Common challenges students face in speaking English and how to overcome them

Think about what your students usually expect when they start learning English.

Not everyone and not always. The most common misconception is that grammar is not essential for successful language learning. 

Usually, yes, because how else would they speak?

Not always.

Definitely — since they learned some cool vocabulary.

Very often yes (but without complicated grammar).

But to be serious, the main objective is to communicate both by writing and speaking. This is why languages exist. However, it’s easy to state but there are some obstacles that prevent people from speaking foreign languages.

I want to break down some fears that our students may feel about starting to use the vocabulary and grammar they’ve learned in the classroom.

If you ask me, I was quite a sociable kid when I started my English learning journey. On the other hand, I wanted to sound nice, so I hesitated every time I was asked to say something. So I started working on my pronunciation. But there was another problem: lack of practice. And a lack of useful vocabulary. And many more.

The moment I considered myself a confident speaker was in my early 20s when I was a university student. When foreigners complimented my English (both fluency and accuracy), I realized that I had found my firm ground and now I could use English with more confidence. So, for me, the first fear was the impression I would make with my English speaking.

For some reason, lots of learners are worried about how they will sound, but they forget that there is something else that is essential — fluency and communicative aims. For example, if you are travelling abroad and you want to ask locals about something, you’ll probably use some short phrases, and after that you’ll get what you needed.

You got the information you needed. Every time students open up about pronunciation struggles I always think about Indian speakers of English. They are famous for their very specific accent.

Solution. Make sure your students are not criticized for not sounding like a Londoner or a student of Cambridge University. Learn and practice everything together, react to your students’ needs.

Also, don’t forget that it’s important to be clear when you speak by using a variety of vocabulary.

More reasons why students hesitate about speaking practice

Lack of motivation

Imagine a B1 level student. She was quite enthusiastic and active during the lessons. Despite being like that, at some point of the course her energy levels dropped and she seemed not to care about anything. The activities that made her so interested now do nothing.  

Familiar? A lot of students of all ages can feel this way. It’s not necessarily your teaching that made them like this. A lot of things we need to consider:

These conditions can demotivate students to speak, or they may just answer shortly to questions without any intention to keep up the conversation. It can also interfere with the plateau effect when students don’t see any major breakthrough in their skills.

Unrealistic expectations

There is another student at level A2. It’s been around 2 years since he started studying. But still, he can’t talk about some important issues and the topics are not engaging at all.

I am very familiar with such situations. When I just started my teaching career, I never thought of something called “students’ needs.”

People who just started their learning journey are usually very motivated and can’t wait to talk about everything as in their first language. But the learning process from the beginner level is similar to toddlers learning to speak.

Language barriers and preferences

One student shows pretty solid results in the classroom, but when she travels she can’t say a word and freezes when she hears English outside the classroom. There is no teacher to support or correct the mistakes. Or help with vocabulary.

Very often, such good and hard-working students struggle to use their knowledge and skills outside the classroom. They can feel anxious, frightened, and insecure about their performance.

Unpleasant speaking experience

After being corrected harshly during a role-play, Juan avoids participating. His voice is shaking when he finally volunteers to answer. He feels like he does everything wrong and everyone will make fun of him.

I think this is the case when everyone should mind their own language and commentary.

Communication challenges

The student makes several pronunciation errors and word-order mistakes. Her partner frequently asks her to repeat herself, making her blush and hesitate further.

In this case, we deal with personal qualities and taking personally the simple request.

Translating from L1

And the last one (very common for lots of students):

There are lots of debates about the use of L1 in the ESL classroom. Some students rely massively on L1 by interfering and translating word by word when speaking. 

You can easily identify when translating is in progress because of the tempo and long pauses. It’s not always the most helpful supporting system as all languages are different.

Sometimes the same grammatical categories have different forms or even meanings. Or there is no such concept at all.

What can we do as teachers to help students overcome these fears?

Learners’ needs

It’s something every teacher should know how to assess and use. I believe that teachers should know their students well to react properly to what they struggle with. It will prevent or at least ease some problems.

Consider doing the following:

Rotate students

Think carefully about dividing them into pairs and groups when you plan the lesson. Don’t put the same students together too frequently; try out various combinations.

Also, you can give them a chance to choose who to speak to (but be careful not to create a situation where someone gets ignored).

Be flexible with topics

Of course, we need to consider syllabus fit and how to practice as much target language as possible. But, let’s be realistic, the material that is learned is not always the most engaging and students can become visibly frustrated or uninterested. 

Instead, try more personalization and up-to-date topics that everyone will enjoy discussing.

Practice mindfulness

It might not sound like an essential part of lesson planning, however it can help students unwind. Some students seek a therapeutic effect from lessons. 

So it’s fine to spend a few minutes on affirmations or discussions about expectations or success in language learning.

English speaking survival kit

You can try to build more confidence with recording and recycling some language that can be used in their speaking most frequently. You can create a file, chat, or board where students can access this language bank.

For example, if they come across an interesting or unusual word or phrase, they can add it to the resource and then briefly discuss it in the lesson.

Support each other

 It’s as simple as it sounds. Don’t forget to show your students that you see their progress and give them encouragement.

Encourage thinking in English

Practice thinking in English with timed 30-second monologues (no dictionaries allowed). Make them produce some sentences about a specific topic. 

Avoid harshness and triggers

Get familiar with positive reinforcement and correcting techniques. Also, teach them to students as well, because sometimes stronger students can harshly comment on others’ performances and this can lead to many setbacks.

Encourage paraphrasing strategies

This skill is crucial for everyone because it will always be helpful in real-life situations.

At first, it can be quite difficult, but with time it will bring the best results.

There is no cure for students’ challenges. We can’t always react or adapt as quickly as we expect.

My final advice: know your students and don’t be afraid to address problems. Ask for help if you can’t figure something out by yourself.