I'm curious to get either opinions or any experiences others have had with similar methods.
To head off some likely questions/comments:
The idea is NOT to drop a five minute monologue on anyone who asks for your name. You would almost certainly never actually use this monologue in its entirety. BUT, you will likely use elements contained in this speech almost every time you use your TL.
Perfecting this monologue will give you, given its length and content:
- a very large portion of vocabulary that you PERSONALLY need when speaking to others about yourself and many topics related to you.
- a very large slice of the most common generic words and grammar of your TL.
- a VERY strong base in accurately pronouncing all or almost all of the sounds of your TL.
- a very fluid delivery on many model sentences and phrases that would be reusable in other contexts.
While this method would be rather intense and time consuming to complete, I'm suspecting it would be worth the trouble to boost one's speaking skills for those in the A2/B1 range.
The Steps:
1. Write a ~500 word monologue in your NL (Something likely to take 3-5 mins to read out loud)
- a. Introduce yourself
b. Talk about personal history, family, profession, school, hobbies, why and how you are learning your TL, whatever is most personally important to you...
c. Be sure to talk a little bit about your past, the present and your hopes/goals for the future
- a. Look up words and grammar if you need to, but give it your best shot
- a. They should make it as natural, smooth and 'native like' as possible
b. Change anything anything that is "technically correct, but we wouldn't say it like that."
c. Ensure it isn't overly simplified: If you are an adult, it should sound like a native adult speaking. Not the short choppy sentences of a child or 'beginner speak'.
- a. Speak in a loud clear voice, don't subvocalize.
b. Be sure that, at least in your own mind, you are certain of the proununcation of every element.
c. Don't slur over parts you are unsure of, find out what they should sound like and practice them that way.
d. Start slowly and carefully, but build your speed to a comfortable pace. It doesn't need to be newscaster fast, just not unnaturally slow.
- a. Take a couple of recording passes if you need to, but get one single pass that you are fairly happy with.
- a. The native should highlight/underline (on the transcript) mistakes as they hear them in the recording. (Don't ask them to correct on-the-fly, it is too messy and you want an accurate record of the mistakes)
b. Go over those mistakes with the native, make notes as needed.
c. If needed, record the native saying any phrases you are having trouble with so you have a model to follow
- a. If you have trouble with this... search Google, there are numerous memory tricks for memorizing short speeches.
b. Without the visual anchor of the text, try to mentally connect more with the meaning behind what you are saying vs just parroting the next word in front of your eye.
9. Practice saying the whole thing fluently from memory
- a. The native should highlight/underline (on the transcript) mistakes as they hear them
b. Go over those mistakes with the native, make notes as needed.
b. If needed, go back to step #9.