Hey there! This is TOP episode 292. The Real Reason You’re Not Fluent Yet
Are you tired of lacking confidence when speaking English? Does it block you from achieving your true goals? This podcast is the place for you. This is Teacher Ola Podcast. My name’s Ola Mierniczak and I empower English learners like you, to become confident speakers. The key to fluency is in your pocket. You’ll boost your vocabulary, brush up your grammar and improve your pronunciation. Enjoy your journey to fluency!
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My son had his First Communion recently, and something happened that I just have to share with you.
There was only one rehearsal — we homeschool, and, well, let’s just say things work a bit differently. I’m only telling you this because I can’t help comparing it to my First Communion, where we had regular rehearsals for months.
So, one single rehearsal plus the renewal of baptism. We’re all standing there, holding white robes in our hands (ready to put them on the kids, just like at their baptism), and the priest explains that we’ll also be lighting the baptismal candles from the day our children were baptised.
Right then, one parent walks up to the candle burning on the altar and tries to light their child’s candle from it.
Well…
He jumped the gun.
Because:
– it wasn’t the right moment,
– and it wasn’t the right candle…
In short: false start.
Oh, if only more English learners had the courage for “false starts” like that!
There’s nothing worse in language learning than waiting for the “perfect moment.” Know why? Because it doesn’t exist. It never has and never will. The best moment is RIGHT NOW — jump out of line and start speaking.
Even if you have no idea whether “your level is good enough,” or whether you’ll “make yourself understood,” or even if anyone will get what you’re saying.
That’s exactly how the idea for my new two-day webinar (May 25–26) was born.
It’s called:
“Still not speaking English? Discover 9 reasons why — and how to fix them.”
But wait, there’s more…
To help you truly absorb and remember what we cover, I’ve created a Webinar Workbook for you. It’ll help you take meaningful and practical notes during the sessions.
And one more surprise!
A big chunk of the webinar will be in English, so you’re getting a two-in-one: English listening practice plus expert guidance on how to finally make progress with your English.
So? Are you in? Sign up at: www.teacherola.com/webinar
Now, time for today’s episode. Do you still feel stuck when it’s time to speak English? Listen, here’s something powerful:
You consume but don’t produce.
Today, we’re trying to understand why this passive learning is holding you back from fluency and what you can do to change it.
We have already talked about passive and active learning, so let me remind you.
Passive learning is when you’re taking in the language—like reading books, watching YouTube videos, scrolling through English posts on social media, or listening to podcasts, like this one. You’re understanding and absorbing, but you’re not using the language yourself. It feels productive, and it is helpful, but it’s only half of the learning process. You’re feeding your brain, but not training your mouth to do anything with that input.
Active learning, on the other hand, is when you engage with the language. This means speaking, having conversations. It’s when you have to produce language from your own brain. Even if it’s messy, even if you make mistakes—this is what actually builds fluency. Active learning forces your brain to make use of that vocabulary, structure sentences, and communicate meaning, which is exactly what speaking a language is about.
Let’s be honest. Passive learning is easy. It’s comforting. You can do it on the couch, with a cup of tea, while commuting, or even half-asleep. You’re watching Netflix in English, listening to podcasts, reading English captions or subtitles—and it feels like you’re doing a lot.
And yes it does help with listening skills, vocabulary exposure, and overall comprehension. So don’t get me wrong. Passive learning has value.
But here’s the catch:
It creates an illusion of progress.
You might finish an English video and think, “Nice! I understood everything!”
But then, someone asks you a question in English… and you freeze.
Your brain is full of input, but your mouth doesn’t know what to do.
Why? Because you consume, but you don’t produce.
Your brain has been in receiving mode, but it hasn’t practiced producing the language.
Fluency doesn’t come from understanding others. It comes from learning to express your own thoughts.
To become fluent, your brain needs output training.
You need to: search for words, form sentences, make mistakes, try again, speak even when it’s awkward.
That’s where the real progress happens.
So yes, keep watching, keep listening, but don’t stop there.
Every bit of input should be followed by output.
Alright—so how do you actually move from consuming to producing English?
Here are some easy, low-pressure steps you can take—starting today—to build your speaking confidence and fluency:
One. Yes, you guessed it! Speak every day. Even for just 2 minutes.
Talk out loud to yourself, describe what you’re doing, or reflect on your day. It might feel strange at first, but it’s exactly the kind of practice your brain needs. Use your phone’s voice memo app, or try WhatsApp to record short monologues. You don’t have to send them to anyone—just speak, save, and grow.
Two. Turn input into output
After you read or listen to something in English, don’t just move on. Summarize it in your own words.
Say aloud:
“This episode was about…”
“The main idea was…”
“I liked the part where…”
It doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be.
Three. Try the “Prompt + Record” method
Pick a simple question like:
“What did I do yesterday?”
“What would I do if I won the lottery?”
Then hit record and speak freely for one minute. No script, no preparation. I hear you! You don’t know what questions you can ask yourself. Easy! Ask chatGPT to give you some! Tell him that you need ESL questions for speaking practice. ESL means ‘English as Second Language’. You’ll find a plethora of such questions on the internet, just search for ‘esl questions’.
FOUR. Write something short every day
Writing is another form of active production. Keep it simple: One sentence will do. You’re not writing an essay, you’re training your brain to express ideas in English. Focus on meaning, not mistakes.
Five. Join (or create) a speaking space.
A speaking partner, a teacher would be great but if that’s not available, you can: talk to yourself in the mirror (trust me, the mirror changes everything). You can use Chat GPT for conversation, you can join an online speaking club or a language exchange.
What matters is that you give yourself time to use English, out loud.
Block out 10–15 minutes in your calendar as your daily “Speak Time.” Make it a non-negotiable part of your day—just like brushing your teeth.
If you want to be fluent in English, you have to practice being fluent—not just understanding fluency in others.
Remembar: small, consistent output equals big long-term results. You’ve got this!
Alright, it’s time for the practical part of the episode. Your turn to speak out loud! I’ve picked 10 sentences from today’s episode for you to repeat after me. They’re short, useful, and perfect for daily English practice. Don’t just listen, say them out loud, copy my pronunciation, and let your mouth do the work. Ready? Let’s go!
You consume but you don’t produce.
Passive learning is easy. It’s comforting.
It creates an illusion of progress.
Describe what you’re doing
Fluency doesn’t come from understanding others.
Fluency comes from learning to express your own thoughts.
Use your phone’s voice memo app to record short monologues.
Pick a simple question like: ‘What did I do yesterday?’
Talk to yourself in the mirror—trust me, the mirror changes everything.
Block out 10 minutes in your calendar for speaking.
Nice job listening today—but let’s take it one step further! Head over to teacherola.com/292 to grab your worksheet. It’s short, it’s practical, and it’ll help those new phrases stick for good.
And hey, don’t forget to sign up for my free webinar! If you’re ready to finally speak English with more confidence, this is your next step. You’ll find all the details at teacherola.com/webinar. I’ll see you there! teacherola.com/webinar.
If this episode gave you a boost, pass it on to someone else learning English—they might need it too! And if you’ve got a second, leaving a quick review, rating, or even just liking the episode makes a huge difference. Thanks so much!
That’s all for today. Thanks again for listening! I’ll see you in the next episode. I believe in you—you’ve got this! Stay fearless, take care, and say it out loud! I’m your teacher, Teacher Ola, and you’ve been listening to Teacher Ola Podcast. Bye for now!