This episode is my take on what I think is missing from the education curriculum - the essential skills all students should have in my opinion before they leave school. 
Please let me know in the comments your thoughts!

British English with Maria

Ep 7 - What they don't teach you at school....

My podcast, "にほんご聞こう" (Let's Listen to Japanese), starts today. This podcast is designed for people at various levels of Japanese proficiency, so I've made adjustments in terms of vocabulary, grammar, and speaking speed. I speak slowly in Episode 1. In the next episode, 1.5, I'll be speaking at a regular pace. Furthermore, the content of the second episode has additional information, so listening to both can be fun for comparison.

Hope you enjoy it :)

Full Script >> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JM4dN4NaYwxczCbAlVt4Bx1hGplqr1-N/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=113327799381827760818&rtpof=true&sd=true


にほんご聞こう！　Let's listen to Japanese! 

Episode 1: Self-introduction with transcript  [Level: Intermediate]  

Jag pratar om min resa till Fiji i juni. Vad tyckte jag om Fijianerna, om maten, kulturen, att de är bakåt i tiden teknologiskt, jag pratar också om vissa kulturskillnader mellan länderna. Hoppas ni tycker om avsnittet! : ) 

Tankar på svenska

Tankar På Svenska : Resan till Fiji (A2+)

Preparing for the IELTS speaking test? Here are some useful tips to help you succeed! First, practice speaking English daily to build fluency. Engage in conversations on various topics to expand your vocabulary. Secondly, structure your answers by using clear introductions, explanations, and examples. This helps examiners follow your thoughts easily. Third, avoid memorizing answers—focus on speaking naturally. It's okay to pause briefly to gather your thoughts. Lastly, improve pronunciation by listening to native speakers and repeating phrases. Stay calm and confident, and remember, the examiner is assessing your communication, not perfection!

IELTS Speaking Practice

Practice makes perfect!

In this episode, we’re going to explore three similar yet tricky English phrases — “If only”, “Only if”, and “As long as” — and learn how to express them naturally in Chinese! Whether you're wishing for something, setting a condition, or making a promise, I’ll guide you through the most accurate and native ways to say it. Let’s learn together with clear examples and useful vocabulary!

Learn Chinese and Have Fun!

Got "If Only", "Only If", and "As Long As" in Chinese — All at Once!

Convergent Thinkers vs. Divergent Thinkers: Is One Better Than the Other?

verybody is capable of both convergent and divergent thinking, depending on the situation. However, it’s natural to lean more toward one or the other when approaching problems and projects.

“Some people have a natural preference for divergent thinking. They are the people in organizations who love to come up with new ideas,” says Manning, “They are also the people who are most useful when solving daunting, complex challenges because they are more likely to articulate ideas that are new and useful.”

The real issue lies in becoming too reliant on one method of thinking. “Too much divergent thinking can lead to endless ideation and no solutions. Too much convergent thinking can lead to no new ideas and ‘analysis paralysis,’”

Project Management and the Lure of Convergent Thinking
That’s a trap that project management professionals—who are notoriously married to their plans and processes—can fall into easily.

Let’s break this all down with some examples. Divergent thinking starts with an objective—perhaps you need to generate 1,000 new leads within a month. You start by brainstorming creative ideas and solutions to satisfy that goal: happy hours with famous speakers, direct mailers including $100 gift cards, a man in a gorilla suit on the corner of Times Square.

From there, you move into evaluating those options and settling on the one(s) that works best. This is an example of convergent thinking.

Let's continue later today on this topic and explore it further. See you soon.

The Habits of Professionals Growing Into Strong, Confident English Communicators

Business English For Project Managers. Reading & Comprehension

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

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/ccr9nwq8ytV

こんばんは！
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。


今日はあいづちについて話します！
レッスンの中で出てきたトピックです。

ぼくも英語のあいづちをマスターしたいという気持ちがあります。それで今日は日本語のあいづちをいくつか紹介しますね！


あいづちにはいくつかパターンがあります。

 ① 聞いているとき 　はい
　そうですか
　うんうん
　へー
　なるほど
　それはおもしろいですね
　
　  ②共感するとき 　そうですね
　そう思います
　わかります
　そうですよね
　いいですね
　  ③ おどろいたとき 　本当ですか！
　それはすごいですね！
　そうなんですね！
　すごい！
　そうなんですか！
　えー！ 
 ④ 話をひろげるとき
　それでどうなったんですか 　それからどうなったんですか
　つづきを教えてください　
  ⑤ 確認するとき 　それは～ということですね
　それはこういうことですか？
　つまり〜ということですか？ 
 ⑥ 感謝の気持ちを伝えるとき 　ありがとうございました
　とても感謝しています 

などがあります。

まだまだあると思いますが、今回はここまでにしますね。 日本ではあいづちをすると、相手の話をちゃんと聞いてますよ、というサインになります。

海外ではあいづちをしすぎると良くない、ということも聞きます。でも、日本語を話す時は、あいづちを使うといい会話になると思います。

関西弁は本当にあいづちをたくさん使います。
うんうん、ほんで？
で、それからどないしたん？
そんなアホな！
マジで！

などなど、本当にたくさんあります。

ぜひ練習してみてください！

僕とのオンラインレッスンでは、僕のリアルなあいづちをたくさん聞くことができます。興味がある人はぜひお話しましょう！

お待ちしていますね！


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/🇹🇷🇬🇪🇦🇲🇪🇸🇵🇹)

#266 あいづち、について！

CHISTES MEXICANOS

UNA MUJER DE CALIFORNIA.

Mouth Movement when Speaking (with transcript)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L7CvnMGlCEEeW8QYLd4dgvQvhlCpPMuD/view?usp=drive_link