English Class. How do we make it Remarkable? How do we create an incredible English Class?
I'm asking myself that question everyday now, because we are starting a San Francisco Effortless Language Club-- An English conversation club.
But not only English. We'll also teach Japanese. Hopefully, we'll soon add Spanish and maybe other languages too.
But I don't want a normal English Class. Most English classes are boring and ineffective. Ours will be effective. I already know that because I'll be using the same Effortless English method I use in my mp3 English Lessons.
But I think that a great teaching method is only part of being remarkable. A truly great class needs more.
To be great, an English class needs to support students' emotions. It needs to inspire them, motivate them, energize them, and entertain them.
A great English class must also be a true community-- a place of friendship, where meaningful connections are made between learners, and between teachers and learners.
A great English class must be a beautiful place. The room must be decorated beautifully-- in a way that instantly and automatically makes learners feel both relaxed and alert.
Of course, all of this will evolve. We're starting small... with a tiny office space and a couple of students.
But our goal is big, and its absolutely not modest: Our goal is to have the Greatest English Class in the world!
PS: A great side-benefit of the SF Effortless English Class is that we'll have more mp3 English lessons. I will record myself teaching every class... and every few months we'll sell the new collection of lessons!
Sign Up For My Free 7 Day Email Course. Enter Your Email Below, Now:
Listen To This Article at:
The Effortless English Podcast.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
MP3 English Lessons Are More Relaxing
Relax. Really :) When you learn English,.. relax. Relaxation is very important. Bored and stressed students learn much more slowly. Relaxed and happy students learn FASTER. This is not just my opinion-- its what the research shows.
But are most English classes relaxing? No.
Most have the following basic goal: Speak Dammit!
That's right. Most schools are trying to force, coerce, trick, bribe, pressure, or beg their students to speak. There is a lot of pressure on students to speak.
Often, the teacher will directly ask questions to one student. Everyone looks at the student. The student's heart beats faster. Do they feel relaxed?
This is why I love mp3 English Classes. With an mp3 English Class, there is no pressure. MP3 English Lessons are no-stress.
With our Effortless English Lessons, you just relax and listen. If you want to, you can answer the easy questions in the Mini-Story lessons. But you don't have to.
Effortless English is a listen-first approach. The key to great speaking is great listening! You shouldn't force yourself to speak... and no one else should force you to speak.
When you listen enough and when you listen correctly to good lessons, you will eventually speak automatically. The words will come out of your mouth and you won't think, you won't feel stress.
Until that happens, don't worry about speaking. Don't force it. Just listen to our mp3 English Lessons. Learn to speak by LISTENING-- that is the Effortless English key to success!
You can do it.
Relax. Listen.
Smile.
Laugh.
Enjoy your English learning.
Sign Up For My Free 7 Day Email Course. Enter Your Email Below, Now:
Listen To This Article at:
The Effortless English Podcast.
But are most English classes relaxing? No.
Most have the following basic goal: Speak Dammit!
That's right. Most schools are trying to force, coerce, trick, bribe, pressure, or beg their students to speak. There is a lot of pressure on students to speak.
Often, the teacher will directly ask questions to one student. Everyone looks at the student. The student's heart beats faster. Do they feel relaxed?
This is why I love mp3 English Classes. With an mp3 English Class, there is no pressure. MP3 English Lessons are no-stress.
With our Effortless English Lessons, you just relax and listen. If you want to, you can answer the easy questions in the Mini-Story lessons. But you don't have to.
Effortless English is a listen-first approach. The key to great speaking is great listening! You shouldn't force yourself to speak... and no one else should force you to speak.
When you listen enough and when you listen correctly to good lessons, you will eventually speak automatically. The words will come out of your mouth and you won't think, you won't feel stress.
Until that happens, don't worry about speaking. Don't force it. Just listen to our mp3 English Lessons. Learn to speak by LISTENING-- that is the Effortless English key to success!
You can do it.
Relax. Listen.
Smile.
Laugh.
Enjoy your English learning.
Sign Up For My Free 7 Day Email Course. Enter Your Email Below, Now:
Listen To This Article at:
The Effortless English Podcast.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Transcribe Contest 1
You write the text for this podcast!
Send it to me as a Personal Message in the Forums!
Listen To This Article at:
The Effortless English Podcast.
Send it to me as a Personal Message in the Forums!
Listen To This Article at:
The Effortless English Podcast.
Friday, June 20, 2008
New mp3 English Squidoo Lens
Hi. I just created a Squidoo Lens for mp3 English speaking lessons.
What is a Squidoo lens?
Well, its a super-simple web page that's designed to summarize key information on a topic.
My Squidoo lens, for example, summarizes all the mp3 English speaking lessons that I recommend. I have links to all of our lessons, our email course, and other great sources for English listening mp3s.
By using all the mp3s that I recommend, you improve your English speaking very very fast.
Look at my Squidoo Lens, and link to it, at:
http://www.squidoo.com/effortlessenglishclub
And then, why not create your own Squidoo lens. Make a list of YOUR favorite english speaking lessons, websites, podcasts, and books. Its super easy to make one!
Sign Up For My Free 7 Day Email Course. Enter Your Email Below, Now:
Listen To This Article at:
The Effortless English Podcast.
What is a Squidoo lens?
Well, its a super-simple web page that's designed to summarize key information on a topic.
My Squidoo lens, for example, summarizes all the mp3 English speaking lessons that I recommend. I have links to all of our lessons, our email course, and other great sources for English listening mp3s.
By using all the mp3s that I recommend, you improve your English speaking very very fast.
Look at my Squidoo Lens, and link to it, at:
http://www.squidoo.com/effortlessenglishclub
And then, why not create your own Squidoo lens. Make a list of YOUR favorite english speaking lessons, websites, podcasts, and books. Its super easy to make one!
Sign Up For My Free 7 Day Email Course. Enter Your Email Below, Now:
Listen To This Article at:
The Effortless English Podcast.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
The New English Speaking Forums Are Great!
Hi everyone! I'm happy to say that our new Forums are ready and going strong.
In fact, the new Forums are very active right now. Lots of new members are joining the discussions. Its great to meet so many interesting people from so many interesting places! Very exciting :)
The new Forums have a lot of great features. Members can now create detailed profiles, with pictures, avatars, Friends lists, web links, hobbies, and anything else they want to include. Also, members can rate each other--- so we all know who the super-helpful members are ;)
Another fun thing about the new Forums is we can now create polls and votes. At the moment, for example, we are voting about where to meet in Europe this year.
Sri is organizing an Effortless English Club gathering/party in Europe this Fall. She's definitely one of our Super-Members!
We plan to meet somewhere in Europe and get to know each other face to face. I'm excited to make new friends with our European members.
And I plan to invite Chris (the partner teacher on the Flow English Lessons) and Kristin (our customer service manager.. and my partner for the upcoming Movie Lessons) and maybe Kim (who will be helping me create some Effortless Healthcare Conversations). Of course, my wife Tomoe will also be coming.
It should be a great party!
In between partying, I also hope to discuss future plans and ideas with the members. I'd like to discuss the following topics:
* How to reach more people and get more members
* What kind of new mp3 English Lessons I should create
* How to make the new Forums even better
* How to encourage more communication and more friendship between members
All of this is very exciting. The Effortless English Club is growing into a very fun, interesting, and active international community.
I hope more of you will buy our English Speaking Lessons and join us in the Club. We hope you will join our community!
Listen To This Article at:
The Effortless English Podcast.
In fact, the new Forums are very active right now. Lots of new members are joining the discussions. Its great to meet so many interesting people from so many interesting places! Very exciting :)
The new Forums have a lot of great features. Members can now create detailed profiles, with pictures, avatars, Friends lists, web links, hobbies, and anything else they want to include. Also, members can rate each other--- so we all know who the super-helpful members are ;)
Another fun thing about the new Forums is we can now create polls and votes. At the moment, for example, we are voting about where to meet in Europe this year.
Sri is organizing an Effortless English Club gathering/party in Europe this Fall. She's definitely one of our Super-Members!
We plan to meet somewhere in Europe and get to know each other face to face. I'm excited to make new friends with our European members.
And I plan to invite Chris (the partner teacher on the Flow English Lessons) and Kristin (our customer service manager.. and my partner for the upcoming Movie Lessons) and maybe Kim (who will be helping me create some Effortless Healthcare Conversations). Of course, my wife Tomoe will also be coming.
It should be a great party!
In between partying, I also hope to discuss future plans and ideas with the members. I'd like to discuss the following topics:
* How to reach more people and get more members
* What kind of new mp3 English Lessons I should create
* How to make the new Forums even better
* How to encourage more communication and more friendship between members
All of this is very exciting. The Effortless English Club is growing into a very fun, interesting, and active international community.
I hope more of you will buy our English Speaking Lessons and join us in the Club. We hope you will join our community!
Listen To This Article at:
The Effortless English Podcast.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Learn English With MP3 Players
MP3s are great. MP3s are a revolution in English learning. That's why all of our audio lessons use MP3 files.
With MP3 English lessons, you can take your English learning anywhere. You can learn English on the bus as you go to work and return home. You can learn English on the train. You can learn English while exercising or walking. You can learn English while shopping. You can learn English while sitting at a coffee shop.
Its so easy. With Effortless English, all you need to do is listen. Just listen. Yes, its great if you can give short answers to the questions in the mini-story lessons. But its not necessary. Its perfectly fine to just listen silently.
Remember, listening is the key to better English speaking. Effortless English is a Listen First method because Listen First methods are the most successful.
You don't need to feel stress when you learn English. You can relax and listen to your iPod or MP3 player.
You don't need textbooks. You don't need difficult and boring lessons. You can learn English quickly and easily, during your short free times every day.
So, go get an MP3 player and start learning English the easy way!
Sign Up For My Free 7 Day Email Course. Enter Your Email Below, Now:
Listen To This Article at:
The Effortless English Podcast.
With MP3 English lessons, you can take your English learning anywhere. You can learn English on the bus as you go to work and return home. You can learn English on the train. You can learn English while exercising or walking. You can learn English while shopping. You can learn English while sitting at a coffee shop.
Its so easy. With Effortless English, all you need to do is listen. Just listen. Yes, its great if you can give short answers to the questions in the mini-story lessons. But its not necessary. Its perfectly fine to just listen silently.
Remember, listening is the key to better English speaking. Effortless English is a Listen First method because Listen First methods are the most successful.
You don't need to feel stress when you learn English. You can relax and listen to your iPod or MP3 player.
You don't need textbooks. You don't need difficult and boring lessons. You can learn English quickly and easily, during your short free times every day.
So, go get an MP3 player and start learning English the easy way!
Sign Up For My Free 7 Day Email Course. Enter Your Email Below, Now:
Listen To This Article at:
The Effortless English Podcast.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Festival Season In SF
Its my favorite time of year in San Francisco-- festival season. Summer is the time when San Franciscans love to party!
The season kicked off with Bay To Breakers last month. Bay To Breakers started as a normal running race. It was started after the 1906 earthquake as a way to cheer up the city. Well, it has certainly evolved into a cheerful event.
Bay To Breakers still has a running race. Professional runners, followed by amateur runners, start the race.
However, most of the 65,000 people who participated this year were not runners. Rather, Bay To Breakers is now one huge moving party! People wear crazy costumes. They build and push huge rolling floats, bars, and other structures. Some people walk or run naked. Many people push or pull full kegs of beer, or coolers full of bottles.
The party starts at the Bay, on the east side of the city, and winds through the Hayes Street neighborhood, then through Golden Gate Park, to the ocean. Along the way, houses next to the route play loud music and host house parties. Only in San Francisco will 65,000 people walk 7 miles and party at the same time!
Another huge festival is the annual Gay Pride Festival. Of course, its probably the biggest in the world, as San Francisco has long been a center for Gay Rights. There is a huge Gay Pride parade... with tens of thousands of people. The San Francisco mayor, city council members, police, and fire department all join the parade. While gay rights may be controversial in other parts of America, in San Francisco there is no controversy.
This year promises to be especially big, because California just approved Gay marriages-- and the government of San Francisco strongly supports gay marriage. So we expect a lot of tourists this year-- coming to get married. Of course, there will be a lot of crazy costumes and parties-- which is a San Francisco tradition.
A more relaxed Festival is the Haight Street Festival. Haight Street, during the 1960s, was the center for hippies, radicals, and anti-war activities. Its a lot more mainstream now, but still a fun place. The Haight Street festival has live musicians, good food, and plenty of art for sale on the street. Its a fun time to stroll around the Haight area.
Another summer tradition in San Francisco is the Stern Grove Music Festival. The best part about Stern Grove is that its free! Every weekend, different musicians perform at Stern Grove Park. People bring blankets and food and have picnics while they listen to the music. This continues all summer. There are salsa bands, rock bands, classic orchestras, bluegrass bands, etc.... Something for everyone.
And these are just the big festivals. It seems that every weekend there is a street festival or music festival somewhere in the city. Its certainly hard to be bored in San Francisco!
Listen To This Article at:
The Effortless English Podcast.
The season kicked off with Bay To Breakers last month. Bay To Breakers started as a normal running race. It was started after the 1906 earthquake as a way to cheer up the city. Well, it has certainly evolved into a cheerful event.
Bay To Breakers still has a running race. Professional runners, followed by amateur runners, start the race.
However, most of the 65,000 people who participated this year were not runners. Rather, Bay To Breakers is now one huge moving party! People wear crazy costumes. They build and push huge rolling floats, bars, and other structures. Some people walk or run naked. Many people push or pull full kegs of beer, or coolers full of bottles.
The party starts at the Bay, on the east side of the city, and winds through the Hayes Street neighborhood, then through Golden Gate Park, to the ocean. Along the way, houses next to the route play loud music and host house parties. Only in San Francisco will 65,000 people walk 7 miles and party at the same time!
Another huge festival is the annual Gay Pride Festival. Of course, its probably the biggest in the world, as San Francisco has long been a center for Gay Rights. There is a huge Gay Pride parade... with tens of thousands of people. The San Francisco mayor, city council members, police, and fire department all join the parade. While gay rights may be controversial in other parts of America, in San Francisco there is no controversy.
This year promises to be especially big, because California just approved Gay marriages-- and the government of San Francisco strongly supports gay marriage. So we expect a lot of tourists this year-- coming to get married. Of course, there will be a lot of crazy costumes and parties-- which is a San Francisco tradition.
A more relaxed Festival is the Haight Street Festival. Haight Street, during the 1960s, was the center for hippies, radicals, and anti-war activities. Its a lot more mainstream now, but still a fun place. The Haight Street festival has live musicians, good food, and plenty of art for sale on the street. Its a fun time to stroll around the Haight area.
Another summer tradition in San Francisco is the Stern Grove Music Festival. The best part about Stern Grove is that its free! Every weekend, different musicians perform at Stern Grove Park. People bring blankets and food and have picnics while they listen to the music. This continues all summer. There are salsa bands, rock bands, classic orchestras, bluegrass bands, etc.... Something for everyone.
And these are just the big festivals. It seems that every weekend there is a street festival or music festival somewhere in the city. Its certainly hard to be bored in San Francisco!
Listen To This Article at:
The Effortless English Podcast.
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