Accuracy versus Fluency

It's a subject tonight at Acet, Mr. Thyer wrote on the white board next to the term "Impromptu Talks". I have to note this down in blog right after I come back home, since this is very interesting thing to share with English learner. Actually, the content is not new to me but the way he present absolutely won my heart.

It answers the question: "How should I improve speaking in advance?" which I have been wondering for a long time.

Accuracy in speaking count the exactly/correctly how you use grammar, idiom, phrase, tense, ...in your speech. And Fluency count the percentage of how people understand what you said.

You would see some Vietnamese speak English not very fast and something incorrectly, but people can understand that person easily and clearly. When you ask a native speaker or an English teacher, he will point out a few things that wrong in grammar, phrase, ... so this person can be called fluency speaker. However, there are also some students who doing very good at grammar, vocabulary, tense, using a lot of idiom in his speech... but people seem misunderstood him. So what ?!? In speaking, if we think our level of Accuracy is fair then we should find for yourself a best way to improve Fluency.

Not only the pronunciation takes impact on your Fluency, but also many other items. So I'd like to list as following Top Ten issues that I think we should take time to improve more or it's just a way to measure how good you are in speaking:

1/ Pronunciation
2/ Stress, intonation, rhythm (up & down in your voice like sing a song  )
3/ Speed, pause/hesitation (we need some pause during the talk for audience have time to understand you)
4/ Clarity (clear enough) and Volume (must be not too small or too loud)
5/ Grammar and vocabulary.
6/ Content and organization.
7/ Linking language (Firstly, secondly, therefore, ...to notify audience now you start to go the next idea/items.
8/ Body language: gesture (using hand), posture (the way you sit, just like relax), facial expression (acting in your face must follow the content of speech), eye contact (keep your eyes open and, nervous mannerism (when you nervous you scratch everywhere, especially the back of your head)
9/ Location, movement (just the way you stand or move while making speech)
10/ Enthusiasm/Energy/Confident

This is actually the instruction for "Impromptu Talk" hour in the class. I will talk about this later in next coming post...These top ten issues are not easy at all to go through since you cannot do this by your self, you need a group sitting there and ready listen to you. And I think I'm very lucky to have chance practice that in this class.

It also may give you a chance to impress audience in public speaking if we practice and keep your mind on this list regularly.

Practice makes perfect... this is never wrong, isn't it?

P/S: Just a note for myself, one more thing has just connected me to the idea in advance for current English class @LTRC. I think I must discuss with Mr. Marc about this, we should not focus much on Accuracy but the Fluency instead. (I mean this for the advance group, like my group :))