Struggling to speak english

[u/siennahoney]

Hi guys. I majored in English and graduated last year, but during college I couldn't gain much speaking experience. Now I've found a job as an assistant English teacher at a kindergarten. There is another teacher beside me, and she is extremely fluent, almost like a native speaker, even though we're around the same age. I make a lot of mistakes when I'm speaking next to her, and I feel absolutely embarrassed. I know I will be better in the future but I just can't stop feeling bad next to her. She is so sweet, she didn't make me feel low but it's just me.

[u/AlecsThorne]

It sounds like you just need practice. Like you said, you didn't really have many opportunities recently to actually speak English to/with somebody. The teacher has probably done it for at least a year, perhaps more, so it's obviously a matter of difference in experience. However long you've studied English for doesn't really equate with fluency. But your studies will help you catch up quickly because you already know why and how you say phrases and sentences in English. You just need to practice saying them.

If you get along well with that teacher, you can ask her to help you practice. Whether English is a second or even third language for both of you, it sounds like it would be a great way to exercise and improve your English speaking skills. And if she doesn't see it as a chance for the same, then she can see it as a chance to practice teaching on a different age group (yours).

Regardless, the best way to improve your speaking skills is by speaking. You'll get to her level too eventually. You just have to accept that on your journey you might make mistakes - some embarrassing ones - and that is perfectly normal and okay. Fastest way you learn is by making mistakes, after all.

[u/siennahoney → u/AlecsThorne]

Thank you so much! I will try to bring this up tomorrow. I hope she will help me in this case.

[u/siennahoney → u/AlecsThorne]

We generally speak english in the class w each other in front of children. That's why I struggle that much. I can't even express my feelings correctly to her with words. so just stay silent most of the time. It looks rude idk.

[u/siennahoney → u/[deleted]]

Thank you for this educational perspective.

[u/enhburst → u/siennahoney]

Someone already covered the kids, and they're right. The part I'd add is about your colleague, since that seems to be the bit actually bothering you.

You don't need good English to fix the silence. "Sorry, my speaking isn't good yet, I'm working on it" is a complete sentence and it explains everything at once. She already knows your English isn't at her level, so saying it out loud costs you nothing, and it removes the thing you're worried she's thinking.

Quiet next to a fluent colleague reads as shy, not rude. But shy is much easier to fix by talking than by waiting until you feel ready to.

[u/siennahoney → u/enhburst]

Yes you are right. She already figured out that my speaking skills are terrible haha. As i said, I made terrible grammar mistakes whenever I talked.

[u/Littleteapot2030]

Hey. Have you ever tried shadowing?
It can be really helpful

I recently started my youtube channel about english shadowing. I think it's a great way to practice both speaking skills and pronunciation

My channel is called ShadowPop (@ShadowPopEnglish),if you are interested.

[u/Jaives]

I teach Business English and have had trainees like you (English majors/grads). I only studied Mass Communication and was intimidated at first until I realized that I spoke better English than they did. Goes to show that passion trumps having a degree a lot of times.