Why do you deliver the speech?

 

I think speech is nothing different from general communication or telling love to someone you love.  I talk because there is a will I want to tell.  Speech is just a way to tell my will.  I stand on the stage because it is an effective way to share my world.  However I don’t want to press my thoughts.  I just want my speech to be a key to unlock a new door in everyone’s world.  And I hope my speech could break the wall against English.

 

 

Question the Wall

 

 

“Hi, Johnny.”  “Hi, Hanako.”  “This is a pen.”  What’s so exciting about this conversation?  I am very curious that whether Japanese can enjoy English by starting off with such conversation.  It’s such a shame that many people hesitate and feel that it is hard to deal with English.  I want everyone to know that learning and using it is so fun!  I don’t want anyone to have a wall against it.  Therefore, through my “English” speech, I will remove the wall you have against English and make you feel that using it is fun.  After my speech, I hope everyone could also be a trigger to remove those walls which many Japanese have.

 

Well then, why do Japanese have those walls against English?  According to Benesse’s survey about Teenagers’ English Education held in 2014, over 70% of teenagers’ feel that grammar, writing, listening and speaking is hard.  Adding to this, over 70% of them feel that they are required to use English in the future.  Moreover, according to The Institute for International Business Communication, no matter what kind of business each companies do, over 75% of Japanese companies uses English and over 60% of them requires new graduates’ English skill.  Since over half of the companies say so, whether or not English is really needed to get a job, people has an image and feeling pressure that they have to be a good English user.  As we get older, this fetters of English get stronger and stronger and eventually create a small wall against English.

 

              Everyone here must have some kind of interest in English.  For those of you, I must emphasize two things.  Firstly, this might be an overstatement but we cannot be a native speaker.  No matter how hard we study English, we could not reach that level.  Therefore what we should set as a goal when we study English is to be a good English user as a Japanese.  Secondly, English is not just a tool to earn credits and salary.  It’s simply a tool for communication.  I am not standing here and making this speech to achieve a prize, but to share my sense of value and have fun.  See?  There is no need to feel pressure to be a master of English.  By the way, I said I am not standing here to achieve a prize but I do want it, so please don’t forget about that.

 

Well then how could we enjoy using English?  Since we could not avoid the situation which English is surrounding us, we should think of a way of using it and I think the key for it is to have a courage to ask a question.  “What’s up!?”  “How are you doing?  “Want to have a meal?”  Any question could start a conversation!  However, you might have thought, “Even though I asked a question, I can’t catch their words, so what’s the point of asking a question!!”  You’re right, so I’ll show you one simple step for you to prepare before actually using it.  That is speech shadowing.  Speech shadowing is to repeat the words immediately after hearing.  Compared to just reading the texts aloud, it is more effective to achieve various techniques of English such as pronunciations, grammar and listening skills.  Not to get bored, I recommend you to shadow the words of TV shows, especially shows for small children because it is easier to listen, repeat and understand.  Actually, this was also my first step to enjoy English.  I copied some phrases like, “Pikachu!  I choose you!” and started having fun speaking English. 

 

After we have trained our listening skill, we are now ready for asking some questions.  Though if you just try to talk to a foreigner, they might think you are a strange, so I suggest you to visit a popular sightseeing places.  There will be lots of visitors waiting for people to have a conversation.  Moreover if you are a student, how about questioning your English teacher after the class?  Don’t just run out of the classroom after the bell has rung.  Stay there and start a conversation.  There are plenty of chances around you.

 

Since my father had a job in London I also moved there when was five.  At first, I knew no English and my school life was totally a frightening thing.  The situation which mysterious words flying around me was really stressful.  One day my parents gave me an advice to have a courage to ask a question.  At first it was very frightening for me because I couldn’t imagine what they will say in a mysterious language.  However, I didn’t wanted to stand still dazed, so I asked “what are you doing?” to my classmate.  Then he answered to me with big smile and kindness and we became best friends.  I felt a big relief, fulfillment and above all I came to notice the warmth of people.  My first question made me realize that English is nothing frightening and all I had to do was to have a courage to ask a question.

 

As we study English we notice many differences between the native speakers and model English which we use to learn the language.  Then we calmly think “We could not be like them.”  Now ask that wall “Do we really have to be like them?”  The answer will simply be “No”.  If there are thousands and millions of English users there will be thousands and millions of ways to use English.  You don’t have to be the same as others.  Use your English how you want to.  However, I do understand that when you actually encounter a chance to use English, you instinctively create a wall because there still remains a small fear.  At that time, again, ask a question like “How are you?” to the wall and break it to see who you are really facing.

 

Thanks to English, I made lots of friends when I lived abroad.  I must thank English again because it made me stand on this stage and gave me a chance to meet so many people.  Through my speech, I simply wanted to tell everyone that English is nothing to be afraid of and is only an enjoyable thing which connects people.  So, if my performance was too marvelous, terrific, fascinating and you felt “Oh, he was too amazing that he is someone high above the sky” and created a wall against me, please have a small courage and ask any question to me too break that wall and be a friend with me.