“[You] don’t have to change your goal. Change your path, be willing to, and don’t see that as a failure. That’s just life.”
We live in a competitive world, especially if you are in the business world. It is important to stand out from the crowd or to be noticeable. Whether you are in a multinational or working on your own company, it makes a big difference to know a few tricks on being more professional and business savvy.
One of our students, came across this article on 9 Phrases that make you sound less experienced than you are and I thought it would be a great idea to share it with all of you.
And here are 15 phrases to help you sound more professional
Finally, Forbes offers your 7 steps to stand out from the crowd.
You cannot go wrong with this advice. So, what do you say? How do you stand out from your crowd or try to be unique at work?
This Friday, April 22nd is Earth day, a global day on which it aims to inspire awareness of and appreciation for Earth’s environment. As we all know, this planet we live on needs our love and attention, so I thought that we could dedicate this week’s post to all things Earth. Maybe this will inspire you to work on your garden, plant a tree or clean up a littered (dirty) beach. Do you recycle? Maybe now is a good time to start!
Here are some fun links from around the web to get you motivated and at the same time help you learn some new vocabulary;
Earth Day quiz from The Guardian
Some great videos and a quiz on what animal are you? from Google
Why Trees? A great explanation on why we need to plant more trees and a global map with events near you.
Animals that might not survive 2016
One man’s goal to preserve nature’s sounds for future generations
And finally, if you loved these links, here is a whole page dedicated to videos and articles on Earth Day
Have a great week and stop to smell the flowers!
Photo Source: Bernard Chevalier
If you have been reading our blog, you know we had our 2nd edition of the round table last Thursday and as expected, it went fabulously well.
I surprised everyone with their choice of Lemon or Cucumber Gin & Tonics to lighten up the mood and we quickly got started on our round table on Creativity in Business by asking students to define what creativity means to them and here is the result:
We had a great time comparing creativity and sharing our experiences. We also discussed what we would need to do in society to change the lack of creativity in our competitive driven business world.
You still have 3 more opportunities to join us! So make sure you sign up for a cocktail and inspiring conversation:
Thursday, April 28 | Finding your motivation at work hosted by one of our round table participants!
Thursday, May 26 | Storytelling hosted by Madeleine
Thursday, June 30 | Today’s Social Media and Technology hosted by Heidi
Where: Espai 290 | Aragó 290 Principal, Barcelona 08009
When: Last Thursday of every month from 19.00-20.00h (see calendar above)
How Much: 10€ per session *10€ per person includes material and a surprise drink
When: Last Thursday of every month from 19.00-20.00h (see calendar above)
How Much: 10€ per session *10€ per person includes material and a surprise drink
This Thursday, April 7th from 19.00h-20.00h, we will be discussing and perhaps even arguing the importance of creativity at work. Whether you are a firm believer of right and left brained people or think that business does not mix with creativity, this talk is for you!
We look forward to seeing you there and remember, this is an all-level friendly group and all students or non-students are welcome.
Confirm you will be coming at hello@heidi-schmidt.com
Where: Espai 290 | Aragó 290 Principal, Barcelona 08009
When: Thursday, April 7 from 19.00-20.00h
How Much: 10€ per session *10€ per person includes material and a surprise drink
Spring is here, the days are officially longer and we cannot wait till the weather is warm enough to put our coats away and head to the beach. In the meantime, we thought we would keep it light this week and share some funny and informative videos on pronunciation.
One of my favorite shows when I was a child was I Love Lucy. Take a look at this short clip as she helps her Cuban husband with some pronunciation issues. Can any of you relate? Pronunciation of -ough video
A quick question and quick answer on connected speech: http://www.elementalenglish.com/quick-question-connected-speech/
An useful website on pronunciation. This is on the difference between British and American English
And finally, the 10 most mispronounced words in English on the streets of London.
Have a great short week everyone and please note, we have postponed our Round Table session #2 to next Thursday, April 7th so you have plenty of time to sign up!
Photo Source: Beautiful Sky Series by Eric Cahan
It is that time of year again, when the flowers start blooming (to blossom/open/flower), days get longer as we Spring our clocks forward and Summer is right around the corner.
This week’s post is on the beauty of Spring and reasons to get outdoors or stay inside and practice your English.
Here’s a short video on the history of the Easter bunny
But have you ever wondered what others around the world do to celebrate Spring? Take a look at these amazing photos on Spring around the world.
If you are feeling inspired to do more listening in English, take a look at these professional podcasts to help you start listening!
Or, if you plan on spending some time with the family, maybe you can propose some educative online video games to help all of you learn?
Are you more of the romantic type? Here are some Spring Poems to get you inspired…or some great stories you can listen to on Spring?
Planning on taking a walk in the mountains? Learn the name of some flowers first and impress your friends and family!
And if you are one of those lucky travelers planning on going away for the week, take a look at this video on how to greet others in English
Have a wonderful start to Spring and Happy Easter!
And don’t forget our Round Table #2 next Thursday, March 31, 2016
Round Table Session #2 | Creativity in business, is it a paradox?
Business English, Events, Loud and Clear, Speak
**Please note! Our Round table has been postponed to next Thursday, April 7th from 19.00-20.00h. You still have time to sign up!
We are happy to announce our second edition of our Round Table Series: Creativity in Business, is it a paradox?
If you did not get the chance (opportunity) to join us last month, make sure you save the date and time on Thursday, April 7th from 19-20h for some fascinating conversation, debate and a surprise drink and snack.
There is no better way to start Spring than with a skip in your step and great thoughts in your mind!
Please contact us by Tuesday, April 5th if you and/or your friend plan on joining us. Everyone is welcome and this is an all level friendly group, so join us, no matter what your level is.
We look forward to seeing you there and Happy Easter!
Photo Source:http://www.elenikalorkoti.com/Blip-Zine
Last Thursday evening, we had the honor of serving tea and biscuits to our Round table guests and listening to Madeleine’s interesting proposed talk on the evolution of the English Language. We also discussed some differences between British and American English after watching a few takes from this fascinating documentary: The Adventure of English by Melvyn Bragg
Our participants openly gave their own opinions on their experience with either American or British English and we also discussed whether we should conserve the core of our languages or allow them to evolve and change with time. We spoke about new words added to the Oxford English dictionary, such as: Blog, Clientelism, Emotional Intelligence and Unplugged.
We also shared our thoughts on two questions Madeleine presented: Will this growth of new words and new additions to the language ever stop? and How important is it to protect languages for future generations?
We had a wonderful time speaking and we hope that you can join us on Thursday, March 31st (time to be confirmed) on Creativity in Business | Is it a paradox? Do not be fooled, this will be much more than just business or creativity!
We hope to see you there!
How are you intelligent vs How Intelligent are you?
Business English, Listen, Loud and Clear, Read, Watch
“If we don’t make mistakes daily we are not pushing the boundaries and challenging the system enough.” Antonio J. Lucio
Happy Monday everyone! Before we begin with a very interesting topic on intelligence, we want to remind you that this week is our first edition of the Round Table Series so remember to sign up and join us on Thursday from 20.00h-21.00h. You can find more information here. We really do hope to see you there!
So, this week’s blog is on how intelligent you think you are and why creativity is so important in both work and learning. More than once I have heard students tell me that it is impossible for them to learn a new language or that they were never really good at learning, or intelligent enough. To be honest, I disagree. Maybe we just need to find a different approach at learning.
I have always believed that we are all creative, every single one of us and luckily Sir Ken Robinson believes the same. Take a look below at this week’s links and see how you can become a more intelligent and creative learner.
Here are Five common mistakes when learning a foreign language. Just imagine, with a little more curiosity and less fear, you could easily go a long way
A very creative video on Ken Robinson speaking about How are you intelligent?
An easy video on Why do we need creativity?
A more advanced video by the author Elizabeth Gilbert on Your elusive (difficult) genius
And you can test your English (maybe you know more than you think you do?)
Finally, here’s a Quiz on commonly confused words in English.
In ode to Valentine’s day and Spring right around the corner, we thought we would dedicate this week’s post to not just the heart, but the brain as well. We all know that keeping both our hearts and brain healthy can help us live a long and happy life, so here we go.
Are you right brained or left brained? Take this test
The podcast everyone is talking about: Modern Love
Fascinating interview with Helen Fisher on her latest book The Anatomy of Love
Your heart is what you eat: 18 Superfoods for your heart
And super foods for your brain. The Mediterranean diet is doing all of you well!
A video on The History of Love
iconAnd Valentine’s Day Poems for Married People
Have a lovely week!
Photo Source: ‘The Balance” …. by Christian Schloe
