Written by: TinTinLand
As blockchain technology transcends national borders and global collaboration becomes the norm, accurate and fluent English communication skills have become the core competitiveness of Web3 practitioners. However, for non-native speakers, how to break through language barriers and achieve effective communication in the complex Web3 context is still a problem that needs to be solved urgently.
This article will deeply analyze the typical challenges faced by non-native speakers in English listening and speaking, and provide targeted breakthrough strategies for English listening and speaking skills practice in combination with the technical characteristics and application scenarios of the Web3 industry. In order to comprehensively improve English proficiency, TinTinLand has previously compiled strategies for improving English reading and writing skills . You can review the relevant content here. "Practical Guide | How can Web3 developers efficiently improve their English skills?"
Difficulties and obstacles in listening comprehension
The Dilemma of Language Information Processing
Non-native speakers are often inefficient in listening comprehension due to a lack of contextual awareness and language intuition. They often need to translate word for word to understand the content , and this linear processing method is time-consuming and error-prone. At the same time, they lack the ability to predict language and find it difficult to infer the next possible expression based on the existing information , resulting in an inability to quickly grasp the overall context of the conversation, and are easily distracted by new words and miss key information .
Speed adaptation problem
The speaking speed of English is much higher than that of Chinese, and the information density is greater . Studies have shown that the average speaking speed of English is about 4.5 syllables per second , while that of Chinese is only 2.1 syllables . In addition, phenomena such as connected reading and omission make it difficult for non-native speakers to keep up with the rhythm of the conversation. In this case, the brain cannot decode the information in time, often resulting in a sense of "falling behind" or even anxiety. To overcome this obstacle, it is necessary to improve the ability to adapt to the speaking speed through a lot of listening training and be familiar with the laws of speech phenomena.
Difficulty recognizing accents
In actual communication, especially in highly internationalized industries such as Web3, non-native speakers often have to deal with diverse accents from different countries and regions . However, most people are mainly exposed to standardized accents (such as American or British accents) when learning English, which often makes them feel powerless when facing other accents. For example, Indian accents, African accents, or Eastern European accents often require additional recognition capabilities to adapt due to different pronunciation habits.
Terminology Vocabulary Challenge
In the Web3 field, professional terminology is another major difficulty in listening comprehension. Many practitioners are accustomed to using Chinese expressions in the circle, and it is difficult to quickly connect these terms with their English equivalents . How to pronounce "meme"? Which syllable is the stress on "Ethereum"? Because the pronunciation is unfamiliar or there is no deep memory , it is often difficult to react immediately after hearing it. In addition, emerging concepts and terminology in the Web3 field are updated frequently, and it is necessary to actively accumulate relevant vocabulary and practice repeatedly to improve the accuracy and reaction speed of professional listening.
Strategies for improving listening skills
Improving language information processing: Grasping key information
In real contexts, information is usually presented in a faster, coherent manner . To keep up with the pace of native speakers, you first need to learn to grasp the key information rather than trying to understand every detail. For initial training, you can choose slow, clear-voiced materials. After listening to them once, try to repeat the main information and write down key words and phrases. Later, when you are proficient, you can gradually transition to a real, fast accent. Here are some strategies for capturing key information:
Prediction and speculation: When listening, try to predict what will happen next, especially when you hear certain keywords, and speculate what may be said next.
Pay attention to repetition and emphasis: For example, if a speaker repeatedly mentions "user-friendly" and "easy-to-use" when talking about a new product, even if you don't understand the other details, at least you can grasp the core information of the product's ease of use.
Identify signal words and structural words: Signal words such as "first", "finally", "however", "because", "for example" , etc. can help you sort out the logical structure and better understand the content of the conversation.
Focus on nouns and verbs: Nouns and verbs are often the carriers of key information, especially when a sentence is too long or contains too many new words. You need to quickly grasp the key words, otherwise your mind will easily get lost. For example, in this sentence, you only need to grasp the key points: Web3 isn't just a technological shift — it's a paradigm where users regain control of their digital identities, data, and economic interactions . Blockchain enables true digital ownership .
Speech speed adaptation strategy
After practicing capturing important information for a while, you can adjust the listening material to 1.2x or 1.5x speed and try to capture information in a faster context. When the brain adapts to processing information in a shorter time, it will feel much easier to hear normal speed. However, please note that this method is only suitable for the later stages of training. It is not advisable to rush for success in the early stages , otherwise it may increase learning anxiety.
Diverse listening materials and adaptation training
The global nature of the Web3 industry means that practitioners often encounter English accents from various countries and regions. They can usually increase their adaptability through a variety of listening resources . In daily learning, you can pay special attention to Web3-related online activities and sharing , such as various spaces or AMA discussions . These activities usually invite Web3 practitioners from all over the world to participate and share insights. In addition to carefully experiencing the differences in accents, you also need to consciously exercise your ability to infer context and capture key information . After all, it is difficult to fully understand various accents.
Professional terminology listening training
For Web3-related listening training, you can improve it by listening carefully to industry materials . The core of intensive listening is to listen repeatedly and improve in a targeted manner. It is recommended to use the "three-time listening" method:
First time: listen to the overall content and understand the main idea;
Second time: repeat sentence by sentence, look up words or expressions you don’t understand, use a dictionary to understand their meaning and write them down;
Third time: Listen to the whole thing again to see if you can understand and connect the details smoothly.
Professional vocabulary and wonderful expressions obtained during intensive listening need to be recorded and reviewed regularly. For technical related materials, Patrick Collins' Youtube channel is recommended, which covers the basics of blockchain development, has a moderate speaking speed, and involves a large number of technical terms, which is very suitable for developers to conduct listening training. Web3 industry-related terms can also be obtained through channels of English media such as CoinDesk , which helps accumulate various industry trends, new terms and hot topic vocabulary.
Common Challenges of Spoken English
Voice and pronunciation issues
Influenced by their native Chinese, non-native speakers often have the problem of overly "standardized" pronunciation in spoken English, which makes their expressions lack a sense of naturalness. Although each word is pronounced clearly, there is a lack of connected and weak pronunciation, resulting in incoherent speech and a stiff sound . In addition , the stress position is wrong or too even, the tone is flat, and the spoken language is more like reading a text than a real conversation , lacking emotion and context. This kind of problem needs to be gradually improved by imitating the pronunciation and intonation of native speakers, combined with recording comparison, so as to cultivate more natural and fluent expression.
Fear of speaking
Many non-native speakers feel fear when speaking, especially in formal situations or with strangers. The fear of making mistakes makes them overly anxious about grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation , and ignores the essence of communication: conveying information . This excessive obsession with "perfection" and doubts about one's own abilities often further limit oral expression, forming a vicious cycle. To overcome the fear of speaking, first adjust your mindset, accept that mistakes are part of learning , and gradually build confidence through continuous practice.
Brain crash phenomenon
In communication, non-native speakers often experience a "short circuit" in their brains due to tension or stress, their thinking stagnates, and they are unable to organize their language. Being overly entangled in a certain word or grammar leads to mental overload and neglects the flexibility of the language. In fact, simple vocabulary or alternative expressions can bypass difficulties and maintain the fluency of the conversation . In addition, in real communication, you will encounter the situation of "I don't know how to answer this question even in Chinese", so it is very important to enhance your thinking and logical thinking ability . It is recommended to watch more opinion interviews to exercise the depth of thinking and the ability to deal with complex problems .
Effective strategies to improve oral expression
Improve pronunciation by following and imitating
The best way to improve your pronunciation is to follow and imitate a lot . Choose native audio (such as TED talks, podcasts, interview videos, etc.), and after each follow-up, record your own audio and then compare it carefully with the original audio .
Emphasis should be placed on strengthening the practice of connected and weak pronunciation , for example, in "smart contract" /smɑːrtˈkɒntrækt/ , the "t" sound at the junction of the two words and the "k" sound of "contract" are usually omitted. Another example is "Proof of Work" /pruːf əv wɜːrk/ , the "Proof of" part is often weakly pronounced, especially the word "of", there is no significant pause between the three words, and the pronunciation should sound coherent and natural.
The rhythm and intonation of the voice are pronunciation skills that need special attention. English tends to organize language according to thought groups rather than pronounce word by word. There should be a slight pause between each thought group to give the audience time to understand, and avoid reading the whole sentence at the same speed. In most cases, stress the content words (nouns, verbs, adjectives) and weaken the function words (articles, prepositions).
For example: Smart contracts / are self-executing agreements / with the terms of the agreement / directly written into lines of code . This sentence pauses slightly at the slash, the bold part is emphasized, and the unbold part is quickly passed over through weak reading to maintain the rhythm of the whole sentence.
Overcoming psychological barriers
The essence of oral English communication lies in effective communication, not in the pursuit of language perfection. In fact, mastering only 3,000 words (equivalent to the vocabulary of a high school graduate) is enough to cope with 90% of conversation scenarios in daily life . Many people's fear and anxiety about oral English often stems from the psychological over-exaggeration of the difficulty of communication.
Trump's speech video is a very good learning material. The language is simple and the expression is direct, but it can convey the core information. It is recommended to pause every 30 seconds and repeat his speech. After becoming proficient, you can even increase the interval to 1-2 minutes.
Coping with stress and strengthening thinking training
Relieve stress : It is common to get stuck in verbal communication. The key is not to avoid it perfectly, but to learn to deal with it calmly. For example, when you can't accurately describe a technical concept, you can use transition phrases such as "Let me break this down" or "In simpler terms" to buy yourself some space to think. In online meetings, the moderate use of filler words such as "like" and "you know" are all tips to relieve the pressure of immediate expression.
Thinking training : It is recommended to select 1-2 Web3 hot topics every week for limited-time impromptu speech training . You can choose popular articles from websites such as Coindesk and CoinTelegraph as materials, give yourself 2-3 minutes to prepare, and then start recording English short videos or audios. The focus of training is not perfection, but to cultivate the ability to think and express quickly. At the same time, listening to Web3 English podcasts and YouTube channels can not only accumulate professional vocabulary, but also internalize the way of thinking and expression rhythm of industry discussions.
Temporarily improve practical listening and speaking skills
It is suitable for scenarios where you need to participate in English interviews, online meetings or cross-cultural communication in a short period of time , especially when time is tight and preparation is insufficient, how to quickly respond and improve your English listening and speaking skills.
Prepare communication templates
Prepare communication templates for common conversation scenarios in advance, especially for self-introductions and possible interview questions . Write a clear script and practice it multiple times, list common questions you may encounter, and prepare concise and confident responses for each question.
Prepare emergency words and expressions
In an emergency, you may need time to gather your thoughts. Prepare some emergency expressions in advance, such as asking the other party to repeat the question, or pretending that the signal is bad to buy time to think , etc. For example:
"Could you please repeat that?"
"I think I'm losing signal, can you repeat the last part?"
"Sorry, seems like my connection is a bit unstable"
"My apologies, I want to make sure I get this right"
"Could you elaborate on that term?"
"Would you mind if I take a quick note?"
Technical assistance
Some AI tools can help you record key information in real time during meetings, and even provide translation and summary functions . Knowing these tools in advance and choosing the appropriate download can effectively reduce the anxiety of English oral communication.
Adapt to English situations in advance
48 hours before an interview or meeting, listen to English videos and podcasts in related fields repeatedly to acclimate your brain to English scenarios in advance . You can practice recording to assess your fluency, or give AI prepared questions to simulate conversation scenarios and assess how you handle emergency responses, helping to improve your reaction speed and confidence in expression.
Conclusion
The global nature of the Web3 industry makes English listening and speaking skills crucial for every practitioner. Although non-native speakers face multiple challenges in listening comprehension and oral expression, such as speaking speed, accent, and professional terminology, breakthroughs can be achieved through systematic training and the use of strategies . Language learning is a gradual process. It is important to maintain continuous practice and thinking training, speak up bravely, and embrace challenges . On the decentralized global stage of Web3, everyone has the opportunity to demonstrate their technical strength and innovative thinking, and promote the development and co-construction of the industry.
