PODCAST · education
BritSpeakPod
by Dan @ BritSpeak
Welcome to the BritSpeakPod, your go-to podcast for improving your communication skills in the UK. Whether you're new to the country or have been living here for a while, this weekly podcast is designed to help you navigate the nuances of British communication and culture. Join us as we explore tips and tricks to help you build a better life, advance your career, and foster stronger relationships in your new environment.
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112
116 - Why Translating When You Speak English Is Holding You Back
Get the free STOP STRUGGLING - START SPEAKING Workshop - https://www.britspeak.co/workshop-podcastCheck out the Speaking Practice Kickstarter:https://www.britspeak.co/kickstarterTranslating stuff in your head when speaking in English might make sense, but it is probably hurting you more than it is helping. Loads of people rely on translation from their native language to English when speaking because it makes them feel more in control and more accurate, but it takes a lot more time and effort than thinking in English.Ideally, you would be able to think in English while you speak as it speeds up your response times as well as reduces the amount of pressure your brain is under, so you might actually enjoy speaking in EnglishIn this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:- Why people translate in their heads- Why this is a problem- How to start thinking in English- Some tips to get you started todayWant more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.comWelcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.Who am I?My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.Learn from me for free:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speakArticles - https://www.britspeak.co/blogInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeakWork with me:Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/storeAcademy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academyCourses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
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111
115 - Forgot a Word When Speaking? Do This!
Get the free STOP STRUGGLING - START SPEAKING Workshop - https://www.britspeak.co/workshop-podcastForgetting a word mid-sentence is one of the worst feelings as an English speaker. You search for it, but you come up blank and the whole time are panicking and just hoping it will show up eventually.This happens to everyone from time to time, but how you handle this situation is the main thing that separates the confident English speakers from the nervous ones.In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:What really causes this to happenWhy it is something you really want to avoidThe strategy you can use next time it happens to youHow to practice the skill of talking around missing wordsWant more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.comWelcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.Who am I?My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.Learn from me for free:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speakArticles - https://www.britspeak.co/blogInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeakWork with me:Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/storeAcademy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academyCourses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
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110
114 - How to speak for longer in English without rambling
Get the free STOP STRUGGLING - START SPEAKING Workshop - https://www.britspeak.co/workshop-podcastIf your English answers are always short, it might not be because you have nothing to say. It might be because short answers feel safe.You answer quickly. You avoid mistakes. You escape the conversation before things get too difficult... But the problem is, short answers can make you seem uninterested, even when you’re not.They can make you feel like a smaller version of yourself in English and they can stop real conversations from developing.So today, we’re talking about how to speak for longer in English without rambling because the goal is not to give long, complicated answers. The goal is to give answers with enough detail, enough structure, and enough connection that the conversation actually goes somewhere.In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:Why short answers feel safeThe problem with short answersHow to actually expand when speakingTools and tips you can start using todayWant more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.comWelcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.Who am I?My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.Learn from me for free:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speakArticles - https://www.britspeak.co/blogInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeakWork with me:Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/storeAcademy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academyCourses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
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109
113 - Why more vocabulary won’t fix your speaking confidence
Get the free STOP FREEZING Workshop - https://www.britspeak.co/stop-freezing-workshop-podcast30-Day Speaking Kickstarter - https://www.britspeak.co/kickstarterYou probably don’t need more vocabulary. I know that might sound weird, because when you speak in English and struggle to express your ideas, it feels obvious…“I just need more words”So you study loads of vocabulary and save more reels with interesting expressions in them. You fill your notebook with idioms and phrasal verbs, but then when it is time to speak… the words are still no where to be found.That is exactly the problem I want to talk about today because speaking confidence isn’t limited by how many words you know. It is limited by how quickly you can access words under pressure.In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:Why you feel the need to learn more wordsThe real cause you are not addressingHow much vocabulary is really neededWhy passive learning can only get you so farWhat you should focus on moving forwardWant more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.comWelcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.Who am I?My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.Learn from me for free:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speakArticles - https://www.britspeak.co/blogInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeakWork with me:Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/storeAcademy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academyCourses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
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108
112 - What to do when your mind goes blank in English
Get the free STOP FREEZING Workshop - https://www.britspeak.co/stop-freezing-workshop-podcastFreezing up when speaking English happens to all of us sometimes and of course we try our best to avoid that situation through practice and learning new skills, but we can never fully avoid it… So that begs the question, what should I actually do when my mind goes blank when speaking in English? In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:What actually causes this problemWho it is most likely to affectWhat happens when you don't fix itHow to recover when it happensWhich strategies you should focus onWant more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.comWelcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.Who am I?My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.Learn from me for free:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speakArticles - https://www.britspeak.co/blogInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeakWork with me:Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/storeAcademy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academyCourses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
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107
111 - Why You Freeze Up When Speaking English
Get the free STOP FREEZING Workshop - https://www.britspeak.co/stop-freezing-workshop-podcastDo you freeze up when it is your turn to speak in English, even though you understand everything you heard?This happens to so many people but most of them don't know why this happens, or what they are supposed to do about it. In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:What causes you to freeze upWhat really causes this to happenWhy more studying won't fix itHow to actually stop it from happeningThe benefits of overcoming this problemWant more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.comWelcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.Who am I?My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.Learn from me for free:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speakArticles - https://www.britspeak.co/blogInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeakWork with me:Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/storeAcademy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academyCourses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
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106
110 - Why Your English Sounds Messy When You Speak
Get the free STOP FREEZING Workshop - https://www.britspeak.co/freezeJoin the Speaking Confidence Bootcamp- https://www.britspeak.co/bootcamp-early-accessDo your ideas feel clear in your head, but messy when you try to explain them in English?Maybe you start answering a question, then lose your direction halfway through. Or you speak for a while, but afterwards you think, “That didn’t sound clear at all.”In this episode, I explain why this happens and why it does not always mean your English is bad.Often, the real problem is not vocabulary or grammar. The problem is that your ideas do not have a clear structure when you are speaking under pressure.In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:Why your English can sound messy even when you understand the topicWhy more advanced vocabulary is not always the solutionHow structure helps your brain stay on trackHow to use Point → Reason → Example → PointExamples for daily life, opinions, and professional situationsA simple practice task you can try this weekWant more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.comWelcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.Who am I?My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.Learn from me for free:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speakArticles - https://www.britspeak.co/blogInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeakWork with me:Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/storeAcademy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academyCourses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
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109 - You’re Not Bad... You’re Just Speaking in Survival Mode
Get the free STOP FREEZING Workshop - https://www.britspeak.co/freezeJoin the Speaking Confidence Bootcamp- https://www.britspeak.co/bootcamp-early-accessDo your English conversations often stop after one or two sentences?Maybe someone asks, “How was your weekend?” and you say, “Good, thanks.” Then the conversation becomes awkward, and you start thinking, “I’m just not good at speaking English.”In this episode, I explain why this happens (and why it does not mean you are boring, rude, or bad at English.)Often, English learners give short answers because they are trying to stay safe. They want to avoid mistakes, so they keep everything simple. But the problem is that short answers give the other person nothing to respond to.In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:Why English conversations often die after one or two sentencesWhy short answers feel safe but limit your communicationWhy your personality can feel “smaller” in EnglishHow to use the simple Answer → Detail → Question frameworkWhy you don’t need advanced vocabulary to have better conversationsA simple speaking exercise you can practise this weekWant more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.comWelcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.Who am I?My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.Learn from me for free:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speakArticles - https://www.britspeak.co/blogInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeakWork with me:Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/storeAcademy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academyCourses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
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104
108 - You're Preparing Too Much Before Speaking English
Get the STOP FREEZING Workshop - https://www.britspeak.co/freezeBook Your Action Plan Call - https://www.britspeak.co/action-planA lot of English learners think they are not prepared enough. But sometimes, the real problem is the opposite. You are preparing too much.You prepare because it feels safer. You want to avoid mistakes. You want to choose the right words. You want to make sure your grammar is correct before you speak.And that makes sense when you’re writing an email or sending a message. You can take your time. But real conversations are different. You can’t pause a conversation for five minutes while you check what to say.In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, I talk about why overpreparing can actually make speaking English harder, why it leads to freezing in real conversations, and how to start practising spontaneous communication instead.Because speaking English is not a test. The goal is not perfect grammar. The goal is to communicate your message clearly enough for the other person to understand.In this episode, I talk about:Why loads of learners prepare too much before speaking EnglishHow fear of mistakes creates dependence on preparationWhy written English and spoken English are different skillsWhy prepared English and spontaneous English are not the same thingHow overpreparing can make you freeze in real conversationsHow to practise speaking before you feel readyA simple one-minute exercise to build confidence speaking without preparationWant more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.comWelcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.Who am I?My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.Learn from me for free:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speakArticles - https://www.britspeak.co/blogInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeakWork with me:Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/storeAcademy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academyCourses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
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107 - The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck About Perfect English
Get the STOP FREEZING Workshop - https://www.britspeak.co/freezeBook Your Action Plan Call -https://www.britspeak.co/action-planIn this episode, I talk about a few ideas from The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fck* by Mark Manson and how they apply to English learners.This is not really a book review. It’s about what happens when you care too much about every part of your English at the same time.If you’re constantly worrying about grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, accent, mistakes, and what other people think, your brain gets overloaded. And when your brain gets overloaded, speaking becomes much harder.In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:Why caring about everything can make your English worseHow speaking anxiety creates a cycle that keeps you stuckWhy the fear of freezing can actually cause you to freezeWhy mistakes are not proof that your English is badHow to choose better problems when practising EnglishWhy confidence comes from action, not waiting until you feel readyWant more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.comWelcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.Who am I?My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.Learn from me for free:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speakArticles - https://www.britspeak.co/blogInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeakWork with me:Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/storeAcademy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academyCourses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
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102
106 - Staying quiet even though you understand?
Get the Starter Kit - https://www.britspeak.co/starter-kitBook Your Action Plan Call -https://www.britspeak.co/action-planYou understand everything in English… but when it’s your turn to speak in a meeting, you either say very little… or nothing at all.In this episode, I break down what’s really happening in that moment… why your brain slows down under pressure, why you miss your chance to speak, and why this has nothing to do with your English level.This isn’t about learning more vocabulary or grammar. It’s about learning how to enter conversations earlier, organise your thoughts quickly, and contribute clearly… even when you don’t feel ready.In this episode of the BritSpeakPod, we will talk about:Why you stay quiet in meetings (even when you understand everything)What’s actually happening in your brain when you try to speak under pressureWhy waiting for the “perfect sentence” makes things worseThe real reason confident speakers seem faster and more naturalHow to enter a conversation before your idea is fully readyA simple structure to give clear answers without overthinkingA practical way to start contributing more in conversations this weekWant more episodes? https://www.britspeakpod.comWelcome to BritSpeakPod, a podcast designed to help you stop freezing and start communicating in English with confidence. Each episode focuses on real communication... not just learning more words, but actually knowing what to say and how to say it in real situations.Who am I?My name is Dan and I am a CELTA qualified ESL teacher with over 10 years experience. I’m originally from Sheffield, UK, and I’ve been living in Japan since 2016. I help people who understand English but freeze when it’s their turn to speak, so they can communicate clearly, confidently, and naturally in real conversations.Learn from me for free:YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@brit-speakArticles - https://www.britspeak.co/blogInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/britspeakWork with me:Coaching - https://www.britspeak.co/storeAcademy - https://www.britspeak.co/britspeak-academyCourses - https://www.britspeak.co/courses
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to the BritSpeakPod, your go-to podcast for improving your communication skills in the UK. Whether you're new to the country or have been living here for a while, this weekly podcast is designed to help you navigate the nuances of British communication and culture. Join us as we explore tips and tricks to help you build a better life, advance your career, and foster stronger relationships in your new environment.
HOSTED BY
Dan @ BritSpeak
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