Today is the first interview of the new interview series, How to Improve Spoken English. I talk with Robby Kukurs, the creator of the English Harmony system, about his path to English fluency and everything it has taught him about what is really important if you want to speak English better.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Robby grew up in Latvia and, like many people around the world, started learning English as a child. Robby explains how he was a bit fanatical about translating everything he could. He did this for years, and filled countless notebooks with vocabulary, spending a lot of time memorizing everything.
One day, he realized he was studying completely wrong. Yes, he had a lot of knowledge and vocabulary, but he couldn’t use most if it in his speaking. What did he discover to be much more beneficial?
Basically, instead of spending time translating, Robby believes English learners need to:
- start thinking in English as soon as possible,
- start speaking whatever English you know, even if it is with yourself, and
- have a system to make these practices routine in your daily life.
Robby explains this much better in the interview, and he talks about how his personal discoveries have helped him create English Harmony to help others learn English speaking in this same way.
I hope you enjoy the interview! I think there are a lot of really great insights, and you can follow Robby on his blog to get more great advice. If you find a favorite part, please share the time in the comments!
Also, if you like this series so far, please share it with other people with the social media buttons on this page.
serpiro July 21, 2012 at 6:58 am
Some people say we should first acquire a lot of input (basicaly listening), observe a “silent period” in this meantime and only afther that start speaking.What do you think?
nate.hill July 21, 2012 at 8:28 am
@serpiro Thanks for the comment. Usually people who agree with that advice believe that adults learn like children. They say children listen in the beginning and then start speaking after that. Of course, adults need input before we can produce something, but I don’t agree that adults should have a ‘silent period’ if one of their goals is speaking.
I feel like adults see faster improvement by maximizing natural input, but taking a small portion of that input and practicing it immediately to move it from short term memory to working memory.
We are beginning to understand more about the differences in the ways adults and children learn languages.
Take a look at these links:
http://www.fluentin3months.com/adult-learner-research/comment-page-1/
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21128224.000-age-no-excuse-for-failing-to-learn-a-new-language.html