In this episode of The A to Z English Podcast, Xochitl and Jack talk about their new venture in China with the creation of The A to Z English Corner.❤ The A to Z English Corner Class Link:  https://voovmeeting.com/p/6511832952  10 Classes for Free! Mon. - Fri. @ 9:00p.m.WeChat: atozenglishpodcast   👉 Please follow these instructions:  1. Read and check the vocabulary in the questions  2. You must have clear audio  3. You must have a good internet connection  4. You must open your camera  5. You must speak English Transcript:00:00:00JackHey, A is the English podcast listeners. It's Jack here and we just want to announce that we are now on WeChat. Our WeChat ID is A-Z English podcast that is A-Z English podcast, one word all lowercase.00:00:17JackAnd if you.00:00:18JackJoin the group. You will be able to talk with me. You'll be able to.00:00:22JackTalk with social.00:00:23JackAnd we can answer your questions. We can read your comments on the podcast. So we'd love for you to join us and be active in our we chat group. Our WeChat ID is A-Z English podcast. Thanks. See you on the app.00:00:51JackWelcome to the A-Z English podcast. My name is Jack and I am here with my co-host social. And today we have a very special episode and today's episode is titled.00:01:03JackThe A to.00:01:04JackZ English corner.00:01:06JackAnd social, we have exciting news for our listeners out there. We are starting an English corner in China.00:01:17JackAnd we'll be teaching.00:01:18JackEvery day, you know, five days a week.00:01:21XochitlYeah, we're really excited about this. I want our listeners to know know that we're still going to be of.00:01:27Xochitl1st at least three episodes a week of 8OZ, and the reasoning for making the English corner is of course we'll be able to interact more with our students and we want to be able to keep making content for you guys because it takes a lot of effort and it takes money and time and it's expensive ultimately for Jack and I.00:01:47XochitlTo run the A-Z podcast. So yeah, this is an opportunity to benefit everyone and I'm really looking forward to it. Of course, we'll always remain loyal to the A-Z English podcast, and we'll keep making content for you guys. Ah, 100% free of charge.00:02:02JackRight. We're never going to you.00:02:02XochitlAnd.00:02:04JackYou never have to pay for the podcast.00:02:06XochitlYeah, never abandoned you for the podcast.00:02:08JackYeah, and. And the for the English corner, the 1st 10 classes are free. So you can, you know, you get to really take it for a test ride and see if you like it. You know, like you can, you can go to 10 classes for free if it's, if you enjoy it.00:02:28JackThen you will become you. You will move on to VIP status for we we settled on 80 RMB a month.00:02:38JackOK, which is about $10 a month. US ten U.S. dollars per month, but for $10 you're getting 20 classes.00:02:49JackYou know, Monday through Friday.00:02:53JackEvery every week, Monday through Friday 9:00 PM to 10:00 PM for so 9:00 in the evening in in China.00:03:03JackAnd I don't know what you know. I'm not good at math, but $10.00 for 20 classes. What does that come down to $0.50 a class?00:03:13XochitlYeah, something like that.00:03:14JackOK, OK. Yeah.00:03:17JackYeah. I mean, in the in the, in the real world, you know, one hour with a A.00:03:23JackNative English speaker.00:03:25JackIs probably about five times that much you know about 50 bucks an hour, something like that, you know.00:03:32XochitlRight, that'd be 10 times as much as $0.50. Well, right per class. OK, I'm not strong mathematician, so that's why we keep.00:03:39JackSorry. Yeah, now we're.00:03:43JackWe're we're we're mapping poorly here again.00:03:45XochitlThat's that's why weird language teachers and.00:03:48JackHi.00:03:49XochitlSo yeah, I know I'm very excited about this. I'm looking forward to being able to connect with our students because Jack told me that we're going to be hosting this so that we get to interact with each individual student and I don't know, I really look forward to that. I think that's my favorite.00:04:09XochitlPart of doing at Oz is being able to have that link with the students directly and seeing you guys grow and seeing you progress and seeing you enjoy the content that we make and I'm really excited to be able to do that full time.00:04:22JackI mean, we've gotten so much love from China, you know, like the the podcast. I mean for for sure our our largest percentage of audiences from China and a lot of that comes from Billy. Billy, I think you know some of our videos or our podcast is is they the.00:04:42JackEpisodes have been uploaded onto Billy, Billy and so people have just found us.00:04:46JackThat way, but you can also join our we our our we chat group. So our WeChat username ID is A-Z English podcast. So A-Z English podcast. So if you you can look in the description.00:05:06JackYou can join, you can click on it and join. You know, come into my our WeChat group and I'll let you.00:05:12JackAnd and that's where I'll post the the discussion questions for the the, the, the video conferencing class. And so we're using VVOV the app, it's kind of like zoom or Skype kind of similar to those, but it's a.00:05:33JackI believe a a Chinese company, VOV and so you can join the V class.00:05:41JackStraight from clicking the the link in where the discussion questions are so in in the WeChat. So yeah, I think it's it sounds complicated right now. I mean the as I talk about it, it sounds very complicated, but it's I think once we students kind of get used to it, it'll be very.00:06:00JackYou know simple, you know.00:06:02발표자Oh.00:06:03XochitlYeah, and I and I'm just really excited. I I want to thank our students that have been with us from the beginning and that have allowed us to keep creating content and to keep growing as content creators. And I know we've taken quite a few turns and divots in the last few months trying to make sure that we stay afloat.00:06:21JackYeah.00:06:22XochitlPodcast and I really appreciate guys sticking with us.00:06:23JackRight.00:06:27XochitlThrough all of that, because it's been a lot, but our fan base, you guys are unshakable, you've you've supported us through all of this. And I want you guys to know that podcasts will only be free to you. I want you guys to know that we'll still be in the WhatsApp groups. We'll still be in the WeChat groups. You can still e-mail us directly to the English.00:06:46XochitlPodcast@gmail.com you can still always leave us a comment. We'd love to see your comments at A-Z, podcast.com and.00:06:56XochitlWe're so happy that you guys are part of this journey with us and and we'll always have that in mind moving forward.00:07:05JackYeah, I can't wait to see.00:07:06JackEverybody in the English.00:07:07JackCorner. It'll be. It'll be fantastic. So we're going to have so much fun. I just. I'm really excited.00:07:14XochitlSee you guys next time. Bye bye.00:07:15JackOK.Podcast Website:https://atozenglishpodcast.com/topic-talk-introducing-the-a-to-z-english-corner/Social Media:WeChat: atozenglishpodcastFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/671098974684413/Tik Tok: @atozenglish1Instagram: @atozenglish22Twitter: @atozenglish22A to Z Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/theatozenglishpodcastCheck out our You Tube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCds7JR-5dbarBfas4Ve4h8ABecome a member of Podchaser and leave a positive review!https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-a-to-z-english-podcast-4779670Join our Whatsapp group: https://forms.gle/zKCS8y1t9jwv2KTn7Intro/Outro Music: Debora by Jangwahttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Dilating_Times/single/debora/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-a-to-z-english-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

You can donate to the podcast here:https://app.redcircle.com/shows/9472af5c-8580-45e1-b0dd-ff211db08a90/donationsor here:WeChat: atozenglishpodcastIn this episode of The A to Z English Podcast, Xochitl and Jack discuss minimal pairs. They focus on the /p/ and /b/ sounds.Minimal pairs are pairs of words that differ by only one phoneme and have different meanings. Here are some minimal pairs with the sounds /b/ and /p/:bat / patball / Paulbin / pinbark / parkbat / patban / panbet / petbake / pakebest / pestbow / powbuy / piebig / pigboat / coatback / packbeach / peachThese minimal pairs illustrate how a single phoneme change can result in completely different words and meanings. The /b/ and /p/ sounds are distinguished primarily by their voicing: /b/ is voiced, while /p/ is voiceless.Podcast Website:https://atozenglishpodcast.com/quick-tips-minimal-pairs-with-the-sounds-p-and-b/Social Media:WeChat: atozenglishpodcastFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/671098974684413/Tik Tok: @atozenglish1Instagram: @atozenglish22Twitter: @atozenglish22A to Z Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/theatozenglishpodcastCheck out our You Tube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCds7JR-5dbarBfas4Ve4h8ABecome a member of Podchaser and leave a positive review!https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-a-to-z-english-podcast-4779670Join our Whatsapp group: https://forms.gle/zKCS8y1t9jwv2KTn7Intro/Outro Music: Debora by Jangwahttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Dilating_Times/single/debora/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-a-to-z-english-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

You can donate to the podcast here: https://app.redcircle.com/shows/9472af5c-8580-45e1-b0dd-ff211db08a90/donationsorWeChat: atozenglishpodcastAs easy as pie - Very easy"The exam was as easy as pie."As stubborn as a mule - Very stubborn"He's as stubborn as a mule and won't listen to reasonAs strong as an ox - Very strong"After years of weightlifting, he's as strong as an ox."As white as snow - Very white"Her dress was as white as snow."As sharp as a tack - Very sharp or smart"She's as sharp as a tack, always quick with a witty response."Podcast Website:https://atozenglishpodcast.com/vocabulary-spotlight-common-english-similes/Social Media:WeChat: atozenglishpodcastFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/671098974684413/Tik Tok: @atozenglish1Instagram: @atozenglish22Twitter: @atozenglish22A to Z Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/theatozenglishpodcastCheck out our You Tube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCds7JR-5dbarBfas4Ve4h8ABecome a member of Podchaser and leave a positive review!https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-a-to-z-english-podcast-4779670Join our Whatsapp group: https://forms.gle/zKCS8y1t9jwv2KTn7Intro/Outro Music: Debora by Jangwahttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Dilating_Times/single/debora/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-a-to-z-english-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

To become an exclusive subscriber, follow this link:https://app.redcircle.com/shows/9472af5c-8580-45e1-b0dd-ff211db08a90/exclusive-contentorWeChat: atozenglishpodcastPoint AtMeaning: To direct someone's attention to something by extending a finger or other object towards it.Usage:Example 1: "She pointed at the painting on the wall."Example 2: "The teacher pointed at the map to show us where the country is located."Point OutMeaning: To bring something to someone's attention, often by mentioning or highlighting it.Usage:Example 1: "He pointed out the errors in the document."Example 2: "I’d like to point out that we need to finish this project by Friday."PointedMeaning (Adjective): Sharp or having a sharp end.Usage:Example 1: "The pencil has a pointed tip."Meaning (Adjective - Figurative): Direct and often critical or indicating something explicitly.Example 2: "She made a pointed remark about his tardiness."Meaning (Past Tense Verb): Past tense of the verb "point."Usage:Example 1: "He pointed towards the exit."Example 2: "She pointed at the star in the sky."To summarize:Point at: A physical gesture directing attention.Point out: An action of indicating or highlighting information.Pointed: Can describe a physical attribute (sharpness) or imply a direct/critical comment. As a verb, it is the past tense of "point."Podcast Website:https://atozenglishpodcast.com/vocabulary-spotlight-3-expressions-using-the-word-point/Social Media:WeChat: atozenglishpodcastFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/671098974684413/Tik Tok: @atozenglish1Instagram: @atozenglish22Twitter: @atozenglish22A to Z Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/theatozenglishpodcastCheck out our You Tube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCds7JR-5dbarBfas4Ve4h8ABecome a member of Podchaser and leave a positive review!https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-a-to-z-english-podcast-4779670Join our Whatsapp group: https://forms.gle/zKCS8y1t9jwv2KTn7Intro/Outro Music: Debora by Jangwahttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Dilating_Times/single/debora/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-a-to-z-english-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

To become an exclusive subscriber, follow this link:https://app.redcircle.com/shows/9472af5c-8580-45e1-b0dd-ff211db08a90/exclusive-contentorWeChat: atozenglishpodcastIn this episode of The A to Z English Podcast, we talk about how parents sometimes get too involved or invested in their children's lives.Transcript:00:00:00JackHey, it is the English podcast listeners. This is Jack here. We are excited to offer you a new way to get even more involved with our podcast for just $10 a month, you can become an exclusive subscriber and join our private WhatsApp and WeChat groups as a member.00:00:20JackYou'll have the opportunity to ask questions and leave comments that we will address in a special weekly episode dedicated to our support.00:00:30발표자Yours.00:00:31JackYour generous donations help cover the operational costs of the podcast.00:00:36JackAllowing us to keep delivering the content you love to join, simply click the links in the description to pay via our stripe account or directly on the WeChat app.00:00:50JackThank you for your support. We can't wait to connect with you in our exclusive groups and hear what you have to say.00:00:57JackOK.00:00:58JackNow let's get on with the show.00:01:09JackWelcome to the A-Z English podcast. My name is Jack and I'm here with my.00:01:13JackCo-host social and.00:01:15JackToday we are doing a topic talk episode and today's topic is.00:01:22JackDo you do you feel nervous? When? Ohh sorry. Do you feel nervous for other people when they have to do something important, you know? And so. Oh, I was just going to give, like, here's the here's the background information. My daughter has a huge performance today.00:01:33XochitlSorry, go ahead Jack.00:01:41JackAnd I'm I was. I'm so nervous. I I can't even think about it because, you know, I'm I want her to be successful. I want her to do a great job.00:01:53JackBut I don't want to jinx it. You know what I mean by, you know, I don't know, thinking too much about it or or, you know, giving her some bad luck or whatever. So I'm just trying to push it out of my mind. And I'm wondering if you ever feel that way.00:02:10XochitlYeah, I would say.00:02:13XochitlThere's so many like secondhand type of emotions, secondhand embarrassment, which means feeling embarrassed for someone else's secondhand anxiousness or nervousness where you feel anxious or nervous for someone and excited too, like you can be, oh, I'm so excited for her. I'm worried. Is she going to do well? I'm nervous.00:02:20JackYes.00:02:33XochitlYou know.00:02:35XochitlAnd yeah, I definitely felt that way before.00:02:39JackYeah, I'd love that. These that you defined it really well. Secondhand emotions. Is that what?00:02:44JackYou called it.00:02:45XochitlYeah.00:02:46JackYeah. So you know, we get this like one of the big ones is like the Olympic.00:02:51JackLike, you know, like, like the gymnastics when there's like one person has to perform some sort of like routine. And if they do it well, your country will win the gold medal. And there's I it. I feel like I get sick to my stomach when I watch those, you know.00:03:11JackBecause I'm like, I want them to to do it so well, and I feel like if I can just channel like positive energy.00:03:18JackFrom my my brain to that person. And it's so funny because it's like it has nothing to do with me. Like I I'm inconsequential, you know, like. But somehow I feel like I can control it if I just use my mind, you know?00:03:35XochitlMine Ben Jedi Powers to.00:03:37JackYeah, I feel like if I could just if I could just use my mind and I think this is common in sports too, right? Like your basketball team. You want them to win so badly if you want it badly enough.00:03:44발표자Now.00:03:50JackYou can actually affect the outcome of the game. I think we do feel that. I mean, it's totally irrational, it's illogical. It makes no sense. But I think that's why people love sports is because they feel like they're invested in it and that's how I feel today because my daughter.00:04:11JackFor for our listeners out there is a a ballerina. She goes to a ballet school in America, an Academy.00:04:18JackAnd they had their big performance today and she had a very important part that was very difficult and all week she's been struggling with it. I believe she's even said that she fell down one time while doing the practice. And so I was, like, freaking out in, in my mind.00:04:39JackAll week, you know, just totally stressed about it, because not because I'm embarrassed if she doesn't do well, it's more just like I just want her to succeed so badly for herself, for her life, that.00:04:53XochitlMm-hmm.00:04:55JackIt's.00:04:56JackIt I actually probably feel more nervous than she does about about these things, which is so funny.00:05:03XochitlYes, you always have.00:05:04XochitlNo control which makes you more nervous.00:05:06XochitlRight. It's like.00:05:06JackYeah, right. That's a great point. I have no control over it and all I can do is send positive messages from my mind, you know, like good vibes to her. But I obviously I know that's not gonna do anything. And and I I didn't wanna.00:05:23JackI didn't want to put any pressure on her, so I all I did was say, hey, good luck today. You know, instead of saying like, make sure you did do this and don't do that and you have to do this. It's like the last thing she needs is advice from a guy who has who, you know, never a day in my life. Yeah.00:05:39XochitlHe's never done that way a day in.00:05:41XochitlHis life so.00:05:43JackYou know, so. So my wife and I were really careful to not put any extra pressure on top of her because that's the last thing she needs. She needs to relax. She needs to be, you know, mentally.00:05:56JackPrepared. Yeah. Yeah, it's really fun.00:05:59XochitlI think that's.00:05:59XochitlReally important not to do and I think it's you guys should feel proud of yourselves. So I think it's very rare for parents to acknowledge that and to come to a point, especially in in certain cultures to say I don't want to put extra pressure on my daughter. I want her.00:06:16XochitlTo succeed or do the best for her on her own terms. But you know, I'm not going to give her unsolicited advice. I'm not gonna make her feel unsupported accidentally by pressuring her even more.00:06:29JackYeah. And I think that's uh, parents.00:06:31JackHave a very.00:06:33JackThere's a there's a a strong urge to do that sometimes, and I'll tell you what. Like, you know, Tiger moms and helicopter moms get a really bad reputation, but they they're nothing close. Not they're not even nearly as bad as.00:06:38발표자Yeah.00:06:47XochitlHmm.00:06:53JackSports dads.00:06:56JackSports dads are, you know, they're, you know, yelling at their kid, you know, do this, do that. You gotta prepare this and you know, don't you know, swing your baseball bat this way or kick the soccer ball this way and you know, they get so invested.00:07:16JackThat we have a word for it. It's called Vicarious to live vicariously through your child, and basically what that means is that the father is living out his sports fantasy through his child.00:07:35JackAnd so his self esteem and his self worth is all tied up in the child's performance, and that's too much pressure for a child to carry. It's such a burden and so and they and and they I feel like no one ever criticizes the sports dad. You know the crazy.00:07:54JackIt's always the tiger mom and the helicopter mom that gets the bad reputation. But there's a dad version that is just as bad.00:08:03JackOr worse so.00:08:04XochitlYeah, I have a dad just like that. And it wasn't even just about sports. It was about literally everything in my life.00:08:10XochitlAnd he could never say anything positive about anything. He was always like it just was never good enough for him.00:08:17JackRight.00:08:18XochitlHe was just. That's something about dads like that. And uh, a lot of culture that's really common. It's not as.00:08:24XochitlCommon in American.00:08:25XochitlCulture. But my dad slipped through the cracks or something. He's like, he is absolutely insane. He's so.00:08:31JackWell, your dad is old school, you know. They like the World War Two generate. You know, baby boomers like, you know, just boys don't cry.00:08:34발표자And.00:08:41XochitlThe Cold War, right? But like still? Yeah, he was a boomer. He's a he's a.00:08:46XochitlHe's a limit between Boomer and Gen. X.00:08:49JackRight, right. He he's almost Gen. X. But like what I mean by baby boomer is like their parents were like ohh, you think this is bad? Well, how about World War Two when I was flying airplanes over Germany? You know, it's like, so just shut up and eat your vegetables. You know that kind of.00:09:07XochitlYeah, you think this is bad? I'll beat you up and no, no listeners, but yeah, it was very bad. So I know his parents are really hard on him. And then he and in turn, he was really hard on us and and.00:09:08발표자Right.00:09:11JackYeah, exactly.00:09:15JackYes.00:09:20XochitlUltimately, it never helps your kids because you just give them low self esteem, which is.00:09:24XochitlWhat? Yeah.00:09:24JackYes, you give them low self esteem. You, you, you, you, you shatter their their their ego. You know they're they're kind of the their ability to like trust their instincts and trust their decision makings and process and you you just make them very much like insecure about you know the.00:09:35발표자Even though.00:09:44JackThe ground that they're standing on, you know, you know.00:09:46XochitlYeah.00:09:47XochitlYeah. And you make them like perfectionist and they're completely blinded. It says we say have a saying in English. The perfect is the enemy of the good and that's.00:09:56XochitlAs if you're only trying to do perfect things, you will just you never get anything done. It's because it's never good enough. It's like you could do a Mona Lisa painting and then you went and and tore it to shreds and threw it in the fire.00:10:07XochitlPit because you.00:10:08XochitlWere like ohh the way her eye, the twinkle in her eye wasn't done exactly perfectly, so I'm going to start all over again.00:10:14JackI'm throwing it away because every time I move, she's looking at me and I don't like that, you know.00:10:19XochitlRight. Yeah. And so it's definitely a a big factor in in parenting and.00:10:26XochitlI think this new generation of parents, I'm proud of the fact that I think they learned a lot from their parents and what best for their kids, you know, and are doing the best and it's. Yeah, it's important to support them.00:10:31JackYeah.00:10:38JackWell, it's it is true. And this is we're off topic now. But you know we we pass our damage. You know our our, our our damages you know our our.00:10:50XochitlAlmost.00:10:51JackOur traumas, we pass those on to our kids even though and we we don't do it consciously it it happens subject.00:11:00JackObviously and but, but if you can recognize the trauma, then you can kind of do something about it. And so, you know, I, I decided long ago I'm never gonna be a helicopter parent. I'm never gonna. I'm never gonna be involved in the ballet except as a cheerleader. I'm just her biggest fan.00:11:21JackAnd that's it. And so it's only positive I only cheer for her and I don't tell her what to do or how to do it or anything, cause it's none of my business that's for her coaches. That's for her teachers.00:11:33JackTo do and it's made. It's made a huge difference. You know, there's, there's there's no friction between the two of us. Yeah. No resentment. Yeah.00:11:34XochitlRight.00:11:40XochitlYeah, we got me in fiction. Yeah, that's important. Yeah. Alright. Well, tell us, have you ever felt a second hand emotion, whether it be feeling embarrassed for someone else, nervous for someone else, excited for someone else and also let us know what kind of parenting style did your parents engage in and what's common in your culture and your?00:11:59발표자OK.00:12:00XochitlWe're very interested to know, leave this comment down below at A-Z englishpodcast.com shoot us an e-mail at at ozspodcast@gmail.com and make sure to join the WeChat and WhatsApp groups to talk to Jack and I directly. And if you can spare a little extra money, make sure to sign up for exclusive content as that really helps Jack and I be able to create more content.00:12:17XochitlAnd I'll see you guys next time. Bye bye.00:12:19JackBye bye.Podcast Website:https://atozenglishpodcast.com/topic-talk-helicopter-moms-and-sports-dads/Social Media:WeChat: atozenglishpodcastFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/671098974684413/Tik Tok: @atozenglish1Instagram: @atozenglish22Twitter: @atozenglish22A to Z Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/theatozenglishpodcastCheck out our You Tube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCds7JR-5dbarBfas4Ve4h8ABecome a member of Podchaser and leave a positive review!https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-a-to-z-english-podcast-4779670Join our Whatsapp group: https://forms.gle/zKCS8y1t9jwv2KTn7Intro/Outro Music: Debora by Jangwahttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Dilating_Times/single/debora/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-a-to-z-english-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of The A to Z English Podcast, Xochitl talks about her trip to China.To become an exclusive subscriber, follow this link:https://app.redcircle.com/shows/9472af5c-8580-45e1-b0dd-ff211db08a90/exclusive-contentorWeChat: atozenglishpodcastTranscript:00:00:00JackHey, it is the English podcast listeners. This is Jack here. We are excited to offer you a new way to get even more involved with our podcast for just $10 a month, you can become an exclusive subscriber and join our private WhatsApp and WeChat groups as a member.00:00:20JackYou'll have the opportunity to ask questions and leave comments that we will address in a special weekly episode dedicated to our support.00:00:30XochitlYours.00:00:31JackYour generous donations help cover the operational costs of the podcast.00:00:36JackAllowing us to keep delivering the content you love to join, simply click the links in the description to pay via our stripe account or directly on the WeChat app.00:00:50JackThank you for your support. We can't wait to connect with you in our exclusive groups and hear what you have to say.00:00:57JackOK.00:00:58JackNow let's get on with the show. Welcome to the A-Z English podcast. My name is Jack and I'm here with my co-host social. And today we are doing a topic talk.00:01:16JackAnd today's topic is social's trip to China when she was 16 years old and social I I didn't know that you went to China when you were sixteen. I think this is the first time I'm learning of this and.00:01:34JackWhy did you go? Who did you go with? What did you do? You know all the WH questions? I'm so curious.00:01:41XochitlUM so.00:01:45XochitlWhat can I say about this trip?00:01:48XochitlUM, well, we went. I was learning Mandarin at the time I started learning Mandarin in the in freshman year of high school, which for our listeners that means first year of high school and in US we have four years of high school so.00:02:06XochitlMy I want to say it was my junior year. Yes, because I was 16 my junior year.00:02:12XochitlI the summer of my junior year, we went to China on a trip because as it turns out, my dad is a a university professor and his university, the Confucius Institute, holds a trip to China. And you have to pay like your ticket. But I think everything else is paid for it.00:02:29XochitlIt's like it's subsidized, so that means like they pay for a lot of your trip and.00:02:34JackSo you just buy the ticket, but they pay for like your accommodation. They pay for your food and that kind of stuff they travel.00:02:41XochitlYeah, I believe either that was the case or it's subsidized, meaning they put a lot of money towards your your accommodation and your food and your travel. And. Yeah, so it was pretty affordable. So my dad said.00:02:50JackIt lowers the price down so.00:02:53JackDon't have to pay much.00:02:55XochitlHmm.00:02:57XochitlHey, I'll pay for it. My dad found it, actually, and he said he would pay for it for me. And so I.00:03:01XochitlSaid.00:03:02XochitlYeah. OK and.00:03:07XochitlA few like only one other person who was in my class in Chinese went, and besides, that was all students from Louisville, which is the capital of Kentucky.00:03:17JackYeah.00:03:18XochitlAnd so we all went to China, and it was a a an age range from.00:03:27Xochitl1617.00:03:30XochitlPretty much and.00:03:34XochitlWe it was a really great time. I think we landed in Beijing and we went to Shanghai and Xian.00:03:41JackHmm.00:03:42XochitlAnd I really, really loved it. I think that's probably one of my favorite places that I've ever visited.00:03:48XochitlI really like the food. I liked the weather, I liked how busy it was, and there were a lot of really beautiful parks, like especially she had a really beautiful park and we spent the most time in Shannon and spent a week in Shannon. If I'm not mistaken, and went to a high school and got to meet like other kids our age. And then we went to host family and have like, dinner with them.00:03:54JackYeah.00:04:04JackYeah.00:04:13XochitlAnd we got to go shopping and we got to take the subway and like, we got to, like, eat street food and we got to go on the Great Wall. We hiked on the great.00:04:23XochitlWall of China.00:04:24JackOh cool.00:04:25XochitlYeah, we went to Shanghai, we went to like some traditional palace. I want to say.00:04:32JackYeah.00:04:33XochitlYeah, because we went to some gardens. Some like traditional gardens in Shanghai, and it was very hot and humid in Shanghai and in Beijing it was very rainy and cold. It was like.00:04:44XochitlVery because Shanghai's the South and Beijing's like the north, right? And then Shian was probably my favorite because.00:04:53XochitlThe weather was just perfect the whole time, so I really liked it there.00:04:57JackSo social you said you went to Shanghai. I I heard some quotes by a famous chef and traveler, Anthony Bourdain. And he said.00:05:00XochitlYeah.00:05:09XochitlYes.00:05:10JackShanghai makes New York City look like a.00:05:13JackThird world country.00:05:14JackCountry.00:05:15JackLike and and I I've always found that really interesting because I think the perception that Americans have of China is that it's somehow backwards or, you know, it's not developed or whatever. And if you look at some of these projects that they have and they're building.00:05:37JackAnd the things that they're doing in China, they're it looks like it looks like it's in science fiction movie like it's in the future.00:05:43XochitlYes. Yeah.00:05:46XochitlThat this was almost 10 years ago. At this point, I guess, or 10 years ago. So. But I do remember that it was really insane how tall all the buildings were, and we had a race after I think in Beijing is where we ate Peking ducks because it was a specialty. And I want to say that's from Beijing.00:05:57JackYeah.00:06:06XochitlBut he's saying.00:06:06JackYeah.00:06:07XochitlJust correct me if I'm wrong, I'm pretty sure that's.00:06:10XochitlAnd so after he had pecking dunk, it was really delicious. But it's heavy because it's kind of fatty and sugary, and it's really.00:06:15JackThe duck is the duck is is wonderful, but it's so oily and so.00:06:22XochitlYou're saying it's like delicious cake buds, and then your stomachs like so. My friends and I like waist because we were staying on like the 13th floor or something. I don't think any of it. No, it was higher than that. None of us had ever been that high up and like, stayed that high up. And so I remember that we got in like an.00:06:23XochitlRich.00:06:26JackYeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.00:06:40XochitlThere and they got an elevator and my friend and I tried to.00:06:45XochitlRace him up the.00:06:45XochitlStairs. There's no way we could make.00:06:47XochitlIt you know we.00:06:48XochitlWere just like running. It isn't good, I think made it and I made it and like they were. I think they had, like stopped on the floor because of something or something. And so they we made it close to the same time.00:06:48JackYou got to like the 8th floor and.00:06:52JackYeah.00:07:02XochitlBut I like threw up after cause I ran so hard and I was like, no, I'm not taking that.00:07:09JackAmazing duck goes in Beijing. Duck goes out. Yeah.00:07:12XochitlSo it was very.00:07:15JackOhh my gosh.00:07:15XochitlYeah, and seeing how I was very beautiful, we actually I believe we stayed at a university in Shanghai and.00:07:23XochitlIt was really nice. I remember the dorms and everything and.00:07:29XochitlWe were saying some college dorms, even though we.00:07:31XochitlWere.00:07:31XochitlHigh school students, but it's because I think the university Shanghai has like some exchange program. That's what we are looking at. And yeah, it was really fascinating. I we really enjoyed it. And I would say it's a beautiful country. I think it's one of the the.00:07:39JackYeah.00:07:48XochitlThat in Seattle are two places that I went and I was like, I love it here. I I could live here. I could stay here forever, you know.00:07:55JackYeah, yeah, yeah. Shanghai is a city that I've I absolutely must visit. I'm I'm I'm more interested in visiting Shanghai than I am in visiting Beijing. Oddly enough, I know it's the capital city and everything, but I really want to visit Shanghai. It seems like such a cool.00:08:14JackVibe, like such a cool city.00:08:16XochitlYeah. And the Chinese listeners don't hate me for this. I like the Southern accent more, even though it's more improper.00:08:25XochitlThe the northern accent is more difficult for me to pronounce because it's like it's rougher and like the the tones and like the the sounds like the consonant sounds are much sharper and the Southern accent is like.00:08:38XochitlMm-hmm.00:08:41XochitlMore, it's softer and it's easier for a foreigner because it's hard to like. Enunciate those. Those like sharp consonant sounds like like that kind of for the for the north and for the South. It might be like the instead of the. And so it was just easier for me to pronounce because my first teacher was actually southern Chinese.00:09:02JackNo.00:09:02JackOK.00:09:03XochitlAnd my tutor after that was also she was from Nanjing, so she was from the South southern capital city. I guess so I was more used to that. And then when I went to college.00:09:13XochitlThe professors were from the north and it was so hard to keep up because it's like it's a more proper, supposedly I think pronunciation.00:09:21JackOK, be more formal or something like that. Like yeah, yeah.00:09:26XochitlI guess it's more. It's kind of like how in in the southern US like dialect or regional accent, we kind of slow words together or whatever.00:09:35JackYeah, there's a southern drawl. They call it, you know, which I think it would be really funny if if for like, a a Chinese student or a Korean student to go to America and study English in Louisiana or Georgia or Alabama.00:09:38XochitlYes, OK.00:09:52JackAnd so they learn, you know, English with that, like how y'all doing, you know? Hey, y'all, you know, something like that. It's it's like, yeah.00:09:58XochitlHey. Yeah. Yeah. So that's basically how I learned Chinese. So that's what I had this funny accent to them, to the Northerners. So it was fun, though. But yeah. So yeah, that was my trip to China. I have so many very fond memories, and I loved it. And I definitely, I think it's one of the number one.00:10:18XochitlCountries that I that I really want to go back.00:10:21JackOK. And what how about the people I we we I forgot to ask you about the people but.00:10:22XochitlThe one that I.00:10:26XochitlEveryone was so friendly and it was crazy because everyone was so friendly and it felt really safe and I remember I left my like wallet full of money at one of these stands and the the old lady went after me and I was like, hey, you forgot this.00:10:40JackWow, I love that.00:10:40XochitlAnd crazy cause a lot of places they'd be like, oh, I just do that in the US. Don't do that. You know what I mean?00:10:44JackHey.00:10:47JackIn the US, that money is Gonzo. Yeah. Gone for sure. Yeah.00:10:52XochitlAnd here you left your money here and I bought all this merch because I knew my dad would really like it. It was really fun. It was like these.00:11:00XochitlT-shirts Obama was president at the time, and they were called like Obama. Mao, like Mao did. The only guess, but Obama added it's like not in the Red Star. And it was really, I really. I had a fun time with that. I got my dad like a watch and AT shirt and a hat and all this stuff.00:11:07JackYeah, Obama.00:11:18JackNice. That's great.00:11:20XochitlYeah. And the people are so nice, so friendly and.00:11:24XochitlThey were, so they were.00:11:25XochitlSo, like nice and flattering to us and and like accommodating and I don't know, I really, really appreciated it. And yeah, nothing, nothing bad to say, all good things. And I really hope to come back someday and be able to see.00:11:40JackYou maybe wanna go to China. I really wanna get there so.00:11:43XochitlYou have to go. My dad also really wants to go. And I tell him, like, come on, man.00:11:48XochitlYou should go because the circus we also went to the circus. It was so cool. And The thing is really funny is that the popcorn is like sweet there. It's not salty. It's not like like.00:11:58JackYeah, it's the same in Korea too. They got, you know, yeah, the, the the sweet popcorn, the caramel popcorn. Yeah, it's.00:12:02XochitlYeah.00:12:05JackIt's it's interesting.00:12:07JackYeah, I'm. I'm definitely a savory. Over over. Yeah, yeah.00:12:10XochitlYeah. Anyway, listeners, let us know, are you too sweet or salty popcorn? Have you been to China? Are you from China? Tell us your experiences. I really love it. Definitely country that I want to go.00:12:22XochitlToo, and yeah, we'll see you guys next time. Make sure to join our WeChat and WhatsApp groups. That way we can interact with you directly if you have any money to spare, make sure that you join to see our exclusive content episodes. It really helps. I can I make more content for you guys and send us an e-mail at at ozenglishpodcast@gmail.com and leave us a comment.00:12:43XochitlAnd below at A-Z englishpodcast.com and we'll see you guys next time. Bye bye.Podcast Website:https://atozenglishpodcast.com/topic-talk-xochitls-trip-to-china/Social Media:WeChat: atozenglishpodcastFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/671098974684413/Tik Tok: @atozenglish1Instagram: @atozenglish22Twitter: @atozenglish22A to Z Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/theatozenglishpodcastCheck out our You Tube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCds7JR-5dbarBfas4Ve4h8ABecome a member of Podchaser and leave a positive review!https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-a-to-z-english-podcast-4779670Join our Whatsapp group: https://forms.gle/zKCS8y1t9jwv2KTn7Intro/Outro Music: Debora by Jangwahttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Dilating_Times/single/debora/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-a-to-z-english-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this episode of The A to Z English Podcast, Jack gives some common reasons why people might hate English.To become an exclusive subscriber, follow this link:https://app.redcircle.com/shows/9472af5c-8580-45e1-b0dd-ff211db08a90/exclusive-contentThe reasons why some people may express a dislike for the English language can vary widely based on personal, cultural, and educational factors. Here are some common reasons:Complex Grammar and Spelling: English has many irregular rules and exceptions in its grammar and spelling, making it difficult to learn and master. For example, words like "knight" and "night" sound the same but are spelled differently, and verb conjugations can be inconsistent.Colonial History: English is often associated with British colonialism. In countries that were colonized, English might be seen as a symbol of oppression and cultural erasure. This historical context can contribute to negative feelings towards the language.Global Dominance: The prevalence of English as a global lingua franca can sometimes feel overpowering. In international settings, non-native speakers might feel pressured to learn English, which can lead to resentment, especially if they feel their own languages and cultures are being overshadowed.Cultural Imposition: The dominance of English-language media (movies, music, literature) can sometimes be seen as a form of cultural imperialism, pushing Western norms and values onto other cultures.Educational Challenges: In some educational systems, English is taught in a way that feels overly strict or punitive, leading to negative associations. Students might struggle with the language due to teaching methods that do not accommodate different learning styles.Pronunciation Difficulties: English pronunciation can be particularly challenging for non-native speakers. The same letter combinations can be pronounced differently in various words, leading to confusion and frustration.Language Pride: People may feel a strong sense of pride in their native language and view the necessity of learning English as undermining their own linguistic and cultural identity.Social and Economic Inequality: In some societies, fluency in English can be a marker of social status and economic opportunity, creating a divide between those who have access to quality English education and those who do not. This can foster resentment among those who feel disadvantaged.Understanding these reasons can foster a more empathetic perspective towards those who may dislike English. It highlights the importance of promoting multilingualism and cultural respect in global interactions.Here's a deeper look into the complexities of English language structure and pronunciation that contribute to its perceived difficulty:Language StructureIrregular Verb Conjugations:English has many irregular verbs that do not follow standard conjugation patterns. For instance, "go" becomes "went" (past tense) instead of "goed."This requires memorization of many unique forms, which can be challenging for learners.Inconsistent Spelling Rules:The relationship between spelling and pronunciation in English is often inconsistent. For example, the "ough" in "though," "through," "rough," and "cough" is pronounced differently in each word.Words borrowed from other languages retain their original spellings, adding to the complexity (e.g., "ballet" from French, "yacht" from Dutch).Articles and Determiners:English uses articles ("a," "an," "the") and determiners (e.g., "some," "any") that do not exist in all languages, requiring learners to understand their proper usage.The definite article "the" and the indefinite articles "a" and "an" are used based on specific grammatical rules that can be confusing.Syntax Variability:English allows for flexible sentence structures but also has specific rules about word order (Subject-Verb-Object is standard).Questions and negatives require auxiliary verbs (e.g., "Do you like...?" "I do not like...").Prepositions:English prepositions can be particularly tricky because their use often does not follow a logical pattern and must be memorized (e.g., "interested in," "good at," "afraid of").Pronunciation ChallengesVowel Sounds:English has a large number of vowel sounds (about 20), including diphthongs, which are combinations of two vowel sounds within the same syllable.For example, the "i" in "bit" is different from the "i" in "bite."Consonant Clusters:English frequently uses consonant clusters (multiple consonants together) which can be difficult for speakers of languages that do not use them.Words like "strengths" or "twelfth" are challenging due to their complex clusters.Stress and Intonation:English is a stress-timed language, meaning that the rhythm of speech is based on the stress of syllables rather than the syllable count.Sentence meaning can change based on intonation and stress patterns (e.g., "I didn't say he stole the money" can have different meanings depending on which word is stressed).Homophones and Homographs:Homophones are words that sound the same but have different meanings and spellings (e.g., "two," "to," "too").Homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different meanings and sometimes different pronunciations (e.g., "lead" as in to guide, and "lead" as in the metal).Silent Letters:Many English words contain silent letters that are not pronounced (e.g., the "k" in "knight," the "b" in "debt").This inconsistency adds to the difficulty of spelling and pronunciation.Examples of Difficulties"The chaos of English pronunciation": A classic example is the poem "The Chaos" by Gerard Nolst Trenité, which illustrates the inconsistencies and complexities in English pronunciation.Minimal Pairs: Words that differ by only a single sound can change meanings entirely (e.g., "ship" vs. "sheep," "bat" vs. "pat").ConclusionThe irregularities and inconsistencies in English grammar, spelling, and pronunciation contribute significantly to the difficulty of learning the language. Understanding these challenges can help educators develop more effective teaching methods and learners to be more patient with their progress.Podcast Website:https://atozenglishpodcast.com/topic-talk-why-people-hate-english/Social Media:WeChat: atozenglishpodcastFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/671098974684413/Tik Tok: @atozenglish1Instagram: @atozenglish22Twitter: @atozenglish22A to Z Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/theatozenglishpodcastCheck out our You Tube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCds7JR-5dbarBfas4Ve4h8ABecome a member of Podchaser and leave a positive review!https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-a-to-z-english-podcast-4779670Join our Whatsapp group: https://forms.gle/zKCS8y1t9jwv2KTn7Intro/Outro Music: Debora by Jangwahttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Dilating_Times/single/debora/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-a-to-z-english-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In this exclusive episode of The A to Z English Podcast, Xochitl and Jack talk about how music can help you improve your English. Transcript: 00:00:00JackHey A-Z listeners, this is Jack here.00:00:03JackAnd if you would like to become a an exclusive subscriber to the show, you can hit the link in the description and that will take you to our Red Circle page, where for $1.99 a month you will get access to an extra two or three episodes each week.00:00:23JackAnd be careful, don't hit that donation button if you want to become an exclusive subscriber because the donation button is just a one time donation. However, the exclusive subscriber button will give you access to the extra two or three episodes.00:00:42JackEach week.00:00:44JackSo make sure you hit that exclusive subscriber button if you want access to the extra episodes.00:00:52JackNow let's get on with the show.00:00:55JackWelcome to the Ados English podcast. My name is Jack and I'm here with my co-host social. And today we're doing another topic talk episode, and this one is how to use music in language learning.00:01:09JackAnd because I think music can be a real, UM, interesting way to, you know, improve your English. So the first one I have here is listen actively.00:01:21JackAnd what that means is start by listening to songs and trying to understand the lyrics. Uh, look up the lyrics online, read along while listening and translate unfamiliar words and phrases. And then you can repeat and even sing along with the song. And I've.00:01:42JackSeeing Korean students.00:01:45JackSeeing English songs in like almost perfect intonation just because they practiced so much and they can actually sing a song in English and it sounds wonderful. It just sounds wonderful. So what do you think about that? Listen, listening actively.00:01:53XochitlLooks great.00:02:07XochitlI think it really helps because you're doing a lot of things there. When you're memorizing lyrics. Another thing that you're doing is that you're perfecting your accent and your pronunciation. You're working on your listening skills, and you are retaining information about the meaning of the lyrics, and you're doing all of these things at the same time, which obviously is a huge.00:02:28XochitlStupid.00:02:29JackAbsolutely. Absolutely. OK. Now, #2 is kind of related to #1, uh, this one is analyzed the lyrics. And so it's like breakdown the song line by line and try to identify patterns of like grammar, verb tense, idiomatic expressions and things like that.00:02:50JackDo you do I think that could be actually?00:02:52JackIt enjoyable because you're you'll get even more out of the song. You know, you might like the the melody of the song but but not understand the lyrics. But if you sit down and just break down the lyrics and try to understand exactly what they mean and you know there's going to be a lot of idiom.00:03:14JackA lot of poetry, a lot of rhyme in there, and I think that might open some some doors. I don't know. What do you think?00:03:23XochitlYeah, I I think it really helps because lyrics are fairly poetic in their language. We use a lot of figurative language and lyrics, and I think that it really gets your gears working on decoding language and working through some of those idioms that you might have heard.00:03:43XochitlI'm working through some just figurative language. In general, things like comparisons or symbols inside lyrics. All of those things really help you think about English and language on a higher level.00:03:54JackYes.00:03:59JackOK. Yeah, I totally.00:04:02JackAnd #3, we've got four. So there's two more #3 is use music videos because being able to see the the video. And I think part of it just looking at their lips, you know, as they're speaking that you're seeing the mouth and the art articulation is good.00:04:20XochitlYes.00:04:21JackBut also the context.00:04:24JackBecause, you know, many music videos are often storytelling. You know it's it's, it's video, it's visual storytelling with a musical.00:04:34JackSoundtrack to go with it and how? How do you feel about that like and and using subtitles as well with the with the music videos?00:04:46XochitlUhm, I think that's really interesting. I think you can also try doing it without subtitles at first and just seeing how much you understand what's going on and just switch you back and forth. Don't be afraid to jump into something without subtitles and just try to see how much of it you can gather on your own just through contacts and through what you are already.00:04:53발표자Mm-hmm.00:05:04XochitlYou know, and yeah, I think watching music videos, I I really like your point about looking at the lips and the Annunciation and the pronunciation and everything. That's one of my biggest tips for language learning. And when people ask me how I like mimic pronunciation, I've always made a key point of looking at people's mouths.00:05:25XochitlThey talk another language and you see the.00:05:26JackMm-hmm.00:05:28발표자Difference.00:05:30XochitlFor example, in English our mouths are a lot more closed and we use a lot of kind of guttural sounds. Like all the way from the back of our.00:05:36발표자Throat.00:05:39XochitlBut in Spanish you open your mouth a lot more when you talk to make the vowels like bigger. And then in Korea and I noticed people using a lot of their nose when they spoke to make certain.00:05:46발표자Again.00:05:53JackOhh more nasal size. Yeah, yeah.00:05:56XochitlKind of nasal like and.00:05:58XochitlNoises and kind of Gee noises with their nose. So.00:06:01JackYeah.00:06:02JackThat's interesting. That's interesting. Yeah. Yeah, I think I think music videos is a good way, especially if you've already analyzed the lyrics. And here's another thing I I that just kind of occurred to me.00:06:15JackIs, UM, you know, a lot of song music is a good a good way to do it, because a song is something you if you find a song that really kind of.00:06:27JackThat you really that you really enjoy. Yeah. You can listen to it multiple times, like listening to a lecture, some kind of like audio recording from a book is is gonna get so boring after the third or fourth time. But a song you could listen to it 100 times. You know, you just you still enjoy it.00:06:27XochitlRight.00:06:45XochitlWasn't really every day.00:06:47XochitlIt's for per year, honestly.00:06:49JackRight, right, right. Well, I'm one of those people that when I find a song that I love, I just. I beat it into the ground, you know, I'll listen to it over and over and over again until the point where I basically can't listen to it anymore, which is, I don't know what that says about me. It's it's a a very odd thing.00:07:09XochitlA lot of people are like that. It's kind of like a hit of of good emotion.00:07:15JackYeah. It's like a dopamine.00:07:17XochitlWhen you're listening to a drug, I mean, sorry, you're listening to a song.00:07:21XochitlYeah. It's like a drug hit. Dopamine hit. Whatever. So I have no experience, I swear. But I I just remember when I was in in college, we were taking a course on music. And I remember that there was a study that said that it can be more powerful. The the what goes on in your brain chemically when you hear a song that you really like.00:07:42XochitlCan be more powerful than drugs, and I remember that really stuck with me. So yeah, it definitely keeps.00:07:47JackYeah, sure, sure. Well, I mean, it makes sense, right? I mean, there's adrenaline, dopamine and things like that that occurs naturally.00:07:56JackThrough like you go skydiving or bungee jumping that that has a a feel of like a like a drug feeling. So yeah, that you're you're not wrong. You're not wrong at all. Our last one is explore different genres listen to a wide variety of music genres to expose yourself to different vocabulary and expressions.00:08:18JackEach genre might have its own slang and cultural references.00:08:23JackI think that's interesting.00:08:24XochitlI like that. Yeah, it kind of went similar to what I talked about with the articles of what we talked about the articles earlier. Yeah, I think really diversifying the content that not only what you watch on YouTube and through YouTube channels or what you read in articles, but also the kind of genres of music you listen to and even the genres of things that you watch on Netflix, you could.00:08:43XochitlWatch a show like a horror movie comedy, A Stand up comedy, a documentary and it's very by night and you'll acquire a lot of information and new vocabulary that will really help you overcome those plateaus and keep you interested also.00:08:46XochitlOK.00:08:57JackYeah, if.00:08:58JackWant to if?00:08:59JackYou if you want to, you know, learn, learn a lot of vocabulary about heartbreak, listen to country music. You know, if you want to hear the romantic vocabulary, listen to a lot of R&B. You know, a lot of love songs. So yeah, it'll expose you to different things.00:09:07발표자Right.00:09:14XochitlRight.00:09:18JackWell, that those are four are four big ones.00:09:22XochitlAll right, listeners, if you like that, make sure to leave a comment down below letting us know which tips you're going to be using and shoot us an e-mail at A-Z with podcast@gmail.com. Leave us a comment@azenglishpodcast.com and make sure to join the WeChat and WhatsApp group so you can join Jack and I in conversation. And again if you have $1.99.00:09:42XochitlThere, we really appreciate you guys joining our exclusive podcast content. We really, really appreciate the support so far from all our listeners. It's really helped us so far be able to make and think new content for.Social Media:WeChat: atozenglishpodcastFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/671098974684413/Tik Tok: @atozenglish1Instagram: @atozenglish22Twitter: @atozenglish22A to Z Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/theatozenglishpodcastCheck out our You Tube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCds7JR-5dbarBfas4Ve4h8ABecome a member of Podchaser and leave a positive review!https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-a-to-z-english-podcast-4779670Join our Whatsapp group: https://forms.gle/zKCS8y1t9jwv2KTn7Intro/Outro Music: Daybird by Broke for Freehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Directionless_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Directionless_EP_-_03_Day_Bird/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodeSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-a-to-z-english-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Become a monthly subscriber for just $1.99 per month and receive an additional two to three episodes per week!https://app.redcircle.com/shows/9472af5c-8580-45e1-b0dd-ff211db08a90/exclusive-contentIn this episode of The A to Z English Podcast, Xochitl and Jack provide three good strategies for overcoming a plateau in your language learning journey.Transcript:00:00:00JackHey A-Z listeners, this is Jack here.00:00:03JackAnd if you would like to become a an exclusive subscriber to the show, you can hit the link in the description and that will take you to our Red Circle page, where for $1.99 a month you will get access to an extra two or three episodes each week.00:00:23JackAnd be careful, don't hit that donation button if you want to become an exclusive subscriber because the donation button is just a one time donation. However, the exclusive subscriber button will give you access to the extra two or three episodes.00:00:42JackEach week.00:00:44JackSo make sure you hit that exclusive subscriber button if you want access to the extra episodes.00:00:52JackNow let's get on with the show.00:00:56JackWelcome to the Ages English podcast. My name is Jack and I'm here with my co-host social. And today we are doing a topic talk episode and social the topic for today is I've I've pulled up three strategies for overcoming.00:01:13JackA plateau in language learning and a plateau just means that you reached a certain level and then you're not improving anymore. You're kind of stuck and you're you're kind of flatlined.00:01:25JackKnow.00:01:26JackAnd yeah, so I'll, I'll.00:01:27XochitlI'm.00:01:29JackI'll tell you the strategies.00:01:30JackAnd then you just, you know, tell me what you think about them and and and share your your your your view on on these.00:01:38JackSo the first one is.00:01:40JackDiversify your learning methods, which means changing the way you engage with the language can re energize your learning process. So incorporate different activities that target various skills, such as reading, listening, writing and speaking.00:02:00JackYou can for reading, you can choose a variety of materials such as books, articles and blogs to expand your vocabulary. You can listen to podcasts. You can follow YouTube channels and again that's right in our that's what we're doing here.00:02:18JackUM to listen to different accents and slang, and we do a lot of slang episodes. So the 80s, the English podcast is really a great way to improve your listening by writing, journaling, writing essays, or replying on online form.00:02:35JackThings. And by joining language exchange programs, finding a conversation partner or participating in speaking clubs. Or you could even join the world English Google meets class, which is something that I started with.00:02:56JackAnother another teacher here in Korea and students can for $10 a month, they can join and just have a one hour conversation. Actually, if you become a VIP, it sometimes students will talk for two or three hours a night.00:03:13JackEvery night. Every day. Yeah. So. And then there are multiple classes and what we have multiple teachers teaching different lessons as well. So you know. So there's a lot of things you can do. What what do you, how do you feel about this like?00:03:13발표자Yes.00:03:28JackDiversifying learning methods.00:03:31XochitlI think that's really good. I I actually was one of the first things I would have suggested right off the bat, especially with reading. It's really great to read varied content like you can try.00:03:44XochitlThing old English literature and you can try reading science articles and you can try reading the horoscope in a magazine or a celebrity news thing or and and you can try reading a fashion article just because you're gonna acquire a lot more different, diverse vocabulary that you don't see in every day and.00:03:53JackRight.00:04:04XochitlThat really helps be able to get you from just a proficient level to really a distinguished native speaker level.00:04:14JackI'm gonna throw. I'm gonna throw a plug for something I'm not related to it at all. I have no connection to it.00:04:21XochitlYeah, do it.00:04:21발표자But.00:04:22JackIt's called Breaking News English and what they do is they take an article and they kind of scale it down so that it's more understandable for second language learners.00:04:35JackAnd they put a new article up every single day, and you can read the article and answer some comprehension questions, some true or false questions, vocabulary matching. They've got lots of little exercises there, and I think that's just such a great.00:04:51JackWebsite I I've used it many times for my classes and I I love breaking news English. So if you're in, if you're looking for somebody to read and the articles are all different, you know it's a science article. It's a sports article. It's a news article. It's all just a bunch of different things. And like you said.00:05:10JackIf you read a variety of of material, you're gonna pick up a variety of vocabulary. If you stay in one specific area like sports only, you're gonna get a lot of sports lingo, but you may.00:05:24JackGet exposed to science or yeah.00:05:24XochitlYou'll be lacking in several social studies, sociology and all history, yeah.00:05:30발표자Right.00:05:33JackExactly, exactly. #2, the second one is set specific, achievable goals. Breaking down your learning into smaller manageable goals can help you stay motivated and measure progress.00:05:48발표자Yes.00:05:49JackHow do you feel about that one?00:05:51XochitlI think that was good. I mean for example, you could say your goal is to improve your pronunciation, but that's extremely vague. But for example, let's say that you struggle with pronouncing the R or R.00:06:06XochitlR sounds so which is really common. Then you could practice a few words that are L&R heavier that alternate between L&R within the same word.00:06:18XochitlAnd record yourself every day and you'll see your progress from the beginning of the month to the end of the month. And that will really inspire you to keep going and keep practicing and improving.00:06:30JackThat's right. That's right. I think students tend to like, try to bite off more than they can chew. You know, you you you set your goals as like I wanna. I wanna sound like a native speaker. What does that mean exactly? You wanna sound like a native speaker? Well, I mean, it's it's kind of like a a a child saying, you know, I want to be Michael Jordan.00:06:35XochitlYeah.00:06:44XochitlRight.00:06:50JackWell, there's a lot of steps that you have to take to get to that high. The highest level of of basketball or whatever sport you.00:06:50XochitlYeah.00:06:57JackMight be playing.00:06:59JackYou you have to, you know, set you small goals. Yeah. Yeah. Well, right.00:07:01XochitlPick an accent.00:07:05XochitlPick an accent for 1A neutral English or some kind. The easiest one that though, or the one that you like, or the one that you resonate the most with and there's just so many small goals from there. Just start with short words or the one you know, ones that you have a little bit of a hard time.00:07:22XochitlAnnouncing and then build up from there and gain your confidence, yeah.00:07:26JackAbsolutely.00:07:28JackAnd #3 is immerse yourself in language and immersion is one of the most effective ways to push through a plateau. And what does immersion mean?00:07:39XochitlImmersion means when you are fully surrounded by a language, in a lot of aspects. So when I was living in Korea, I was immersed in Korean because it's only foreign teacher. So all day, every day, all that I would hear were people speaking Korean around me. And I would say this is this. And patients were the biggest keys to my breakthrough and speaking Korean.00:08:00XochitlBecause at first when I got there and I would, I would hear a word and I'd.00:08:05XochitlI wouldn't know where a word began in another one and another began.00:08:08JackYes, that's a hard thing. You create a yeah, yes.00:08:11XochitlI was like, what's going on? Because so where is there so many it might be?00:08:16XochitlA sentence with only two or two words or three words, or even one word. But it has many syllables, so I was very confused. I was very confused and then with I said I said I'll never learn Korean. I'm I've gone crazy on. I don't know what I'm doing here with patients. Within a couple of weeks, I could. I could begin to distinguish where.00:08:36XochitlWords ended and and began.00:08:39XochitlAnd every month it just got better and better. And then I would feel like I hit a plateau of understanding, or sometimes I would even regress a little bit and then I would improve. And so it it's another thing is that learning of any type and especially language learning, it's not necessarily a linear improvement, is not going to be linear. You might do really well for a while, you might regress.00:08:59XochitlAfter a little bit and come back down. But overall the trend is going to be that you're improving. So you just have.00:09:04JackYes.00:09:05XochitlTo have faith, yes.00:09:06JackAbsolutely. It's a, it's a. It's a long process and it's very detailed and or tedious we say detailed.00:09:16JackAnd it takes a long time to to to grow your language skills. And yeah, I mean, like, So what social did what I did travel if possible. So that's one of the ways you can do just throw yourself right into the fire. You know, so that you have to use.00:09:29XochitlYes.00:09:35XochitlThanks.00:09:37JackThe target language you have to use English to survive. You know survival English, you know, right? But that's expensive and that's not available to everybody that that's not available. But you can do a version of that online like that. Google meets class that I was talking about.00:09:42XochitlSometimes people.00:09:53JackOn is a kind of a version of that where we have a number no native language rule. You have to speak English and so no matter what your skill level is, you've got to find a way to communicate some ideas and you just have to figure it out and you're there's no, there's no guide or anything necessarily.00:10:07XochitlYeah.00:10:13JackYou just, you know, you can ask questions, people will help you. But it's a great way to grow because it's a stress. It's putting stress on your.00:10:22JackOn on, on you and forcing you to perform.00:10:25JackForm.00:10:26JackAnd.00:10:27XochitlIn a real.00:10:27XochitlWorld environment that you don't. Only you wouldn't have access to otherwise. It's really like, OK, this is crunch time kind of behavior which I think really helps. And yeah, I would say that. So that's a great way. Jack. Sorry. Did I?00:10:41XochitlCut you off. Go ahead. I.00:10:42JackNo, no, that's it. I'm. I'm good. Yeah.00:10:45XochitlI was going to say that's really good.00:10:46XochitlAnd another way I know a lot of people learn another language is through playing video games with people that speak that language. As native speakers, you'll pick up things that they're saying, and you'll begin to understand things through that context.00:11:01XochitlAnother way to immerse yourself is by joining like a Facebook group for that. For a hobby that you like in English, or watching a YouTube channel in English, or listening to our podcast or watching Netflix or English movies.00:11:21XochitlI have a friend who moved from Brazil to the US when he was around 7 and he said the biggest way he learned English was through movies and I think that that was a really big help when I was trying to learn Korean is just a lot of listening.00:11:35XochitlThis and and sometimes I would watch something with subtitles and I would rewatch it without the subtitles, yeah.00:11:42JackYeah, that's that's the incremental element to it, right? Start with the easiest and then move a little bit more challenging, a little bit more challenging. That's the way you.00:11:50JackGrow so yeah.00:11:54JackRight on.00:11:55XochitlAll right, listeners, if you like these tips or if you're curious or have any English learning language tips of your own to overcome a plateau, make sure to leave a comment down below at A-Z englishpodcast.com shoot us an e-mail at AZ englishpodcast@gmail.com and join the WeChat and also groups to join the conversation.00:12:12XochitlAnd if you have $1.99 to spare, make sure you support Jack and I and our exclusive podcast content. It really helps us create more content for you guys and we really, really appreciate all the.00:12:22XochitlSupport so far.00:12:23XochitlThank you again and we'll see you guys next.00:12:24XochitlTime. Bye bye bye bye.00:12:25발표자Go back.Podcast Website:https://atozenglishpodcast.com/topic-talk-3-strategies-for-overcoming-a-plateau-in-your-language-journey/Social Media:WeChat: atozenglishpodcastFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/671098974684413/Tik Tok: @atozenglish1Instagram: @atozenglish22Twitter: @atozenglish22A to Z Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/theatozenglishpodcastCheck out our You Tube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCds7JR-5dbarBfas4Ve4h8ABecome a member of Podchaser and leave a positive review!https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-a-to-z-english-podcast-4779670Join our Whatsapp group: https://forms.gle/zKCS8y1t9jwv2KTn7Intro/Outro Music: Daybird by Broke for Freehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Directionless_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Directionless_EP_-_03_Day_Bird/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodeSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-a-to-z-english-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Become a monthly subscriber for just $1.99 per month and receive an additional two to three episodes per week!https://app.redcircle.com/shows/9472af5c-8580-45e1-b0dd-ff211db08a90/exclusive-contentIn this episode of The A to Z English Podcast, Xochitl and Jack give you three expressions which use the word "finger."Butterfingers:Definition: This term is used to describe someone who is clumsy, especially with their hands, often dropping things or failing to catch something.Example Usage: "He missed the easy catch during the game because he has butterfingers."Finger Food:Definition: This refers to small pieces of food that are meant to be eaten with the fingers, without the need for utensils.Example Usage: "At the party, they served a variety of finger foods like sliders, chicken wings, and mini quiches."Finger a Criminal:Definition: This slang term means to identify or inform on a criminal, often to the police or authorities. It involves pointing out or naming someone as the perpetrator of a crime.Example Usage: "The witness agreed to finger the criminal in exchange for a reduced sentence."Podcast Website:https://atozenglishpodcast.com/idiom-academy-expressions-which-use-the-word-finger/Social Media:WeChat: atozenglishpodcastFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/671098974684413/Tik Tok: @atozenglish1Instagram: @atozenglish22Twitter: @atozenglish22A to Z Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/theatozenglishpodcastCheck out our You Tube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCds7JR-5dbarBfas4Ve4h8ABecome a member of Podchaser and leave a positive review!https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/the-a-to-z-english-podcast-4779670Join our Whatsapp group: https://forms.gle/zKCS8y1t9jwv2KTn7Intro/Outro Music: Daybird by Broke for Freehttps://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Directionless_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Directionless_EP_-_03_Day_Bird/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcodeSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-a-to-z-english-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy