Interpersonal Communication
Interpersonal communication occurs spontaneously and between individuals who are both receiving input and offering it back to the other. This mode of communication is often experienced in everyday interactions with friends, family, and peers through face to face conversation, phone call, and especially text! With its unexpected nature yet necessity to daily life, interpersonal communication can be the most difficult but most important language learning skill to master.
tone
vocabulary
topics
gestures
grammar
opinion
context
So why Does it suck?
Well, there's a lot you need to think about.
Conversing in this way requires you to be able to access stores of information covering all different grammatical principles, vocabulary, topics, tenses, etc and accurately use them with consistent speed, proper pronunciation, and to form ideas that are relevant and make sense. It seems nearly impossible when all these aspects of your target language have only been addressed within the classroom, taught unit by unit with structure and little relation to the other. When learning a new language, trying to keep track of all this information can be tricky and using that information together in order to communicate can seem even trickier, but you have to remind yourself of your capability- this is something that we do everyday! And we are so good at it in our first language because we have practiced constantly for years.
consistency
speed
kindness
responses
Accuracy
patience
accent
respect
Ideally you would practice with a native speaker who is aware of your progress in learning the language and can be patient in assisting when you might struggle. For language learners who are doing it through the classroom, this sort of friend can be a luxury that most simply don’t have access to. In that case, you might ask your teacher if they can connect you with an advanced student to practice, or if your teacher might practice with you themselves! These are great, low stakes ways to practice casual conversation in your target language.
Get their #
Obtain contact with an individual who is willing to practice communicating in your target language! This can be done through your teacher or even internet forums of like minded individuals! (use discretion)
brainstorm
Think of a few different conversational topics you want to hit. Try to choose topics of conversation you'd like to improve in whether that be a new area of vocabulary or a different tense. If you are mastering past tense verb conjugations- try asking your partner about their yesterday!
Brush up
Test your knowledge in these different areas that you've chosen and prepare a little by quizzing vocab- but don't prepare too much... the entire point here is being able to pick up any conversation at any time.
converse!
Call or meet up with your conversation partner! And let the conversation go from there. This way, there is enough premeditated structure that you will be able to hold your own in this conversation as well as enough spontaneity through your partner's responses/questions to keep you on your toes and your brain optimally stretched.