Improve Communication Skills in English

As a language learner, communication is your most important goal. In this and other articles in the series, I suggest ways to improve  communication skills in English.

This is Part 2 of my series of articles on English in International Business, where communication has economic as well as personal implications, making it even more important to get right.

“Nature has given us two ears, two eyes, and but one tongue-to the end that we should hear and see more than we speak.” This observation of Socrates has underpinned communication philosophy and training for thousands of years and you should keep in mind this message whenever you are communicating – in any language. In more a specific language learning context this will also help your understanding of the other person/people’s language, of course, in a number of ways, for example:

  • it focuses your mind and attention on listening to what others are saying, rather than always thinking about what you are going to say next – this is tempting in your own language and a common cause of communication breakdown, but it is especially true when speaking a foreign language, where you have to think not just about what to say but the words and expressions you need to say it.
  • by observing body language (facial expressions, hand gestures, etc) you will understand better how they feel, the motivation behind what they are saying, which is often very much more important than the actual contents. For example in the difficult case of irony and sarcasm (which although polite natives will try and avoid when talking to non-natives, is a deep-rooted trait in Britain, especially), a smile which accompanies what seems a strange or contrary thing to say, probably indicates the person is not being serious.
When it comes to written/electronic communication, this physical observation is clearly not possible but it is usually still possible to gauge how the other person is feeling by paying attention to the language used:
  • length of sentence:
    • short sentences could mean either a busy person (lesson: keep your message brief too!) or possibly a cold or angry sentiment, calling for tact and, if possible, polite questioning to ascertain the reason – if you get this impression you could simply ensure you add an opening or closing remark or question enquiring about their health or general well-being (as it is usually good to do when communicating in English); a simple “I hope you are well” or “I hope business is good”, etc.
    • longer sentences could mean a more relaxed, chatty, temperament; read the contents carefully, though, as clearly the contents may indicate the contrary, for example a legalistic need to be unambiguous
  • Punctuation: lots of exclamation marks (!) often indicate an enthusiastic, energetic personality; again, check the contents as if the message itself indicates discontentment, use of extreme punctuation indicates extreme discontentment! This is not common in business, though with electronic communications and business generally becoming less formal and more personal, I have observed much more of people’s personality in their “written” communications than in the past, especially through greater use of exclamation marks;
  • Origin of writer: greater use of exclamation marks is also perhaps a result of the influence of cultures where greater physical gesturing is common, such as in mediterranen countries, so bear in mind where the person is from, and if it’s not obvious try and find out;
  • Vocabulary: the wider the range of words and expressions used, generally the more educated and well-read the person is and probably more formal, though this will often be determined by the context
  • Accuracy: clearly this will be harder for non-natives, but you should be able to notice at least basic spelling/typing errors, which either indicate a genuine dyslexia, a lack of education or simply a lack of care in writing (or a combination of all three); watch out for other signs
I always try to emulate to a degree the tone, style and language used by the other person, while maintaining my own personality, to try to make them feel more at ease and that the are dealing with a likeminded person. This helps establish and strengthen the relationship and a good tip to help improve communications skills in English and indeed even more so when changing languages. For example, many people in Spain use many exclamation marks at the end of sentences, especially in social communication, often using six or seven or more – “Happy Birthday!!!!!!” While it is not in my British nature to use so many (though I have picked up many local characteristics living here) I will usually reply to such a message with more than my usual ration of exclamation marks!!
Ok, time for some advice on practical actions you can take to improve communication skills in English.
  1. Increase your input. Logically, to improve your output (speaking and writing) you first need to increase the amount of input you receive. It is important on a regular basis to reading books or news (online or offline), watch TV and films in the original language, and even listen to music, a fun way of improving listening comprehension, which is, of course, half of communication. Reading this article is itself means you are already on the right track!
  2. Participate in discussion forums. This is a great way of practising in a friendly, supportive and informal environment. Clearly you do not want to pick up bad habits from other non-natives, but it is a good “testing ground”. There are also a great many forums actually dedicated to helping you improve communication skills in English, offering advice from experts and natives on topics from specific words and expressions or professional correspondence (www.wordreference.com/forums is good for both) to more general discussions on language and translation (like www.englishpage.com/forums or the professional translators network, www.proz.com). Even better, participate in forums on sites designed for natives, where you will pick up a lot of new, natural language, though clearly it is usually very informal, especially on more social subjects, and there is a lot of internet language which is inappropriate for many communication situations. But it is the next best thing to actually going to a social event in an English-speaking country and you can go back to the other forums like Wordreference to check on that language!
  3. Social and professional networking. A natural extension to discussion forums is to connect with people all over the world (perhaps people you meet in the forums!) via the many social and professional networking websites, from facebook to LinkedIn and Google+. Depending on your focus – personal or professional, you will get lots of input from your new friends who will also help you more than strangers, of course, and whom you can ask direct questions on whether a certain expression you have seen or heard is suitable in a certain context.
  4. Organise meet-ups in English. There really is no substitute for face-to-face meetings, so try to find other learners locally who are keen to improve communication skills in English – obviously if you can find and persuade natives to join you (that’s how I met my (ex-)wife!) that will make the whole thing even more valuable as you will get instant feedback. Simply getting together in a relaxed environment, as regularly as possible, will massively help your confidence and fluency.
Locals in Lleida can go to my new social network, www.lleidaonline.net, where I have set up the English Social Club group, including posting interesting links and videos, discussion forums and starting in the Autumn (yes, “Fall” if you learn American English!) organising meet-ups.

For more ideas, see my article “How can I improve my English” which looks at improvement and learning generally, including some personal development advice to help guide your study and practice. Committing to regular action and activity is crucial if you really want to improve communications skills in English, so you should read that article too. Why not practise communicating right now by leaving a comment on this page?! (Spam will not be published.)

Thanks for reading and good luck!

Written on July 18th, 2011 , business, Communication, Teaching & Learning
How can I improve my English?

As a teacher of English as a foreign language, I face the question “How can I improve my English” on a daily basis, so I have decided to put down some of the advice I give my students plus some extra help derived from my interest in personal development.

The good news is that if you are reading this, you have already taken the first step - recognising a need for improvement and doing something about it. That suggests motivation to dedicate time and effort to that goal, which is clearly the most important factor in improving anything, but which, frankly, I find most lacking among many students. But you need to be more specific than that, creating a plan and being disciplined in implementing it. So this is my…

How can I improve my English? First Golden Rule: Self-Discipline

There is only a certain amount that a teacher or trainer can do. As the ancient English proverb says, “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink”. At the end of the day, the time a student spends alone studying and using the language has a direct impact on results and your ability to improve English. So, make a plan and stick to it. As my students (especially of business English) hear me say a lot “if you fail to plan, you plan to fail” (an old military saying that can apply to virtually any activity).

“Make a plan and stick to it”

In order for the plan to succeed, it needs to be realistic. Just as with your New Year’s Resolutions to go to the gym or spend more time with your kids or friends (or, these days, less time on Facebook!), there is absolutely no point in setting objectives which look and feel good but which are too ambitious to maintain in your daily life. Your plan to improve English must be equally realistic and start small – you can always build up over time.

Write down everything. Start off by working out how much free time you have after taking into account work, housework and a certain amount of leisure time – I think the latter is important as you can end up resenting time spent studying and so stop, whereas if you know you have a minimum amount dedicated to enjoying yourself, this natural feeling is reduced. Then decide on how much time you will spend on improving your English. This could be a weekly amount and/or a daily amount. As a general rule, little and often is always better than a lot in one go. My students are also sick of hearing me say “15 minutes every day!” as a rough guide to a regular but manageable amount of time; frankly even five minutes every day is better than nothing – by checking the BBC or CNN website for the headlines and maybe reading one, even short, article, every day, you’ll be surprised how quickly you will improve. The important thing is to have some contact with English every day, if possible. Think about it: if you are asking yourself “How can I improve my English?”, you should also ask yourself “How much time am I prepared to spend improving my English?”

“Reinforce the language learnt in class at home”

During class, you receive a lot of input, and while this is practised in class, without reinforcement at home, there is a real danger of it remaining as input – that is, you will never really use the language learnt (output). Clearly it is not always possible to practice language on your own, but here are a few tips I give my students:

  1. Google search for new words and expressions learnt in class. The idea here is to find a number of different examples of the language in use in a native context. This has a number of benefits: for a start, it forces you to spend time thinking about the word or phrase and it’s meaning, thus increasing the chances you will remember it; also, especially at an advanced level, new language is often only presented in one context, whereas to use it effectively, you need to know when it is or isn’t appropriate to use it. Now, of course, with the Internet being full of non-native English (of which there are approximately three times as many speakers as natives!) there will inevitably be inaccuracies, so where possible, try to use sites of well-known native companies (the difference between native and non-native language and communication will be the subject of a future article). Finally, make sure you use “quotation marks” in the case of phrases and expressions to turn up only exact matches for the language you are looking for.
  2. Write sentences using the new language. Instead of waiting until the next lesson to practise output, have a go at writing 2-3 sentences yourself, then show them to your teacher for feedback. Most teachers worth their salt will be happy that you have gone to the effort of thinking about and practising the language and indeed I often set this as formal homework, especially with areas like the dreaded phrasal verbs.
  3. Participate in online discussion forums. There are forums for every subject imaginable online, so it’s probable you can ask a question or even answer one using the new language. If you can’t find an exact match, create your own topic. For my local students in Lleida, you can head over to the English in Lleida discussion forums and get posting now!

How can I improve my English? Second Golden Rule: Passion

It may sound odd to talk about passion in the context of learning a language but you have to admit it sounds a lot stronger and by definition more emotive than “interest”, which is one of the most used (and over-used) words in the English language, and “interesting” is probably used sarcastically almost as often as in its true sense. Clearly if you are learning English, at least as an adult, you must have some motivation and interest, if only because your boss is paying for courses and your salary and prospects depend on your English communication skills! Try to harness the positive aspects of that motivation and use them to fuel a growing passion for self-improvement and results. Here are some ideas:

  1. Your life goals: Where do want to be? How successful do you want to be? Focus on these questions and write down the answers. If you are learning English as a foreign language, you already have a competitive edge over those that don’t. If learning in a company, the chances are you are also in a forward-thinking professional environment which will help you achieve your goals, especially if you continually improve English skills.
  2. Eliminate negative thoughts. This is key to fostering a passionate approach to learning yet it is a common problem amongst language learners, especially those who start later in life who often feel frustrated if they can’t grasp a concept or remember vocabulary quickly and unfavourably and unfairly compare themselves to their children, whose neural network is still being constructed and are inevitably better at absorbing knowledge than us. Whenever you feel yourself thinking negatively, STOP! Remove negative language from your native lexicon and change “I can’t” for “I can” and “I will”. You may not believe it at first, but a positive attitude in learning as in health, has been proven to improve effectiveness and results.
  3. Celebrate success. No matter how small. To help eliminate negative thoughts, make sure you spend a few moments congratulating yourself on your achievements, no matter how small. Maybe you have remembered a key piece of vocabulary in class and your teacher or other students have noticed and been impressed, or perhaps you have improved your grade in a writing task. As you think about it, pay attention to your emotions, and remember how good it feels. Whenever you feel frustrated, think back to those moments of success and remind yourself you CAN do it! Borrowing from self-development theory and speaking from experience, it helps, when thinking bout successes, to create a visual image around them, perhaps associating them with your favourite place or simply your favourite colours. By creating a visual memory you will reinforce the positive feelings, and the stronger you make the colours, the stronger the emotional impact will be. Finally, press a finger and thumb together and press tightly; this will create a physical impression of the memory too, which you can use to induce the emotional positivity surrounding your success. Again, the more you practice this, the easier it will become.

“Harness interest and motivation and turn it into passion”

By focussing on your goals and successes and fostering a positive attitude, you can generate a passion for continuous improvement in English and indeed generally. My formula, therefore, to answer the question “How can I improve  my English?”, as with anything is:

Self-Discipline + Passion = Results

 

Written on July 13th, 2011 , Language, Teaching & Learning
English in International Business

Business English in international business is a complex area, and throws up a number of questions, depending on what business you are in, where you do business and with whom. In this, the first article in a series on learning business English and improving communications skills, I will set out these questions and their relevance to learners of English as a second or foreign language (ESL/EFL). The following articles will attempt to answer the questions, especially insofar as they relate to doing business in English around the world.

I have included a few glossary links to aid (speed of) understanding for non-native readers – I may well add more links, so feedback much appreciated! Just mouse over the highlighted words to see their definition (and pronunciation).

*                               *                              *                                *

When studying Business English it is usually necessary to have knowledge of international business, both the dominant “Anglo-Saxon” model and the various different national models. My experience both in international business and teaching business English, as well as an author on Corporate Governance, gives me a rare perspective on the subject. This is the first in a series of articles exploring the two inexorably linked themes and how to maximise communication effectiveness when learning and using English in international business.

First I will start by asking a couple of fundamental questions about how and why you need to use English to better direct your thinking:

  • Where (in which countries) do you do business or need to communicate in English?
  • Do you communicate mainly with native English speakers or non-natives?

These two questions are key in defining your language requirements for business English, which can broadly be broken down into the following groups:

  • Sector/Specialism (vocabulary, especially technical terms)
  • Register (style/level of formality)
  • Skills (use of English, eg emails, presentations, etc)

The questions above fundamentally influence these requirements – it is clearly not the same communicating in English with a native as with a non-native, whether for business or pleasure. Dialogue between non-natives inevitably focuses on understanding rather than accuracy and range in either grammar or semantics – after all, the purpose of language is not language itself, but communication.

This is sometimes a hard concept to accept for natives, especially linguists,who have a love of language and therefore try continuously to improve accuracy and range. This is even more true of philologists, whose raison d’être is often not communication at all but indeed the language itself. Of course improving accuracy and range should be a goal of all language learners and especially learners of business English if you have to deal with native speakers. But the end goal has to remain communication, particularly in international business.

In the remaining articles I will ask, and offer answers to, questions related to communicating in business English, the main differences between the various corporate models and how international business is evolving. Last, but certainly not least, such a series would not be complete without talking about international networking, the internet, social media and marketing and other phenomena of 21st Century cross-cultural communication. This first article on English in international business is just a taster, and I will be adding new articles regularly, so check back soon or subscribe to the RSS feed! Among the questions I shall be addressing, here is a selection:

  • How can I improve communications skills in English?
  • How does business English vary between natives and non-natives?
  • What are the main differences between the Anglo-Saxon model and international models?
  • What is the protocol for writing emails in international business English?
  • How should a presentation be made in international business English?
  • How has technology changed communication in international business in the 21st Century?

 

Written on July 11th, 2011 , business, Language, Teaching & Learning
To teach and to learn

Since September I have returned to teaching, after many years in business. Putting all that experience to good use helping others is very rewarding as any teacher will tell you. At the same time, by keeping an open mind, I am always learning from my students, not only to personalise their experience but to enrich my own knowledge and coaching style.

The fact that I am still in business also helps as it keeps my practical experience up-to-date and focussed, away from purely theoretical or pre-generated printed materials. A nice combination which I confess to be enjoying much more than pure business and in particular web development and marketing (though this is an ever-present tide ebbing and flowing through my brain!)

So, after a long break from blogging, I hope to share some of my experiences combining these two worlds – and the multi-lingual, multi-cultural anecdotes that accompany them.

Written on February 10th, 2010 , English Across Cultures, Language, Teaching & Learning

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