The Four Skills to Master
For both native speakers and ESOL speakers, strong communication in English involves four modes: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Different people have naturally differing aptitudes for these skills. You probably know someone who has terrific English conversation skills, responding to your points with keen insights and offering up witty observations seemingly without effort. This person might also be someone who never cracks a book and who panics when faced with writing a simple cover letter. You probably also know that person’s opposite: the introvert who seems tongue-tied in social settings or whose mind seems to wander when others are talking, but who reads a couple novels per week or repeatedly churns out well-crafted stories and articles.
The more well-rounded you are in all the modes of English communication, the better equipped you are to thrive personally, socially, and professionally. Whatever skill you struggle with, the best prescription for improving it is practice. Reading comprehension increases when you read often, especially if you read a variety of material. So if you shrink in fear at a school or work reading assignment, commit to reading a little every day. Pick up a magazine, read a novel a few pages at a time — no pressure to finish it quickly — or take a few minutes to actually read one of the articles a friend has linked on social media.
The same goes for writing. Do a little every day. It doesn’t have to be anything anyone ever reads, though occasionally it’s helpful to have someone read your writing and offer feedback. As a runner becomes strong and fast through regularly logging miles, a writer becomes concise and articulate by logging words.
Learning to focus your listening also takes practice. If you are the kind of person who is always planning what you’ll have for dinner while someone else is talking to you, it helps to simply catch your own mind in the act of wandering and gently bring it back to the present situation. Many experts recommend establishing a meditation practice, even if only a few minutes a day, to hone the skill of noticing when your thoughts stray and bringing them back to the point of focus.
If you have trouble speaking, whether in social groups or before audiences, try to assess exactly why; if you’re too anxious to get your point across, sometimes acknowledging your anxiety can help dispel it. Try not to be too hard on yourself if, looking back, you cringe at something you’ve said in a public speaking situation. For one thing, we tend to be our own harshest judge, so it’s likely no one else thought it was that bad. Also, ask yourself how you would treat someone else in the same position. You would likely feel sympathy and want to encourage that person — so do the same favor for yourself. If you can put aside some of your self-judgment, your mind is freed up to compile coherent thoughts on the fly, which is what public speaking is all about.
Finding Your Voice in Writing
We all look back on conversations and regret things we didn’t say or things we did say. There is no Control-Z in conversation. But there is in writing (at least if you’re using Windows!), so whether you’re a novelist, a blogger
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