How to Avoid Foreign Language Anxiety

Is that the right word?

Could you please check my grammar?

Does that sound right?

You have experienced foreign language anxiety if you have ever asked yourself any of these questions.

You’re not the only one.

The feeling of anxiety about learning another language is totally normal. Everyone feels it at some point, especially when taking a test in a foreign language.

There is actually a simple solution to overcoming foreign language anxiety.

This article explains how to develop speaking confidence, use active listening, and conduct Naturally Varied Reviews.

Foreign Language Anxiety: What Is It?

When learning or using a foreign language, it’s normal to feel nervousness, worry, or apprehension.

As well as being a nuisance, anxiety can negatively impact your ability to learn and use a foreign language effectively.

Most foreign language anxiety is caused by traditional language learning methods – learning in a way that doesn’t feel natural to you.

Basically, the anxiety you feel when speaking, listening to, writing in, or learning a second language stems from the doubts and questions caused by traditional methods. They leave you wondering if you’re saying things correctly and prevent you from understanding native speakers. However, by taking the right approach, you can easily destroy these doubts, and you will be able to speak English with much more confidence.

How to Overcome Anxiety When Speaking English – 6 Effective Ways

It will take some effort to overcome foreign language anxiety, but you’re not alone. Follow these tips to speak English confidently and achieve fluency for life:

1. Confidence in speaking

First, you must approach English as a first language rather than as a second language if you want to develop speaking confidence.

You’ve been taught to believe that rote repetition is the only way to learn a foreign language, but that’s not true.

It’s hard for humans to memorize random groups of words or rules, let alone apply them effectively.

A key to overcoming anxiety – and achieving fluency – is to build up your confidence in UNDERSTANDING before speaking.

Remember that there are usually many ways to express something. So, don’t feel bad if you can’t remember a specific “correct” phrase when you need it. Just use words you can recall and express something differently.

When I can’t recall the phrase “hot as hell,” I can simply say, “incredibly hot.”

2. Engage in active listening

The decision as to what to say is part of the anxiety associated with speaking a foreign language.

As you listen to the other person, you may also be planning your response.

While knowing that there are many ways to express ideas and that you develop fluency through understanding, not speech… Instead of worrying about what to say next, pay attention to what native English speakers are saying.

Additionally, it will help you learn more, and the other person will feel listened to, which we all appreciate.

In addition, listening to different native speakers discussing similar topics is an effective way to deepen your understanding of English through Naturally Varied Review.

3. The third step is to prepare solidly with a naturally varied review

The basic idea of Naturally Varied Review is similar to exposure therapy. One example of Naturally Varied Review is hearing different examples of the same speech, which better prepares you for real-life English.

Find a few YouTube videos of English speakers discussing the topic or different versions of the song that interest you and watch them all.

You develop a native vocabulary and improve your listening skills by exposing yourself to varied content around a particular topic.

Using this method, you will build English fluency automatically while overcoming foreign language anxiety.

4. Take a fluency course

It’s essentially a fast-track to fluency when you take a fluency course!

Fluent For Life is the ONLY fluency course that teaches English as a first language.

This means that you will no longer need to memorize word lists, translations, or grammar rules in order to improve your speaking ability.

5. Develop a deep understanding of English

English teaching methods traditionally emphasize learning as many words and phrases as possible. However, they often spend so little time on each that students forget what they have learned.

To learn English deeply, you must focus on vocabulary until you understand it like a native speaker. This allows you to grasp the many different ways words can be expressed.

Take it one step at a time, one phrase, one English idiom, one topic, etc., until you understand it.

In this way, vocabulary becomes more memorable, allowing you to recall the correct words and use them confidently.

6. You Can Learn Real English With Us

Teachers can teach you a lot, but textbook English differs greatly from the English used in real conversations. Natives often speak quickly, do not have clear accents, and can use many tricky words.

Learning English idioms, slang, or even specific language like business English is part of this training.

As we demonstrate in this video, Naturally Varied Review can also help make natives easier to understand. Hopefully, you can see how powerful Naturally Varied Review can be.

You will speak like a native if you LEARN like one!

Get Prepared: Don’t Get Nervous!

Foreign language anxiety can be reduced by becoming confident in your vocabulary and speaking ability.

When you begin to understand English like a native, it’s actually a quick process.

Sign up for Fluent For Life, and you’ll get a proven roadmap that guarantees English fluency in minutes, without the need for live lessons.