MSI Press Blog

  High-level foreign language proficiency—often defined as ILR Level 4—is not simply a matter of speaking fluently or knowing advanced vocabulary. It’s a cognitive and cultural transformation. At this level, the speaker operates with near-native control of nuance, register, and inference. They don’t just use the language; they inhabit it. Accuracy becomes second nature. Errors are rare, and when they occur, they’re immediately self-corrected. The speaker can shift between formal and informal registers with ease, adapting tone and structure to suit the audience and context. Fluency is not just about speed—it’s about rhythm, intonation, and pacing that mirror native speech, even in emotionally charged or abstract discussions. Comprehension at ILR 4 goes far beyond literal meaning. The speaker understands sarcasm, humor, idioms, and culturally embedded references without pause. They can read between the lines, detect indirect meaning, and respond appropriately to subtle cues. This ...

When we talk about fluency, we often mean speed, accuracy, or ease of expression. But there’s another layer—one that makes speech not just correct, but compelling. That’s where speech embellishment comes in. Boris Shekhtman coined the term to describe the strategic use of rhetorical flourishes, idiomatic turns, and expressive scaffolding that make a speaker sound more erudite, more fluent, and more native-like—even when their grammar isn’t perfect. It’s not about faking fluency. It’s about shaping speech to feel alive. What Is Speech Embellishment? Speech embellishment is the art of dressing your ideas in language that feels rich, textured, and culturally resonant. It includes: Discourse markers : “You know,” “Actually,” “That said,” “Let me put it this way…” Idiomatic expressions : “It’s a double-edged sword,” “We’re not out of the woods yet.” Framing devices : “There are three things to consider,” “Let me start with a story.” Cultural references : Proverbs, metaphors, histori...

  Today's Publisher's Pride is  How to Improve Your Foreign Language Immediately  by Boris Shekhtman, which reached  #6 in study and teaching references . the successful practices of diplomats and international journalists now available to any language learner Book description: This is the fifth edition of a popular book that provides a unique set of tools designed to enhance an individual's success in communicati0n in a foreign language environment. The devices presented allow the speaker of a foreign language to demonstrate the level of his/her language more impressively, so impressively, in fact, that it appears that the speaker's language itself has improved overnight. These techniques were developed and tested by the author with adult professionals in such varied fields as journalism, diplomacy, government, and international business. Many of these professionals have attested to the efficacy of these tools in their own columns. "This book provides the most ban...

  Most conversations about foreign language learning stop at “fluency.” It’s a soft, stretchy word—comfortable for marketing, vague enough to mean anything from ordering dinner to debating constitutional law. But there is a level beyond fluency, one that few people talk about and even fewer ever reach: ILR Level 4 , the realm of near‑native proficiency. This level is not about speaking well. It’s about thinking in the language with the same flexibility, nuance, and cultural intuition that you use in your first language. It’s the ability to read between the lines, to catch the joke before it’s explained, to shift registers without conscious effort, to navigate ambiguity without slowing down. It’s the level where the language stops being a tool and becomes a cognitive habitat. So who teaches to this level—and who actually needs to learn it? Who Teaches to ILR 4? (Almost No One) Reaching ILR 4 requires a very specific kind of teaching, and the truth is that most language progra...