What is the fastest way to learn English effectively? That could be one of the most frequently questions asked by many learners of English language. That question had also come to my mind when I was still in my first year of study at English department in Indonesia University of Education. I was always envious at that time, because one of my friends named Adonia was always the person that could speak and answer the lecturer’s questions about the lesson (of course in English) fluently.

I was not only the one who was very envious. My friends also wondered how Adonia could speak and answer such a question with absogodamnlutely brilliant fluency. Why? How? For your information, He was one of the students that never gets score other than A. He has never been abroad before but his level of fluency was just like foreigner. A smart person could measure the sentence, structure and the universe of vocabulary that comes from his conversation was amazing.

One day, I dare myself to answer the question that dwelled in my brain. I asked Adonia to investigate what had happened to him that he was very smart at talking in English. “Don, how could you have that skill?” I Asked. What skill? He answered. “You were so amazing don. We wondered how you could speak so fluently and confidently. Do you join some English club or something? Have you ever been abroad? Or probably because you are a Christian you attend the seminary that the speech is delivered in English?  I asked him with much excitement. And you know what? No one of my guess was right. He’s never been abroad, He joined no English club and He attended the church but the speech was delivered in Bahasa.

So what is your secret don? Do you learn English with your partner or may be one of your parents is European? (This question is probably one of the most stupid questions I asked because none of signs attached to him that shows his parents are European, the true fact that he is Bataknese hahaha). So What? What is your secret? I looked at his face excitingly waiting and waiting to hear the most important information as a cook waiting to hear the secret receipt from his master. He thought a moment. “The secret is just me, “that’s all” He said. “What do you mean” I wondered. “Yeah, the secret is just me, I learn English by myself, I talked to myself, everyday Adonia talks to Adonia with a mirror in front of me of course hehe” he smiled.

I could not believe his answer. His secret was just talking to his twin in front of the mirror. Isn’t that ridiculous? Just like a moron, and idiot and an autistic child. I think I don’t want to add some crazy guys in this world by talking to myself in front of a mirror. Oh my god, how could he think such a crazy idea!

After that moment, I never asked him more question about how to improve my English skills. You may ask why I did it. But you know what? I tried his secret. Adonia was totally right. Sometimes we need to be crazy to achieve what we want despite the challenge. To talk to ourselves is not a big deal. Besides who cares if you talk to yourself through a mirror?. Who cares buddy? Ridiculous?, Yeah! So What? the fact that Adonia was successful with his way made me aware that everything has its own path to improve and grow. And to my amazement, Adonia’s tips had worked to me.

So if you have problems with your speaking skills try to get up earlier and read aloud some conversation or dialogue and talk to your friend (which is still you in the mirror) exaggeratingly as if you were talking to someone else. You may also want to read some speech of important person for example John. F. Kennedy, Barack Obama etc.  It is your choice but please, believe me and be a crazy person for a while. Then, look at what happens to your English speaking skill.

This article was reposted from my old blog at https://azkyalfahd27.wordpress.com/