Written by Gabriela Estrada

If you're learning a new language, it's important to start speaking it in front of others just as you do when you're alone—even if you make mistakes. This will help you gain confidence little by little and get your brain used to expressing yourself verbally.

At first, it's common to feel self-conscious out of fear of making mistakes; that's why the Speaking Challenge is a great way to start loosening up your tongue.

You're probably wondering: How do I take on this challenge? Or where do I start?

In this blog post, I'll tell you how to do it and help you turn small moments in your day into big strides in your learning. Read to the end and discover a mini-exercise from the Speaking Challenge and its golden rules for achieving true fluency.

The Real Challenge: Putting Your Mind to the Test

Based on the premise that "there is also learning in imperfection", this challenge isn’t just a passive exercise; it’s a litmus test to confront your fear of exposure and force your brain to step outside its comfort zone. 

It involves speaking with the confidence that the message will be understood, while accepting that stumbles and mistakes are an inevitable part of the process.

To truly break the barrier of silence and test your ability to react, take on this challenge for three consecutive days:

• Mini-Exercise: Spend 30 to 60 seconds—timed—talking nonstop in front of the mirror, recording a challenging voice memo, or describing what you’re doing in real time.

The golden rules for overcoming this challenge without cheating are:

• No self-correction: Don’t stop, don’t delete the voice memo, and don’t correct your grammar mid-sentence if you think you said something wrong. The goal is to practice speaking fluently under pressure.
• Complete confidence: Speak with the confidence of someone who is in control of the chaos, keeping up the pace even if you feel your vocabulary is limited.
• Clarity Over Perfection: Even if you’re short on time, try to ensure your message has a clear beginning, middle, and end. Crafting a 40-second mental script without long pauses requires extremely agile handling of ideas.

It sounds contradictory, but… Why does talking about mistakes lead to progress?

Scientifically speaking, speaking activates procedural memory. When you try to spontaneously generate verbal ideas, your brain is forced to actively retrieve information. This process strengthens neural connections far more than simply listening or reading passively.

Speaking with mistakes in pronunciation or word usage allows you to apply the principle of "Notice the Gap" or "Notar la brecha". Only when you try to say something complex and make a mistake does your brain become receptive to learning the correct way later on.

Giving yourself permission to make mistakes in a defiant way is the real driving force behind learning!

Tip for improving your speaking: Stop saying how old you “are” in English!

When talking about age in English, avoid translating literally from Spanish.

It is common among Hispanics to use the form “I have 25 years” to say "I'm 25 years old".

But the correct way to say it is: I am 25 years old or simply I am 25.

Would you like to learn new ways to express yourself in the language and advance to the next level? At Planeta Immiland Education, we can help you.

Learn a new language with a focused approach 

On Planeta Immiland Education, we offer courses in English and French for immigration purposes to Canada, designed to bring your proficiency up to the level required by the authorities. 

We have the Languages Canada seal of approval and are a member of EduCanada, which attests to our commitment to academic excellence.

If you don't yet know your actual language proficiency level, you can take our Smart Test and get your results right away, along with the course we recommend for you. 

To learn about the degree programs, click here: https://www.planeta-immiland-education.com/ 

If you found this article interesting, share it with anyone who dreams of traveling, studying, working, or simply connecting with people from Canada and anywhere else in the world.

With love,

Planeta Immiland Education