What can I do on my own?

A client asked me last week: “What can I do on my own, between sessions?“

My answer surprised her.

In 2006, I wrote my thesis on how German professionals learn English. The finding I think about most: writing makes you a better speaker.

Five minutes a day, a notebook or your phone. No agenda. Just English. Write about your day, your plans, whatever’s on your mind.

What happens is quiet but consistent. Words become more available. Sentences come faster. The pause before speaking, that moment of searching, gets shorter.

Writing is thinking in English, without the pressure of a listening room. It builds the muscles you use when you speak.

Confidence grows in the quiet, not just in the room.

PS: My thesis is in the library at the University of Dundee.