Do you find IELTS Writing Task 2 difficult? You’re not alone. Many IELTS students – especially those from exam-focused education systems like China and Turkey – struggle with critical thinking, idea generation, and writing balanced arguments.

In this episode of Kev’s English Podcast, I share:

Why students often misread IELTS Writing Task 2 prompts

The problem with one-sided essays and memorised templates

How cultural and educational backgrounds affect IELTS performance

The importance of critical thinking for achieving Band 7 or higher

Practical strategies to develop stronger ideas and examples in your essays

I also talk about my ongoing research project with IELTS students in China and Turkey, and how it can help learners like you write more natural, effective essays.

🎧 Listen now and take a big step toward your IELTS Writing goals!

👉 For transcripts, tips, and IELTS coaching, visit theenglishnative.com
And see me on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEnglishNative

Kev's English Podcast

KEP 37: Why Many IELTS Students Struggle with Task 2 (Critical Thinking & Common Mistakes)

In today's podcast, I discuss how to build rapport during a job interview!

Active Listening: Demonstrate genuine interest in what the interviewer is saying by actively listening to their questions and comments. Maintain eye contact, nod occasionally, and respond thoughtfully to show that you value their input.

Mirror Body Language: Subtly mirror the body language of the interviewer to establish rapport on a subconscious level. This doesn't mean copying their every move, but rather mirroring their posture and gestures to create a sense of harmony and understanding.

Find Common Ground: Look for shared interests, experiences, or values that you can connect with the interviewer on. This could be anything from a similar educational background to a shared passion for a particular industry trend. Bringing up these commonalities can help build rapport and foster a sense of camaraderie.

Ask Thoughtful Questions: Show genuine curiosity about the company, the role, and the interviewer's experiences by asking thoughtful questions. This demonstrates that you're engaged in the conversation and eager to learn more, which can help build rapport and leave a positive impression.

Share Personal Stories (Strategically): When appropriate, share relevant personal anecdotes or experiences that showcase your skills, values, and personality. This can help humanize you in the eyes of the interviewer and create a more meaningful connection. However, be mindful of oversharing or veering off-topic, as this can detract from your professionalism.

The Global Professional Podcast

How to build rapport during a job interview: Episode 62

“A family member that I'd really love to work with in the future is my cousin John, who is a few years older than me, and now has his own successful marketing company. I’m now in my final year of studying media marketing, and John has always been there for me, anytime I needed some advice or help with my studies. I guess you could say he has been like a mentor to me.




I actually had the pleasure of working with him during my summer holidays last year, which was a really amazing experience, and I got a lot of great hands-on working experience . 




As I'm studying media marketing, John's marketing company would be a perfect fit for me to put my years of study to use. I’m especially interested in social media marketing, and would love the opportunity to specialise in this niche market. I have also discussed this with my cousin, and he is also very interested in breaking into this market in the future.




If this could happen in the future I really would be over the moon with happiness, and it would be like a dream come true. I think it would be an amazing opportunity, as well as a challenge that I would relish. I think I could learn so much from my cousin, as well as working hard to prove myself. I also think having him take me under his wing would be a great start to my working life.

IELTS 85 Speaking

Describe a family member you would like to work with

VENTANAS ARQUEOLÓGICAS DE LA CIUDAD DE MÉXICO 2.

Spanish México

Review of the last two episodes for those who listen for the first time.

STRESS FREE STEPS

LONG TIME NO SEE

lesson on italki 
https://www.italki.com/ja/teacher/9451959/japanese

https://linktr.ee/atsushi_japanese

こんにちは！
Japanese daily life podcast のAtsushiです。
このPodcastは、日本語を勉強しているみなさんに向けたPodcastです。

みなさん、お元気ですか？
北海道は今日は雪が降っています。
たくさんではないですが、ずっと小さな雪が静かに降っています。

こういう時、しんしんと雪が降っている、とか言います。
また雪かきが大変かもしれないですね。

さて、今回は雪まつり！について話します。
実は昨日、雪まつりを見に行ってきました。

僕は、今回は2回目の雪まつりでした。
前回は20年以上前ですね。
大学生の時に行きました。その時は寒かった記憶の方が強いので、正直あんまり覚えてないですね。

で、今回は奥さんと行きました。
昼すぎに1度見に行ったんですが、奥さんは夜のライトアップが見たかったみたいなので、暗くなってからもう1度見に行きました。

札幌の大通公園でしています。今年は3年ぶりの開催ということで、日本人はもちろん、海外の旅行客もめっちゃ多かったですね。

雪まつりは70年以上続いている、日本の冬の祭りでは、1番有名かもしれないですね。

大きな雪の像が5つ、他にも中ぐらいの像や市民の人たちが参加して作っている像もあって、とても楽しかったです。

毎回自衛隊の人たちが1つ大きな雪像を作るみたいなんですけど、今回もとても迫力があって良かったです。見ごたえがありました。

僕たちは最近ほとんど毎日雪を見ているので、慣れていますが、雪がない国内からや、海外の方だととてもおもしろいまつりだとも思います。

今年2023年はは2/11まで！だそうです。
もし北海道、札幌に来る予定のある方はぜひ！1度見に行ってくださいね！

ということで、今回も最後まで聞いていただき、ありがとうございます！ではまた！


Atsushi のJapanese podcast (travel/news /文法・漢字・語彙/Osaka/Hokkaido/🇹🇷🇬🇪🇦🇲🇪🇸🇵🇹)

#200 札幌雪まつりについて！

001 Introduction

Hello everyone and welcome to my first ever iTalki podcast.

I just discovered this tool the other day, and thought to myself, 'Hey.  Why not?'

Since this is my first contribution to this particular tool on the iTalki platform, I thought that it would be appropriate to at least offer an introduction of myself, and then as a bonus, offer you the same guidance that I give to my students as they prepare for their sessions with me.

So...

{Message me for the full transcript of this podcast}

Peace

Organic English

001 | iTalki Podcast Introduction

In this short episode, you will learn the meaning of  (  Numb )

Engsavvy ( 504 Absolutely Essential Words )

Lesson 2 word 6 ( Numb ) 

Hard lesson learned while travelling in Naples Italy 20 years ago.
Book a lesson with me: https://teach.italki.com/teacher/1947582