Zhang Hui
Ladies and gentlemen, young men and young girls,
Good afternoon ! I'm honored to have this opportunity to talk here about the way of learning English. I didn't expect such a large gathering of audience. I know you're all learning English, and wishing to improve your English speaking, but somehow can't progress.
I'm now talking about my ways. I have developed three Ways to improve our spoken English.
You may not think very much of them if you don' t follow me while I explain them one by one, in details.
I. The first step is self--dictation
Listening is a basic factor if you hope to speak good English. Since English is a foreign language to us, how can we learn English without listening? We learn any language, first we listen, use ears before anything else. So listening is primary, speaking secondary.
OK, also we talk about output and input in the science of computers or eletronics, there is no output without any input, so listen to the tape,listen to the teacher, listen to English friends or American friends talking in
English
But sometimes we don' t understand the native speakers saying let alone English movies, radio news and seminars, etc. This is very frustrating for us. Take me for example, I had been poor in my listening comprhesion, it was my biggest headache and trouble maker. After many times of failure and awkward situations. I determined to work hard in practicing my listening ability. So I set a practicable, down--to--earth goal, that is to give myself a self--diction. I selected one tape, words for words, sentences by sentences, I copied them down when I listened to the tape recorder. Gradually I found my listening ability improved, I am used to thinking in English. Even up to now, I have formed a habit of dictation. In this process, I finished listening "College English" "English on Studio"" Crazy English" and so on. Not only did I practice my listening ability, but also I get fun and knowledge from it. Last semester, I was appointed to teach senior students to take Grade Eight English Examination. I applied this method to my teaching, at first many students doubted this method, but I kept on and followed no other course and ended with very good results. Nowadays, it has been accepted and popularized by many people, such as Li Yang, founder of Crazy English. Zhong Daolong, founder of "Step by Step" English. Zheng Zanrong, the author of the book "Not Study, But Learn." So I highly recommend this method to all of you.
II.The second step is to imitate the native speakers pronunciation and intonation,try to recite some beautiful pieces. In short, that is imitate and recite.
When you listen to the tape recorders, radios, watch TV or see the English movies. You should follow the native speakers accent. only in this way can you hope to standardize your pronunciation and intonation.Why our Chinese people are very poor in spoken English, the main reason is we don't have an ideal language environment. Can we create a good environment by ourselves the answer is "Yes." Through self ractice,speak to yoursalf. Many students compltain that then don't have people to talk to, and that they don't have the time and place to talk in. Some ask advice of me. I always suggest they speak to themselves.
It is true that you can't easily find a speaker of English who wishes and likes to speak to you in English, for, as most people say, the Chinese language will do. Why don't you speak to yourself, chap? You will not mind your own weaknesses. You can talk in English to yourself, in any spot,at any time, about any subject or object under the sun and under the moon. And no one Will stop your speech flow to find your mistakes and flaws,because no one is at hand, in your way. It is good to know and to think that you are going ahead in a big way while millions of others are presumably groping in the dark for the key to success or idling away their hours and minutes. Through self--practice, your English can reach a high level. In my opinion, the best way to improve your spoken English is to recite. Lin Yutang, the famous linguistics said the best way which lead to success is imitation and recite, if you follow this course, you are bound to succeed. our president Jiang Zemin sets us a very good example,he can recite" The American Declaration of Independence" in English.Examples.
III. The third step is to speak freely
When you go to the English corner, English party or visit your American friends, you can not hope to recite something. If you do so, everyone has the right to throw you out of the window, you should center everything around youself based on the facts which you recite. Retelling is also important on this stage.
when practicing oral English, some basic methods can be adopted, such as .Stone's three methods. Speak as loudly as possible, as clearly as possible and as quickly as possible. Tongue muscles training is of great importance in learning any foreign language.
Examples,
Finally, I will give you some sayings to end my speech.
1. Learnillg oral English well is no big deal.
2.. Never let your country down, you can make it!
Thank you very much for listening!
