Which one do you prefer:

Tea or coffee?
Dogs or cats?
Morning or evening

summer or winter?

city or country side?

cooking or eating out?

city or beach holiday?

Applied from Catching Up, English for Conversation Classes

Let’s evaluate our own English skills

Self-compassion is the same kind of caring as we show to people close to us. Self-compassion means accepting all sides of yourself and thinking that you are enough as you are. It does not mean ignoring your own mistakes or needs for development, but having a constructive attitude towards yourself and your own actions, such as failures, without needlessly having a bad conscience.


How can you apply this to Speaking English?

It is important to have a supportive and compassionate approach to your own and your friends’ mistakes or failures. Laughing at, blaming or making fun of your friends will not help and will only cause upset. After such a reaction you would definitely not want to try again!

When Moominpappa breaks a dish by accident, for example, Moominmamma will say: ”I’m glad you broke it, it was actually quite ugly.” Kindness and calming words will often be the best medicine. Sometimes a hug can ease the upset. Try hugging yourself the next time you feel upset!
(Applied from: Moomin materials for Red Cross)

​Encouraging and reassuring: Let's read out loud:

​Speaking English is fun: evaluating my own English skills

Applied from Step 1

• I want to improve my English skills because/ Tahdon parantaa englannin taitojani koska...

• The hardest thing about learning a language is .../ vaikeinta kielen oppimisessa on...

• The English word that sounds funniest to me is .../ Englanninkielinen sana joka kuulostaa minusta hauskimmalta on...

• I sometimes use English when.. / Käytän joskus englantia kun...

• The last time I used English was... / Viimeisin kerta kun käytin englantia oli...

• If I don't know a word in English I... / Jos en tiedä jotakin sanaa englanniksi minä...

• ​Learning languages is good for you because.../ Kielten opiskelu on hyväksi sinulle koska...

• What I enjoy most about learning languages is.../ Mistä nautin eniten kieltenopiskelussa.

• If I can't find the word I need I ... /Jos en muista tarvitsemaani sanaa minä...

• When I have to speak English I feel.../ Kun minun pitää puhua englantia, tunnen oloni...

• When this course is over I will... /Tämän kurssin lopuksi minä...