Summary: There are no listening questions today but you can view and print the full transcript here. Speaking a second language is not easy. No matter what your level of English is - whether you are a beginner or you have been speaking English for many years - you may have confidence problems when speaking English. That's because speaking a different language is difficult. You may also worry about saying the wrong thing and appearing stupid. For many people, their problem is not being able to express themselves with the same personality they have in their native language. For example, if you are somebody who likes to tell jokes in your language, you might not be able to think so quickly in English to say something funny. Many jokers, people who like to tell jokes, feel as if they have lost their personality when they speak English. They can't really tell good jokes in the English language. They can only make physical, obvious jokes. Or, perhaps you're like me. You communicate in a very precise way. You think carefully about what you say. You choose your words carefully. I would say that compared to most people, I think about my language and my choice of words a lot. If you're anything like me, you're a perfectionist with your language. When you speak a different language you want to say everything perfectly, just like in your native language. Of course, this isn't possible. And it really is a problem. It's a problem because it can lead to confidence problems when you are speaking English. In my job as an English language coach on Skype, I help people become more confident when they speak English. Did you know that what you say isn't as important as how you say it? You may be surprised to know that in business or a job interview situation, the appearance of confidence is more important than the actual words you use while speaking. That's because communication isn't just about the words you say. Successful communication is about more than your speech, it's about your posture, the way you stand or sit, and also about the sound of your voice. If you lack confidence speaking English, other people will notice your lack of confidence. It shows in different ways. Some people try to avoid speaking English, especially around native speakers. For people who work in an English-speaking Environment, however, speaking English just cannot be avoided. A confidence problem speaking English in this situation is a big problem. I'm going to talk about some of the ways this confidence problem shows in your speech. And then, I'm going to explain some activities you can practise at home by yourself to increase your confidence.In today's show I talk about practical ways you can improve your confidence speaking English. See here for full transcript
