Learn why small talk matters in the U.S., what to say (and avoid), and how to sound natural in everyday conversations — starting with the weather!

Thanks to Jerome for being such a great guest!!!

Alexis : https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/9464070
Jerome: https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/4075458

Hey Alexis!

Why Americans Really Talk about the Weather

In this episode, I talk about why elaborating real authentic language examples is ALWAYS better than simplification.

The Grammarian Podcast

A beginners guide to acquiring a foreign language - Part 3 "The importance of elaboration over simplification of language teaching materials"

Simplified Chinese version:
季子是中国古代人。有一次他去旅游，走累了就坐在路边休息。他看到地上有一块儿金子。他想：可能是别人不小心丢掉的吧！
因为季子是一个有钱人，所以他不想去捡这块儿金子。
这个时候，刚好有一个人经过。季子想：这个人很瘦，衣服也很旧，应该是一个乞丐。
季子对他说：“喂！这地上有一块儿金子，你捡去用吧！一会儿被其他乞丐捡走，你就什么都没有了！”
这个人听了非常生气，他说：“你凭什么认为我是乞丐？是因为我的衣服很旧？还是因为我很瘦？你觉得我佷可怜吗？”
这个人说：“今天就算你是有钱人，你都不可以这样对我说话！”
季子很不好意思，于是客气地问这个人的名字。这个人说：“你是一个没有礼貌的人，我不想告诉你我的名字。”

Traditional Chinese version:
季子是中國古代人。有一次他去旅遊，走累了就坐在路邊休息。他看到地上有一塊兒金子。他想：可能是別人不小心丟掉的吧！
因為季子是一個有錢人，所以他不想去撿這塊兒金子。
這個時候，剛好有一個人經過。季子想：這個人很瘦，衣服也很舊，應該是一個乞丐。
季子對他說：“餵！這地上有一塊兒金子，你撿去用吧！一會兒被其他乞丐撿走，你就什麼都沒有了！”
這個人聽了非常生氣，他說：“你憑什麼認為我是乞丐？是因為我的衣服很舊？還是因為我很瘦？你覺得我佷可憐嗎？”
這個人說：“今天就算你是有錢人，你都不可以這樣對我說話！”
季子很不好意思，於是客氣地問這個人的名字。這個人說：“你是一個沒有禮貌的人，我不想告訴你我的名字。”

English translation:
Jizi was a man of ancient China. Once he went on a journey, resting by the street side whenever he felt exhausted. He spotted a piece of gold on the ground. “Someone could have lost this by accident,“ thought Jizi.
Since Jizi was a wealthy man, he did not want to pick up this piece of gold.
Right at this moment, there was someone passing by. “This man is so scraggy, his clothes are tattered too, he’s got to be a beggar,” thought Jizi.
“Hey, there’s a piece of gold on the ground, go pick it up and use it! You will gain nothing if it were picked by other beggars later,” Jizi told him.
Enraged, this man said, “What makes you think of me as a beggar? Is it because my old clothes are too worn? Or is it because I am too skinny? Are you thinking that I am deplorable?”
“Even if you are a rich man, you should never talk to me like that!” the man said.
Jizi felt very embarrassed and asked this man’s politely what his name was. “You are a ill-mannered man, I don’t want to tell you,” said the man.

Yasmine's Chinese Reading - elementary

没有礼貌的季子  The Ill-mannered Jizi

Confusing words
My students often have problems with these words. Let me help!
Load this PDF to read the text.

PDF:   https://drive.google.com/open?id=1fAbDx9wI-hk3jp9InjPN0-AB-OsMnmJK&usp=drive_fs


Confusing words - intermediate 

Confusing words - pass something on, pass something around

Learn to speak about your job in Spanish!

Super Basic Spanish

Episodio 5: Me gusta mi trabajo (I like my work/job)

これでOK！“あいづち“ 
This is AIZUCHI you need to know
이것이 알아야 하는 일본어 맞장구


NANAのにほんごpodcast 

【Japanese Podcast#27】これでOK！“あいづち“ | This is AIZUCHI you need to know

Understanding the most common prefixes and suffixes in English is a great way to build your vocabulary. In this blog post, I cover the prefixes "anti-" and "counter-." They may seem the same, but there are some subtle differences.

For the full text of this episode, please go to https://www.difficultenglishexplained.com/what-is-the-difference-between-anti-and-counter-making-negative-words-in-english/ .

Difficult English Explained

What is the Difference between “anti-” and “counter-”? — Making Negative Words in English

Um episódio sobre a massagem de ano no Brasil! 

Portuguese Audios for Beginners A1 -Áudios em Português para Principiantes A1

Festa de final de ano

Iremos aprender como utilizar o verbo “ser” e “estar” em português brasileiro que é muito importante no aprendizado. Hoje você que esta aprendendo português terá a oportunidade de conhecer de forma completa o seu uso e a sua pronuncia com acento nativo da língua.