In this episode, we discusshow natives react to non-native English speakers' accents and pronunciation.pronunciation differences between the North and South in the UK.how feeling yourself in a foreign language is important regardless of accent and pronunciation.the differences in difficulty in picking up, learning and speaking different English accents.tricks and tips on how to stress words in English.finding a role model and practice imitating/parroting how that person speaks.various online tools to help with pronunciation:1. ELSAspeak with the new AI function to improve your (US English) pronunciation. Watch this video with Anna from English Fluency Journey) https://youtu.be/Qi5mKV40Kmw?si=g6DaatZ-bP52lOoH2. https://www.howtopronounce.com/ helps you find out and practice how to pronounce words you are not sure about.3. Online dictionaries e.g. Oxford Learner’s Dictionary https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/4. Language apps like Duolingo encourage the correct pronunciation of words. Finally, we test Birgit on typically difficult-to-pronounce English words. Wie wichtig ist die Aussprache? In dieser Folge diskutieren wirwie Einheimische auf den Akzent und die Aussprache von Nicht-Muttersprachlern reagieren.Ausspracheunterschiede zwischen dem Norden und dem Süden des Vereinigten Königreichs.wie wichtig es ist, sich selbst in einer Fremdsprache zu fühlen, unabhängig von Akzent und Aussprache.die unterschiedlichen Schwierigkeiten beim Erlernen und Sprechen verschiedener englischer Akzente.Tricks und Tipps zur Betonung von Wörtern im Englischen.ein Vorbild zu finden u...

In this episode, we discuss three main questions which you could or should ask before deciding who to work with. Birgit is our guinea pig today and answers the following questions: What is your general approach to training?Do you incorporate the client's materials?How do you assess clients' progress, and how do you provide feedback?From the answers and conversations, we believe you should choose a native or non-native trainer who, is happy to offer you a free get-to-know-you consulting session of 15 to 20 minutes.you click with.is happy to use your materials input in the curriculum.provides a list of English words and phrases (in some form) at the end of each session.can ask engaging and relevant questions to keep the conversation goinggives good positive as well as negative feedback.is not afraid to ask about a lack of progress or motivation.Tip. Be aware when thinking about going to some of the big language schools. They often employ young inexperienced teachers who don't have much professional/work experience.   In dieser Folge besprechen wir die drei wichtigsten Fragen, die Sie stellen könnten oder sollten, bevor Sie sich für einen Partner entscheiden. Birgit ist heute unser Versuchskaninchen und beantwortet die folgenden Fragen:Was ist dein allgemeiner Ansatz für das Training?beziehst Du das Material des Kunden mit ein?Wie beurteilst Du die Fortschritte der Kunden und wie gibst Du ihnen Feedback?Aus den Antworten und Gesprächen geht hervor, dass Sie einen muttersprachlichen oder nicht muttersprachlichen Trainer wählen sollten, der,Ihnen gerne ein kostenloses Beratu...

In this episode, we talk about:copying and pasting phrases and vocabulary from emails from native speakers.tips on how to start a mail.how much small talk should you include in a mail?the ‘sandwich’ and ‘kiss’ methods when it comes to the structure of a mail.What is important when writing your emails?the phrase “looking forward to …” and closing emails.how ChatGPT can help you with mailing.2 examples of a mail written by ChatGPT in different styles (see below)a list of some ‘trendy’ mail communication phrases provided by ChatGPT (See below)2 examples of a mail written by ChatGPT in different styles: Prompt: Please create an email to my co-workers to ask them to send me an update on their work before COB. Write in chatty informal way. ChatGPT answer:  Subject: Quick Check-In on Your Awesome Work! 🚀 Hey Team, Hope your day is going as fantastic as mine! 🌟 I just wanted to touch base and catch up on all the incredible things each of you is working on. Our projects are like a symphony, and I can't wait to hear the harmony! If you could shoot me a quick update on your progress before the end of the day, that would be amazing. I'm always eager to know about the awesome strides we're making together. Plus, it helps me stay in the loop and cheer you on from the sidelines. No pressure, just looking forward to hearing about your victories and tackling any challenges together. Let's wrap up the day on a high note! 🎉 Thanks a bunch, rockstars! Cheers, [Your Name]  Prompt: Now rewrite in a more business-like tone. Subject: Request for Project Updates by End of Day Dear T...

In this episode, we talk about:The positives of “Parroting” language - reading, listening, learning, and repeating language phrases, especially at the beginning.How to gain confidence in speaking quickly.How learners often feel intimidated or inferior to other German English speakers who have spent (a longer time) in an English-speaking country.The fear of making mistakes.How natives react to mistakes by learners.Places to go to speak English.Places to speak English online: 1.https://www.italki.com/de  2. https://kansei.app/ 3. ChatGPT – voice control extension. Try watching this video “How to Practice Your English LIVE with ChatGPT” https://youtu.be/RZ1g8NJGLME?si=_Sbl2mmN0gu9vAF9In dieser Folge sprechen wir über:Die Vorteile des "Nachplapperns" von Sprache - Lesen, Zuhören, Lernen und Wiederholen von Sprachphrasen, besonders am Anfang.Wie man schnell Selbstvertrauen beim Sprechen gewinnt.Wie Lernende sich oft eingeschüchtert oder unterlegen gegenüber anderen deutschen Englischsprechern fühlen, die (länger) in einem englischsprachigen Land gelebt haben.Die Angst, Fehler zu machen.Wie Einheimische auf Fehler von Lernenden reagieren.Orte, an denen man Englisch sprechen kann.Orte, an denen man online Englisch sprechen kann: 1. https://www.italki.com/de 2. https://kansei.app/ 3. ChatGPT - Erweiterung der Sprachsteuerung. Sehen Sie sich das Video "How to Practice Your English LIVE with ChatGPT" https://youtu.be/RZ1g8NJGLME?si=_Sbl2mmN0gu9vAF9 an.

In this episode, we talk about common mistakes German native speakers make in English and how to correct them:We discuss why speakers often overuse the simple present tense, aka “I am / You do / He likes” etc. Could it be because in German, you can use the present simple tense + time words (today/at the moment/tomorrow)?Remember: we only use this tense to talk about general aspects of life. “Rebecca lives in Frankfurt” (fact) – He/She/it -das ‘s’ muss mit! “We work as English trainers.” Hobbies, things we do regularly!We discuss why speakers are often unsure about the correct use of the present continuous/progressive tense aka verb + ing form e.g. “I am currently working on an important project.”, “Look, the kids are playing football in the garden. In English, there is also another verb +ing form called the Gerund, which we use in phrases like “I’m looking forward to seeing you.” Could it be because speakers hear the —verb +ing in its various forms often and thus use it often? Remember, we use this tense to talk about what we are doing at the moment. Tip. Think the German “am machen sein e.g. “Wir sind gerade am telefonieren” -then you know when to use the present continuous. It’s strange that even some of the most advanced English speakers overuse this tense. Remember we can also use this tense to talk about what we are doing temporarily. “I’m reading a great book.” It doesn’t have to mean right NOW because you are probably in a conversation talking about books, hobbies, etc, so You AREN’T reading – you are having the conversation. Tip. Think: is there an end in sight? ...

In this episode: We discuss our individual six-week challenges, which we all set at the beginning of January, what we did, how we did it and the positives and negatives as feedback to the challenge.Dave focused on practising listening skills to improve understanding and learn new vocabulary, and he spoke about watching videos on YouTube and also using the app: www.lingopie.comBirgit booked lessons with a language teacher over the www.preply.com platform and discussed how she worked with her teacher – the perfect teacher’s pet, I’m sure you’ll agree.Rebecca practised with www.duolingo.com – a language app, for 15 minutes a day to improve her reading and listening skills.On the whole, we were all very positive about doing six-week challenges, discussed accountability, motivation and doing future challenges. And as Dave points out, “challenges can be done at any time of the year” and not just starting at New Year. Can you guess which languages we studied?Press play, to find out. Did we inspire you to set yourself a challenge? If so, tell us all about it in the comments section and good luck! In dieser Folge:Wir besprechen unsere individuellen sechswöchigen Herausforderungen, die wir uns alle Anfang Januar gestellt haben, was wir gemacht haben, wie wir es gemacht haben und die positiven und negativen Ergebnisse als Feedback zur Herausforderung. Dave konzentrierte sich auf das Üben des Hörverstehens, um das Verständnis zu verbessern und neue Vokabeln zu lernen, und er sprach über das Ansehen von Videos auf YouTube und die Nutzung der App: www.lingopie.comBirgit hat über di...

In this episode we talk about: Birgit’s experience as a Carnival reveller, aka “Jeck” in the Rhineland/Cologne dialect.what happens on the particular days over Carnival – (Weiberfastnacht) Women’s Carnival Day*, Rose/Shrove Monday & Tuesday, Ash Wednesday. *other translations according to the online dictionary https://www.dict.cc/ are “Fat Thursday” and “Thursday before Shrove Tuesday”.Rebecca shares a bit about the history of Carnival.Which carnival cheer to shout in the various places e.g. in Cologne they shout “Alaaf”?Dave's advice on Carnival in Cologne.Top 20 cool must-know Carnival words (see the list below)How to create stories to practice new vocabulary in ChatGPT. (See the text below: “Alex in Cologne over Carnival”) In dieser Episode sprechen wir über: Birgits Erfahrungen als Karnevalistin, auch bekannt als "Jeck" im rheinisch-kölnischen Dialekt.was an den einzelnen Tagen über Karneval passiert - (Weiberfastnacht) Weiberfastnacht*, Rosenmontag & -dienstag, AschermittwochRebecca erzählt ein bisschen was über die Geschichte des Karnevals.Welcher Karnevalsruf wird an den verschiedenen Orten gerufen, z.B. in Köln wird "Alaaf" gerufen?Daves Tipps für den Karneval in Köln.Die 20 coolsten Karnevalswörter, die du kennen musst (siehe Liste unten)Wie man Geschichten erstellt, um neue Vokabeln in ChatGPT zu üben. (Siehe den Text unten: "Alex in Köln über Karneval")Top 20 carnival words1. Karneval:The German term for carnival, often used interchangeably with "Fasching" or "Fastnacht" depending on the region.2. Fasching: Carnival season, especially used in Souther...

In this episode, we talk about:The importance of grammar in language. Birgit’s book “https://buchshop.bod.de/lean-on-english-grammar-big-5-birgit-kasimirski-9783756889242”, which sheds a practical light on the Big 5 tenses.Here are the BIG 5 and links to the interactive online quizzes. 1. present simple https://wordwall.net/resource/52430602 2. present continuous/progressive https://wordwall.net/resource/52431093 3. simple past https://wordwall.net/resource/52431673 4. present perfect https://wordwall.net/resource/52432027 5. simple future, aka will future: https://wordwall.net/resource/52432366When to use which tense, some tricky aspects of English grammar and how to use “signal words” to help you remember which tense to use when.Learners’ mindset on grammar, negative experiences in school and what to do.How the BIG 5 animals represent the tenses – ideal for visual learners.Other websites to do grammar quizzes. http://www.englishclub.com/ scroll along to eQuiz.Me http://www.usingenglish.com/In dieser Folge sprechen wir über:die Bedeutung der Grammatik in der Sprache.Birgits Buch "https://buchshop.bod.de/lean-on-english-grammar-big-5-birgit-kasimirski-9783756889242", das ein praktisches Licht auf die Big 5 Zeitformen wirft.Hier sind die BIG 5 und Links zu den interaktiven Online-Quiz. 1. present simple https://wordwall.net/resource/52430602 2. present continuous/progressive https://wordwall.net/resource/52431093 3. simple past https://wordwall.net/resource/52431673  4. present perfect https://wordwall.net/resource/52432027 5. simple future, auch bekannt als will future: ...

In this episode, we talk aboutWhat to think about when you buy a grammar bookWhat you really need to understand vs. not the “whole English grammar”- check out Birgit’s grammar books – ideal for busy professionals. https://birgitkasimirski.de/en/publications-englische-grammatik/How you should try to find materials/media, which you like in German, books vs audiobooks, fiction books vs non-fiction, topic-based materials – choose books/magazines in English on YOUR topics - fashion, football, fantasy.Using (children’s) books /comics with lots of dialogue – for real conversational English, idioms, slang etc.Subscribing to (Business) English Spotlight/World of PressPros and cons of language learning text booksPutting together your own learning materials based on your likes/preferences/interests.Watching YouTube videosCheck out Dave’s Top 10 YouTube channels for English learners of all levels. Oxford Online English – Speak English Fluently – 5 steps to improve your English fluency https://youtu.be/KaA_mxga3PQ?si=2XJiSl1y--ut5M1W English Fluency Journey – Speak English with AI https://youtu.be/Qi5mKV40Kmw?si=_Pf6KrC9eJldQCwI 7ESL Learning English – 120 Common Phrasal Verbs frequently used in Daily English Conversations https://youtu.be/ptvxgrLnM7k?si=UnDelMNA5-zi-7sk MmmEnglish - Common English phrases to keep Your Conversation Going https://youtu.be/Wwv4IgL0aJY?si=oStRbCYPWNb_saX- Steve Kaufmann – How to Learn vocabulary without even trying https://youtu.be/WoDYUziEcIM?si=Qg2c-2-etZqQiGF8 Germany vs USA - Learning foreign languages. Check out my “Master Your English L...

In this episode, we talk about: New Year's resolutions and the grammar of ‘goal setting’ for 2024.2023 rewind and the grammar of 'regrets’.How to create new habits by “habit stacking” based on the award-winning books ‘Power of Habit’ by Charles Duhigg and ‘Atomic Habits’ by James Clear.10 “habit stacking” ideas to kickstart your English learning in 2024. (see below)Rebecca’s 4-step process for setting goals. Rebecca – https://rebeccadeacon.com/2020/08/19/how-to-reach-your-goals-4-important-questions/Our 6-week language learning challenge. Maybe you want to join us in the challenge? Examply of Habit Stacking to create a learning regime for those busy days.1. Morning Routine:- Habit: Spend 5 minutes learning English vocabulary.- Stack with: While having breakfast or during your morning coffee.2. Commute:- Habit: Listen to English podcasts or audiobooks.- Stack with: Your daily commute, whether by car, bus, or train.3. Lunch Break:- Habit: Read a short article or a chapter in an English book.- Stack with: Your lunch break at work or school.4. Exercise:- Habit: Practice English pronunciation or dialogue.- Stack with: While jogging, walking, or at the gym.5. Daily Chores:- Habit: Label items around your home with English words.- Stack with: Doing dishes, cleaning, or organizing.6. Before Bed:- Habit: Reflect on your day in English.- Stack with: Just before bedtime.7. Social Media Time:- Habit: Follow English-speaking accounts or join language learning groups.- Stack with: Your regular social media browsing.8. Waiting Time:- Habit: Use language learning apps during short wait...

In this episode, we talk about the differences between a British & German Christmas in a quiz format. Rebecca & Dave quiz Birgit about Christmas in Britain. Can she and can you answer these questions?Which vegetables are traditionally served with the British Christmas dinner?When do British people open Christmas presents?How many reindeer does Santa have and what are their names?What happens at 3pm on Christmas day?Birgit challenges Rebecca and Dave with some really tough questions about German Christmas traditions. Rebecca and Dave did their best :-) Want to have a go at Dave's Christmas interactive quiz from last year? Just click on the link below. Good luck, enjoy and Merry Christmas! https://quizizz.com/pro/join?gc=77395234

In this episode, we talk about: · Quizlet app vs. physical vocabulary notebooks· False fluency· Interval learning· Recall vs repetition· Use your senses· Vary your learning environment· ‘Sticky Vocabulary’· Be selective· Play taboo· Be CURIOUS Christmas Special Episode coming on December 18th

In this episode we talk about: · What can you learn in 10 minutes a day?· Learning on the go with apps.· Mix it up.· Repetition, repetition, repetition.· Make it a priority.· Take a leaf out of the Scandinavian book.· Get into the flow.· It’s not all or nothing. The 3 cool statements from ths episode: “Slow progress is better than no progress”“Stay realistic, have fun and enjoy”“Language learning isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon” Resources In this episode, we talked about Quizlet as a vocabulary-learning app. Go to www.quizlet.com to create a free account. You can create your own vocabulary lists – check out my YouTube videos (How to learn with Quizlet & How to create a new learning set from a Word or Excel list in Quizlet) – and search for topic areas in the top search bar. When you find a learning set you like, simply click on the ‘copy icon’  Next 1. Make any changes to the list  2. Change the title to your own, and  3 click on the ‘Create’ button to add it to your account.   We also discuss a couple of hacks to help you better understand YouTube videos.   1.    Click on ‘CC‘ to see the subtitles.2.    Click on the 3 dots to be able to see the transcript if one is available.3.    Click on the settings cog, then ‘playback speed’ to slow the video down. Hope these hacks help.  Until the next time. Rebecca, Birgit & Dave.  Your Three English Experts. 3 / 6 / 60  Next episode coming on Monday December 4th!

In this epsiode we are going to talk about:Who we are and what English expertise we can shareOur own language learning journeysWhy it makes sense to learn foreign languagesEpisode 2 coming on Monday November 20th!