion to other languages, becoming a better listener will make you a better speaker as well. While having a conversation, whether it’s in your Japanese speaking course online, or outside of it, listen tentatively. Focus all of your attention on the person speaking. Try to understand where they’re coming from, ask them questions, and give them the space to talk for as long as possible.
Improving the quality of your conversations in your Japanese speaking course online
Doing so will significantly improve the quality of your conversations in the Japanese language. You will go from trying to figure out a response, to being immersed in your dialogue and experiencing real conversation in a different language. Paying close attention to the speaker will help you better understand tonality and pronunciation, as well. This way, you will also find your own speaking skills improving, and put yourself on the path to fluency.
Think about your native language. It is always possible to improve speech, even in a language in which you are fluent. Immersive listening helps you improve your conversational skills in your native language, so it will do the same in your Japanese speaking course online!
3. Interactive speaking partners
Now that you know what to do, your next question might be:
“Who can I practice my conversation skills with?”
For starters, your Japanese speaking course online will connect you with an instructor who is there with the mission to support you! They also provide immediate feedback, so you can get advice on the spot.
Your options do not end there, however. If your Japanese class is held in group sessions, practice with your classmates. It is normal for you or them to feel hesitant as beginners, but think about it like this:
You both want to improve, and you are both worried about your own speaking skills, rather than the next person’s. You’re in the same boat!
Make conversation fun!
It does not have to feel like a test, either. If you break the ice by simply starting the conversation in Japanese, they will most likely feel comfortable responding; especially if you are both beginners.
Lastly, your practice with others does not have to be limited to your class. Most of your friends and family are interested in learning something new. You might feel reluctant to speak the language you are learning in front of them, but they know less than you do! Teach them phrases and the intricacies of Japanese dialogue as you learn them. This will be a bonding experience for you and your loved ones, as well as a great opportunity for you to practice speaking Japanese.
4. Use of flashcards for vocabulary
Flashcards are a commonly used tool for studying. That is for a good reason!
Flashcards are super compact, easy to use, rapid-fire practice. When it comes to relaxed, yet high-repetition learning methods for absorbing and refreshing your knowledge, it’s hard to beat them. It’s likely that your Japanese speaking course online will have you use flashcards, but why stop there? You can use programs like Anki to make your own! You can customize them in whatever way you want to, in order to suit your particular needs and learning style.
Advantages of handwriting your flashcards
If you’re more of a pen-and-paper learner, guess what!
You can write your flashcards on sticky notes, or a small notebook. This might even be more helpful than using digital ones, as writing things down helps you memorize them better. You write them once, and are able to practice reading them out loud whenever, wherever!
Your vocabulary in particular will improve significantly by using flashcards. The wider your base, the more words you will have available to use in conversation. You will also feel comfortable using them, as you’ve been practicing them!
This will improve your reading skills as well. We recommend writing your words in kanji. By doing so, you can boost your progress in learning the kanji symbols while practicing your speaking skills simultaneously. With the ability to use flashcards on-the-go, you’ll be able to practice both reading and speaking at once, anytime, anywhere!
5. Embracing mistakes
Many people have the misconception that making mistakes is a sign that you are not improving or growing. It is the opposite!
Making mistakes is a step towards improvement. Every stutter or mispronunciation is an opportunity to correct yourself going forward. A quality Japanese speaking course online is one that teaches you to embrace your mistakes, as they are the window to your areas of improvement. Your instructors are experienced in helping students correct their mistakes through personalized coaching. On top of that, your fellow learners understand and relate to your mistakes better than anybody, as they are in the same place in their education journey.
Every mistake is an opportunity!
By trying different words and phrases in conversation, you will refine your vocabulary and sentence building until you reach fluency and beyond. When you notice you made an error, see it as an opportunity for adjustment, and move on. At the end of the day, that’s what it is!
If someone is not failing, they are not learning, so do not dread mistakes in your Japanese speaking course online. Rather, embrace them and try again!
6. Shadowing technique
The shadowing technique is all about imitation. It involves carefully listening to a native Japanese speaker, and imitating what they say as closely as possible. This can be done with your instructor in your Japanese speaking course online, but that is not your limit. The accessibility of this method is its greatest benefit. You can do this with any supplementary learning tool you use: audiobooks, movies, music etc.
Although this method involves active listening, it differs from the dialogue method mentioned earlier, as you are repeating the native speaker’s dialogue, not responding to them.
Shadowing is easy & has many advantages!
The shadowing technique will improve not only your pronunciation, but your rhythm and intonation as well. It is a very good practice for your fluency, as you are actively trying to match the tempo and vocal inflections of native Japanese speakers. You will find countless recordings in native Japanese in the files of your Japanese speaking course online as well. Do not limit them to being a material you use once for the current exercise. They are a great opportunity to not only practice your speaking skills, and will improve your Japanese accent as well. The shadowing technique is a valuable resource that many people do not realize they have.
7. Recording and playback
On a psychological level, this is the most challenging practice on the list. It is also among the most rewarding. You will see great progress in your Japanese speaking course online, by recording your speaking practice and watching it back. If your coursework includes this kind of exercise, look forward to it!
If not, try it on your own. That might sound uncomfortable, but doing it on your own means you do not have to show your recording to anybody! The whole point of this exercise is to catch your mistakes. Awkward pauses, tone shifts, and mispronunciations. That is the reason people tend to avoid it. Yet, there is no better opportunity to self-evaluate!
The more you do this, the more confident you will feel about your pronunciation and overall speech.
8. Real-life scenarios
Putting yourself in realistic scenarios will make you much better at speaking Japanese. You could have great performance in your quizzes and assessments, but the whole point of learning a language is being able to speak it in real life. It goes without saying that you do not need to be in Japan to do this!
Ask your instructor to put you in dialogue resembling everyday life. You could be placing an order at the restaurant, asking a stranger how to get to the train station, running into someone you know at a sports match, etc.
This kind of exercise will do more than reinforce what you’ve learned. It will help you apply your knowledge to real life, and that will make conversation feel much more natural. The goal is to erase the gap between what you learn in your course and real-life communication.
9. Pronunciation practice
Pronunciation is among the most important aspects of speech. For learners of the Japanese language, it can be difficult, but it does not have to be that way. Treat pronunciation the same way you do everything else. Similar to the syllabaries, the sentence structure, grammar, and nuances of honorifics, Japanese pronunciation may be different to that of your native language, and that is fine! Do not see it as a drawback. It is only another area for practice, at which you will get better over time.
Your Japanese speaking course online will include tongue twisters, intonation drills and minimal pairs, all of which will help you improve the way you speak. If you struggle with certain words, practice them slowly, and repeatedly. Remember, the more conscious effort you put into it, the more subconscious it will feel afterward. Focusing on your pronunciation will make a world of difference on your path to fluency.
10. Cultivating a growth mindset
Most importantly, do not forget that learning a language is a process, not a one-and-done goal.
There is always a next level, and every repetition of an exercise makes you slightly better than you were a minute ago. By implementing any of the previous practices, you will see big differences in your progress over time.
In the short-term, focus on embracing both the small wins and the areas where you can improve. Remember, do not strive for perfection, as perfection is the opposite of progression. Although a perfect Japanese speaker does not exist, the idea implies a ceiling on the opportunity for growth. There isn’t one!
You can always improve and make progress, and those will be your moments of fulfillment and celebration!
Conclusion
Improving your Japanese speaking skills is not as difficult as it may look. It comes down to having a healthy growth mindset, practice, and making the most out of your resources.
If you are enrolled in a Japanese speaking course online, you already have access to these resources. If not, you can still get good practice from the tips mentioned earlier.
If you are searching for a Japanese speaking course online, take a look at Akamonkai Japanese Language School for interactive speaking lessons!