Listen-and-answer stories are a form of active brain exercise. Because
they are stories, you can visualize what’s happening. You learn the phrases,
grammar and vocabulary in a meaningful context. Because the stories are
strange and funny, you remember the English used in them much longer.
Because you constantly answer questions, you learn to think and respond in
English faster and faster.
In fact, a good listen-and-answer story skillfully combines all elements of
the Effortless English™ system into one powerful learning tool. I know of no
better tool for rapid improvement in spoken English.
HOW KNOWING THE CULTURE HELPS YOU SPEAK MORE
FLUENTLY
When I put together mini-stories, I try to make them funny or strange so that they’re easy to
remember. I also try to reflect American culture, as youll see in the practice example at the end of this
chapter.
Why do I do this? Well, research has shown that you will learn a language more quickly if you can
begin to identify with the culture. For example, according to Dr. Stephen Krashen and contrary to
popular belief, even people who learn English as an adult can develop a perfect accent. What holds
them back is not some inability to make new sounds, but rather their connection to their home country
and its culture. When a child comes to the U.S. and learns English, they really want to fit in, so they
will do everything they can to be like other Americans. Adults, on the other hand, have more
established identities and tend to stay more rooted to their native culture.
But there are ways to get around this. The best thing you can do if you’re trying to learn English is
find some part of American culture that you really love (or British or Australian culture, if you’re
studying English there), and can immerse yourself in. It can be anything – music, movies, food, martial
arts, whatever – as long as you find it interesting. It’s especially useful if you can find something that
is unique to the culture, like American football, for example. Most important, you must connect to and
share your interest with native English speakers who love the same thing.
Try it and see. This will not only help you speak more fluently, but it will also help your
pronunciation as well.
