A.J. Hoge's Blog, page 53
June 27, 2015
Daily English Listening Videos
Free English listening videos, (almost) every day. I do these extra videos on my iPhone using an app called “Periscope”. These are bonus videos for fans of The Effortless English Show!
Watch this video to learn how you can follow my daily LIVE videos on your phone. This video explains the following steps:
1. Follow me on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/ajhoge
2. Get the free Periscope app at: http://periscope.tv
3. Follow me on Periscope @ajhoge
4. Each day, watch my Twitter. Whenever I start a new LIVE video, you’ll see a notice in Twitter. Just click the link and watch the video!
5. Press the “HEART” symbol many times to make the hearts rise on the screen.
6. If you want to comment, send me a Twitter message (@ajhoge) and ask me to follow you on Periscope.
7. Once I follow you on Periscope, you can make LIVE comments during my videos!
8. The replay of each video is only available for 24 hours. The replay disappears after 24 hours.. so watch it many times during the day before it’s gone!
9. Continue to check your email and/or Twitter for new Effortless English Shows! The Effortless English Show (longer videos of 20-35 minutes) will continue as normal.
Enjoy this extra bit of English listening! I look forward to your “Hearts” and your comments!
–AJ
The post Daily English Listening Videos appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.
June 17, 2015
Speak English or Lose Your Job
Massimiliano Ratti’s job was at stake when he started learning English. A native of Italy, he was informed by his employer that his position was being cut. Ratti was given an ultimatum- he could transfer to another job if he learned to speak English in six months or else he would be downsized.
Desperate to preserve his job, Ratti searched online for English courses. Comparing a half dozen options, he chose a program called Effortless English due to its focus on adult learners. For the next 6 months, he diligently listened to the lessons for two hours or more every day. In the morning, during his commutes, during lunch breaks, and in the evenings, Ratti used every available minute for listening to the lessons.
At first he noticed only a gradual improvement, but by 6 months his speaking had improved rapidly.
“I learned it and saved my job,” he said.
His success is extraordinary, but the English challenge he faced is common across the globe. Internationally, employees are increasingly expected to master spoken English, and they are expected to do so on their own.
There are over 1 billion people currently learning English world wide, according to figures available from the British Council. These impressive numbers are driven by adult speakers around the world who use English to communicate in the workplace.
While English is required for those living and working in English speaking countries such as the USA and UK, the tremendous demand for the language is driven by the use of English as a lingua franca between nations where English is not the primary language. In the global economy, English is the language of business.
“This is part of the new reality that employees are facing everywhere,” said A.J. Hoge, the author of Effortless English: Learn To Speak English Like A Native, “It’s been growing for a long time but now it’s reaching a critical point.”
Case in point is the Japanese multinational corporation Rakuten. Rakuten’s founder and CEO Hiroshi Mikitani has created an English-only policy for the giant web commerce company. Mikitani said, “one of the things holding back Japanese firms from competing globally is a language barrier that prevents them from fully grasping overseas competition”.
With the new policy, all employees are required to use English for company communications, including meetings, presentations, emails, proposals, and other documents. The company expects employees to be proactive about learning English independently, on their own time.
While this is a developing trend for Japan, many international companies world wide are instituting English-only policies. In the business world, increasingly, there is simply no escape from English.
Of all the challenges faced by employees in a globalized economy, achieving English fluency is arguably one of the most difficult. It’s hard to find effective instruction, and there’s little consistency in the programs used to educate them. Despite years of study in school, most students graduate having never achieved fluency.
The education industry is divided over the best way to teach English, with the traditional grammar-translation approach favored by schools but also creating an emotional debate with those who favor a natural grammar-free approach.
Adult English learners are more likely to be under tremendous time pressure and in many cases require independent learning options that fit their busy schedules.
The longer these students lack English fluency, the further they fall behind in the global economy. The earning difference for immigrants in English speaking countries is especially severe.
Employees who speak English “very well” earn, on average, 18,000 dollars a year more than those who speak “not well” or “not at all” according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Although many are highly motivated to learn English, the current system of adult education in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) is serving adult English learners especially poorly – with high drop-out rates, and poor results.
These programs are not working effectively– with only 40% of learners improving their fluency level after one year of study, and many fewer achieving full fluency, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.
“The quality of education of adult English learners world wide is just miserable”, said Hoge.
“Traditional programs are simply failing adult English learners,” Hoge said. “International employees need new approaches that help them achieve true fluency in the language– that is, the ability to communicate clearly, naturally, and effortlessly in English”.
An adult English learner’s education usually started years before in the school system. Frustrated by their failure to achieve fluency in school, many look for alternative methods of learning.
While most schools continue to favor a grammar-translation approach, there has been recent momentum for a variety of natural approaches such as Effortless English, which has been a leader in online education since 2006. The company adopted a grammar-free program for all students, that emphasizes spoken fluency and intuitive techniques for teaching grammar and vocabulary.
The method aims to replicate how students learn their native language. The approach is supported by research. In a study by Dr. Ashley Hastings, students learning with a natural approach improved 3 times faster than students using grammar-translation methods, over a 4 week period.
“The natural approach is spreading throughout the globe very, very fast, especially among independent learners” Hoge said.
One problem, however, is that it’s not always easy to find quality programs for adults. Pushed by their employers to learn independently, students struggle with the confusing array of choices available both online and off.
“I was fortunate” Ratti said.
“It’s just amazing,” he said, “that I did it. Otherwise, I would have lost my job.”
The question is how well other adult learners can repeat his success.
The post Speak English or Lose Your Job appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.
April 13, 2015
Decisions Change Your Life
Decisions are the key to changing your life completely. Decisions are power. One decision can transform your life. Which decisions will help you achieve success with English speaking? How do you make great decisions to get the results you want? Why are decisions so powerful? In this Effortless English Show, AJ teaches you the power of decisions!
The post Decisions Change Your Life appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.
March 23, 2015
Great English Teachers and Tutors
English trainerHow do you find great English teachers, tutors, or school? How do you find a great English conversation partner? What kind of person will help you succeed? In this Effortless English Show, AJ tells you how to shop for a great teacher. He discusses the most important qualities of a tutor and how to choose the very best one for you.
There are thousands of English teachers available online. Some are good. Most are average. Many are bad. But only a few are truly great.
As an English learner, you want a great English trainer. A great tutor (or conversation partner) will inspire you. A great teacher will energize you. They will build your confidence. They will improve your fluency. They will make you feel more confident and more relaxed every time you speak English.
Of course, bad English teachers will do the opposite. They’ll make you feel more nervous about speaking. They’ll correct your spoken mistakes so that you constantly hesitate when speaking. They’ll have low energy and you’ll feel bored talking to them.
Choosing an English teacher or conversation partner, therefore, is an important choice.
It’s best to take your time and try several. Shop around. Ask all potential tutors for a trial lesson or two. At a minimum, you should try at least 10 different teachers before you make your final decision. In this way you will get a good feeling for the strengths and weaknesses of each. Good luck!
The post Great English Teachers and Tutors appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.
Great Teachers and Tutors
How do you find a great English teacher, tutor, or school? How do you find a great English conversation partner? What kind of person will help you succeed? In this Effortless English Show, AJ tells you how to shop for a great teacher. He discusses the most important qualities of a tutor and how to choose the very best one for you.
The post Great Teachers and Tutors appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.
March 6, 2015
Boldly Go And Learn
Boldly Go Forward as you learn English and improve your communication. The most powerful “secret” to learning English is how to change your attitude. In this Show, AJ shares the secret of his most successful students and tells you how to do exactly what they do. He also discusses the Effortless English Mission and how it was inspired by Star Trek.
The post Boldly Go And Learn appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.
February 24, 2015
Danger, Fear, Initiative
AJ Hoge, the World’s #1 English Teacher, talks about your fear of being judged and how it can cause problems with your English fluency. He begins with a dangerous and scary story about his first trip to India. Learn how to better communicate with native speakers. Enjoy this episode of the Effortless English Show.
The post Danger, Fear, Initiative appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.
February 17, 2015
Unexpected Challenges
In English learning, you are going to encounter unexpected challenges. This is the case even when you use the Effortless English system. When these problems arise, how do you solve them? How can you continue moving forward? AJ Hoge shares his experiences and answers in this episode of the Show.
The post Unexpected Challenges appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.
February 10, 2015
Correcting Your Errors
How can you improve your English errors? What’s the worst thing that you must avoid? What are the best ways to improve spoken grammar correctness and pronunciation? AJ teaches you all of this and more in this Effortless English Show.
The post Correcting Your Errors appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.
Flexibility and Fun
As an independent English learner a huge key to your success is flexibility. You must unlearn the rigid methods you learned in school and learn to relax and enjoy as you learn. In this video, AJ tells you how.
The post Flexibility and Fun appeared first on Learn to Speak English Powerfully With Effortless English.
