Chat Like a Native – Episode 140 – Seven Strategies to Think in English

About this Video

• Video Title: Chat Like a Native – Episode 140 – Seven Strategies to Think in English
• Channel: Chat Like a Native
• Speakers: Two speakers are present, but their names are not provided in the transcript.
• Duration: 10:35

Introduction

This video focuses on helping intermediate English learners overcome the mental hurdle of translating from their native language to English while speaking. The speakers present seven practical strategies to bypass this translation process and achieve fluency by building direct connections between English words and concepts.

Key Takeaways

1. Single-word associations: Directly link English words to images or concepts without involving the native language. Practice with everyday objects.
2. Narrate your day: Describe your daily activities and thoughts in simple English sentences to build internal monologue fluency.
3. Shadowing: Immediately repeat short phrases or sentences from native speakers, focusing on rhythm and intonation. This helps process English in meaningful chunks.
4. Learn vocabulary in chunks: Learn multi-word phrases and collocations as units to avoid struggling with word order and improve fluency.
5. Use an English-only dictionary: Rely on English-only learners' dictionaries for definitions and example sentences to stay immersed in the language.
6. Record and reflect on your speech: Identify hesitations and rephrase sentences in English to improve fluency and solve problems within the English language system.
7. Cultivate mindfulness and reduce anxiety: Manage anxiety to avoid reverting to translation habits. Practice positive self-talk and focus on the message.