Master Blueprint to Language Development

With compliments - Deon L. de Jongh 

I know it can be challenging with your schedule, but please try to put time aside to focus
completely on your LDP Language Development Plan, by multi-tasking in all Four skills, namely,
Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing. (Please print)
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Phases for Language Development
1. Develop Talking: Language Production by listening to the British or American Accent
Training Kit for at least 30 minutes a day before doing No.2

2. Develop Speaking: Doing the below Main Development Activity

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Main Language Development Activity:
1. Remember, the Articles you will cover, will be both informative, educational and practical
during and throughout your linguistic development.
2. This One activity will create a Master Template to teach you all the combined skill necessary
to advance, in other words, reading, speaking, listening and writing.
3. Remember, ONLY do 1 Article per week with the equivalent of one A4 page with an Opening,
Middle and Conclusion Method in the writing style that will help you for future writing and
comprehension development.
4. Although each topic might retain the same words, they’re used in different context that will
give you broader perspective and insight into the language.

Speaking from Reading Activity – “The Secret- RRR – Repetition, Repetition, Repetition”

 Step 1: Article Selection – browse online for the “Latest (SUBJECT) Articles” relating to your
immediate/future profession, career, various interest, IELTS or TOFEL Topics or that
relevant and of practical academic interest. NOT JOURNALS OR ACADEMIC PAPERS
 Step 2: Open this Text to Speech Tool- https://www.naturalreaders.com/online/

Note: This TTS tool I found to be the best suited in-terms of voice quality, versatility of both
male and female voices and support for multiple languages. You’re welcome to try others for
yourself – Link: https://elearningindustry.com/top-10-text-to-speech-tts-software-elearning

 Step 3: Copy/paste your Article Text First into MS Word, with the purpose to clean it up by
removing unnecessary images and loose contents, before finally copying the cleaned up text
into the link to convert into an MP3 audio file, then saving it on your PC or Mobile device.
 Step 4: Print a hard copy to use in conjunction with your audio file
 Step 5: Select the Language Accent of your preference, your Genders Voice (men and
women speak a language different) and Reading Speed (Speed 0 - being standard conversation)
 Step 6: Listen to the contents several times.
 Step 7: Use the “Reading Pointers” guidelines below before reading.
 Step 8: Now read ALOUD the contents with the help of the hard copy.”RRR”
 Step 9: Record your voice on the first day and then every 2 days. Hearing your improvement
will boost your SPEAKING confidence, word pronunciation and vocabulary expansion. The more
you read per day, the faster the results.
 Step 10: Underline/Highlight KEY WORDS that form the basic, central or critical point of
each sentence or paragraphs issue.
 Step 11: End of week Writing – Type a basic and easy to read summary of the article, using
the KEY WORDS, as guidance to relay it in chronological order.
 Step 12: Take that opportunity to simultaneously underline new words or phrases. Be sure
to learn their meaning and writing a sentence to understand it contextual use. Read it aloud to
conclude.
 Step 13: Before reading your summary aloud, copy and paste it separately to utilize existing
grammar and spellchecker tools. This will give you an overview of which words, grammar and
sentence structures you got wrong.
 Step 14: Copy and paste your corrected summary into the Speech Tool from Step 2 and
listen to it as Final Stage in your development.

Although this activity will work for ANY Article of interest to you, rather primarily focus on
those associated to your intended career or profession.
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Reading Pointers:
 Before reading, First scan or quickly browse over the sentence or paragraph, and know what
to expect, from punctuation, the mood of the text to basic and tricky literary devices used to
convey grammar.
 An efficient reader speeds up for easier material and slows down for the hard, and although
scanning text is a necessary process, do your utmost to vocalize you content in a timely fashion.
 Try to read several words with one glance by aid of peripheral vision. In other words, look
at the center of the line, and using your peripheral vision to read the rest of the sentence.
 You don’t always have to read/say every word in your mind in order to understand the
material you are reading. Thus, try NOT to subvocalize when scanning your contents, meaning
to converse silently internally, this will slow you down considerably.
 Try your best NOT to backtrack over words you have already read, that will slow down your
rhythm and progress considerably.
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General Points of Note:

 Although it’s relevant to understanding the purpose of “formal description” given to various
Grammar associations, it more important to comprehend the use of words, its meaning and
how to use it within context
 Know also that the way you speak English, will be influenced by the dominant language you
use daily.
 An accent is NOT an indication of ones worth, but merely the manner English is spoken with
the rules of an individual’s native language. Thus it’s more important to be Understood than
wanting to be correct, but speaking in a certain way can either open or close the door to
possibilities.
 Immerse yourself in English related tasks, in the absence of the opportunity to converse with
as many native English speakers as possible.
  Remember, the English language is NOT superior, but “Lingua franca” an adopted
global/borrow language necessary to cross the bridge between different cultures, industries
and societies.
 A pause, during your free speech, is best suited than unnecessary sounds e.g.
Errrr…Ahhh ..Uhmmm Such sounds will only provoke negative vibrations and a sense of
hesitation, mistrust and doubt with your listener. Become aware and boost your confidence
by rather using a Confident Purposeful Pauses.

Additional / Optional Language Development Information/Links:

1. Listening and Reading - American: This site has many audio/tv programs and captioned videos
- for everyday grammar and learning English. These programs are read one-third slower to
allow you to learn at pace best suited. Choose your level and begin your experience. Link:
https://learningenglish.voanews.com/p/5609.html
2. Listening and Reading – British BBC: Discussion videos and new vocabulary, brought to you
by BBC Learning English presenters.
Link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english
3. News Listening and Reading: The site has English news readings and listening. There is a
news lesson every two days on news stories from across the world.
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/index.html
4. Primary Output: The way you speak English, will be subjected to the dominant language you
decide to use on a day-to-day basis. Doing what is easy and convenient, might not be
conducive for your language development. In hindsight, throw caution to the wind and rather
use English as your primary medium of communication for Everything, Doing so, force your
mind to utilize your existing vocabulary and comprehension structure. If someone do not
understand you, simply respond in your native language.
5. Letter Production / Optional: Revisit the ABC that’s the foundation
US: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKAIj6Y1fE8 or
UK - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwdHDODRkDk
6. Punctuation: Punctuation marks are important when speaking them from text, for it can
change the meaning and tone of the sentence completely. Yet the mood of the
reader/speaker can also affect the intonation of the very words tied into it. Understand
their purpose.
Link: https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/punctuation/what/fourteen-punctuation-
marks.html
7. Literary Devices and Grammatical Terms – learn their importance.
Link: https://literarydevices.net/grammatical-terms/
8. Understanding Grammar: Making things easy…
https://www.esolcourses.com/content/exercises/grammar/easy-english-grammar.html
9. Word Knowledge: Visit these sites, they’re the world’s leading online source for English
definitions, synonyms, word origins, audio pronunciations, example sentences, slang phrases,
idioms, word games, Word of the Day and more.
Link 1: https://www.thesaurus.com/
Link 2: https://www.dictionary.com/
10. Translation Tool: Do not underestimate how the wrong pronunciation of a word can
change its meaning and context drastically, thereby irreversibly altering the meaning of
the sentence being communicated. Use the correct Google Tool for this function.
British English - UK Link: https://translate.google.co.uk or
American English - US Link: https://translate.google.com
11. Ongoing Vocabulary Expansion:
a. A rich vocabulary forms the foundation for your comprehension and the keys to persuasion
and articulation (speaking) skill.
b. Add new advance words to your speech or writing to enhance and diversify. Search online
(Google) for the vocabulary associated to your profession or academics, e.g. Software
Terminology / Medical Vocabulary
c. Although it’s important how to use words contextually, understand their tone and the
accompanying pronunciation, it’s more challenging to undo the tone of poorly chosen word,
than taking a moment to comprehend its proper use.
Link 1: Common English Words (vital building blocks)
https://www.ef.com/wwen/english-resources/english-vocabulary/top-3000-words/
Link 2: Advance Words 1 (optional, but challenge yourself)
https://www.memrise.com/course/254000/1500-advanced-english-words/
Link 3 Improving Vocabulary (optional, but challenge yourself)
http://www.world-english.org/improve_vocabulary.htm
10. Synonym Search: (similar meaning words)
Improve your articulation by avoid using the same words, repeatedly. Thus, incorporate
synonyms to both your oral and written skills. Link: https://www.powerthesaurus.org
11. Written Text vs. Speech:
 Know that although written texts hold punctuation and layout structure, that cannot be
changed once placed on a page, it tend to explain things clearly in a more unambiguous
fashion than in speech.
 Text, however, can be altered through the medium of speech that’s scripted for either a
speech, news report or scripts for plays and films
 Speech, on the other hand, is usually dynamically transient, an interaction lasting only for a
short time; impermanent or immediate, thus you can always correct yourself and change the
utterances as you go along with timing, tone, volume, and timbre to add emotional context.
 Remember, determining, implementing and evaluating ones reading tone, will give the
listener a better understanding of one’s mood and purpose when speaking. For this fact, look
closely at the diction, denotation, and connotation of certain words when initially scanning
the contents of the text.
12. Listening and Writing: Try to Watch TED Talk or online discussion video content, with the
specific purpose of sharpening your listening and writing skills thru Dictation, to write down
what the speaker say to improve your writing while listening.
Link: https://www.ted.com/talks
13. Fun Task: Search for YouTube Karaoke tracks of your favourite songs and learn with a very
different and unique style. Link: https://www.youtube.com/user/singkingkaraoke
14. NEW!!!! Lingoda Mobile App: Improve further in the language by connecting to the learning
community worldwide. > Search PlayStore on your Android or iPhone – Lingoda Chat
15. Tongue Twisters to improve pronunciation in English: Practice these 10 tongue twisters to
improve your confidence, pronunciation and speaking fluency. Say them multiple times and
as quickly as possible.
a. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
Where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?
b. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
He would chuck, he would, as much as he could, and chuck as much wood
As a woodchuck would if a woodchuck could chuck wood
 c. Betty Botter bought some butter
But she said the butter’s bitter
If I put it in my batter, it will make my batter bitter
But a bit of better butter will make my batter better
So ‘twas better Betty Botter bought a bit of better butter
How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
He would chuck, he would, as much as he could, and chuck as much wood
As a woodchuck would if a woodchuck could chuck wood
d. She sells seashells by the seashore
e. How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?
f. I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream
g. I saw Susie sitting in a shoeshine shop
h. Susie works in a shoeshine shop. Where she shines she sits, and where she sits she
shines
i. Fuzzy Wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy Wuzzy wasn’t fuzzy, was he?
j. Can you can a can as a canner can can a can?

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Motivational Quotes:

“Where there is a will, there is a way. If there is a chance in a million that you can do
something, anything, to keep what you want from ending, do it. Pry the door open or, if need
be, wedge your foot in that door and keep it open.” —Pauline Kael

“For Every Reason It’s Not Possible, There Are Hundreds Of People Who Have Faced The Same
Circumstances And Succeeded.” – Jack Canfield

"It Always Seems Impossible Until It Is Done" - Nelson Mandela

“Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A
journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. “- Lao Tzu