Stephen from the SEND7 podcast joins me today for a talk about the news. We cover a wide range of topics, such as learning English with the news, avoiding bias and fake news, how to deal with news anxiety, and some positive stories you may have missed.
Stephen also shares reasons why he's feeling optimistic for the future despite all the terrible things we see in the news today. Stick around until the end to find out why.
I really hope you enjoy our discussion. Don't forget to check out Stephen's podcast, and also consider supporting Level Up English on the links below.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast282
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I'm so excited for this topic, because today we're looking at Cognitive Biases.
This is how our brains can trick us into certain beliefs and behaviours. Learn about things like the Sunk Cost Fallacy, Loss Aversion, Confirmation Bias, and more!
We'll be talking about examples of how these things can affect our views and beliefs, as well as how you can use these to become better English learners.
Share your views and comments on the show notes page below! If I get good feedback, I'd love to make a Part 2 in the future.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast281
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I first covered this topic back in Episode 215, but it's such a huge one, I think it's time for a Part 2.
Today, I'm sharing 6 idioms related to animals that we use in daily conversations in British English.
While I share each one, I give you some examples from my own life to connect them with and make them more memorable and invite you to do the same.
How many did you know?
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast280
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Each generation has its own name in English, as well as distinct characteristics, differences, good points and bad points.
In this episode, I review each one and share a little bit about them while hopefully sharing some new and useful vocabulary as well.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast279
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This is a fun episode where I cover the topic of dreaming in English.
I start by sharing some strange and unbelievable facts about dreams, and then share some of my own wacky dreams and nightmares.
I also go through a couple common dreams that many of us have had and the possible meanings behind each one, while doing so, I make sure to share a new word so hopefully, you'll be able to end this episode having learnt something new.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast278
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Natasha Broodie (lifewiththebige.com) first joined us on Episode 135. Today, Natasha is back to discuss her new book: "Swaggart: The Art of Professional Schmoozing at Job Interviews".
We cover many topics around job interviews, including how to answer hard questions, discrimination and racism, and the biggest mistakes that interviewees make.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast277
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The 80/20 Rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, suggests that 20% of actions cause 80% of the outcomes.
There are so many ways in which this shows up in life, so I'm going to be discussing it and talking about some ways we can think about this rule to improve our language progress, make our lives more efficient, and increase our level of happiness.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast276
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This is a very special episode because we're doing something a little bit different. Today I'm bringing you to the centre of Bangkok for an outdoor episode.
▶️ Click here to watch this episode on YouTube - https://youtu.be/vNBOT3nBxBg
I talk about relocating and moving away from your home while walking around one of the central parks in Bangkok, Thailand.
I discuss the difficulties, my personal experiences, and I share lots of useful and relevant English phrases that you can use connected to this topic.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast275
My old YouTube channel - http://youtube.com/c/englishwithmichael
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Are you too old to learn English?
Maybe you should have started when you were a child, or still in school?
Well, in this episode I'm responding to this common concern or excuse by giving my opinion on learning a language at an older age, the benefits of learning as a child, and whether you should still make the same effort now.
Don't forget to share your own views and experiences in the comments on the shownotes page below.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast274
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Lisa is an English teacher and Neurolanguage Coach from the UK but now living on the Spain-Portugal border. She joined me today for a talk all about languages and teaching.
We covered the topic of curiosity and its importance, the best way to improve in a language, how to become a teacher if the language isn't your native one, and more!
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast273
Your English Self Website - https://yourenglishself.com/
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I'm back with another episode in the series on phrasal verbs. Today, we're looking at around 9 phrasal verbs that include the verb 'set'.
It's a really common one to use and the meanings can get confusing, so I'm going to go through each one and explain the meaning, but also follow up with a story related to my life to give some context to help explain the phrasal verb.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast272
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In this episode, I talk all about transportation. I know - it sounds a bit boring! But there's a lot to talk about.
We'll be discussing my terrifying flight experience where it felt like we almost crashed, how to talk about different types of transport and commuting, and then we end with some super useful expressions that are related to transport.
My goal is you'll end this episode with something new that you didn't know before.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast271
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I go over some near and distant future predictions (as provided by Chat GPT) and share my views on how likely I think they are to happen.
I'm a big fan of science fiction and wondering about how different things will be in the future, so I invite you to make predictions with me and use the new words I mention in this episode to practice your English.
How accurate do you think I am?
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast270
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I share some of my opinions on debate questions provided to me by Chat GPT, ranging from general opinions to deeper more philosophical ones. While doing so, I share some useful vocabulary as well as phrases you can use to express your own opinions when debating or arguing.
Why not respond to this podcast directly? Leave a common on the shownotes page below using one of the phrases from today and give me your opinion on a topic here.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast269
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Fabio Cerpelloni chats with me on the podcast today around the topic of his new book: 'Any Language You Want: 18 Conflicting Lessons for a New Kind of Language Learner'.
A collection of contradictory true personal stories in answer to "What's the best way to learn a language?" In each of the 18 chapters, Fabio -- a language learner and teacher -- shares a story about how he mastered English, his second language, and tells you what's the best way to learn another language.
In this episode, we discuss some ways to learn English and why it's not as simple as you might think. I'm sure you'll leave, however, feeling inspired, motivated, and with some new ideas on how to best master this language.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast268
Fabio's Website: https://fabiocerpelloni.com
The Book: https://fabiocerpelloni.com/any-language-you-want/
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This episode is brought to you by the Think Fast, Talk Smart Podcast by Stanford.
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A listener asked me how they can teach English to their friend, so I decided to give some tips and advice in this podcast episode.
I cover some tips you can do to help a friend, partner, or family member learn English - whether this is in a casual setting or a more structured lesson setting.
I also cover some mistakes that many beginner teachers make, which will you useful for you no matter what kind of teaching you are interested in.
And finally, I talk at the end about some basic steps to take if you're interested in becoming a professional teacher and making some extra money from that.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast267
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In Episode 255, we spoke about Linking.
In Episode 262, we spoke about Elision.
Now, in Episode 266, we're talking all about Assimilation.
This is the 3rd and final part in our connected speech series, where I look at how spoken English can change the pronunciation of certain words. If you want to speak with a natural British accent, then this is essential to know.
In this episode, I'll be looking at times when the sounds of words change so they become easier to pronounce. I'll be doing this while answering questions and sharing my views on them, and I invite you to join in as well.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast266
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Acronyms are words that use the first letter of each word in a phrase. NASA and LOL are two common examples from very different areas.
In the age of the internet, acronyms are now a part of everyday writing and reading, but did you know some are also used in speech?
In this episode, I go through some really common everyday acronyms that you need to know and follow each one with an example from my own life.
I also end with a list of some more casual texting acronyms that are useful when casually writing to friends.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast265
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In this episode, Clare from the Smart English Coach podcast joins us for a fun chat about confidence, limiting beliefs, and language learning. We explore how confidence is so important in language learning and the steps you can take to improve this skill.
We also cover interesting stories from our own language-learning experiences and answer the question of whether you can be too old to learn a language. We touched on so many great topics today and I know you'll get something motivational out of this conversation.
Where to find Clare
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast264
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Do you love the rambling episodes? Well this might be for you! Today, I go over my recent trip to Japan and discuss some of the things I did, but mostly reflect on the language experience I had there.
Learning Japanese, it was great to go back and practice. In this episode, I share the positives and the negatives and tie it up into some takeaways that should benefit all language learners.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast263
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Textbook English is different from spoken English, and a big part of this comes down to pronunciation and how things are said in real conversations.
This is Part 2 in my series on pronunciation, where we first looked at Linking in Episode 255, and now we're looking at Elision. These are both features of connected speech that share some similarities.
In this episode, I share an example of elision followed by a question or challenge for myself that I also ask you (the listeners) to do as well!
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast262
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I get a few requests to continue my series on Phrasal Verbs, and specifically, I had one recently to cover phrasal verbs that use the verb 'turn'.
I thought of as many common ones as I could and made a list, and then I went through my memories to recount some memorable travel stories from my life. While doing so, I used these 'turn' phrasal verbs in a natural context.
I encourage you to do the same too! Practice like this is the best way to learn.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast261
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Dylan (from the YouTube channel British Education) joined me for a fun games session today. We're using games to have a conversation and practice English, and we encourage you to play along too. If you have a teacher or language partner, we also encourage you to try these games for yourself.
We actually recorded for about 2 hours together, but I cut it down a lot to fit into this week's podcast. We played 20 Questions, Would You Rather, Riddles, and 2 Truths and a Lie.
We also spoke for a long time about travel, language learning, and self-improvement, but this was cut out of the episode. I'm posting the full conversation on the website for members. Click below to join!
Where to find Dylan
- YouTube - youtube.com/channel/UCEGuZlXpfQjsALYlGVCyv-Q
- Instagram - instagram.com/britisheducation_
- Website - dylaneducation.co.uk
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast260
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Since this episode falls on Valentine's Day, let's discuss the topic of Love and Relationships.
I'll be basing this episode around a group class I taught before where we discuss some questions related to relationships, such as having a long and happy marriage, and how to break up with someone.
I also have the help of Chat GPT who gives some brilliant advice for all relationships out there. There will also be a few phrases you can use to talk about relationships . I'm sure at least one will be new for you.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast259
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Just a few days into 2024, I already made 2 very big and expensive mistakes.
In this episode, I share what happened and exactly why I made these mistakes, and then I talk about some possible lessons that I should learn from these mistakes.
I also spend a bit more time discussing the importance of making mistakes and the right mindset to have when it comes to mistakes in life and in language learning too.
Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast258
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#282 Learn English from the News - Stephen from SEND7
53:51
#281 Outsmart Your Brain with Cognitive Biases
38:46
#280 6 English Animal Expressions You Need to Know
38:42
#279 How to Talk About Generations in English
36:39
#278 What Your Dreams Really Mean
31:41
#277 Job Interview Success with Natasha Broodie
1:01:12
#276 Hack Your Life with the 80/20 Rule
36:42
#275 Moving 10,000km from Home
29:47
#274 Too Old to Learn English?
27:20
#273 Developing Your Curiosity with Lisa (Your English Self)
53:47
#272 Phrasal Verbs with 'Set'
43:25
#271 A Terrifying Flying Experience
37:39
#270 What Will the Future Look Like?
35:23
#269 Debates, Arguments, & Controversial Opinions
36:46
#268 The Best Way to Learn English with Fabio Cerpelloni
1:02:03
#267 Learn English by Teaching
32:14
#266 Make English Pronunciation Easier with Assimilation
37:32
#265 Acronyms to Level Up Your English
40:31
#264 Increase Your Confidence to Speak English with Clare
48:20
#263 Big Lessons from Visiting Japan
46:26
#262 Why You Can't Understand Native Speakers (Elision)
34:23
#261 Travel Stories - Phrasal Verbs with 'Turn'
36:43
#260 Playing Games to Learn English (Dylan - British Education)
46:02
#259 Fixing Your Relationship Problems
30:25
#258 I Made Very Big Mistakes
38:01