When learning French, it's best to think about the language as being divided into four parts: reading, writing, listening and speaking.

From the TEF exam to the GCSE, most exams will assess your ability to read, write, listen and speak independently of one another. While vocab and grammar are the same whether they're written down or spoken aloud, learners often have a varied level of aptitude in each of these four areas. Some learners may be able to write with near fluency, while struggling to understand spoken French - and vice versa.

This is totally normal, and it's something we often come across in our learners. After spending a lot of time with the language and studying our resources, they can master the art of reading, writing and listening. But even after spending time studying support guides, watching video lessons and practising quizzes, it can still be challenging to get a grasp of how to speak French.

Why is this? Well, speaking is just as difficult to practise in isolation as writing - if not more so. Most people recoil at the idea of speaking out loud to themselves, especially in a second language. Nor is it something you can engage in quietly, as you can with reading, writing and listening (thanks to headphones). Practising your pronunciation skills out loud at the library is likely to turn a few heads - if not get you kicked out.

Fortunately, there are ways you can practise speaking from the comfort of your own home. At Learn French With Alexa, we have introduced two types of online speaking classes designed to help you grow in confidence and perfect your pronunciation skills

The aim of these classes is to help students practise their French speaking skills in small groups, growing their confidence and helping them learn to express themselves in cross-cultural conversations.

• Between five and ten sessions per block
• Small groups of up to seven students to facilitate speaking
• Worksheets to follow along during the lesson
• Live class with group activities

Find out more, including how to sign up, on our Calendly page.

Looking to speak French with more ease, confidence, and joy? Whether you're a learner with some grounding in French (A2), an intermediate learner (B1) or an advanced speaker (B2+),our French Conversation Clubs are designed to help you unlock your spoken French in a supportive, small-group setting.

Led by native French teachers, these sessions are all about real, meaningful conversation, the kind that builds fluency naturally and helps you express yourself with confidence.

Find out more, including how to sign up, on our Calendly page.

Read aloud

In French we have an idiom: 'faire d'une pierre deux coups'. Literally this saying means 'to make two strikes with one stone', but it's usually translated into English as 'to kill two birds with one stone', meaning to achieve two things by doing one.

One way to 'faire d'une pierre deux coups' is to combine your reading and speaking practice. How can you achieve this? Next time you read a passage in French - whether it's on a French website, an excerpt from a novel or even the material found in our support guides - try saying it aloud. As studies have suggested, it can also reinforce your learning and make you more likely to remember it.

Learn with a friend

Chances are you know someone else who is also learning French. Pairing up to share tips and practise speaking together is an excellent way to hone your skills. Since you're both learners, you're less likely to feel embarrassed when you slip up or mispronounce a word, and you can help to spur each other on when the momentum starts to fade. You may also know someone who is already fluent in French, or a native French speaker - why not ask if they would be willing to help you practise?

Think in French

If you're on the shy side, or want to get some French speaking practice done in public but don't have anyone to practise with, why not try thinking in French? Given that we generally formulate our thoughts through the medium of language, you can get a significant amount of practice throughout the day just by thinking in French instead.

Start small. For instance, when you're brushing your teeth, or catching the bus to work, make a mental note of what you see around you. Do you know the French words for what you see? If the answer is no, then you've identified something to learn to improve your vocabulary, even if it's something as simple as la brosse à dents or le feu de circulation.

This is a great way to identify blind spots in your speaking skills without ever having to open your mouth, as well as getting yourself into the habit of thinking like a French speaker. The more you think in French, the more instinctive it will become.

Visit a French-speaking country

One of the most effective ways to get French speaking practice is to immerse yourself in the language, and there's no better way of doing that than visiting a French-speaking country. By surrounding yourself with French speakers in such a way, you're forcing yourself to communicate in the language, whether it's asking directions, making a purchase or booking tickets for a local attraction.

Of course, France isn't the only country where French is spoken. In fact there are over 29 countries where French is an official language, from Canada to Switzerland, Belgium to Cameroon. Unlike most other languages, French is spoken in some capacity on every continent, so regardless of where you live in the world, it's easy to visit a French-speaking country.

Record yourself

When you do speak French, you may find it useful to record yourself and listen back to the recording afterwards. Doing so can help you identify areas to work on, as well as aspects of your speaking that you're getting right.

Did you get the accent right? Are there any words you struggled with? Could you work on the speed with which you express yourself? These are all things you may want to check.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes

Everyone knows it can feel embarrassing to make a mistake while speaking a second language, but don't let that deter you from trying! Think about it this way: if a native French speaker attempted to speak English with you, but made a few mistakes in the process, how would you feel?

The likelihood is that you would feel flattered they were making the effort, and as a rule the same goes for native French speakers when people try to strike up conversations in their language. A helpful speaker will also offer corrections and guidance, and you can learn a lot from the interaction.

As we've mentioned, practice doesn't only entail speaking with a native speaker. Our Conversation Club and Speaking Practice Sessions are conducted with other learners, which helps to reduce any embarrassment you may feel from fumbling your conjugations or mixing up a pair of homophones.

Practise often

Practice makes perfect, as they say. The more often you speak French, the more confident you'll become with the language, and the quicker and more fluently you'll be able to speak it. Regular speaking practice helps you to identify gaps in your vocabulary as well as any difficulties you might have with regards to pronunciation. Practising on a regular basis - for instance, setting aside an hour every week to do any of the suggestions in this article - also makes you less likely to forget what you've learned.

Put simply, the more you practise, the quicker you'll achieve fluency.

Tune in to Alexa's 'Speak French With Me' series

This series of videos on Alexa's YouTube channel is designed to help you perfect your pronunciation and confidence when speaking French.