It’s sometimes awkward when you are talking to someone who has a wealth of knowledge and is very intelligent but is poor in communicating. A lot of um, you know, you see etc. It is not that these people do not know English at all; rather they do not have enough confidence to speak out and be understood. Those of us who have studied form one to form six and the medium of instruction was English, still fail to speak fluent English. Another 3 years in University pursuing our Undergraduate degrees also exposes us to the use of English, but then again, we shy away from it. How can a person study for 9 years in English but fail to express him/herself in the same language?
If you have excellent presentation skills and good expression of opinion, it will not be unusual to hear statements like “You are not Tanzanian, right?” or questions like “Did you study abroad?” I am sure a lot of people go through this.
People are stereotyped and branded due to the way they speak, or the lack of confidence and poor communication skills. Who is to blame? Is it the individual or is it the mode of instruction in schools and Universities? Our fathers and professors, those who studied at University of Dar es Salaam back in the days have perfect Communication Skills, their English is wonderful. Somewhere in between is where it all got messed up.
Since it will take some time for any institutional changes to be effected, we should start with the individuals. It is never too late.
An effective way of improving one’s self confidence is by reading. Read everything you can get your hands on, biographies, fiction , self-help books etc. They really help in improving your communication skills, you learn new words, you learn about successful people and where they started from and where they are now. It is a boost to your morale and also an eye opener.
An effective way of improving one’s self confidence is by reading. Read everything you can get your hands on, biographies, fiction , self-help books etc. They really help in improving your communication skills, you learn new words, you learn about successful people and where they started from and where they are now. It is a boost to your morale and also an eye opener.
So why don’t you pick up a book next time instead of buying some sleazy tabloid, and actually spend some time “opening your mind”. You will see the fruits in no time!
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