Written by Ana María Valero

Speaking English fluently makes a difference in conversation, that is denoted with time and the study of the language, it is clear that when entering a conversation club in the first courses of English the student will not participate speaking with total fluency because it is just incorporated vocabulary and the ability to express themselves effectively, but what is certain is that their listening skills in relation to the new language will be activated from day 1, this is thanks to a natural process of the brain. It may sound complex, but it is not, here I explain why.

This new article from Planet Immiland is dedicated to one of the English language skills most used by English users: listening, or in other words: understanding what is being talked about! The focus of this topic is on the usefulness of the conversation club from the beginning of any English course. We already know that there are four language skills, but it is now important to know how to activate the brain to acquire each one; listening is the first in this series. Let's get started!

From brain activation and alertness to listening proficiency in English

Listening to others speak fluent English activates the brain and facilitates language learning due to various cognitive and neurological processes. This is a natural brain phenomenon that is related to learning by imitation and listening skills. Here is more about this phenomenon and how we learn by speaking.

Conversation in English is learned by imitation

Learning by imitation is a fundamental process in the acquisition of a new language. By listening to the teacher leading the conversation club and other fluent English speaking peers, the new learner's brain will not only begin to process the sounds, but will also try to replicate them! 

The fascinating thing about the process of learning through conversation (speaking and listening) is that auditory memory and motor memory are automatically involved. Auditory memory allows us to remember how English words and phrases sound, while motor memory helps us to reproduce those sounds accurately, which is essential in any English course and the added reinforcement of the conversation club.

The conversation club provides the student with the mental preparation required to enter this interactive space in a state of brain activation and alertness because he/she knows that he/she is going to listen to someone speaking a foreign language. This state is due to the need to process and understand new English sounds, words and grammatical structures in order to be able to use them in conversation on a given topic. 

English listening skills require constant stimulation

To learn English effectively, it is necessary to activate from the beginning the ability to understand and recognize patterns, this will be achieved by accustoming the ear to the rhythms, intonations and accents typical of the language. Conversing in English helps a lot to become familiar with the different sounds and words of the language, just as it happens with infants who begin to acquire the mother tongue, and even two and three languages at the same time when their parents and teachers begin to educate them. 

The same thing happens with adults and, over time, this skill improves, allowing a faster and more accurate understanding of the language, sometimes without even realizing how much progress they have made, since in the conversation club the oral skills are acquired in a practical and entertaining way, channeled by a specialized teacher who knows where to start with the new vocabulary so that the experience is pleasant and appropriate from day 1.

Important: at Planeta Immiland, we offer English courses y French courses and a dynamic conversation club that brings together students from other countries. Join the club.

A Conversation Club for Fluent English in Canada

Planeta Immiland has its own conversation club to bring together all those who want to improve their English and French. The space is designed for the learner in the digital age, as it is online and can be accessed from any remote device or computer. We know the enormous amount of tasks and commitments that exist in the day-to-day work, academic and family lives of many users who want to learn English or French for personal purposes or to immigrate to Canada.

It doesn't matter if they are not enrolled in a language course at our academy to join the conversation, many people enter the club to continue improving their level of English or French and acquire speaking and listening skills because they need to take the IELTS exam and do well or because they need to acquire the idioms of Canadian English or French to adapt or apply for citizenship, etc. However, if they started a language course from scratch, consider that speaking it fluently will depend on learning it from day one with good resources and strategies that activate the cognitive process.

Remember that, in any context, if an English learner does not converse with others, does not listen to the language and does not process it through informal conversations, unfortunately, they will stagnate in their learning, because it is the repeated exposure to these elements (everyday phrases, idioms, greetings, intonation, even the type of laughter in response!) that activates specific areas of the brain, such as Broca's area and Wernicke's area, which are involved in the production and comprehension of language. 

You should converse at home or with your friends who already speak the language to unleash your speaking skills, but if you have no one to talk to, the most practical thing to do is to join a conversation club and learn with new friends from around the world.

If you wish to know our teaching-learning methodology to acquire or improve your English or French and immigrate to Canada, you can visit www.planeta-immiland-education.com and take the free language test.

Thank you for reading. I hope this blog will help you gain confidence in your ability to speak fluent English from day one. I invite you to follow our networks and platforms at the end of this article and, if you wish, you can interact with your questions and comments. See you in the next blog!

With love,

Planet Immiland