Lesson Transcript

Hey everyone, welcome to the Monthly Review!
The monthly show on language learning.
Where you discover new learning strategies, motivational tips, study tools, and resources.
By the way, all the lessons and bonuses you’re about to see can be downloaded for free on our website.
So, click the link in the description right now to sign up for your free lifetime account.
Okay, today’s topic is:
Do You Record Yourself Speaking Your Target Language?
Chances are… you don’t like hearing the sound of your own voice. And that’s true for almost all of us. But did you know that recording yourself speaking the target language… and then listening back to yourself… can help you master a language faster? In this guide, you’ll discover
Why You Should Record Yourself Speaking the Language
How this Boosts Speaking, Listening, Recall…
Plus How You Can Apply This Tactic with our System
But first, if you’re looking for new, free language resources and downloads… Here are this month’s new lessons and resources. Be sure to download these now before we take them down in a few days.
First, the shopping at a mall conversation PDF cheat sheet
You'll learn all the must-know words and phrases for shopping and getting around the mall...with this new cheat sheet.
And second, the Mothers Day and Fathers Day Writing Worksheet
This bonus printable PDF worksheet teaches you the must-know vocabulary for Mother's Day and Father's Day... and you can even practice writing the words out.
To get your free resources, click the link in the description below right now. They’re yours to keep forever. Ok! Let's jump into today's topic!
Do You Record Yourself Speaking Your Target Language?
Part One: Why You Should Record Yourself Speaking the Language
So, chances are, you don’t record and listen to yourself speaking the language… But there are some powerful benefits to doing so.
And by benefits, I mean you’ll learn faster… you’ll be able to speak better… and you remember the language better.
So, what are the benefits of recording yourself?
The first and foremost is the obvious one: getting feedback.
When you're learning a language on your own… you may not know if your pronunciation and speaking are on the right track.
Or your speaking could be just fine… but you may be using words that aren’t quite neutral.
The point is, it's hard to know what you’re getting wrong.
A native speaker can always help with that… but you probably don’t have 24/7 access to one, right? But that doesn’t mean you should wait until the next opportunity. So that’s where recording yourself comes in. You have something you can show a native speaker when the time comes… so you can see where you’re off.
And by the way, we’ll show you how to get feedback in part two.
The second benefit? It’s good to be aware of your speaking style.
You may not be able to tell if your pronunciation is good or not, but you can easily tell if your speaking is slow, choppy, or unnatural.
And that’s something you can fix on your own, even without the help of a native speaker. Kind of like realizing you say a lot of “umm” and “uhh” in English.
Third, If you record yourself and listen back… You’re practicing both input and output - listening and speaking. So, if you don’t have access to a native speaker but want to practice speaking, you can get started right away. And even if you do have a teacher, you’ll only be with them for 30 minutes or an hour per session, and your speaking practice time would still be limited. So this allows you to maximize your speaking practice time… on your own time.
And by speaking out loud, you get to remember the words and phrases better.
And, of course, if you listen to yourself, you’re also practicing listening.
Now, this is where many people would draw the line… because it's hard to listen to yourself, right?
But that’s where the fourth benefit comes in.
Fourth, you improve your memory.
According to studies, you tend to better recall things you've said over what others have said. If it’s you saying it and not someone else, so it’s personally relevant, and it sticks better. And so it’s kind of a double whammy. Saying things out loud helps you remember… and listening to yourself also helps you remember.
So, if you want to practice speaking, listening….and improve your recall…
You should try speaking out loud to yourself, recording yourself, listening to that recording, and of course, getting feedback if you can.
This allows you to practice speaking even when you don’t have access to a teacher or a native speaker.
And even if you do have a teacher, you’ll only be with them for 30 minutes or an hour per session. So you’re still limited.
So, recording yourself allows you to maximize your speaking practice time… on your own time.
At the most basic level, all you have to do is… pull out your smartphone, open the voice recording app, and record yourself saying some lines in your target language.
But doing it once won't be enough. You need to make it part of your routine.
Part 2: How to Apply This Tactic
So, since you’re learning with our system and already have that routine going, here’s what you can do:
One: Use the pronunciation practice tool inside of our lessons
You'll find this study tool inside the dialogue section of every lesson. Just click on the microphone icon next to each line.
The goal is to hear the native speaker say a line, repeat what they say, and then compare yourself against them, and do that for the entire lesson dialog.
You’ll be able to practice speaking, listening and sharpen your pronunciation as well. If you're already taking our lessons, this will be an easy tactic to add to your routine because the pronunciation practice tool is in every lesson. So be sure to do this with every lesson.
Two: Take the Hand-Graded Assessments
These Premium PLUS assessments test you on writing and speaking… they’re graded by real teachers….
And you'll find them peppered throughout your recommended learning pathway. The way they work is you'll be asked to record a quick dialogue or speech as a way to test your speaking skills…
…and then our teachers will grade it and give it back to you.
So this is a great way to practice speaking and get corrected at your own pace… without having to find a teacher.
You can also retake the assessments for more practice… or to try and get a better grade.
Three - Send recordings of yourself speaking to your Premium PLUS teacher for feedback
And you can do this with the Premium PLUS messenger on the site or on the App. Your approach here is up to you, but the learners that get the best results are the ones that create routines for themselves. For example, we have learners who recite the lesson conversation out loud… for every lesson they do and pass that on to their teacher.
Then there are learners who send 3 recordings a day
One in the morning, one during the day, and one during the evening… just talking about their day.
Then, some just recordings of their example sentences from the grammar rules they learn.
If you’re not a Premium PLUS member, you can use your smartphone to record yourself… and ask a native speaker for feedback.
But also, whichever tactic you apply, be sure to listen to your own recordings as well. This will help you remember the words, phrases, and grammar rules… And even if you can’t judge your pronunciation, you can always tell if your speaking is choppy or a little slow.
And this will help you improve your speaking overall.
So, thank you for watching this episode of Monthly Review
The Power of Specificity and Knowing What You Want
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See you next time! Bye!

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