#how to improve speaking skills in a language

[everythinginmyheart]

Ever feel stuck because you understand a language but can't speak it? You're not alone. This blog uncovers why it happens and gives real, practical steps to help you start speaking with confidence. A must-read for every language learner ready to level up.

[mylanguageclasses]

Ever feel stuck because you understand a language but can't speak it? You're not alone. This blog uncovers why it happens and gives real, practical steps to help you start speaking with confidence. A must-read for every language learner ready to level up.

[rigelmejo]

Something that always annoys me is the idea only 1 language learning method works. Which is not true. While it may be possible that, for a particular individual, only a few out of many study methods may work well enough for That Individual to make progress and stay motivated... that doesn't mean all the other study methods won't work for anyone else out there, or that those few methods will work for every other given person.

Obviously if you've been studying a while, then you already figured out what kinds of things work for you and don't. If you're a beginner, just wading into studying?

I would suggest you simply look for study methods that: 1. Teach you new things regularly, 2. Review and practice things you've learned, 3. Include studying things you need for your particular goals (for example if your goal is to read X book then the study materials at some point should involve reading practice and some words the book contains, if your goal is to talk about Y then the study materials should include some information about pronunciation and words you'll need to be able to say).

As you can imagine, a TON of study materials will meet these requirements. And you can study a given skill in a LOT of ways.

(Reading is my focus lol so just for reading, a beginner might: do vocabulary study with lists or conversations with native speakers or watching shows and looking words up or listening to dialogues with a transcript like in a textbook or graded readers or a picture book with word labels in the target language or a video game with labelled objects in target language, all of those things as long as your vocabulary is improving or reading practice is happening would help you make progress). So to improve reading skill as a beginner: you could study with a textbook, a podcast with transcript, a classroom or tutor with words written down in target language (like TPRS), a video game, a TV show and a translate app on your phone, a friend you talk with (who either writes words down or you look up words you hear with a translate app), a friend you text with, srs flashcards like anki (provided there's text) etc. As long as there's new words, and/or you're practicing reading, the study method may work. If it works will come down to if you can stay motivated doing it regularly, and make sure you regularly learn some new things and review/practice things you've already studied.

So consider those things when you see people selling a study method as a product (especially when it's costing you money). Consider if it teaches you NEW things, and are those new things related to your goals, and how MUCH new stuff will it teach you before you finish it? Consider if it provides review or practice, or if you can use it's materials to review on your own making up your own method, or if you'll need to do separate review/practice.

So examples:

LingQ. Can it teach you many new words? Yes, thousands, since you can import any texts you want when you get done with their provided material (I have no idea how much their beginner material covers though in terms of words... I would hope 1000-3000 words but that can be researched). Is your goal reading? It's suited to reading, so you will practice and review often with it. Cost? I think it was $12 a month when I last had it, and the price may have increased. Is it worth it? Depends on a learner's needs. I found it was wasting my money, so I chose to use free tools like Pleco and Readibu apps - since those apps are suited for Chinese learners and have better translations, Pleco has better paid graded reader material if I was going to spend money, and both Pleco and Readibu let me import texts so I can learn thousands of new words just like LingQ but free. Now that I'm not a beginner, I often use Microsoft Edge to read chinese... since I can still click-translate words easily (all my web browsers have that tool free), and Edge's TTS voice is helpful for pronunciation and sounds quite good. I read webnovels online so Edge works well. But it's translations aren't as good as Pleco or Readibu, so if I still needed translations more I would use them. So... is LingQ a good study method? Its certainly a study method marketed to buy. Well... the method is suited to improving reading skill, at least. It costs money, which is a negative, but it does offer a lot. However: everything it does regarding reading can be done free with other apps or sites or web browsers on their own. So if paying money motivates you to read... sure. LingQ does have a few word tracking features a learner may find worth the money, keeping in mind the actual read-to-learn method can be done free without lingq. (Also... while LingQ is a valid option for improving reading, if the learners goal is speaking then it would be important to think of what study activities the learner will do OUTSIDE of LingQ to improve speaking... because I've seen how LingQ is marketed as "how to learn a language" but it's only focused on some skills. It has vocabulary and grammar in some sense, since you'll read a lot and encounter new words and structures. But it doesnt have speaking or writing practice at least last time I was on it. Those activities would need to be worked on, on your own).

You can do that kind of cost/benefit contemplating with any study method material you see being sold. Amother example: there's a beginner Mandarin course called Mandarin Blueprint. It teaches like 800 words. Thats all. It may be worthwhile for a beginner... who still needs to learn 800 common words. But if you already know a few hundred words, the benefit of the course is less, you'll need to find a new material to teach you more new stuff soon. And the price was like a few hundred for the course... which for me personally was too much to spend, when I had already learned 800 hanzi from a book that cost me 12 dollars and 2000 words from a free user made memrise deck. The course claimed to get a person speaking, competent, but anyone not a beginner would say speaking basically with 800 words is nowhere near the level of working in Chinese or just doing a lot of daily life stuff, or reading/listening to media. (Although for the motivated beginner if you're learning 800 words on your own like I was, its definitely close to the point of jumping to learn more words and start reading kids and teenager books, and watching easier shows if you're willing to look new words up). So to me... Mandarin Blueprint felt like overselling some basic beginner materials. (Again when I know several other things that teach beginner stuff either more in depth so HSK test prep classes, and college courses, or that teach beginner stuff to the same depth as Mandarin Blueprint but free).

Some study materials aren't going to act like they teach everything. I've seen chinese courses just for learning to speak tones better and general pronunciation - probably worthwhile if your goal is to improve speaking and a teacher could help improve the issues your having. But a learner needs to be aware for that course that they'll need to study vocabulary on their own, its JUST a pronunciation improvement course.

[bhumi1066]

Master Real Conversations: How to Improve Japanese Conversation Skills Through Authentic Practice

Speaking fluently in Japanese goes far beyond memorizing grammar rules or vocabulary lists. True conversational fluency comes from real-time interaction, cultural understanding, and regular practice in natural settings. If you're looking to improve Japanese conversation through real discussions, here’s a structured guide with actionable tips to help you speak more confidently.

At Japanese Language Delhi, we specialize in building your Japanese speaking ability through immersive techniques and personalized guidance—perfect for learners who want more than textbook knowledge.

1. Engage in Real Conversations to Boost Fluency

To improve Japanese conversation, regular interaction is key. The more you speak with native speakers or fellow learners, the more confident and natural your Japanese becomes.

Why Real Discussions Matter:

Helps you adapt to casual and formal speech.

Builds awareness of slang and cultural nuances.

Reinforces grammar and vocabulary in real contexts.

Ways to Connect with Native Speakers:

Use language exchange apps like HelloTalk, Tandem, or italki.

Join Japanese forums, Discord communities, or local language meetups.

Enroll in guided conversation sessions at Japanese Language Delhi for structured speaking practice.

Tip: Don’t fear mistakes—they're a natural part of learning. Most native speakers appreciate the effort and are happy to help.

2. Start Thinking in Japanese

One of the fastest ways to speak naturally is to stop translating from your native language. Begin forming thoughts directly in Japanese to improve fluency.

How to Train Your Mind:

Describe your environment in Japanese.

Narrate your daily routines using simple sentences.

Try short internal monologues in Japanese throughout your day.

Tip: This method helps you react faster in conversations and reduces hesitation.

3. Practice Shadowing for Pronunciation

Shadowing is a proven method used by language learners worldwide. You listen to spoken Japanese and repeat it immediately—mimicking tone, rhythm, and pronunciation.

How to Practice Effectively:

Use anime, dramas, podcasts, or YouTube channels.

Pause and repeat each sentence out loud.

Focus on pitch accent and natural intonation.

Tip: This helps train your ears and voice to sound more native-like.

4. Memorize Common Conversation Patterns

Learning basic conversation patterns gives you ready-made responses and questions to use in real discussions.

Must-Know Japanese Phrases:

「最近どう？」(Saikin dou?) – "How have you been?"

「〇〇はどう思う？」(〇〇 wa dou omou?) – "What do you think about 〇〇?"

「すごいですね！」(Sugoi desu ne!) – "That’s amazing!"

Tip: Create a phrasebook or flashcards and practice with a partner from Japanese Language Delhi or a language exchange group.

5. Use Role-Play to Simulate Real-Life Situations

Role-playing common scenarios helps reduce anxiety and prepares you for practical conversations.

Situations to Practice:

Ordering at a Japanese restaurant.

Asking for help at a train station.

Introducing yourself in a professional environment.

Tip: You can do this solo or with a study partner. The key is consistency and imagination.

FAQs: Improve Japanese Conversation Through Real Discussions

1. How often should I practice speaking Japanese? Daily practice is ideal. Even 10–15 minutes a day can significantly improve fluency over time.

2. Can I still improve my speaking skills without a language partner? Yes! Shadowing, thinking in Japanese, and using AI chatbots like ChatGPT can simulate conversations effectively.

3. How can I overcome fear or shyness when speaking Japanese? Start by speaking alone, recording yourself, and gradually transitioning to real conversations. Supportive communities like Japanese Language Delhi can help ease you into confident communication.

4. How do I remember vocabulary during conversations? Use flashcards, repetition, and incorporate new words into daily dialogues for better retention.

5. Should I focus more on formal or casual Japanese when practicing? Both are essential—formal Japanese is used in work and public settings, while casual speech is necessary for everyday social interactions.

Final Thoughts

To truly improve Japanese conversation through real discussions, you need to step beyond passive learning and start actively engaging. Speak regularly, shadow native content, think in Japanese, and immerse yourself in real-life scenarios.

Whether you're preparing for the JLPT, planning a trip to Japan, or aiming for career advancement, mastering conversation is your bridge to success. At Japanese Language Delhi, we guide learners step by step—helping you speak Japanese naturally and confidently.

[digitallab007]

English Language Lab at School.

College and school students' language learning is enhanced by the use of English language lab software. The advantages and features that turn it into a vital tool for improving your spoken language abilities.

[theambitiouswoman]

How To Become A Brand New Person ✨✨

Self Reflect:

Journal daily.

Think about past decisions and how they impacted your life.

Meditate regularly.

Create a vision board to visualize your goals.

Review your strengths and weaknesses.

Identify your core values and beliefs.

Figure out your passions and interests.

Think about your childhood dreams and aspirations.

Evaluate your current state of happiness and fulfillment.

Set Clear Goals:

Define specific career goals, like "Get promoted within two years."

Set health goals, like "Lose 20 pounds in six months."

Create financial goals such as "Save $10,000 for a vacation."

Establish personal development goals, like "Read 24 books in a year."

Set relationship goals, such as "Improve communication with my partner."

Define education goals, like "Complete a master's degree in three years."

Set travel goals, like "Visit five new countries in the next two years."

Create hobbies and interests goals, such as "Learn to play a musical instrument."

Set community or volunteer goals, like "Volunteer 100 hours this year."

Establish mindfulness or self-care goals, such as "Practice meditation daily."

Self Care:

Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.

Follow a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Prioritize getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.

Practice in relaxation techniques like deep breathing or yoga.

Take regular breaks at work to avoid burnout.

Schedule "me time" for activities you enjoy.

Limit exposure to stressors and toxic people.

Practice regular skincare and grooming routines.

Seek regular medical check-ups and screenings.

Stay hydrated by drinking enough water daily.

Personal Development:

Read a book every month from various genres.

Attend workshops or seminars on topics of interest.

Learn a new language or musical instrument.

Take online courses to acquire new skills.

Set aside time for daily reflection and self improvement.

Seek a mentor in your field for guidance.

Attend conferences and networking events.

Start a side project or hobby to expand your abilities.

Practice public speaking or communication skills.

Do creative activities like painting, writing, or photography.

Create a Support System:

Build a close knit group of friends who uplift and inspire you.

Join clubs or organizations aligned with your interests.

Connect with a mentor or life coach.

Attend family gatherings to maintain bonds.

Be open and honest in your communication with loved ones.

Seek advice from trusted colleagues or supervisors.

Attend support groups for specific challenges (e.g., addiction recovery).

Cultivate online connections through social media.

Find a therapist or counselor for emotional support.

Participate in community or volunteer activities to meet like minded people.

Change Habits:

Cut back on sugary or processed foods.

Reduce screen time and increase physical activity.

Practice gratitude by keeping a daily journal.

Manage stress through mindfulness meditation.

Limit procrastination by setting specific deadlines.

Reduce negative self-talk by practicing self-compassion.

Establish a regular exercise routine.

Create a budget and stick to it.

Develop a morning and evening routine for consistency.

Overcome Fear and Self Doubt:

Face a specific fear head-on (example: public speaking).

Challenge your negative thoughts with positive affirmations.

Seek therapy to address underlying fears or traumas.

Take small, calculated risks to build confidence.

Visualize success in challenging situations.

Surround yourself with supportive and encouraging people.

Journal about your fears and doubts to gain clarity.

Celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small.

Focus on your strengths and accomplishments.

Embrace failure as a valuable learning experience.

Embrace Change:

Relocate to a new city or country.

Switch careers or industries to pursue your passion.

Take on leadership roles in your workplace.

Volunteer for projects outside your comfort zone.

Embrace new technologies and digital tools.

Travel to unfamiliar destinations.

Start a new hobby or creative endeavor.

Change your daily routine to add variety.

Adjust your mindset to see change as an opportunity.

Seek out diverse perspectives and viewpoints.

Practice Gratitude:

Write down three things you're grateful for each day.

Express gratitude to loved ones regularly.

Create a gratitude jar and add notes of appreciation.

Reflect on the positive aspects of challenging situations.

Show gratitude by volunteering or helping others in need.

Send thank-you notes or messages to people who've helped you.

Keep a gratitude journal and review it regularly.

Share your gratitude openly during family meals or gatherings.

Focus on the present moment and appreciate the little things.

Practice gratitude even in times of adversity.

Be Patient:

Set realistic expectations for your progress.

Accept that personal growth takes time.

Focus on the journey rather than the destination.

Learn from setbacks and view them as opportunities to improve.

Celebrate small milestones along the way.

Practice self-compassion during challenging times.

Stay committed to your goals, even when progress is slow.

Keep a journal to track your personal growth.

Recognize that patience is a valuable skill in personal transformation.

Celebrate Small Wins:

Treat yourself to your favorite meal or dessert.

Reward yourself with a spa day or self-care activity.

Share your achievements with friends and loved ones.

Create a vision board to visualize your successes.

Acknowledge and congratulate yourself in a journal.

Give yourself permission to take a break and relax.

Display reminders of your accomplishments in your workspace.

Take a day off to celebrate a major milestone.

Host a small gathering to mark your achievements.

Set aside time to reflect on how far you've come.

Maintain Balance:

Set clear boundaries in your personal and work life.

Prioritize self care activities in your daily routine.

Schedule regular breaks and downtime.

Learn to say "no" when necessary to avoid overcommitment.

Evaluate your work life balance regularly.

Seek support from friends and family to avoid burnout.

Be kind to yourself and accept imperfections.

Practice mindfulness to stay present and grounded.

Revisit your priorities and adjust them as needed.

Embrace self love and self acceptance as part of your daily life.

[astrologydray]

Ruler of the 3rd through the houses

ruler of the 3rd house through the houses reveals how your mind works, how you learn and speak, your communication style, relationships with siblings, and how you move through your local environment. This also ties into social intelligence, storytelling, and how you interpret the world around you.

3rd House Ruler in the 1st House

Your mind is your identity.

You communicate with intensity and presence. Your thoughts are quick, and your words can leave an impression. People might see you as opinionated, witty, or always “in the know.” You probably need to speak to understand yourself. Talking over others, impatient listening are throngs that can happen.

3rd House Ruler in the 2nd House

Speaking as a source of value.

You might monetize your communication skills — writing, teaching, sales, or media. You think in practical terms, and your thoughts often revolve around worth, values, and security. Grounded, hands-on, slow but lasting retention. Watch for fixed mindsets, and attaching ideas to material worth.

3rd House Ruler in the 3rd House

Ultra communicator.

This doubles the Mercurial energy. You’re endlessly curious, naturally sharp, and likely live in your head. There’s a deep connection to language, possibly a gift for mimicry, writing, or storytelling. Fast, curious, often self-taught or info-obsessed.

3rd House Ruler in the 4th House

The inner voice is shaped by the past.

Thoughts are deeply emotional. You may reflect and process internally before speaking. Early home life or family dynamics may have shaped your communication style — for better or worse. Emotional, intuitive, learns best when feeling safe. Prone to overly subjective thinking, and clinging to the past.

3rd House Ruler in the 5th House

Creative communicator.

You speak with flair and passion. Storytelling, poetry, performance, or playful communication comes naturally. You’re likely the funny friend, the flirt, or the drama-filled texter.

3rd House Ruler in the 6th House

The mind as a tool.

You’re a practical thinker. Your thoughts are often directed toward improving systems, fixing problems, or helping others. You may work in writing, analysis, healing, or admin roles. Systematic, structured, analytical.

3rd House Ruler in the 7th House

Your words shape your relationships.

You’re a natural negotiator, communicator, or mediator. Conversation is your love language. Partnerships (romantic or professional) deeply shape your mindset.

3rd House Ruler in the 8th House

The secret mind.

You think deeply, intensely, and often privately. You may be interested in taboo subjects, psychology, mysteries, or healing. Your words hold weight — and often power. Deep dive thinker, emotionally charged type of learners.

3rd House Ruler in the 9th House

The philosophical mind.

You learn best through big ideas, different cultures, or spiritual exploration. You may be a natural teacher, traveler, or someone who bridges practical thinking with visionary ideas. Expansive, big-picture, philosophical.

3rd House Ruler in the 10th House

Public voice, visible mind.

You may communicate for your career or be known for your ideas. Your thoughts are goal-oriented, structured, and ambitious. Think speaker, writer, CEO, or spokesperson. Authoritative, strategic, often career-focused.

3rd House Ruler in the 11th House

The networked mind.

Your ideas move through community, technology, and social movements. You think about the future, the collective, and what’s next. Possibly gifted in digital spaces or group organizing. Social, futuristic, thrives in collaboration. Prone to overthinking social roles, and groupthink tendencies.

3rd House Ruler in the 12th House

The mystical or hidden mind.

Your mind is imaginative, dreamlike, and intuitive. You may communicate best through art, music, or subtle emotional language. You often process things internally before expressing them. Intuitive, visual, dreamy — needs time alone.

[cheese-elite]

Guide to Early Modern English in Elden Ring

Okay Elden Ring community. I've seen too many examples of writing your Elden Ring bosses with improper use of their funny language.

So.

Here's my quick and easy guide to Early Modern English:

Pronouns:

Thou = subject

Thee = direct object

Thy = next word starts with a consonant

Thine = next word starts with a vowel

(same rules as my and mine)

Ex:

"Thy breakfast is prepared for thee."

"Thou hast forgotten thine omelette."

If we're talking about formality here, the pronoun "you" was also used back in the 14th century as a more polite or respectful way to address someone. E.g. a subject may address their monarch with "you."

Separately, "you" is the plural version of "thou."

Conjugation:

Thou = -st

Ex:

"Thou hast (Thou'st) eaten thy vegetables?"

"Dost thou require mine assistance?"

"Thou seemest to be lost."

"Thou shouldst remember well my name."

Exceptions:

"Thou art (Thou'rt) well versed in sorcery."

"Thou wert ere acquainted?"

"Thou shalt stay here."

He/she/they = -eth

Ex:

"He sleepeth soundly."

"Doth she remember me?"

"They runneth away from the village."

Exceptions:

"He shall not fight."

"She is quite skilled."

"They will expect thy presence."

As always with English, there's a million irregular verbs. If you're unsure about the right conjugation, a quick Google search might be best.

Other noteworthy words:

'Tis = It is

'Twas = It was

Prithee = Please

Ere = before

My thanks = Thank you

Also, don't stress if you mess up, since English is a joke language and there's an exception for any rule if you feel like breaking it.

For example, Ranni's lines use the arguably incorrect pronoun "thy" when the next word begins with a vowel.

This first one also uses the modern conjugation "has" with the third person noun "that," which is usually conjugated "hath."

"Well? Has that roused thy interest?"

"Well? Hath that roused thine interest?"

"Enough of thy unbearable breath."

"Enough of thine unbearable breath."

Though if we go there, we can also cite Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 with the same:

"But thy eternal summer shall not fade."

"But thine eternal summer shall not fade."

To be dissapointingly honest, I don't have a good explanation for that.

Even so, I hope this can clear some stuff up for those of you who don't already know how to write archaic English. I'm nowhere near an expert on this, so definitely correct me if I'm speaking lies! Otherwise, stay cool and enjoy your new and improved fun English words.

[tanaor]

Want simple tips to heavily improve your skills with character voice??

(📝Note: character voice is the way you convey your character's personality though their pov or dialogue when you write. No two characters speak the same📝)

I speak from experience when I say character voice is hard to get right. Characters, like people, have lots of layers that affect the way they see the world around them and how they interact with other characters. That's why character voice is so important in stories, and why if you write it in a compelling and effective way it will hook people into your story. I hope you learn something new in this post!!

When writing character voice, there's a list of things that you should take into account:

Where are they from? Their past and what they've lived plays a huge part in character voice. Maybe your character grew by the ocean, and so they compare things from the present to the beach, the rocks or the sea itself. You will rarely read about a sailor that is an expert in pants and compares scents to flowers. They might, instead, talk about how a house smells like the wet wood of a ship.

Think about how their personality shapes their language. If they are insecure, they might end most of their sentences with "isn't it?" or "right?" and ask a lot of questions, whereas if you have a confident character, you might find them saying things like "we should do this" or "that will be fun" instead.

What their "lense" is. This is more of an ethic aspect of the character. What have they learn it's okay, and what do they find uncomfortable? Would they find it gross if their friend left laundry on the floor?

Give them special traits (both for dialogue and narration). Maybe character A quotes a lot when they narrate and uses long paragraphs, or maybe B speaks about their past a lot and uses popular sayings. Personally, one character of mine has the tendency to repeat himself when he speaks, as in "yeah, yeah, I'll do it" or "no, no, no. Never" because he is really enthusiastic, and it fits really well with his character.

Pay attention to how they would talk about themselves. Maybe your character doesn't like people to know they're sad because it makes them feel vulnerable, so they will just say they feel annoyed or don't want to talk in that moment. This also means that they will not tell the reader something they are not comfortable saying in the first place.

How is their education? Education is also very important in this context. Did they went to university and have a rich vocabulary and structured sentences, or where they rised in a little farm far from town? You can also play with both a bit: maybe your character did go to university, but maybe they also came from a low income family, and characteristic of both things merge when they talk. Example: long, structured, sentences but a simple and sight forward vocabulary.

That's all for now and happy writing!!

Other tips for writers: previous | next

[thefandomthings]

❝𝐀𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐢𝐤𝐢 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐧𝐬❞

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: Aomine Daiki x f!reader

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Suggestive (It's Aomine, duh), fluff

𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬: I need more knb fics, pls. This is my first time writing for Knb, so I hope it's okay

Masterlist

 It will take a lot for Aomine to get into a relationship after his last one, he’ll never admit it but he’s afraid of getting hurt. (Again)

 So consider yourself lucky my dear.

 Daiki is a person who loves something or someone quietly.

 He’ll never really say he loves you out loud unless you haven’t seen each other in a long time or if you/him are having a bad day.

 His love language is physical affection and quality time. He’ll always be touching you with an arm around your shoulders or holding your hand or his hand on your tit.

 Speaking of boobs, well all know he’s obsessed with them. He’ll constantly try and catch you changing, or put his head under your shirt while cuddling just to be near the girls, as he calls them.

 Daiki is also extremely protective over you. He wants to keep you safe all the time. He’s lazy af, but whenever you want to go out just to run and errand he’ll be on his feet ready to go. My man will deck someone for looking at you wrong even in the slightest way.

 He calls you Idiot, dummy, and moron if you do something stupid or dumb. He does it out of love cause he doesn’t want you to get hurt.

 Aomine only uses your first name if you two are having an argument, or having an important conversation. Other than that your are usually called Babe or Baby.

 Your nicknames for him are Bubby/Bubba, Dai, Baby, and Kiki to annoy him.

 You two go on arcade dates at least once a month. Or you two go and kick it at the hoops downtown. Aomine plays a lot of street ball and knows a lot of guys down there.

 If you don’t know how to play basketball, he’ll gladly teach you how.

 If you already know how, you play 1 v 1 all the time, Aomine always ends up winning. But he will help you improve your skills.

 Teases the crap out of you any chance he gets. Loves seeing your flustered face.

 Aomine is totally the type to whisper dirty things in your ear while out in public. Not to mention he will just randomly grope your chest or butt whenever he feels like it.

 He’s also the type to rest his arm on your head not matter your height. He will also mess up your hair and use your head as a joystick whenever you sit between his legs.

 Daiki is a pervert at heart, whenever you are wearing a skirt and come to see him while he sleeps on the rooftop he’ll sneak a peak underneath.

 I feel like he’s a boob and thigh guy all the way. He will happily die between your glorious thighs and tits.

 Randomly leaves bite marks anywhere he wants. Adores when you have hickeys on your neck, fills his ego to the brim watching people comment on the purple bruise on your neck.

 Fucking loves when your wear his extra jersey to his games. It’s the motivation he needs to get going. Will completely crush his opponents just to watch you cheer for him.

 Pouts when you don’t give him his morning kisses or if you get up during your 2hr cuddle sessions when he wakes up.

 I 100% believe he is half Hispanic. He definitely knows Spanish and will call you names like Puta or Pendeja.

 If his mom here’s him call you that just know he’s getting a tongue lashing and the chonclas getting thrown at his head.

 He gets his accuracy from his Mom.

 It takes awhile for his mom to like you, she doesn’t want anyone hurting her baby boy.

 After awhile, she’ll treat you as her own daughter, and even teach you Spanish.

 Bonus if you already know Spanish, that’s a +1 with his mom.

 His dad liked you instantly, you were a lot different then his old girlfriend and welcomed you with open arms.

 Daiki has his dad’s ego, it’s like looking at the same person anytime they compete with each other, which is almost always anything they do.

 Aomine will totally be at any of your games/meets if you play sports. Even if he is late, he’ll be there cheering you on.

 Get’s jealous easily, especially if you talk to Kagami. If looks could kill, Kagami would be dead.

 Will have you against the door of his room, or pinned to the bed whenever he gets jealous. He makes sure you know that you are his and only his.

 His room is a disaster, clothes, old school papers, blankets etc.

 He try’s to clean his room up a bit before you come over. It’s adorable, it usually doesn’t look to much different just the floor was clean cause he moved everything to the corner of his room and covered it with a blanket.

 Loves to get you small gifts. He saves up for months to get you a beautiful promise ring. And what made it even better, you got him a promise bracelet that he wears absolutely everywhere.

 He makes sure to take it off before a game or when does anything that could break it.

[csuitebitches]

Do you think you speak too fast/ too slow?

Here is what I learned from a speech coach.

warm up:

start this exercise by taking a deep breath and saying “aaaaah” - try to extend this to 30 seconds. Now if it doesn’t go till 30, that’s fine. Aim to work your way to that. If you can work it up to 30, go for 45/60 seconds. Do this 5 times.

next. Download an app called Metronome beats. It’s basically what singers/ musicians use for beats.

Settings: keep beats/bar as 1,

clicks/beats as 1

start at 90. It will start with a click sound and continue “beeping.”

Match your words to the beep. One beep = one word. Now slowly, increase the beat by 5 till you reach 110. Increase it at your own pace but try to spend at least 20 seconds on each number (90 for 20 seconds; 95 for 20; 100 for 20….) That’s when you stop.

either start by reading something out loud and matching the beat, or select a topic and speak freely.

do this every single day. This will help with your breath, if you’re speaking on a topic it will help you think better and improve over time. The best way to further complement this exercise is to improve your vocabulary. Try to learn 1-3 new words a day and incorporate it in your vocabulary.

This is a great tool to use when learning new languages too. You can practice your speaking skills and see how fast you can remember/ read words.

[mylanguageclasses]

Why Do People Fail at Learning a New Language? Common Mistakes & Fixes

Learning a new language is an exciting journey that opens doors to new cultures, opportunities, and connections. However, many language learners find themselves stuck, frustrated, or even giving up altogether. Why does this happen? The truth is, language learning is a skill that requires the right strategies, mindset, and consistency. In this blog post, we’ll explore the most common mistakes…

[rigelmejo]

I think a weak spot for Refold/Massive Immersion Approach, and Comprehensible Input type approaches to study, is that since they recommend not speaking until you have a good foundation in the language... there's not a lot of advice for how to learn to speak in a structured way.

I think the advice itself is fine - wait to speak, you might have a better pronunciation and might ingrain less grammar mistakes in your speaking.

But once people do start speaking, so few people have gotten to the point they have, and so little guidance has been given to them from the method's resources/guides, that they kind of have to figure out for themselves how the fuck to improve their speaking skills.

Being in an ALG class like AUA Thai helps, because since it's an actual class with teachers, when it is time to learn to speak, you have people to practice speaking with and guidance on how to improve. If you use a tutor and have been doing crosstalk with them, then once you start speaking IN the target language the same tutor can now continue conversing with you and give you guidance for speaking.

But if you're using comprehensible input alone? Studying on your own with videos? Well then it seems like signing up for a tutor or a group conversation class is the thing most people do - things that require other people, and a teacher, to start practicing speaking.

If you're doing refold on your own, with SRS flashcards and immersion? When it's time to speak... you can practice with writing journals and correcting yourself, and shadowing audio. But eventually you also may seek out a tutor to practice speaking with, who will give you guidance.

And that's all fine - speaking involves other people, it makes sense it would need other people to improve.

What's frustrating is that I wish there were some guidance shared by refold and CI methods on their roadmaps/guides on what to do to improve speech when it's time. Especially because many people WILL try to improve by speaking with people for free like friends, language exchange partners, people who do NOT want to spend much time correcting and teaching them and probably won't give much guidance on how to improve unless asked. Something like:

Shadow audio, relisten to yourself and see where you made mistakes so you can work on identifying and correcting.

Particularly do shadowing of audio like podcasts, conversations, situations you'd like to be able to talk through easily

Read aloud, so you get used to saying sentences with correct grammar

Write journals, find writing correcting websites that will make corrections on any grammar mistakes you're making. Read the corrected journals aloud, to practice correct form

Find language exchange partners on X sites and apps, ask that you talk half the time in the language you're practicing and half the time in the language they want to practice in, have a list of topics so you two don't flounder saying hi how are you/good and not much else. Ask language exchange partners to please correct you in X ways. Like repeating a word or phrase you said wrong, in the correct pronunciation, when they respond to you. Or mentioning to you 'hey X is usually said like Y' if you word something with weird grammar. It would just be nice to have SOME advice of what to ask language exchange partners to give a you guidance on, instead of having no idea WHAT to ask them to correct or help with.

Find tutors on X sites, and ask them to give you Y feedback at the end of sessions, or Y feedback in response when you say something weird. Again, it'd be nice to have SOME advice of what guidance to ask a tutor for! Instead of floundering and having no idea what help you should be asking for...

[drdemonprince]

you know i kinda get it, what underlying issue it's a manifestation of, you go through life feeling like you lack something, and come across someone who *listens* to you. a balm to the weary soul.

i've gone through long bouts of deep isolation, so i'm not unfamiliar with how nice it is to talk to someone who pays attention. where they differ and go wrong tho, is thinking this is a Sign of some deep connection. nah dog, that's on you. it's just someone who's good at it, and if you keep in mind that they're a person first and foremost too, and put that same energy back in it, you can cultivate that relationship. but they don't realize that. or don't want to. because the one thing i've noticed is that it's so often men taking a women listening to them as A Sign, when it's just, a culturally enforced skill in women. (painting with broad strokes here, but generally benefiting from the work marginalized people had to).

so few people are practiced in the art of active listening, and it is honestly really sad. i mastered this stuff young because i read a lot of corny self help books as a teen to perfect my masking, and i honed it further by studying mid century manners and pretending to be trudy campbell on mad men, and it is one masking strategy i do not at all regret developing. listen well and an entire person blossoms up before you. where it gets sad is when you can find almost no one who listens as actively to you as you do them. a conversation where a person only goes off about whatever they feel compelled to discuss is more often than not a lonesome and irritating one to be a part of. i dont expect the guys on grindr to have gone to finishing school, i'm speaking more generally. but, if you want to leave a lasting impression and score easily on the apps (sometimes to the detriment of having a manageable inbox), learning how to really listen is a skill one can always improve! it can make a person rapidly fall in love with you. or entrust you with really juicy secrets.

what are the fundamentals of active listening, some might ask? here are some of the most valuable sub-skills

1. Non-verbal mirroring of the person's body language and facial expressions

2. Visible attentiveness. If not eye contact, which truly is optional, then nodding, careful thoughtful expressions, small vocal and facial responses to rising action and complicating details in the story they are telling, and so on.

3. Asking questions.

4. Drawing connections to details from earlier in the story, or information you already know about the person.

5. Showing genuine enthusiasm and interest in what is being told.

6. Projecting emotional warmth and involvement: becoming noticably more subdued if the story they are telling is sad (and remaining that way for a while), laughing and repeating punchlines to yourself if it is happy, and so on.

7. Providing a response when the story is done that shows you understand it and have insight into how the storyteller felt about it. Perhaps with more questions or an appropriate personal share.

I am not equally good at all of this, for instance my memory is terrible and I get lost in my own thoughts due to anxiety, but doing even 50% of this will have people telling you that they never get to have conversations like this and they feel really seen etc. and then theyll talk your ear off forever

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Positive & Negative Body Language

Body Language - a form of nonverbal communication that deals with the way facial expressions and body movements are used to express people’s true feelings.

Positive Body Language

Being able to recognize positive body language helps you see when someone is comfortable and engaged in your conversation. Here are 5 examples of positive body language cues to look out for:

Note sufficient eye contact. While both avoiding eye contact and giving too much eye contact can have negative implications, if someone maintains sufficient eye contact with you for a handful of seconds at a time, it shows they have a sincere interest in speaking with you.

Recognize good posture. When someone sits or stands in an upright, erect posture and maximizes the amount of physical space their whole body fills, it conveys power and authority and likely means they are eager to engage in conversation.

Notice firm handshakes. When someone shakes your hand and the grip is appropriately firm, it means they’re attempting to convey a sense of poise and confidence. On the other hand, a weak handshake can signal nervousness and an overly strong handshake can signal intentional aggression.

Watch for genuine smiles. Anyone can force a fake smile to hide negative feelings, but luckily there’s a way to spot if a person is truly happy when smiling: A real smile will crinkle the skin in the corner of their eyes, creating a crow’s feet pattern. If you’re able to spot this, you’ll know the other person is enjoying talking with you.

Pay attention when someone stands close to you. If a person sits or stands in close proximity to you, the personal distance is a good indicator that they’re comfortable around you.

Learning to read others’ positive body language cues is a useful skill, but don’t forget you can also use these cues yourself to reinforce your own words and create a positive impression.

Negative Body Language

Being able to quickly identify negative body language cues can help you avoid uncomfortable confrontations and even turn bad conversations into good ones. Here are 5 examples of negative non-verbal mannerisms to look out for:

Notice when there’s too much eye contact. People often avoid direct eye contact when lying, liars frequently try to offset this by holding eye contact for too long. If you notice someone maintaining excessive eye contact with you, there’s a chance they’re not being truthful.

Pay attention to crossed arms or legs. Even if someone is giving you a positive verbal message, crossing their arms or legs means they may be disinterested in what you’re saying.

Watch for excessive nodding. Too much head nodding can have a couple of different meanings: Either the person you’re speaking to wants you to stop talking and give them a turn to speak, or it could also mean they lack confidence around you and are nervous about how you perceive them.

Notice furrowed brows. This microexpression, recognized by wrinkles in the forehead and the eyebrows moving closer together, is a sign that someone is experiencing negative feelings like confusion or uneasiness.

Keep an eye out for fidgeting. If someone is making lots of small, nervous hand movements or is mindlessly fooling around with their clothing or nearby objects, it likely means they are disinterested in what they are hearing.

The Importance of Understanding Body Language

Understanding body language can help you communicate better in any situation. Some examples of specific ways awareness of body language can benefit you:

It makes a better first impression. Someone’s first impression of you can stick with them forever, and using positive body language can help show people you’re sincere, attentive, and trustworthy.

It improves public speaking. Body language can be used to hide feelings of nervousness, to project confidence, and to hold the attention of your audience.

It helps you excel at job interviews. In a stressful situation like a job interview, body language can help you appear relaxed, charismatic, and interested, in order to better build a rapport with the interviewer.

It enables you to handle performance reviews with poise. Whether you’re critiquing or praising a coworker’s performance, your body language should reflect your words. If it doesn’t, your coworker could end up leaving the conversation confused about your message’s intent. The same goes when you’re on the receiving end of a performance review.

It allows you to move more easily through everyday life. Being regularly conscious of your own body language signals can actually help you develop a higher level of emotional intelligence, which can subsequently create a positive impact on your mental health.

The ability to understand people’s body language and also be aware of your own nonverbal signals is an extremely valuable asset to have in your arsenal of communication skills.

Proficiency in reading body language allows you to become more aware of what someone is trying to tell you, whether they’re intending to tell you that information or not.

Awareness of body language can also be used to control your own nonverbal behaviors.

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[shibaincubus]

How to change your life with Gamification

Disclaimer stat point and daily quest (points) are used interchangeably and are different from main/side quest (points)

₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧₊˚

You may have already heard about Gamification. It’s a strategy in which you use game mechanics,elements and principles to apply them to your everyday life to enhance your performance, studying etc.

But how should I use this technique to get the most of my life?

This is a guide for implementing Gamification in your life and thoroughly explains the process.

In my guide I am inspired by manhwa systems like in the solo leveling manhwa. Normally a system gives you stats such as strength which one can upgrade and become stronger. Upgrading is archived by quests that give you exp which also can increase your Rank e.g from F Rank to E Rank all the way to S Rank or higher. Quests are differentiated between daily quests and non daily quests. There are more functions such as items and gold but for the basic setup they are not needed

First you need to create your stats. In the solo leveling manhwa there are six stats: Strength, Vitality, Agility, Intelligence and Sense. You should have six stats but you are not obligated to use the ones from solo leveling. Idk how you can implement Sense and Vitality.

I strongly recommend you to have a stat called Willpower which indicated if you did every quest that you set for yourself and how well you stick to the system as a motivation.

As you can see I copied the stats Strength, Intelligence and Agility from Solo Leveling and added Willpower, Discipline and Stamina.

Some other ideas for stats are:

Charm (Beauty stat: I would use this if you want to glow up)

Charisma (If you want to improve your social skills or want to speak ------------ more professionally etc. I would use this stat

Health: If you want to eat more healthily or want to diet or want to -------- get your sleep schedule right etc. I would use this stat

You can get creative and cater to your own needs

Now if you have your stats you have to create a daily quests with each of these stats

Here is my example:

My quests don't look like much but you have to gradually work yourself up to your goals. Someone who has never done e.g Pilates in their life can't do a 30 min Pilates workout from day one without loosing motivation in the long run. So if you want to e.g. get your sleep schedule right I would set your wake up time e.g. 5min earlier every cycle until you reach your goal and maintain it.

A cycle equals 21 days. If you finish a cycle you can reflect your performance and make the daily quests harder or change the stats if they don't fit into your goals. Especially your first cycle is more of a test and try period. But you should keep your stats as they were and should not change them except if they really don't serve you.

Main/Side Quest stats:

These quests are quests like ''learn … language for 15min''. They are more of a to-do lists task.

I would use this formula for categorizing these tasks:

ASSIGNMENT (S) LIST

The ASSIGNMENTS

:::

:::

:::

CATEGORY: main/side exp etc.

DIFFICULTY: e.g. SSS

CLEAR CONDITION: e.g. finish all assignment(s)

TIME LIMIT: e.g. 7 hours

REWARD UPON COMPLEATION

:::

+2 exp

Stats in crease: e.g. Mentality +1 Intelligence +2 Motivation +1 Skill +1

PENALTY UPON FAILIURE

:::

all stats -1 (e.g.)

emotional damage e.g. +3

DURATION: e.g. 24 hours

Items confiscation …

DURATION: ???

Emotional damage stat explained:

This stat affects your conversion rate to points in the daily quest stat points. Normally the conversion rate is 10 e.g 10 main quest stat willpower point = 1 daily quest willpower stat point. Per +5 emotional damage you have to collect 5 extra points to converse the stat point

Example 10 points are needed in the main quest stats to converse to one stat point with a rate of 5 emotional damage point you need 15 points. A 10 point emotional damage point equals a 20 point conversion rate and so on.

How to decrease the emotional damage stat:

If you complete main/side quests as a reward you get -1 emotional damage point which you can use to get your emotional damage point to a good level. Emotional damage can't get into the negative.

The difference between daily quest stats or stats and main/side quest stats and leveling up is explained below

Stats in/de- crease in the main/side quests doesn't affect the normal stats that we've established so you have to create a new stat page for the main/side quest stats to count the points.

Like this:

Ten points on e.g intelligence stat on this list equals one daily quest intelligence stat point.

The conversion rate is as such 10 to 1 which means if you have e.g ten agility points you get one agility stat point.

How to level up:

Every time you finish a daily quest you gain a point for the Stat (first pic) you can only gain one point per stat per day. If you gain 10 points at every stat in the daily quest stat you can level up. If you don't finish a quest you will loose 1 point from the stat that you would've gained one point from.

Ranking up:

First you have to choose a range from which you can level up e.g F to S Rank / F to SSS+ Rank etc. than you have to find a starting point which you gradually increase e.g 20 (start point) increases +20% per Rank up.

How to increase your Rank:

Completing all daily quests gives you 1 EXP while the EXP gain can value in main/side quest the rest is explained above.

Here's my example:

Zyklus is German for cycle which I just tracked here and is explained above.

Lastly you need something that motivates you and in Solo Leveling it was a Punishment Zone if sung jin woo doesn't complete his quests.

For myself if I don't complete 5/6 quests i have to do the punishment.

For the punishment you have to do something you detests (and strains your body)

My example are 150 burpees

A full page can look like this:

One last thing is that you can 100% customise this approach you can add coins items etc. which also exists in a system, change other things as you like but the foundation has to remain intact.