How to Use Netflix to Learn English
Do you feel guilty about your binge-watching weekends? Let’s be honest; we’ve all been there! We don’t have time to do our English homework… but we do find time to watch countless TV shows and films on Netflix! Come on, admit it; after all, this TV and movie streaming service may be the sole reason that ‘binge-watch’ was reintroduced as a commonly used verb! But who says that watching Netflix has to be unproductive? In order to improve your level of English, it is important to constantly be surrounded by English. The special term for this is ‘immersion’, and Netflix is a great way to do it! Listening Practice When you keep the audio in English, you get used to the sounds and different rhythms of the language, and you also pick up colloquial phrases and words that are repeated. Once you get used to it, you’ll never go back to watching dubbed versions again! Subtitles: To Use or Not to Use? Yes, you can use subtitles; but English subtitles only! Reading and listening to English simultaneously is the best way for your brain to absorb new vocabulary. You could also find a film that you love, turn off the subtitles… and re-watch it in English. Relax; you don’t need to understand every single word! Already knowing the plot will help tremendously. Practise Shadowing Even if your grammar skills are excellent and you have a huge vocabulary, your pronunciation could let you down when you speak English. How many times have you heard the phrase ‘repeat after me’ being said in class? Repeating spoken English (also known as ‘English Shadowing’) is an effective technique to improve pronunciation, intonation and overall speaking skills. But maybe you’re searching for some shadowing material that’s a little more exciting. Well, the search is over! Learn to speak English like a native with Netflix programmes! British or American? Listening to a foreign language is often quite challenging and demanding. Lots of our students travel to different English-speaking countries and then return… to tell us that they found understanding different accents really hard! Well, Netflix is a great place to find examples of all of these accents. The more you listen to them, the easier you’ll understand them! Use Technology to Your Advantage Embrace the different ways technology can contribute to the learning process. Yes, there are some great free tools and apps out there which can help you make the most of Netflix. For example, Language Learning with Netflix (LLN) is a free and handy tool that helps you watch subtitles in two languages at the same time. And there's also a pop-up dictionary! Read Interviews & Reviews A great way to expand your knowledge beyond a show or film itself is to find online interviews or reviews in English to read. You might even find some YouTube videos, which could work well as extra listening practice. So, you can turn Netflix into a sofa-based language lab… Who knew! Get ready to binge-watch, grab some popcorn and prepare to sharpen your language skills! If you enjoyed this post, please give it a quick share on your favourite social media site! Also, if you liked this article, you might also like to read: Learn English easily at home. Do you use Netflix for language learning? Tell us in the comments below!...
How to Have an English Teacher in Your Pocket
If you have ever tried studying a foreign language, you know what the most common problem is: you tend to forget new vocabulary and grammar as soon as you have learnt it. The English Courses application attempts to solve this problem. This ambitious project, created by E-planet Educational Services, has been in the making for two years but is now available to all Android and iOS users through the Google Play Store and the App Store. ‘At first, we wanted to create a tool to facilitate communication between students and their English-language school,’ said Chris Michail, member of the company’s Development Department. ‘Through this innovative app, learners can message their course provider at the touch of a button, as well as chat to fellow E-planet students. They can also access information essential to their courses: announcements, test and homework scores, payments, course times and dates as well as progress and lessons attended.’ At first the app’s purpose was mainly organisational, but the creators soon discovered they could offer a lot more. They came up with the idea of helping thousands of learners to improve their language skills using a smartphone or tablet. Thus, they decided to turn the app into a hi-tech ‘teacher’ which you can carry in your pocket. Now the English Courses app gives access to a phonemic chart where you can listen to the most common English sounds, record your voice and receive a score for your pronunciation. You can also read and listen to a list of irregular verbs pronounced by a native speaker. Your pronunciation of these verbs is also tested through the voice recognition technology in the app. But that’s not all. The app provides access to essential materials from the students’ current course. As long as they have got an Internet connection, they can use interactive course books and watch educational videos. They are also able to use a dictionary, revise vocabulary and grammar, as well as listen to dialogues spoken by native speakers. ‘Young people love mobile technology, so why not use it to help them boost their knowledge of the English language?’ the E-planet representative points out. ‘We believe that education can be easily accessible and fun at the same time. Now our students can work on their language skills any time of day or night – even when they’re riding a bus!’ If the idea of having an English teacher in your pocket appeals to you, you can download the English Courses app right away even if you aren’t an E-planet student. You will have the opportunity to take a free test which will assess and reveal your level of English. After that, you will receive a complimentary e-learning course suited to your needs. You will also be able to enjoy the full benefits of this app. As more and more innovations are unveiled in the competitive ELT market, technology will play a key role in enabling students to overcome learning barriers of the past. Gone are the days when English learners had to sit at home for endless hours with a grammar book in their hands. With the help of computer software and new apps, it may just be that mobile devices will forever change the way we learn a foreign language. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNzkz-th0WA...
E-planet English Courses app now free for anyone to use
We're very excited to announce that our English learning app, English Courses, which was first released in January to our students, is now free for anyone to download and use. The app, which has been 2 years in the making, improves communication between students and their English-language school, provides all relevant course information as well as including features that help students improve their English. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rhvEz7R6Qw Click here to download the app on the Google Play store Students can improve their English skills. Students have access to a phonemic chart where they can listen to the most common English sounds, record their voice and receive a score for their pronunciation. They can see and listen to a list of irregular verbs, pronounced by a native speaker. Voice recognition technology is also used here to test a student's pronunciation. As well as these extra features, after taking a placement test, students have access to materials from a course appropriate to their level such as listening tracks, videos, a dictionary, and an interactive course book. The app is an ideal way to help students test their knowledge and encourages students to study by themselves. We would love to hear your feedback on the app so let us know in the comments below or rate/review the app in the Play Store itself!...
Learn on the go: E-planet launches new English learning app
We're very excited to announce that our new English learning app, English Courses, can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. The app, which has been 2 years in the making, improves communication between students and their English-language school, provides all relevant course information as well as including features that help students improve their English. Students can message their course provider at the touch of a button, chat to fellow E-planet students, and access a wealth of information related to their courses: announcements, test and homework scores, payments, course times and dates, progress and lessons attended. Within the same app, students can improve their English skills. Students have access to a phonemic chart where they can listen to the most common English sounds, record their voice and receive a score for their pronunciation. They can see and listen to a list of irregular verbs, pronounced by a native speaker. Voice recognition technology is also used here to test a student's pronunciation. As well as these extra features, students have access to materials from their current courses such as listening tracks, videos, a dictionary, and an interactive course book. The app is an ideal way to help both students and schools manage their English courses and encourages students to study by themselves. Initially, the app will only be available to current E-planet students but in three months time, anyone will be able to download the app and take a free placement test. After taking the test they can access a free e-learning course appropriate to their level. Download the app here: English Courses - E-planet Educational Services We would love to hear your feedback on the app so let us know in the comments below or rate/review the app in the Play Store itself!...
