English with Kirsty

My guest today is Megan Miller, whom I met last year on LinkedIn.Megan Miller is the CEO of Aprovechar Language Solutions, LLC, a company which acts as a bridge between English and Spanish language learners. Her personalized and small group programs take a habit-based approach, and whether it’s in class or a Book Club – you know you’ll have fun! Megan has a Bachelor’s in Spanish Language, Literature, and Culture and is certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language.We talked about:• Megan’s podcast for learners of Spanish and how she focuses on one word in each episode.• How habits and routines can help us to improve our language skills.• The mountains and valleys of language learning and what you can do when it stops being fun.• What we want to call ourselves – teacher? Coach? Mentor? Trainer? What do these things mean in different languages?• And it comes back again … learning a language needs to be fun!!Find out more about Megan on the show notes page:https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode240***********Send me an email if you have any questions or suggestions about the English with Kirsty podcast:podcast@englishwithkirsty.comor come and find me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-wolf-a8478235/

My guest today is Craig WealandLondon-born Craig is a DELTA qualified teacher, materials writer and a professional podcaster and podcast editor.He settled in Valencia, Spain in 1997 where he worked for the British Council and was a Cambridge speaking examiner until 2021.He has spoken at several international conferences on podcasting and language teaching. These days, he spends his time teaching English conversation and fluency online and producing his co-hosted language podcast.We talked about:⭐ Craig’s story and how he got into teaching⭐ The hidden meanings behind words and why it’s important to understand body language as well as words⭐ Craig’s experiences of living and working in Spain⭐ Tips and resources for passing the Cambridge speaking exam⭐ Craig’s podcast for learners of EnglishFind out more about Craig on the show notes page:https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode239***********Send me an email if you have any questions or suggestions about the English with Kirsty podcast:podcast@englishwithkirsty.comor come and find me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-wolf-a8478235/

My guest today is Renata Fernandes from Renata Fernandes Translation.Previously Renata was a guest on The Language Worker podcast and we met at one of the networking events for language professionals that I run with Rita Prazeres Gonçalves.This is how Renata introduces herself:“I’m a Brazilian bi cisgender female chronic pain warrior who translates movies and TV shows for a living, and someone who’s relentless about pizza and inclusive communication.”We talked about:* Who Renata is and what she does* Why inclusive language is important to Renata* A Netflix initiative to promote inclusive language* Different ways of communicating inclusively in Brazilian Portuguese* Where you can find Renata online.Find out more on the show notes page:https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode236***********Send me an email if you have any questions or suggestions about the English with Kirsty podcast:podcast@englishwithkirsty.comor come and find me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-wolf-a8478235/

I start this episode by running through the 4 events that I'm offering in March 2024. If you'd like to know more or you're interested in future events, check out the events section on https://www.englishwithkirsty.com I then go on to talk about my experiences of volunteering, 5 ways a voluntary role in another language can help you, and how not all volunteering roles are the same. They can be online or face-to-face, and there are many organisations that are looking for volunteers, so you’re sure tto find something related to your interests or a topic about which you feel passionate.How about you? do you have any experience with volunteering in another language? Is it something that you would like to explore?Find out more on the show notes page:https://englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode237/Send me an email if you have any questions or suggestions about the English with Kirsty podcast:podcast@englishwithkirsty.comor come and find me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-wolf-a8478235/

Nick Nasev is a London-based accredited translator of Southern Slavic languages into English. He has also been an editor of and contributor to many award-winning books and journals about southeast Europe. But get this… his surname might not show it, but he’s actually a fourth-generation Aussie and also an expert in Australian culture and its own form of English, topics he also writes about. For almost 2 decades Nick has been working for many high-profile clients adapting their English copy and text for an Australian audience. And no, it’s not simply a case of just adding -ie to the end of every word.We talked about: Nick’s early introduction to languages and his multilingual upbringing Some differences between Australian English and British English plus Australian English accents Why it’s good to be like a child when you’re learning a language How Nick keeps his Australian English up-to-date Find out more on the show notes page:https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode236Send me an email if you have any questions or suggestions about the English with Kirsty podcast:podcast@englishwithkirsty.comor come and find me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-wolf-a8478235/

Helen, Gwen, and Nicola, who are regular members at my monthly Wednesday evening events for general conversation, share why they come to the club, how it helps them with their English, and their message for anyone who would like to come along and join us!The club is for people who aren't looking for a course, but who would like to have an opportunity to speak English in a welcoming and friendly group.So, if you'd like to join us at the conversation club, you can sign up or find out more on the https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/conversationsFind out more on the show notes page:https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode235Send me an email if you have any questions or suggestions about the English with Kirsty podcast:podcast@englishwithkirsty.comor come and find me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-wolf-a8478235/

Christine Konstantinidis from Erfolgreiches Sprachenlernen first featured on episode 62 of the podcast back in 2015.I invited her back because I saw that she is involved in a new project.Christine presents an exciting language-learning experience on her YouTube channel! Through the innovative combination of visual mind maps and short, engaging videos, she provides a fresh approach to mastering German vocabulary. Whether you’re starting out or brushing up on your German skills, Christine’s content caters to language enthusiasts of all levels.We talked about:* Christine’s work teaching German and her YouTube channel.* What are mind maps and how can they help you to learn?* How learners can be more proactive with a topic-based approach to learning.Find out more on the show notes page:https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode234Send me an email if you have any questions or feedback about English with Kirsty:podcast@englishwithkirsty.comor come and find me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirsty-wolf-a8478235/

Mónia lives in Portugal and is a freelance translator from German and English into European Portuguese. She’s now specializing in the literary translation field, after fifteen years of a solid background of translating in the technical field.She loves languages and is constantly seeking to improve her linguistic skills. She has learned French, Spanish, Russian, Dutch, and even Icelandic, for which she has a special affection, although she can barely remember a word now. She considers herself an introvert and struggles with speaking in public, but she does not let her fears and insecurities prevent her from having great experiences. She lives by her recent motto: ‘doing difficult things makes you grow’.We talked about:Mónia's work as a literary translator.How spending time living and working abroad can help you to develop your knowledge of another language and culture.The difference between what you learn when you study a language and what you need for everyday conversations.Mónia's advice for anyone who is starting out on their career journey and who wants to develop their language skills by working abroad.Find out more on the show notes page:https://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast/episode232

Do you enjoy podcasts?Would you like to know how to find the best ones for you and what you can do with them so that you improve all areas of your English, not just your passive listening?The first in my series of interactive workshops is about podcasts and how they can become an important part of your language learning journey! Date: Thursday 22nd February Time: 16:00 UK/Portugal Time (17:00 CET, 18:00 eET) Duration: 60 minutes Location: Zoom Price: £25 Find out more on the workshop’s web pagehttps://www.englishwithkirsty.com/podcast-workshopI work with multilingual professionals who want to develop their English, but these learning strategies will work if you’re learning other languages too.Let me know if you have any questions and I hope to see you there!Email: podcast@englishwithkirsty.com

Today I decided to do a short episode to ask you a question!We talk about increasing our vocabulary, but sometimes there are words about ourselves or our language skills that don't serve us. It would be better if we stopped using them.I give some examples of things that I often hear, or something that I want to stop saying in my Portuguese classes when the teacher asks me a question!Are there any words that you want to banish from your active vocabulary about yourself?