Hi, I am Georgiana, your English teacher and founder of SpeakEnglishPodcastcom, and I'm here to help you to speak English fluently, with no grammar and no textbooks.
In this episode, let's find out if you are too old to learn English.
Is it possible to learn English as an adult?
I'm going to answer these questions.
In the second part, we are going to meet Tom and his adventures to learn English.
Before we get started, go to my website, speakenglishpodcast.com, to get the transcript.
It's free.
Okay, let's start.
Some time ago, a 95-year-old student from Greece sent me an email.
He wanted to tell me how my method helped him learn English.
He's learning English and listens to this podcast.
The truth is that I admire people who don't make excuses, and that's what inspired me to do this episode.
There is a widespread belief that that if you don't start learning a language when you are very young, ideally as a child it's practically impossible to learn it.
Some even bash those who are studying a language, saying things like you're wasting your time and your money or, unless you go to the country, you'll never learn the language.
Well, I'm here to tell you that's a myth.
You can learn English as an adult and become fluent in English.
Many of my students have learned English at an advanced age and are perfectly able to speak it fluently.
Children indeed seem to learn their mother tongue effortlessly.
The younger you are, the easier it is to create new brain connections and consequently learn anything quickly.
However, studies show that the brain never loses the ability to learn.
For me, the determining factor is the attitude, not the aptitude.
Attitude refers to how we feel about something. aptitude relates to the ability to do something.
A bad attitude that is being negative, complaining or making excuses will not help you learn anything.
It's crucial to have a good predisposition to learn.
In other words, be more positive and less negative.
Sometimes this bad attitude leads to limiting oneself.
For example, some people think, I'm not good at learning languages, or I am too old for this.
Certainly, this attitude doesn't help at all.
On the other hand, children usually have a good attitude.
For example, they never say things like But there are so many words I don't know yet.
Or I make a lot of mistakes.
People are going to laugh at me.
Or I will never speak English.
I'd better not even try.
In reality, kids don't care how long it takes, how many mistakes they make or whether they mispronounce a word.
Kids hardly get frustrated when they don't get something right the first time.
They just keep trying.
They don't set mental limits for themselves as we adults do.
So I recommend you to be inspired by the attitude of the 95-year-old student that I mentioned before.
And because I want you to learn English three times faster, I have created a video course.
Go to speakenglishpodcast.com and get my video course for free.
Okay, let's continue with a mini story.
A mini story is very simple but really powerful.
I ask easy questions on purpose so that you can simulate a conversation.
It's like talking with another person in English.
Let's start.
Tom is learning English and is embarrassed to speak it.
Is Tom embarrassed to wear a bathing suit because he is fat?
No, no.
Tom is not embarrassed to wear a bathing suit because he is fat.
He is embarrassed to speak English.
What is Tom learning?
English.
He is learning English.
What is Tom embarrassed about? about speaking English.
He's embarrassed to speak English.
Tom is afraid of being laughed at if he makes a mistake.
Is Tom afraid of being laughed at for his jokes?
No, he is not afraid of that.
He's afraid of being laughed at.
If Tom makes a mistake, is he afraid of being laughed at?
Yes, Tom's afraid of being laughed at if he makes a mistake.
What is Tom afraid of being laughed at?
Tom's afraid of being laughed at.
Tom comes up with a plan.
After every sentence he says ha, does Tom come up with a plan or a clan a plan?
Tom comes up with a plan, He devises a plan.
Does Tom say anything before each sentence?
Yes, Tom says something after each sentence.
He says, Ha!
Is Tom crazy?
Well, we don't know, but Tom seems a little strange.
And people only pay attention to that strange sound, not to Tom's mistakes when he speaks.
Do people pay attention to that strange sound?
People only pay attention to that strange sound.
They no longer pay attention to Tom's mistakes when he speaks.
What are people not paying attention to?
Tom's mistakes People don't pay attention to his mistakes anymore.
They just pay attention to that strange sound, huh?
Finally, Tom can speak English without feeling embarrassed.
Does Tom feel embarrassed?
No, he doesn't feel embarrassed.
He can speak the language without feeling embarrassed.
Who can speak without feeling embarrassed?
Tom.
Tom can speak without feeling embarrassed.
What can he speak without feeling ashamed?
English Tom can speak English without feeling ashamed.
However, Tom doesn't understand people's surprised looks.
Does Tom understand people's surprised looks?
No, he doesn't understand.
He doesn't understand those surprise looks.
How do people look at Tom?
They look at him with surprise looks.
Perfect!
It's the end of this mini-story.
As you can see through questions and answers, you can practice and improve your speech, just like in a real conversation.
It is one of the techniques that I use in my premium courses.
I recommend you to take a look at speakenglishpodcast.com slash courses.
Okay, we have reached the end of this episode.
Remember to listen to it several times.
It will help you with your English.
See you soon.
Bye bye.
