Speak, don't translate

Resumen

Learning English involves more than just knowing words, grammatical rules, or sentence structures; it is about being able to express our thoughts quickly and naturally during conversation. This aspect can be challenging when learning a second language, particularly when a student needs to communicate spontaneously. For many students, speaking English can prove more difficult than anticipated because they tend to think in Spanish first and then search for ways to express those ideas in English. This occurs because they rely on Spanish as a starting point before speaking: they first organize the idea in their native language and then mentally search for the necessary words and structures to convey it in English. This process can happen either consciously or automatically, and it varies depending on the student's level of proficiency. Oral communication requires several processes to function simultaneously. While speaking, a person must retrieve words from memory, organize ideas, and construct sentences. Constantly switching between Spanish and English can increase the effort required for these processes. However, the habit of thinking in Spanish first should not be viewed merely as a mistake; it can actually support the learning process—especially while students are still building their English vocabulary and knowledge. At the same time, it can lead to insecurity and difficulties with spontaneous communication, as pauses, hesitation, and repetition may arise while the student searches for the right word or structure. Therefore, it is important to understand what actually happens during this process and to avoid assuming that mental translation affects all students in the same way. Based on this premise, our project seeks to understand how mental translation from Spanish to English influences the way students express themselves orally, to examine how they handle speaking in English, and to explore what happens when they need to mentally translate their ideas before voicing them. We aim to identify the reasons behind their reliance on Spanish, understand how this process relates to oral fluency, and propose strategies to foster more fluid and spontaneous communication. Thus, this project seeks not merely to highlight a challenge, but to understand it and explore potential ways to improve the situation. We aim to uncover the reasons why students resort to mental translation and how this practice affects their speaking fluency and spontaneity. Based on this understanding, we will propose strategies to help students use English more naturally, gradually reducing the need for mental translation. Our goal is to foster oral communication in English that is more fluent, confident, and spontaneous— enabling students to express their ideas with greater ease and self-assurance, not only in the classroom but also in everyday situations requiring the use of English.