Why I Recommend InstaEnglish for Building Conversational Fluency

Tamra Wysocki, PhD, is a Language Pedagogy Specialist and Instructor at Northwestern University, where she supports international graduate students, postdocs, and MBA students in building research communication skills, professional presence, and confidence in English. Her work emphasizes developing vocabulary range, fluency, and clarity so learners can express complex ideas with precision and impact. She has over 20 years of experience helping multilingual professionals and graduate students strengthen their English communication skills.

In addition to her university role, Tamra runs a private coaching practice for international professionals in fields such as tech, finance, consulting, and healthcare. She helps clients build the clarity, confidence, and cultural fluency needed to share ideas effectively, collaborate across teams, and lead with impact. Her coaching is practical, personalized, and rooted in each client's professional and cultural context—whether that means refining pronunciation, expanding vocabulary, or preparing for critical conversations.

Tamra holds a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Chicago and is passionate about helping international students and clients communicate so their expertise, ideas, and leadership shine in every interaction.

As a language pedagogy specialist, English as a Second/Other Language instructor, communication coach, and lifelong language learner, I know firsthand that vocabulary is the foundation of fluency. Without quick access to a broad range of active vocabulary, even the most motivated learners struggle to express themselves clearly and confidently.

That's why I'm excited about InstaEnglish. This innovative app takes a fresh approach: it teaches conversational English vocabulary using the learner's native language. By providing a concept in their mother tongue and prompting them to express it in English, it lowers the cognitive load (removing the need to first decide what to say) and allows learners to focus their mental energy on formulating and articulating targeted vocabulary in English sentences.

In traditional methods, learners often spend hours memorizing word lists or repeating set conversation frames. These approaches can be tedious, and for many beginners and intermediate learners, they don't translate into real conversational ability. I've seen it again and again: a student might recognize a word when reading but freeze when trying to use it in conversation. The gap between passive vocabulary (words you understand) and active vocabulary (words you can produce instantly) is where communication often breaks down.

I experienced this myself while learning Georgian during graduate school. I studied diligently from books and recordings, but when I had my first live conversation, I got stuck, unable to find the words that I needed. I knew the words on paper, but I couldn't retrieve them fast enough in real time. My pauses were long, my sentences awkward, and my listener had to work hard to follow me.

Many learners who experience this kind of "language breakdown" are simply told to "keep talking" because practice will lead to improvement. But this advice can be discouraging if you don't know which words you're missing or why your sentences aren't working. After enough awkward exchanges, frustration builds, and some learners even give up altogether.

InstaEnglish focuses on active vocabulary activation—specifically, 2,000 high-frequency words that make up 90% of everyday English conversations. Through targeted lessons and quizzes, the app expands active vocabulary efficiently, moving words from passive recognition to confident, real-time use.

The app also trains learners to maintain a speaking pace that feels comfortable for native speakers of English—reducing the slow pace, long pauses, and hesitations that can interrupt conversation flow. Its instant, customized feedback on both grammar and pronunciation ensures that learners aren't just memorizing words and sentences: they're using them accurately, naturally, and at a native-friendly pace.

Data from InstaEnglish users in Japan and South Korea indicate that learners improve fluency faster with this method than by using general conversation apps or traditional drills. The intentional focus on vocabulary use and sentence formulation in English, supported by the user's native language for meaning, makes the learning process both efficient and motivating.

Currently available for Japanese and Korean speakers, InstaEnglish plans to expand to more languages, giving even more learners access to a method that builds real, functional fluency.