7 fun ways to practice Spoken English at home
You can practice Spoken English at home without a lot of time, energy, or effort. In fact, just a few simple changes to your usual routine is all it takes to foster an enriching learning environment.
Have weekly English movie night
Dedicating one night a week to watc an English movie in your home is a great way to practice Spoken English! Watch with your family, your roommates, or with friends! Make it a night you look forward to by buying popcorn or other appropriate movie snacks! At first, alternate watching American made movies and British made movies to see which kind you prefer. Or, movies from any other English speaking countries! Due to the vastly different cultures of various English speaking countries, you might find a type of movie you prefer. After the movie, discuss in English your favorite parts or come up with alternative endings.
Listen to podcasts while you clean
You have to clean your house anyway, might as well practice Spoken English, vocabulary, and listening skills while you do it! Podcasts are a great way to enhance spoken English because you’re immersed in conversation like dialogue that models speaking inflections, flows, and transitions. There are thousands of different podcasts on the market, and many of them are free! Not only will listening to podcasts help practice Spoken English, you may even learn something along the way.
Here are some outstanding podcasts to get you started:
| Stuff you should know | Each podcast explains how something works. Topics range from animals to clothing and everything in between. |
| Radiolab | Radiolab podcasts range from short clips to longer clips, perfect for listening while you clean! They talk about a variety of topics, from controversial practices to international politics. |
| Planet Money | Planet Money offers relatively short podcasts explaining the economics of our everyday lives in a fun, upbeat way everyone can understand and enjoy. |
Talk to an online English conversation partner
One of the most effective ways to practice Spoken English skills is enlisting the help and guidance of an English conversation partner. The benefits of an online partner are numerous, but one of the most appealing is you never even have to leave your house. An online English partner is ideal for anyone who is too busy for a traditional class, doesn’t have reliable transportation, or simply loves the convenience of an online English partner. Actively practicing spoken English skills is the best and only way to see quick and lasting improve.
Want to practice Spoken English with a Native English Speaker from the US/UK. Sign up below
Sing out loud to your favorite English songs
Chances are you’re already singing in your shower, your car, or your kitchen while cooking dinner. Put on some English songs and loudly sing along. Listen to the lyrics to hear the way the words are emphasized and pronounced. This is a great and fun way to work on reducing an accent if that’s one of your goals!
Host a party!
This requires a bit more work and planning on your end, but can be a fantastic way to practice English speaking conversation while catching up with friends. Invite some of your friends over, some of who speak English really well or may even only speak English! In order for everyone to be able to communicate, speak in English throughout the evening. Have your guests bring a snack or dessert for everyone to share and put on some upbeat background jazz music. This is a guaranteed plan to have a fun night and practice Spoken English as well!
Practice Tongue Twisters around the house
A tongue twister is a little English rhyme full of alliteration! Alliteration is when you have a sentence full of words that begin with the same letter. They are difficult to say and even more difficult to master. Tongue twisters can keep you entertained while you sit at traffic stops, fold your laundry, or anytime at all. They are great for working on enunciation of English words.
Here are a couple to get you started:
| English Tongue Twisters: |
| Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers |
| Sally sells seashells by the sea shore |
Learn new vocabulary everyday
An extensive vocabulary is the foundation of your English practice. Naturally, the greater your vocabulary, the more you can say and express in English. Work on developing your vocabulary everyday on your own so you can practice and utilize your new words and phrases during real English conversations. A great place to look is the Merriam-Webster’s word of the day, which offer a short podcast style-like clip for each new word of the day providing you with a little history and context.
Practicing spoken English skills at home can be stress free and fun. Taking less traditional routes to improve your English skills is rewarding and effective. The best strategy is to never give up trying to improve. Work on your spoken English everyday, no matter how insignificant it may feel to you. Overtime, your English speaking abilities are bound to improve!
