MSI Press Blog

In the winding journey of foreign language acquisition, one deceptively simple skill can make the difference between a stalled conversation and a confident flow: Shifting Gears . Originally outlined by Boris Shekhtman in How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately , this tool allows learners to maintain fluency—even when they encounter unfamiliar vocabulary or complex topics—by artfully pivoting to terrain they know well. 🎯 What Is “Shifting Gears”? Imagine you’re driving through a foreign language conversation and hit a hill too steep: maybe it’s a political debate you’re not prepared for, or a scientific concept you don’t know the words for. Instead of grinding to a halt, you downshift —you transition, smoothly and purposefully, to a topic you can discuss. And when done well, this move isn’t evasive—it’s strategic. It gives the impression (rightfully!) that you’re in control of the conversation, equipped with tools to communicate effectively even under pressure. 🗣️ Spee...

  Discover the Tools That Make Communication Feel Natural and Effortless Let’s be honest—learning a foreign language isn’t just about mastering grammar or memorizing vocabulary lists. It's about finding your voice in another tongue, navigating real-life conversations without freezing up, and feeling confident enough to keep the dialogue flowing—even when words escape you. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Luckily, there’s a book that reimagines fluency not as perfection, but as  functionality . Boris Shekhtman’s  How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately  arms learners with practical, field-tested tools that diplomats and professionals have used to succeed in high-stakes communication scenarios. 🧠 Communicate First, Polish Later Forget the myth that you need to know  everything  before you speak. Shekhtman’s methods prioritize real-world interaction through: Verbose Communication : Use what you know to say what you mean—even if it takes mor...

  excerpt from  How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately  by Boris Shekhtman -  THE ROLE OF COMMUNICATIVE RULES IN TEACHING AND LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE In learning and teaching second and foreign languages, teachers and students have a number of resources at their fingertips to work with both the “top-down” and “bottom-up” aspects of language acquisition. Textbooks and reference grammars provide us with grammar rules. These are very useful in understanding how the language works and in helping us to make our communication literate. Some textbooks, along with conversation guides and the like, provide us with scripts for generating various kinds of speech acts in various topical domains. We have the weather forecast script, the political meetings-and greetings script, the professional reception script, the business meeting script, and so on and so forth. A very few textbooks (and then only at high levels of proficiency and only in some languages) p...

  🗣️ Want to Transform Your Language Skills into a Powerful Communication Tool? Learn to Use Strategic Exercises and Tools for Seamless Conversations Language isn’t just about words—it’s about presence. It’s your ability to express, connect, and respond with agility across cultures and contexts. But how do we transform textbook knowledge into fluent, confident dialogue? That’s where the strategic exercises in Boris Shekhtman’s  How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately  shine. These tools aren’t just clever—they’re  field-tested by diplomats, educators, and professionals  who needed language to  work  in real time. Let’s explore how you can make your own skills feel seamless and natural. 🎯 One-Minute Exercise: Fluency in Motion This exercise trains you to speak continuously for one minute on any topic—no notes, no pauses. It boosts thinking speed, encourages improvisation, and helps overcome the fear of making mistakes. Over time, it builds co...