Tulips everywhere, in yellow, red, pink, white, orange, and even purple and black. They line the streets and the canal. They attract hundreds and hundreds of people to admire them and post their beauty on Instagram. Where? Right here, in Ottawa, Canada, every May.   It’s the annual Tulip Festival, and it’s a sight to behold. The Tulip Festival in Ottawa has historical significance, and I’d like to share that with you today, to share some pride in my city and my country. We’ll take a brief look at what tulips are and where they originate (it’s not Holland), then we’ll explore the importance of tulips in Ottawa and its special tulip history (it involves a princess), and finally, we’ll wrap up by looking at flower festivals and their pros and cons in today’s social media landscape.   🛑In this episode, I draw your attention to connected speech specifically. Listen carefully for where words are dramatically reduced and/or connected.    Sign up for my newsletter to receive the colour-coded transcript of each episode. It includes links to other resources and highlights language to notice, such as:  advanced vocabulary collocations and phrasal verbs idiomsinteresting pronunciation features Transcripts are available in my newsletter. Sign up here: English With Catherine. Thanks always to Amos the Transparent for the theme music.  Don't forget to follow me on Instagram. Please share the podcast and spread the knowledge! Catherine

Who was Julia Child? Why is she important?   If you like to eat, cook, and enjoy cooking shows, join me on a journey into the world of Julia Child, the iconic figure who revolutionized American food culture.   In this episode, we learn about Julia's exciting life story, from her privileged childhood to her adventurous spirit that led her to fall in love with French cuisine in post-war Europe.   We'll explore how Julia's passion for cooking turned into a career that challenged societal norms and inspired millions through her bestselling cookbook, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking," and groundbreaking television show, "The French Chef."   We'll see that her life and legacy changed the world of food and cooking, and helped advance feminist goals (to a degree). She's had a lasting impact on future generations of cooks and food enthusiasts that I hope to champion today. Bon appétit! *********** For those of you inspired to watch the TV series, you can learn more about it here.   Sign up for my newsletter to receive the colour-coded transcript of each episode. It includes links to other resources and highlights language to notice such as:  * advanced vocabulary* collocations and phrasal verbs* idioms* interesting pronunciation features   Thanks for listening, and thanks always to Amos the Transparent for the theme music.

The elegance of English. I'd never thought of English that way, but my guest, Maria Glazunova, explains why English has such an emotional hold her on. It's a beautiful conversation we have for you today. Maria and I talk about: her history with English: learning and teaching itburnout and how that led her to adopt a dogme approach to teachinghow her book literally saved her lifehow she uses a reactive teaching approach with tech professionalshow my Pronunciation course helped her better diagnose her clients' problems, and empowered her to teach pronunciation Whether you're a learner of English or a teacher, or both, this episode is going to offer you plenty to think about, in addition, as usual, to lots of interesting language and messy, delightful, imperfect spoken conversational English.   And if what you hear from Mary about my Pronunciation for Teachers course makes you curious, be sure to contact me ASAP. The next course starts in May. Learn more about it here: Pronunciation for Teachers. Transcripts are available in my newsletter. Sign up here: English With Catherine.   Be sure to follow Maria on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/maria-glazunova You can buy her book here: "How to reduce your time preparing for online classes and prevent emotional burnout." Thanks for listening!   Follow me on Instagram Follow me on LinkedIn. Website: www.englishwithcatherine.com Thanks always to Amos the Transparent for the theme music. They have a few new songs coming out soon, so follow them on Instagram for details about that. I'm excited!

In about a week, I'm going to celebrate my 55th birthday. I remember when I once thought that was old. Hahaha!!!In honour of my 55th birthday, I want to share some thoughts on aging, specifically aging as a woman: what it means to get old and look old (smashing the beauty myth!)the very real possibility of losing mental agilityresearch that suggests age is a mindset, not a number I believe to my core that getting older is not something we should take for granted: it’s a privilege and should be welcomed and celebrated.  So come celebrate with me as I step through the door on my way to 60. I'm not rushing to get there, but I AM hoping to get there!  Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on all this :) Oh, and this episode is chock-full of idioms and common collocations - listen for them. How many can you find? Which do you know? Which ones can you use this week in your language practice? Thanks for listening,  Catherine xoxo   Transcripts are available in my newsletter. Sign up here: English With Catherine.   Thanks always to Amos the Transparent for the theme music. They have a few new songs coming out soon, so follow them on Instagram for details about that. I'm excited!

Welcome to Episode 41 of Hear You Go! I'm joined in conversation this week with Urmi Hossain, an inspiring polyglot who shares with us her experiences learning languages, the importance of getting out of your comfort zone and speaking your languages, and how language influences and shapes our identity. What language feels like home to you?What languages can you say "belong" to you?How about speaking in public: is this something you do or do you avoid it at all costs? There's lots to take away from this conversation - enjoy it and let me know your thoughts. As always, thanks for listening. Catherine *** Colour-coded transcripts are included in my twice monthly newsletter. Be sure to receive it by signing up here: Newsletter --> And follow me on Instagram. Follow Urmi here: InstagramBlog: My WaysHer book: Discovering Your Identity : A Rebirth From Interracial Struggle Kindle EditionYouTube

Will you be surprised to learn that creative activities that occupy our hands are crucial for positive mental health, and that these activities contribute to happiness and fulfillment?    The focus of today’s episode is on creativity, crafts, and connection. We’ll look at the Arts and Crafts movement and define arts and crafts – what are they? Then, we’ll explore this new Maker Movement and the physical and mental benefits of making things with our hands. I’ll conclude by sharing my personal history of being “creative”, and I’ll share some ideas about how you too can add creative activities to your weekly schedule.  It's important to do things with our hands, don't you agree? ******************************************* Important information: 1. To access the colour-coded transcript, links to articles and videos about this topic, and tons of extra materials (a mini-lesson really), go to my currently FREE podcast community on Patreon: Hear We Go.   2. Don't forget to follow me on Instagram and to sign up for my monthly newsletter.   3. Finally, give a listen to Amos the Transparent, the band that provides my theme music. They're a talented group.    Thanks for listening! Catherine P.S. Have you reviewed Hear You Go podcast on Apple or Spotify? I'd appreciate it if you did and shared with the world how much you love it :)

It was -16 degrees Celsius yesterday, but the sun was shining. It's on days like these when it's easy to stay inside, under a blanket, sipping cups and cups of hot tea or hot chocolate.   It's for this very reason that I not only asked Joanna Radomska of Walking Languages to join me in conversation, but I also joined her 3-week Doable Walks course to get me outside, walking each day, AND practicing my target languages---French and Italian---no matter the weather.   We know that moving our bodies is good for us. We humans are made for walking. What we also know is that we learn better when we move.    So, if you too need a kick in the behind, a little motivation to move your legs and incorporate some language practice at the same time, take a half hour walk and listen to our conversation. You'll hear about Joanna's language journey, as well as all the benefits of walking, talking, listening and learning: a perfect combination, if you ask me!   Access the extra materials to go further with this podcast episode in the Patreon community, Hear WE Go.    You can follow Joanna here: 1. Join her mailing list and see her courses here. 2. Instagram: walkinglanguages   You can contact me these ways: 1. English with Catherine 2. Instagram: catherineangus_hearyougo 3. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherine-angus12/   Thanks as always to Amos the Transparent for the theme music.    And thank YOU for listening!

With Saint Valentine's Day around the corner, I thought we'd explore chocolate because every supermarket and pharmacy I go to these days has boxes of chocolates on display, front and center. Do you like chocolate? Silly question: who doesn't?   In today's short episode, I'll share a brief history of chocolate (what it is and its origins), then we'll explore whether it's good for us and if it's an aphrodisiac, and finally, we'll wrap up by looking at the ugly side of the chocolate business.    Along the way, you'll hear a fair number of idiomatic expressions, some advanced vocabulary, and a conscious effort on my part to stress certain words for effect. Take note of all this as part of your listening practice, and think about why I chose to emphasize these words.    Here are some of the links I mention in the episode: History of chocolate - Wikipedia. The history of chocolate video: https://youtu.be/ibjUpk9Iagk?si=iOvj7zk5XvswGbXE How chocolate is made: https://youtu.be/7XaTay21-Ag?si=txl-keUgWV0_U0Wl   Don't forget to follow me on Instagram and to sign up for my monthly newsletter.   The Hear We Go podcast community is free until February 26th, so don't miss your chance to see what it's all about. I have great extra materials to accompany each podcast episode to help you and your students explore the language and practice listening in a meaningful way. The transcript is colour-coded to draw your attention to all kinds of useful language.   Finally, give a listen to Amos the Transparent, the band that provides my theme music. They're a talented group.    Thanks for listening! P.S. Have you reviewed Hear You Go podcast on Apple or Spotify? I'd appreciate it if you did and shared with the world how much you love it :)

Do you journal?  Do you know that journaling can be a written and/or spoken practice? Did you know that journaling in another language can be one of the most useful tools in exploring language and transforming your mindset vis-à-vis learning?   Join me in conversation with a very special guest, English language teacher Sarah Morgan of Meaningful English.   You'll hear us talk about Sarah's experiences learning languages in the past and in the present. You'll also learn about journaling: what it is, what it can do for you, and some incredibly easy and useful tips to help you begin this practice (or stay motivated if you already journal).    It's a discussion full of heartfelt and inspiring content, and terrific language for you to explore as well.   Please share the podcast and spread the knowledge!    Thank you for listening!  The transcript and extra materials will be available for FREE for 30 days, starting January 26th. They are available in my private community on Patreon, and will also include free access to our monthly Zoom meeting where we discuss the podcast. Our next meeting is February 3rd at 9AM EST. Join us here: Hear WE Go.   Find Sarah here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meaningful.english/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahmorgan-meaningfulenglish/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MeaningfulEnglishOnlineWebsite: https://meaningful-english.com/Find me here: Instagram English with Catherine   Thank you as always to Amos the Transparent for the theme music.

Charles Dickens wrote in A Christmas Carol that “There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”   Lord Byron said of laughter: “Always laugh when you can, it is cheap medicine.” Pablo Neruda shared that: "Laughter is the language of the soul."   And Maya Angelou declared: “I don't trust anyone who doesn't laugh.” Let's start 2024 with a dose of laughter, or at least an episode that invites us all to find more laughter in our lives.   We’re going to explore the science of laughter (that is, what happens in our bodies when we laugh), as well as the physical and psychological benefits of laughing, and conclude with why laughter is important when learning a language.   Here are the links I mentioned in the episode: The science of laughter. Test Yourself: Psychologists Created a Quiz to Define Your Sense of Humor   To join the Hear We Go podcast community on Patreon, click here. We meet this Saturday, January 13th at 9 AM EST, so sign up today.   Thanks for listening! You can find me here: Website: English with Catherine Instagram: catherineangus_hearyougo   Thanks, as always, to Amos the Transparent for the theme music.

Sleep. It seems so simple, and yet it's something many of us are struggling to get, or to get enough of.   In today’s episode of Hear You Go, we’re going to dig deeper into sleep and why so many of us seem to suffer from a lack of it. The topic is vast, so we won’t address everything. For today, we’ll explore, as I often do, the science of what sleep is, why it’s important, and how much we need. Then we’ll look at common sleep problems and the dangers of not getting enough sleep, and finally, because we want solutions, I’ll share some recommendations that might allow those of us who are sleep-deprived to sleep a little easier and better.   For more information on the way we sleep over the course of our lives, here is the article I mention in the podcast episode: Sleep Better at Every Age.   Challenge: E35 is full of phrasal verbs, quite a few in fact. How many can you hear? Can you hear how the final consonant in the first word (the verb) is often linked in sound to the following preposition? Repeat them aloud and practice using them this week.   Thank you for listening! If you would like access to the transcript and to join the members' only private community for extra materials and a monthly Zoom meeting where we discuss the podcast, join us here: Hear WE Go.   Find me here: Instagram English with Catherine   Thank you as always to Amos the Transparent for the theme music.

Are you a perfectionist? In my experience with the English language teachers and learners I know, perfectionism is something a lot of us suffer from. Is it always a bad thing? Are there benefits? What should we do when being perfect is actually causing us harm or stopping us from trying new things? In Episode 34 of Hear You Go, my guest, Michelle Daniel of the Heart of English, helps us understand what perfectionism is and how to make sure it doesn't get in the way of learning. And of course, she offers us some great tips on how to overcome perfectionism when it gets in our way. Be sure to listen to the end to learn about Michelle's gratitude journaling program for English language learners. Her contact details are below in blue font.   Thanks for listening, and be sure to join the Hear WE Go podcast community on Patreon to receive the transcript and extra materials to take your English further and deeper. You can also talk to me there at our monthly meetings and ask a question or comment on our message forum.  You can follow me here too: Instagram: catherineangus_hearyougo LinkedIn: Catherine Angus Visit my webpage and sign up for my newsletter and to learn more about my lessons and courses in 2024: English with Catherine ******************************************************* You can find Michelle here: On Instagram: @heartofenglish On LinkedIn: The Heart of English Website: The Heart of English ******************************************************* And, as always, thanks to Amos the Transparent for the theme music.

I've been mulling over, pondering over, thinking about three different topics and how I could possibly bring them together in one podcast episode. Episode 33 is my attempt to do so. Today, you'll hear about the concept of a doppelgänger, a look-alike of sorts, followed by a short exploration of extreme sports and the motivations that drive athletes to do these dangerous sports. To conclude, we'll learn about one of these athletes, the ocean marathon swimmer, Diana Nyad. How are all three of these connected? Well, you'll just have to listen to find out! Keep in mind that there's also a connection to E32 of Hear You Go: A conversation with Fernanda. Join me and other listeners this Saturday, December 2nd at 9 a.m. EST to talk about these two November podcast episodes. Sign up to join the Hear We Go podcast community on Patreon and take your English listening and learning to a whole 'nother level. You'll find the transcript, more learning materials, and a community of listeners just like you. Thanks for listening! Catherine P.S. Thanks, as always, to Amos the Transparent, for the theme music to Hear You Go. P.P.S Follow me on Instagram and get my newsletter to keep in touch with me.

Are you ready to be inspired?  My guest on episode 32 is a colleague I greatly admire. Fernanda, a non-native English language teacher based in Brazil, joins me in a conversation where we learn about what drew her to English, and then what propelled her on the path to helping people attain C2 proficiency. It's an amazing story, and you'll hear us talk about the role of discipline, the importance of consistency, and when to ask for help or to take a break.    And just as my previous guest Bistra asks learners to notice and ask "why", so does Fernanda. Curiosity and motivation are part and parcel of this practice that can lead to greater proficiency.    Remember that conversations on Hear You Go are longer than regular episodes, so relax, settle in, and take your time listening.  There is a lot to digest here: good ideas and suggestions for learninglots of advanced vocabularya wealth of idioms, collocations, and phrasal verbspronunciation to notice, and of course, lots of messy, imperfect, ungrammatical and totally normal fast, spoken English! To dig deeper into the language and content, please join me in my community of listeners, Hear WE Go. Read about the benefits and join us for our next monthly meeting on December 2nd.   To explore all that Fernanda is doing: Find her here on Instagram.Her webpage: Fernanda English Teacher.I'm currently her student, studying advanced grammar in a way I've never done before, which is actually not that unusual for someone who's first language is English. We didn't learn grammar like this in school! I wholeheartedly recommend this course to you. It's been transformative for me, truly.   You can find me on Instagram @catherineangus_hearyougo. You can also find out all about me and my courses at English with Catherine. And once again, I'm ever grateful to Amos the Transparent for the theme music.  Happy Listening! Catherine

We're gonna need a bigger boat. - Jaws. Here's Johnny! - The Shining. Be afraid. Be very afraid. - The Fly.   Do you like watching horror movies?    I don't really like them, but I know that millions of people do, so I thought Halloween would be a good opportunity to look at the genre.   In today's episode, you'll learn about: the vocabulary we use when talking about horror movies (and the way they make us feel!);the reasons why people like them and the reported benefits of watching these types of movies & TV shows, or reading horror books;the most popular and enduring horror movies of all time - be afraid!  Horror is a genre we see in movies, TV shows, video games, and books, and Halloween is often the occasion when fans rewatch their favourite scary movie, or perhaps dress up as their favourite character. Are you a fan? Do you have a favourite?   I hope you enjoy the episode and that you learn a new thing or two. With this episode, I challenge you to listen for the most common sound in English, the schwa /ə/. Make a list of words you hear that have this reduced sound. It's not easy, but I'm sure you can notice a couple, and maybe even a few.   If you'd like to dig deeper into the sounds of spoken English, the advanced vocabulary in the episode, and join the monthly live discussion, remember to become a member of HEAR WE GO, a podcast community over on Patreon. I'd love to see you there!   Our next Zoom meeting is this Saturday, November 4th at 9 AM EST (that's Toronto/New York time zone).   Thanks for listening, Catherine    P.S. The Harvard Business Review article: The Psychology Behind Why We Love (or Hate) Horror. ********** I'm always over on Instagram, and you can also learn more about me and my work at English With Catherine. Stay tuned for E32, another conversation with an English Language Teacher, coming on November 14th. ********** As always, special thanks to Amos the Transparent for the theme music.

Autumn in North America is a time when Canada and the USA celebrate Thanksgiving. It's complicated.    On the one hand, it's important to celebrate the harvest, but on the other hand, there's a dark and cruel history to confront.    In today's episode, you'll hear about: The history of Thanksgiving and how it's a little different between Canada and the US,Why it's necessary to revisit this history in light of the lived experiences of the First Nations, and The benefits of gratitude and giving thanks. There are only a handful of countries in the world that officially celebrate a "Thanksgiving". I wonder why others don't.   Join me to learn a little more about this fall celebration and why it requires some reflection.  ************************************ Thanks for listening!  To learn more about the history of Canada's indigenous people, please explore the free online course offered by the University of Alberta. Click on this link to learn more.   The Hear WE Go private member community is accepting new members every week! You get the transcript to every episode, extra materials and resources to explore the topic and language in each episode further, and don't forget that you can join the monthly Zoom meeting to talk about these episodes. Our next meeting is Saturday, November 4th. Click on the link and join us today!    I'm always over on Instagram, and you can also learn more about me and my work at English With Catherine. Stay tuned for E31 coming on October 31st. ********** As always, special thanks to Amos the Transparent for the theme music.

Jackie Chan once said that "coffee is a language in itself". Hmm... Well, if it is, what words would you use to describe coffee? For me, it's easy: hot, black and strong. No milk. No sugar. Unless it's a cappuccino, and then I want whole milk frothed to perfection, with a dash of cinnamon.   Ah coffee, I DO love you.    Every October 1st is International Coffee Day, and so in homage to this little bean that makes so many of us happy, let me offer this episode to you. You'll hear about the benefits of drinking coffee, the threat that the climate crisis poses for coffee and coffee growers, and then some recommendations to help make sure that all of us who love a cup of coffee can continue to enjoy it for many more years. ********** Thanks for listening! There are links below to resources I mentioned in the episode. The Hear WE Go private member community is accepting new members every week! You get the transcript to every episode, extra materials and resources to explore the topic and language in each episode further, and don't forget that you can join the monthly Zoom meeting to talk about these episodes. Click on the link and join us today!  I'm always over on Instagram, and you can also learn more about me and my work at English With Catherine. Stay tuned for E30, coming on October 17th. ********** Links referenced in the episode: Podcast Without: Coffee https://open.spotify.com/episode/5j8vO4JgSn7W8JFmuvsrp9?si=TrLpWy9YSL2H5nM6gFlT7gVideo about a new coffee plant: https://youtu.be/rOeLz9pXoXIEthical Coffee Company: https://www.ethicalbean.com/As always, special thanks to Amos the Transparent for the theme music.

What do you notice when you listen to a podcast or when you read a book? Do you actively notice language, and what do you do once you notice something?   In this episode, I talk with my friend and colleague, Bistra of English with Bistra, about the importance of noticing. We'll define some terms, then explain how people notice or can notice, and finally, what to do next so that you remember what it is that's caught your attention.   Plus, you'll hear Bistra quiz me a couple of times, and learn about why The Beatles were so important in Bistra's language development in English.    This episode will help both English language students and teachers learn how to notice better, and grow your English.   Be curious! You'll hear Bistra share this quote: "If you don’t want to learn, no one can make you, but if you want to learn, no one can stop you.” Don't let anything stop you!   You can find Bistra on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/english_with_bistra/ You can also learn about her courses on her webpage: https://www.englishwithbistra.net/ To register for her webinar on noticing, on September 26th, click on the link. ******************************************************* Did you hear the news?! Hear WE Go podcast community on Patreon is open for registration. I really hope you'll join me in this new community for Hear You Go podcast listeners.  Please check out the membership benefits, and sign up by October 1st to be entered to win 6 months free membership.  The community is a space to communicate with me and other listeners, to access the transcript, in addition to more listening resources that will take your listening and learning further.  The membership includes a monthly Zoom meeting. Our next meeting is Saturday, October 7th at 9 a.m. EST (Toronto, Canada). Join us! ******************************************************** Never miss my news! Sign up for my newsletter here. Follow me on Instagram. And as always, special thanks to Amos the Transparent for the theme music.

Hello lovely listeners! In a world where everything seems to happen quickly, we often measure our progress by how many "things" we do. We're busy, busy, busy.   What if we slowed down and measured our progress by how deeply we understood what we read and listened to instead?   In Episode 27 of Hear You Go, I'd like to encourage you to take some time listening to podcasts, Hear You Go specifically and all the other ones that you love. I'll share a 5-step process that will ask you to slow down, listen a few times, and listen for more than just the main ideas or new vocabulary.   Think of the podcast like a puzzle that you build or solve, piece by piece. And at the end, you have a beautiful, full picture, and a better understanding of how the pieces fit together.    I'd like you to feel better about listening in general, and specifically, I'd like you to feel more confident listening to the sounds of spoken English. Spoken language is very different from the words on the page.   Like any new skill, this will take some time...   Today, I'll walk you through the 5 main steps I recommend you use when listening to podcasts, and if you'd like to dig deeper and explore these 5 steps with me, you can join me for The Podcast Puzzle workshop on Saturday, September 16th at 9 a.m. EST (Toronto/New York time).   Click here to register: The Podcast Puzzle.   Thank you for listening!  ************************************** You can follow me on Instagram and see my webpage to receive my newsletter. Thanks to Amos the Transparent for our theme music.

Why do we swim? I know why I swim, but I wanted to learn more about why so many people swim, and I did what I often do: I read a book titled "Why We Swim", by Bonnie Tsui. I learned a lot from this book, and in today's episode, anchored in the middle of August with summer coming to a close far too soon, we'll explore a few of the reasons people swim: well-being, flow, and awe.  You don't have to be a swimmer to connect with this episode. Perhaps you can reflect on what gives you well-being, puts you in a flow, and leaves you in awe. It might be swimming or something else. Dive in and explore the topic.Listen for idioms connected to water and swimming.Listen carefully for how consonants connect to vowels, which is an important feature of connected speech. Have fun and enjoy! *********************************************************** Hear You Go podcast returns to its regular schedule of every two weeks on September 5th, and I have lots of new stuff for you, including more conversations. Are you interested in learning about a 5-step strategy for listening to podcasts?  Do you want more listening resources and a chance to meet once a month to talk about the podcast? If you said YES to either of these questions, sign up for my newsletter and get all the news about a listening workshop on September 16th, and a new community for Hear You Go listeners that will include monthly meetings and so much more! Thanks for listening, and stay tuned for E27 coming to you on September 5th.  Happy listening, Catherine xoxo  ******************************************************** Special thanks, as always, to Amos the Transparent for permission to use their song, Change My Mind, as my theme music.