“Speaking London” – 3 Tips To Do It Better

By Sheahnee Iman Lee

I get asked VERY often how I learnt to speak like I do. And this question doesn’t just come from Malaysians – you might be surprised to know it comes from native English speakers too. 

Now this post may sound like it’s going to descend into a humble brag but I hope you wont see it that way. Because the answer is really so simple and something you can easily implement for yourself. And I want to share it with you because you can gift yourself or your child better English skills by just making three simple changes to your life.

My secret revolves around three E’s. Exposure, Environment and Enunciation.

1. Exposure

I was exposed to English early. Peter and Jane was how I learnt phonetics. I was able to read basic words by 3. This was the foundation. If you have kids, start them on books young. Read to them, have them read the words back. If you’re an adult, it’s never too late to begin. Buy simple books and read to yourself – the important point here is to just START.

2. Environment

At home, we spoke English well and often. For entertainment, I watched ‘Sesame Street’ and ‘The Electric Company’. I was surrounded by books. Learning from my environment how correct English was spoken and written gave me the opportunity to polish my vocabulary and grammar. If you struggle with English, immerse yourself in an environment where you can hear it spoken well. Read it out loud to understand how grammar is supposed to sound. TV can be an incredibly positive influence on language if you manage carefully what you watch. If you have kids, control their content – if they watch a lot of American influencers on YouTube, don’t be surprised when they start to sound like American influencers!

3. Enunciation

I learnt this from a teacher in my school. Mrs Kanagasabai taught English and she was from a different era of teachers. Her technique was simple. Articulate your words. Take your time to form them clearly. Sound out the consonants… B, C, K, S, T. A small tweak but a world of difference. Practice enunciating by reading out loud, often. 

Sounds like too much work? Believe me, the small investment of your time to make these changes are worth it. Speaking well opens doors. It will help you make more impactful first impressions. It will enhance your credibility. 

Let me know in the comments what you did to learn how to speak better…. or in which areas you are still struggling. I’d love to hear more great tips, and for those finding it hard, I’ll do my best to help!

About the Author: Sheahnee Iman Lee is a former news anchor, senior producer, and broadcast journalist who forged her TV career in both ntv7 and Astro. Follow her on LinkedIn.