English speaking practice for beginners. How to practice conversational English for free with native speakers

Every English language learner dreams of being fluent in it, that is, talking easily and quickly and understanding his interlocutor.

And, of course, the only way to achieve all of this is through the practice of English. After all, in order to learn to speak a language, you need to speak a lot.

Unfortunately, it is with speaking practice that learners have difficulties. Because we can read books, write or listen on our own, and in order to speak, we need an interlocutor.

Where can you practice the language? In the article, I will share in 5 ways.

Where to practice English?

So, to practice English, you can use the following methods:

1. Conversation clubs

A conversation club is a place where people gather to get practice in a foreign language. So that you have a complete picture, let's see how the meetings (mind you, not lessons) go in a conversation club.

Usually a certain number of people gather (8-16). There is a leader who controls the communication process. Its job is to ensure that each person participates in the conversation, and does not sit on the sidelines.

The presenter gives a topic that everyone will discuss. The topic is chosen, of course, interesting and relevant. And then direct communication begins. The club can also take place in the format of board games, mafia games, etc.

The conversation club helps:

Practice the language
Overcome the language barrier(fear of speaking in English)
Learn to better understand the interlocutor
Find new acquaintances with interesting people

Important: A conversation club is worth going to if you already speak the language and you lack conversational practice in your life.

By the way, we have a special summer session - conversational training in the format of free communication, discussion of films and discussions on various topics in English. With just 4 hours a week, you can not only maintain your level but also improve your speaking skills. Suitable for people from the Intermediate level (level 5 Easy Speak) and above.

2. Websites for communication and social networks

You can practice your English online.

There are specialized sites where you can chat with foreigners.

Sometimes, it's just communication in English, and sometimes - a language exchange, that is, a foreigner speaks to you in English and can explain some of the rules, and you, in turn, practice with him and explain the Russian language.

Also you can find yourself a friend or pen pal on special sites, dating sites or social networks (facebook, instagram). And only then, after talking a little, offer communication via Skype.

3. English courses

Group lessons include a lot of speaking practice (for example, we have 80% of the lesson), which has a very positive effect on the development of skills: speech comprehension, speaking skills, fluency.

Therefore, studying in a group on courses is very easy:

Start talking
Learn to understand English speech aurally
Overcome the language barrier by communicating with different people

Also, unlike a conversation club, where you only get speaking practice, the courses explain to you grammar rules, give new words, correct your mistakes and put the pronunciation, disassemble each construction until you come to an understanding, work out all the exercises with you.

That is, in the end, after training, you should understand the rules, be able to read, write, understand speech and be able to speak the language.

An important point: Choose courses where there is a lot of live communication, and not just reading textbooks, studying theory or doing assignments on a computer, etc.

Attention: Learn English for a long time but can't speak? Find out on in Moscow how to speak after 1 month of ESL classes.

4. Communication with friends and like-minded people

Surely, among your friends, relatives, acquaintances there will be people who are studying or have studied English.

You can help each other and also practice together. For example, arrange meetings where you only speak English. Or just talk in English on Skype or phone.

The hardest thing in such meetings and conversations is not to switch to your native Russian language. Indeed, unlike a conversation club, there will be no teacher among you who controls the process and makes sure that everyone speaks English.

5. Free speaking activities

If you live in Moscow or other big city, you can find not only paid conversation clubs or English courses, but also free speaking English practice.

For example, from time to time we organize Days open doors, where we conduct free master classes on pronunciation, grammar and memorization of words, with speaking practice and training. There is also a free conversation club at this event.

We spend every Saturday, which is suitable for all levels of language proficiency.

You can search for similar events on the Internet in your city.

So, speaking practice is the most important component in learning a language. It must be present in your training. Choose any method and start practicing right now.

Perhaps, learning English has never been so easy and interesting as today, when you can choose the format of classes to your liking and practice when it is convenient.

If you choose 1-2 resources from this list and devote about an hour to them every day, the result will not be long in coming.

Translators and dictionaries

Multitran is a very simple and convenient dictionary where you can find the meaning of almost any word. If you come across a difficult phrase, local community translators will be prompted by its translation.
Lingvo is a dictionary with over 10 million word usage examples. There are also site experts here who can help with translation.
Merriam-webster is an interactive dictionary with many useful sections such as Word of the Day, quizzes and games.

Online Learning Resources

EnglishDom - here you can learn a language on Skype or join a conversation club and communicate with people from different countries while practicing English.
LinguaLeo - This resource will analyze your level of training and create an individual training plan so that you can go through it in an exciting game form... There is a useful extension that allows you to quickly translate English words from other sites.
Busuu - Here you can do exercises that will test real native speakers. And the site also provides an opportunity to obtain an official certificate.
DuoLingo is a completely free platform that won't let you leave your classes. The system involves motivating elements such as time counters and burning lives.

Online Libraries

For those who want to appreciate the original English humor, these sites will be a real treasure. Reading works of various genres online and listening to audiobooks is a great way to memorize new idioms.

Mobile applications

EasyTen is an application with which you will receive a portion of 10 new words every day.

With the following apps, you can practice your English whenever you want, such as on the way to work or before bed. Interesting tasks will help you memorize the material without problems.

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Who speaks nine languages fluently? One of his tips for those looking to learn a foreign language is to find yourself a language partner for continuous language practice. Ideally, if it is also a native speaker. Where can I find it? There are many sites on the web that are created specifically to find a language partner for learning English or any other language. We have compiled a selection of the most popular resources.

On this site you can find a language partner from almost any country in the world, for example, from the USA, Germany, France, Great Britain, India, Morocco, Thailand, Chile, etc. To start chatting on this service, you need to register and fill out your profile. For example, you will need to indicate which language you speak, which one you want to study. At the same time, the system allows you to specify several languages - so, you can indicate that you speak Russian, but want to practice English and French.

The user is also asked to compose a small message describing himself and his interests to attract attention, add a photo and indicate exactly how you would like to practice the language. For example, email correspondence, Skype communication, live communication. If you wish, you can also enter your name on Skype so that you can be contacted directly.

You can choose an interlocutor by gender, by the languages that he speaks and which he wants to learn, by country of residence or by city. For example, we managed to find more than 500 English-speaking users who would be interested in improving their knowledge of the Russian language.

In addition to the main function of finding a language partner, on home page the latest discussion topics on the forum, which are often related to the study of a foreign language, are displayed - you can immediately connect to the discussion.

Despite the fact that this site is designed to find a foreign language teacher around the world, there is a separate section in which you can find a regular partner for language practice. The search criteria are the same as on the previous site: gender, country and city of residence, the language he speaks and the one he would like to learn. You can also specify that the system only searches for native speakers of a foreign language, and not users who just know it well. By the way, it is very convenient that the system also shows whether a person is currently on the site, plus - next to each foreign language it is indicated at what level he speaks it.

Other useful things include, for example, the Articles sections, where you can find articles on learning different foreign languages (there is a filter by language to sort out inappropriate content), and Notebook. It allows you to train writing skills in a foreign language. The bottom line is simple: you make a post on any topic, for example, talk about your work, family, travel, publish it, and other users can correct mistakes and leave their comments.

Users also have the opportunity to participate in discussions and ask questions that they have in the course of learning the language. But it is worth noting that if you have a free account, then you will be somewhat limited in your actions. For example, you can only ask two questions a day, add only two users as friends, etc.

On this service, the principle of work is the same as on the previous ones: you register, enter data about yourself and choose the most suitable language partner according to the language he speaks and the one he wants to learn.

It is very convenient that there is an online chat in the user's profile, where all suitable users who are currently on the site are displayed - you can immediately start chatting. Moreover, you can both correspond and enable audio and video chat. Also, if you wish, you can save the correspondence on your desktop.

Another feature of the resource is the built-in video chat, mobile version and online translator, which makes communication much easier. Here you can also make appointments for your language partners and add them to your schedule.

Only English can be practiced here. All content of the site can be divided into two parts. The first is, in fact, the search and selection of a foreign interlocutor for communication in English in text, audio or video chats. Moreover, if you do not want or are not ready to communicate face to face, then you can communicate in a general chat. The second part is the training area. There are articles, videos, thematic collections of words, dictionaries, etc. And the third part is your virtual trainer. The user needs to indicate the level of English proficiency and those topics in which he would like to improve his knowledge. Based on this, training exercises are automatically selected.

Finally, we offer you a few more resources -

Let's start with a banal and rather well-known format - conversation clubs, and then move on to more original options.

Since more and more more people understand the need for practice or simply want to meet like-minded people, or with native speakers (native speakers), quite a lot of language exchange clubs, communication and practice clubs have appeared. Surely there are similar ones in your city, we will consider only a few examples of such clubs in Moscow.

pros

Inexpensive or even free.
You can meet native speakers, play games, have a good time.

Minuses

To feel comfortable, you need to know the language at least at the A2 level.
If the level is lower, it is better to visit a club where a presenter or teacher is present, but such meetings are usually paid.

The Hard Rock Cafe hosts a Language Exchange Meeting every weekend. Native speakers come to meetings, or rather, different languages... You can follow the announcements of events in these groups in social networks:
https://vk.com/moscowlanguageexchange- group in VK
https://www.facebook.com/MoscowLEM/ - on Facebook

There is also a more “organized” format of meetings, for example, as in this club:
https://merge.timepad.ru/events/
here even some basic materials are prepared for you so that you can learn new vocabulary in advance and communicate more effectively during the meeting. These meetings are already paid, 500 rubles. for the lesson.

Now the anti-cafe format is also gaining popularity. And they often host language master classes, lectures and, of course, communication clubs. For example, Ziferblat regularly hosts meetings english and german conversation clubs. http://pokrovka.ziferblat.net/calendar/

Of course, there are such clubs for other languages as well:
http://www.espalabra.ru/- for practice Spanish
here, in addition to communication, there is also a decent cultural program. For example, joint excursions on the subway, a cinema club, trips and a trip along the Jacob's trail in Spain, a culinary club.
There are two speaking clubs (divided by the level of language proficiency). Prices in the range of 500-800 rubles, there is a subscription.

For the Resolute - Coachsurfing

pros

If you're lucky, talk a lot and part friends.

Minuses

There is no guarantee that the guest will not leave for the whole day to carry out the cultural program)

The most courageous and decisive can receive foreign guests at home, for this you need to register on the website https://www.couchsurfing.com

This method works not only for Moscow, but also for other cities (at least large and tourist ones).

Of course, there is no one hundred percent guarantee that a sociable person will come to visit you, but often the owner and the guest manage to communicate a lot and people part as friends - which means that it will be possible to continue communicating online).

For spontaneous - Spontaneous meetings in tourist places

pros

Free, spontaneously, at the same time and finally see your city =)

Minuses

There is no guarantee that the tourist you need will be in the right place at the right time.

Go to Red Square and help tourists navigate, why not? Nowadays most people travel without a guide and will be happy to chat with the locals and learn something about the city. In Moscow, you can safely go to Red Square. It should be borne in mind that not all tourists are equally ready to communicate. It is usually easiest to establish contact with Latin-speaking guests - Italians, Spanish, Portuguese.

If you doubt that you are ready to communicate or are shy, start small. Try to come to a meeting with a teacher or say at least a couple of phrases to a casual tourist, just be sure to try. Take a friend with you if it is difficult to decide to go to a meeting alone.

If, for reasons or a very low level of language proficiency, it is still difficult for you to go to such a meeting, try to start communicating in an online format. We will tell you how and where to find a penpal in the following articles.

Slowly is a unique service for finding pen pals. The authors of the application deliberately abandoned instant messaging in order to bring back the romance of communication through letters. You find an interlocutor with similar interests, write him a message in several paragraphs, attach a stamp and send. Delivery time depends on how far away the addressee is from you - it can be either a couple of hours or a day. You can also send photos, but their number is limited, and the delivery speed also depends on the distance.

Social network for communication with foreigners and daily lessons on various topics. To become a member of the community, you need to transfer $ 5 monthly to the project account. But there is also a seven-day free subscription for beginners. The site has chats, forums and blogs for communication in the selected language.

Convenient service and app for learning foreign language... To use it, you only need a device with a camera and the Internet. Here you can find both professional teachers and native speakers offering informal tutoring. Each user can be both a student and a teacher. More than 10 thousand tutors are available, and tuition is paid per lesson.

A resource for finding friends, penpals and even travel companions around the world. You can select interlocutors in specific countries, communicate on forums, chat or via private messages. The site is free, and tens of thousands of users from all over the world are registered on it.

On this site you can find a partner for face-to-face or remote communication through private messages or chats. When searching, you should indicate the language you want to learn and the one that you will teach the interlocutor, as well as what applications you would like to use.

More than 100 thousand people from 56 countries use Easy Language Exchange to find interlocutors who speak different languages. You can communicate with the community in a public forum or just with selected people using private messages. In addition, this resource contains many self-paced courses.

7. Speaky

Speaky is free social network consisting of only two elements: a list of profiles and a chat window. When filling out a profile, you choose which languages you know and which you would like to learn, and the service itself selects the best candidates. You can communicate with both native speakers and those who are just learning it.

A site for searching interlocutors from the American College of Dickinson. The Mixxer is primarily aimed at communicating via Skype, but also allows for simple text messaging. A useful bonus - free audio lessons on learning different languages from consulates and leading universities.

9. Language Share

A simple and convenient service for finding interlocutors. Profiles are filtered by native language, target language, gender and age. You can send messages to people you like: the service sends notifications to the mail. If you wish, you have the right to look for a partner only in a certain country.

10. Tongue Out

An ambitious project with a design and structure reminiscent of Facebook in the late 2000s. There are not only profiles, but also forums, groups, photo and video collections. You can add users as friends, participate in discussions and write messages, including through the application.

11. Tandem

Stylish mobile service for finding native speakers. Finding an interlocutor here is as easy as shelling pears: Tandem is used by millions of people. You can even enlist help professional teachers and sign up for an individual lesson. The training takes place both through chat and through audio and video calls.

12. HelloTalk

HelloTalk is a powerful language learning and native speaker application. In the chat, you can exchange not only text messages, but also audio recordings, photos and videos. There is also an opportunity to visually correct the mistakes of the interlocutor in the correspondence.

13. HiNative

HiNative is a Q&A platform. You ask the speakers questions about their language, and they answer. You can also ask for feedback on your pronunciation and sentence construction. Holders of free accounts can listen and see answers only to their own questions, and those who bought the premium version - and to questions from other users.