Moving to a new country can be quite intimidating, but even more so if you don’t speak the native language. Many newcomers to Canada struggle to make contacts, build friendships, and just plain fit in because they’re nervous to make mistakes while speaking English. And for prospective university students, the stakes are quite high because they must improve their language skills in order to succeed at school.

An intensive English program (like Culture Works) will definitely provide you with a thorough understanding of the English language – but it will be up to you to actually apply what you’ve learned in class in everyday situations. This means that you’ll need to build up the confidence it takes to communicate with others and engage them in conversation, even if you’re positive you’ll make a few mistakes. Here are some basic confidence-building tips to get you started:

Do Your Reading Out Loud

Whether your English as a second language courses involve reading a textbook, a newspaper, or even a short story, read it out loud for extra practise. Not only will this help with comprehension, but will offer you a chance to work on your pronunciation. Reading out loud can also be a great way to enhance your reading speed and build confidence. If you’re a beginner student and are still unsure about your English language abilities, you can try reading to another person (either a close native English companion or a teacher) and ask them to provide feedback.

Make English-Speaking Friends—And Speak To Them!

They say “practise makes perfect” and what better way to practise your English skills than to have fun with some great new friends? When you attend an ESL school in Canada, you’ll find that it’s surprisingly easy to make new connections – after all, Canadians are known as some of the friendliest people in the world!

Casual socializing in English is a fantastic way to strengthen your language skills. First of all, your friends won’t judge you if you make a mistake – and secondly, it’s a great opportunity to pick up some conversational, colloquial banter.

Make Use of the Recording App on Your Smartphone

These days, most cell phones come fully equipped with a variety of applications—games, cameras and sound recorders. English language students will definitely want to make use of those recording applications. One of the most common exercises students do when learning a new language is the “Introduction Game.” Partners practise introducing themselves, making small talk, and asking questions – exactly like you would do in real life when you meet someone new. Recording these conversations and listening to them later at home can be extremely helpful for improving pronunciation, phrasing, and vocabulary. This of course can only boost your confidence when you’re trying out these same phrases outside of school.

Make Small Talk While Running Errands

No matter where you live you will definitely find yourself visiting grocery stores, convenience stores and restaurants. English language students should look at these activities as learning opportunities – valuable chances to converse with shopkeepers and waiters in a causal way. And, because they will most likely speak to you in English, you’ll be forced to face your fears and respond in kind. Those recorded conversations from class will really come in handy here, helping you make that first gesture with confidence. And hey, if you can master small talk then you’ll be ready to move on to bigger and better things, like longer conversations!

How would you practise your new language skills in Canada?