What I Learned from Running an English Speaking Club in Russia
Ruth one of our English teachers is back in town after 2 years after launching an English speaking club in Russia. We invited her for some of her favorite cupcakes while sharing her experiences teaching English in Russia.
Welcome back Ruth. Tell us more about what you were doing in Russia for the last 2 years
My husband got a job in Russia working for a software company so we moved to Russia for 2 years. I have been running an English Speaking Club in Russia for the last 2 years while teaching a few English lessons with Spoken English Practice. And of course traveling in the region in Ukraine, Norway, Finland and Poland.
How familiar were English learners on the concept of an English Speaking Club in Russia?
The first time I saw an English speaking club in Russia was in Moscow, when I went there is 2003. My husband and I made a few visits as Native English speakers and helped out. We got some great insight on local events, food, nightlife etc in return. So this time when we traveled one of my goals was to start an English speaking club on my own and to see how it goes.
We found a community center room that was great (just needed a few layers of paint) and we just spread the word through a few friends in the area. I created an event on Facebook and to my surprise, there were 20 people who confirmed participation within the first week.
It was a great crowd, and we were lucky to have people who spread the word around. When we left, there were 2 groups of 20 people meeting 4 times a week.
Interested in launching an English speaking club? Here is a good article.
What are the main challenges you saw with ESL learners in Russia?
The main problem I saw working with an English speaking club in Russia and speaking with ESL students is the habit of translating word for word from Russian to English and often times the expressions do not make sense in English.
I think it is very natural for any language learners to translate from their native language. However, to become an advanced English speakers, you need to break this pattern. You have to learn to speak English without thinking and translating. Grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation are the bases to learning a language. But our brains retains and comprehends things better by actually participating in what we are being taught. To address English teachers need to create an environment where ESL students can use the grammar and pronunciations they had learn. This is why real Conversations are the key to improving English fluency. Whether you are running an English speaking club in Russia or teaching Business English in Japan, you will fail if you simply teach grammar and expect students to become fluent.
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How did you help your students improve Speaking? What the mains tips you want to share from that experience.
Knowing when to use which word appropriately is a big part of speaking English fluently. Syntax since people tend to borrow patterns from their native tongue is also important. The inconsistencies of the language (homophones, grammar and spelling which don’t follow the standard rules, idioms etc) are also confusing to non native English speakers.
The only practical way to fix these issues is through a lot of Conversational practice. You can’t be fluent in English without practicing speaking. I address this by explaining what can be explained and guiding the conversation into certain areas to give practice when things can’t be explained. Turning the issue into a discussion in its own right is also useful to make them conscious of the issue and have them retain it in their memory.
Memorizing grammar and vocabulary, watching videos of English speakers etc are good if you are a beginner but in order to be really fluent in English you need to practice with Native English Speakers. This is the biggest thing I learned from running an English speaking club in Russia.
What are your top tips for anyone who wants to be fluent in English fast?
1. Immerse yourself in the Language. If you keep a diary, keep it in English. Try to think in English as much as you possibly can. Read English newspapers and Magazines.The more you immerse, the better you will speak.
2. Find a native speaker to practice speaking. This way you learn all of the colloquial terms, and are better able to casually speak English.Textbook English is not natural English in most cases.
3. Be patient. You can ‘work on’ a language for 5 years and still not know much. You have to put in a little bit every day, and use the right kind of immersive learning to ensure you learn English as quickly and as thoroughly as you can
