Improving Students Fluent and Natural English Speeh

Abstract

To speak the target language fluently and naturally is a big aim of any learner in a language
learning course. It is of great concern for teachers as how to help students achieve this.
This paper is intended at sharing some thoughts about improving fluent and natural English
speech for English majors at Vinh University in Vietnam. The first part presents an introduction of
fluent and natural English speech as a requirement for English-major students in Vietnam and a
brief discussion of reasons why it is a challenge for them. Provided in the second part are some
activities the author has used to get her first-year English majors practice word stress, sentence
stress, intonation, linking sounds, short forms, weak forms so as to improve their English speech.
The paper is beneficial to teachers as well as English-major students who teach and learn English
at tertiary level. Also, the practical activities adapted in the paper can be of help to general EFL
learners who wish to self-study to improve their English speech