Effortless English: Learn To Speak English Like a native

 
HOW KNOWING THE CULTURE HELPS YOU SPEAK MORE FLUENTLY
When I put together mini-stories, I try to make them funny or strange so that they’re easy to remember. I also
try to reflect American culture, as youll see in the practice example at the end of this chapter.
Why do I do this? Well, research has shown that you will learn a language more quickly if you can begin to
identify with the culture. For example, according to Dr. Stephen Krashen and contrary to popular belief, even
people who learn English as an adult can develop a perfect accent. What holds them back is not some inability to
make new sounds, but rather their connection to their home country and its culture. When a child comes to the
U.S. and learns English, they really want to fit in, so they will do everything they can to be like other Americans.
Adults, on the other hand, have more established identities and tend to stay more rooted to their native culture.
But there are ways to get around this. The best thing you can do if you’re trying to learn English is find some
part of American culture that you really love (or British or Australian culture, if you’re studying English there),
and can immerse yourself in. It can be anything – music, movies, food, martial arts, whatever – as long as you
find it interesting. It’s especially useful if you can find something that is unique to the culture, like American
football, for example. Most important, you must connect to and share your interest with native English speakers
who love the same thing.
Try it and see. This will not only help you speak more fluently, but it will also help your pronunciation as well.

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Movement and Mini-Stories
I mentioned the importance of movement in earlier chapters. Dr. James Asher’s total
physical response (TPR) system emphasizes the link between movement and
learning. Blaine Ray’s TPRS method (Total Physical Response using Storytelling)
links movement to stories. Effortless English™ uses both systems.
When I do a live event, one of the first things I tell my students is that they need to
make listening to a mini-story a whole body activity. Much of the power of (listen-
and-answer) mini-stories comes from how powerful your responses are.
In any (listen-and-answer) mini story, you will hear only three types of sentences.
You must respond to each type of sentence in a particular way. The first type of
sentence is a statement. A statement is not a question, but you should still respond by
saying “ahhhhhhhhh.” Remember, stronger movements and emotions are more
powerful, so don’t just say “ahhhh,” shout it and move your body at the same time.
Pretend the statement is the most interesting information you have ever heard! Nod
your head and smile as you respond.
The second type of sentence is a question you know the answer to. When you hear
this kind of sentence, you want to shout an answer as loud as you can, using a full
body gesture that shows you’re really excited about it. Exaggerate. Throw your
arms up as you shout, “Yes!”
The third and final type of sentence you will hear in a mini story is a question
where you don’t know the answer. As I mentioned previously, in this case your job
is to shout a guess as quickly as possible. As with the other sentence types, shout
your guess loudly and use exaggerated gestures as you do so.
The combination of speed, shouting, and movement locks in the memory of the
sentence. Instead of just sound, you’re getting sound and movement and emotions.
You’ll need fewer repetitions to remember it. You’ll also start to connect speaking
English to that excited enthusiastic feeling because, at the same time, you are
creating a positive anchor.
There’s no stress with mini-stories because anyone can say yes or no. That’s why
the questions are designed to be super easy. It is not a memory exercise, it’s a
response exercise. You bypass the whole analysis part and go straight into fast
responses.
Another exercise we do at live events is story retelling. Once students have
listened to a story and they know it well, they retell it to a friend. They stand up and
use their whole body with big, strong gestures and tell the story in a loud,
enthusiastic voice. The idea is to tell the story as quickly as possible, focusing on

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speed, not accuracy.
You will do this as well. After you have mastered the questions and answers, turn
off the audio mini story. In a peak emotional state, retell the story out loud as fast as
you can. Shout the story and use big gestures as you speak. Make it a game and aim
for speed. It’s okay to make a mistake and it’s even okay to change the details of the
story. Just practice speaking as fast as you possibly can.
The point is that the best learning happens when you are in a peak state, involved
and active. My live lessons are like “English rock concerts” and everyone has
tremendous energy. To recreate this at home, put on your favorite music. Close the
door so no one can see you. Now jump around just before you do the mini-story.
Feeling energized, begin listening to the mini-story. As you’re doing the mini-story,
get excited. Get crazy. Really shout out the answers. Finish with a fast retelling of the
story. Remember, the more powerful your responses are and the more energy you
use, the deeper your learning will go.