Finding a Good English Teacher

Interactive Transcript

spk_0 Welcome to the Listening Time Podcast.

spk_0 Hey English learners, this is Connor,

spk_0 and you're listening to episode 227

spk_0 of the Listening Time Podcast.

spk_0 I hope your English learning is going well.

spk_0 I hope you're seeing progress with your listening.

spk_0 I'm sure these episodes have been helpful for you.

spk_0 And maybe you feel like it's time to start speaking.

spk_0 I get contacted about this all the time.

spk_0 People ask me about ways they can start speaking.

spk_0 They're nervous about this.

spk_0 They don't know how to start.

spk_0 I get messages all the time about this.

spk_0 People ask me for my advice, my opinions.

spk_0 So I wanted to make an episode

spk_0 talking about finding a good English teacher.

spk_0 I've talked about English teachers in previous episodes.

spk_0 I think I did an entire episode dedicated to this.

spk_0 But I want to talk in a little more detail about how you can go about choosing a teacher.

spk_0 I also want to talk about the importance of a good English teacher,

spk_0 how it affects your learning, some possible criteria,

spk_0 that you can use when you're looking for a teacher.

spk_0 And make sure you listen until the end of this episode.

spk_0 Because I'm going to tell you how many of my listeners have found a good English teacher

spk_0 to help them start speaking.

spk_0 So I'm going to talk about that towards the end or in the second part of this episode.

spk_0 So please continue listening.

spk_0 And before we start, remember that if you feel like you need my help,

spk_0 understanding native speakers when they speak fast,

spk_0 then make sure to sign up for my training.

spk_0 So you can get my listening practice seminars in which I help you understand

spk_0 different difficult sound patterns in English.

spk_0 And I help you become more comfortable with how English really sounds.

spk_0 So if you're interested in that training, the link to sign up is down below.

spk_0 And of course, the link to my US Conversations podcast is also down below.

spk_0 You can sign up for that if you want to practice listening to my conversations with native speakers

spk_0 from all around the US.

spk_0 So if you want that, the link is down below.

spk_0 Okay, let's talk about what a good English teacher can do for you.

spk_0 In my opinion, teachers don't exactly give you English knowledge.

spk_0 All right, you might have this idea that a teacher gives you knowledge.

spk_0 And in a way, I see how this is true.

spk_0 Of course, they can explain something to you.

spk_0 And now you know it.

spk_0 So I understand that point of view.

spk_0 But when it comes to language learning, I prefer to view it as the learner acquiring knowledge

spk_0 through their own practice.

spk_0 Yes, the teacher helps that and facilitates that.

spk_0 They can make this easier for you and give you some structure

spk_0 that you can use in order to acquire this knowledge, this ability.

spk_0 But really, it's about you, the learner, becoming better over time, becoming more knowledgeable

spk_0 over time.

spk_0 However, like I said, the teacher facilitates this.

spk_0 This is where the value of a teacher really comes into play.

spk_0 When we say that something comes into play, we're saying that it is relevant for this

spk_0 topic, this goal or whatever.

spk_0 It comes into play.

spk_0 So the teacher's value, in my opinion, is how they facilitate you acquiring the language.

spk_0 So a teacher can do this directly more technically and indirectly.

spk_0 So let's talk about the technical things first.

spk_0 The teacher gives you input.

spk_0 Input refers to what you hear, you listen to, or read in the foreign language.

spk_0 So of course, the teacher provides you with input because they talk to you.

spk_0 So you hear them speak and they're a native speaker.

spk_0 That's very helpful input.

spk_0 So of course, this is a very direct benefit that they're giving you.

spk_0 They're helping you understand English better because you're practicing listening to them.

spk_0 So that's one thing.

spk_0 They also give you correction.

spk_0 Okay.

spk_0 They might tell you what you said wrong or what you said that was right, but unnatural.

spk_0 They can give you correction in different ways.

spk_0 But in general, they help you see what you're not saying right.

spk_0 So this is a technical way that teachers can directly help you learn English.

spk_0 They can show you your mistakes and what you need to change.

spk_0 That's great.

spk_0 You can't necessarily do this on your own.

spk_0 You can't necessarily correct yourself in every instance.

spk_0 And even online tools and resources can't always do this.

spk_0 There are times when I need to talk to my French tutor to understand

spk_0 what is right or wrong to say in a certain situation with a certain type of structure.

spk_0 Sometimes I can't really get to the bottom of it just using online resources.

spk_0 When you get to the bottom of something, it means that you understand the full truth behind

spk_0 something. Sometimes I'll see different translations online and different websites are saying

spk_0 different things, different translators are saying different things.

spk_0 And I need to just ask my teacher.

spk_0 I need to ask my tutor who is a native speaker.

spk_0 And they can tell me if what I'm saying is correct or not.

spk_0 So that's very valuable.

spk_0 They teach you new things.

spk_0 They teach you new phrases, new expressions.

spk_0 They show you new things that you didn't know previously.

spk_0 And that's really helpful as well.

spk_0 But of course, you have to practice to acquire all of this.

spk_0 Just because they show you something new doesn't mean you automatically learn it and start using it.

spk_0 Of course, there's a process that you have to go through in order to adopt that new thing

spk_0 in your own speech.

spk_0 So those are all technical things that a teacher can do.

spk_0 They correct you, they show you new things, concepts, they give you input.

spk_0 But they also help you indirectly.

spk_0 So let me talk about some of these things.

spk_0 They provide a comfortable environment for you to practice speaking.

spk_0 This is essential. This is really important.

spk_0 Trust me. I hear from listeners from different English learners who have the desire to start speaking.

spk_0 But their biggest obstacle is that they don't feel comfortable.

spk_0 They don't know how to start doing this.

spk_0 They're scared quite frankly.

spk_0 When we say quite frankly, we're saying honestly.

spk_0 So they're a little bit scared.

spk_0 They don't feel like they have a comfortable environment.

spk_0 So many people ask me if I can talk to them.

spk_0 And sometimes listeners take classes with me.

spk_0 So sometimes I do this, of course.

spk_0 But they really want a comfortable safe environment

spk_0 where they feel like they can practice and not be afraid.

spk_0 So a good teacher will provide that comfortable environment.

spk_0 If they don't, then you should try a different teacher.

spk_0 A good teacher can also provide interesting conversation.

spk_0 Okay. They can talk to you about anything you want.

spk_0 And they can guide the conversation so that it is stimulating and exciting and engaging.

spk_0 This is something that a good teacher can do.

spk_0 And when your conversation is really interesting, you will learn more from it.

spk_0 You will benefit more from that conversation that you have in English.

spk_0 So that's a great thing about having a good teacher.

spk_0 And they can also push you to talk about different things.

spk_0 Oftentimes when I speak to myself, which is something I do a lot of,

spk_0 I tend to talk about some of the same things over and over again.

spk_0 But when my tutor talks to me, he sometimes asks me questions about different things

spk_0 that I haven't practiced talking about.

spk_0 And so he pushes me to talk about that thing.

spk_0 That results from having a conversation with that tutor.

spk_0 So that can help me practice talking about different topics.

spk_0 And a good teacher will help you continue talking the whole time.

spk_0 They'll help you feel comfortable.

spk_0 And they won't make you guide the conversation.

spk_0 So you can just practice speaking without needing to worry about asking a bunch of questions

spk_0 and guiding the conversation.

spk_0 If you have a good teacher, you don't need to worry about that stuff.

spk_0 So all of those indirect things are extremely important

spk_0 because they help you actually practice better, more effectively,

spk_0 with more desire, more motivation.

spk_0 All of this is really good for practicing your speaking in particular.

spk_0 And honestly, these non-technical things, these indirect things,

spk_0 can often be more important than the direct technical things.

spk_0 There are some teachers who have a greater knowledge of the English language

spk_0 and can explain more concepts to you and maybe explain these concepts better.

spk_0 But they might not help you as much as a teacher who is not as technically knowledgeable,

spk_0 but who is really interesting to talk to.

spk_0 If you are really interested in talking to someone, let's say you share some of the same hobbies

spk_0 or interests or maybe lifestyle or attitudes or views, opinions,

spk_0 when you talk to someone who you just really like talking to,

spk_0 that can be more beneficial than talking to a teacher who has more knowledge.

spk_0 But you're not that interested in talking to them.

spk_0 So it's really important to find someone who you like,

spk_0 someone who you like talking to, who you actually look forward to having a conversation with.

spk_0 This is essential. Okay, this is perhaps the number one criteria.

spk_0 Maybe not number one, but it's near the top.

spk_0 There are other criteria that are important.

spk_0 The teacher should offer you some form of correction and feedback.

spk_0 Of course, that's important.

spk_0 These other things are also important.

spk_0 But really, if you can find someone who is really interesting to talk to,

spk_0 that will really help you with your speaking practice.

spk_0 I have experienced that firsthand.

spk_0 When we say firsthand, we're saying like it has happened to me specifically,

spk_0 not just to other people. So I've experienced that firsthand.

spk_0 I've had other teachers who might have more technical knowledge

spk_0 French, let's say, or maybe Portuguese when I was taking classes for Portuguese.

spk_0 But I actually benefited more from taking classes with a teacher who I just really liked talking to.

spk_0 It caused me to speak more, speak better, be more comfortable,

spk_0 actually acquire more from the conversation.

spk_0 Really, all of these things are easier when you are talking to a teacher whom you like.

spk_0 That sounds pretty simple, but it is definitely a really good piece of advice that I want to give you.

spk_0 And it's not as easy as you might think to just find someone who you like.

spk_0 I've taken classes with dozens and dozens of teachers throughout the years.

spk_0 And I'll be honest with you, I didn't return for a second class with many of those teachers.

spk_0 It's not because they're not nice or they're not smart or whatever.

spk_0 It's because I just didn't have as much fun or they weren't that interesting to talk to.

spk_0 And so it can be hard to find someone who meets this criteria.

spk_0 But here's how you can do that. I got the idea for this episode because I've had

spk_0 many students tell me that they have listened to my US Conversations podcast.

spk_0 And they have started taking classes with different teachers that I've talked to.

spk_0 Because in that podcast, I talk to a lot of different teachers from different parts of the US.

spk_0 Many of them are now living in foreign countries.

spk_0 They're also language learners.

spk_0 I think almost all of them, perhaps, or maybe all of them are language learners themselves.

spk_0 And I've had many students that have started taking classes with these different English teachers.

spk_0 And some of these teachers have told me.

spk_0 They've told me I've had lesson requests from your listeners.

spk_0 Thank you. And it has ended up being a really great and efficient way for my listeners

spk_0 to find an English teacher who is suitable for them. And so what's cool about

spk_0 choosing a teacher from one of these episodes is that you get to know them really well

spk_0 before you ever take a class with them. Because in each episode, I ask them about where they're from,

spk_0 where they live. Sometimes I ask them about their background growing up. You get to know

spk_0 what they like to do. They're hobbies, they're interests. We talk about their experience as language

spk_0 learners, their experience living abroad, all that kind of stuff. And that's really great because

spk_0 you get to know their personality, what interests them, and you can see if you share things in

spk_0 common with them. But not only that, you also get to hear how they speak. You get to hear

spk_0 their style of speaking, what type of accent they might have. And they're all from the US, or almost

spk_0 all the people I talk to are from the US. So of course, they don't have a super different accent

spk_0 from me. But they have different ways of speaking. So you can see if these teachers are understandable

spk_0 for you, or if you have a hard time understanding them. And many of my listeners have chosen to take

spk_0 classes with teachers that I've talked to on this podcast. Simply because they can understand

spk_0 these teachers well. That is huge. If you can understand the teacher well, that will really help

spk_0 you feel more comfortable during your first class. And of course, you'll just be able to interact

spk_0 better. So that's one of the best things about choosing one of these teachers. And I've talked to

spk_0 multiple listeners, like I've mentioned, who are thankful that they have a teacher now who they

spk_0 take classes with every week. So some of my listeners have found a teacher who they talk to

spk_0 every week now regularly. They're learning a lot. They're getting to know these teachers more and

spk_0 more. And they're having fun with them and talking about a lot of interesting things. And they're

spk_0 seeing improvement with their speaking skills. And honestly, I didn't really start the US

spk_0 conversations podcast with this goal in mind to connect students to teachers. Really, it was to help

spk_0 you practice with more than one person talking because this is an essential skill. And when I was

spk_0 learning Spanish, I didn't practice enough with this. And so when I moved to Mexico, I struggled a

spk_0 lot in group settings. So I wanted to create a resource to help you with that. But I didn't

spk_0 really think too much about the possibility of connecting students to these teachers. But honestly,

spk_0 this has become one of the biggest benefits of this podcast. And I'm really happy about that. Because

spk_0 it serves that purpose as well. Because I get asked all the time about English teachers and

spk_0 how people can start speaking. They feel nervous. And this is honestly the perfect way to start.

spk_0 Listen to my conversations with these different teachers. And choose one or two that you want to

spk_0 take a class with. And you'll already know all about them. You know how they speak. You know

spk_0 if you can understand them or not. This is great. And I know many of you need to start speaking.

spk_0 I know that a lot of you can understand pretty well. Now your listening has improved a lot.

spk_0 But you just haven't started speaking regularly. And let me emphasize regularly.

spk_0 Speaking every once in a while is not that beneficial. You need to speak regularly. If you really want

spk_0 to improve your speaking skills more directly. Of course, listening helps your speaking skills.

spk_0 I definitely believe that. But if you really want to target your speaking skills and improve them,

spk_0 you have to speak regularly. So if you don't know where to start or how to start and you're nervous

spk_0 about speaking. But you know that you need to do this. This is how you can start. Listen to my US

spk_0 conversations podcast episodes with the different teachers I've talked to and choose teachers

spk_0 from there. This is a great resource for you. If you're just starting to speak. Or maybe you have

spk_0 taken classes with other teachers. But you're not that satisfied or you're just not doing it

spk_0 regularly. This is the place to start. Okay. I've talked to some great teachers so far. I always

spk_0 try to choose interesting teachers to talk to. So you've got plenty of options already. And of course,

spk_0 I record a new episode every month and release a new conversation every month. So as time goes on,

spk_0 there will be even more options of teachers to choose from because I release episodes continuously.

spk_0 So please check out that US Conversations podcast and pick a teacher and give that person a try

spk_0 and see if you like your first class with them. Maybe you don't and you can try a different teacher.

spk_0 But this is a much easier way to start than just randomly choosing teachers that you don't really

spk_0 know well. You don't know if you'll get along with them. If they're interesting to talk to

spk_0 use this resource. Okay. So that link is down below. So go down and click on that. And like I mentioned

spk_0 before, if you also want my training to help you understand fast English, then make sure you sign up

spk_0 to get my listening practice seminars. That link is down below as well. All right. I hope you

spk_0 enjoyed this episode and that if you feel ready to start speaking, you start speaking to one of

spk_0 those teachers that I have had a conversation with. And I hope that you have a good rest of your day.

spk_0 Thank you for listening and I'll talk to you on the next episode of Listening Time.

Finding a Good English Teacher

Interactive Transcript

Topics Covered

Related Episodes

Win New Hampshire | 10

Why a University Proactively Sought a Merger

Welcome to Astronomy 161

Want to Speak Real Japanese? Get our Free Travel Survival Course Today!

Share Episode