Hello Reader, I am here to encourage you today to do one thing to practice your English. Not ten things. Not five things. Pick one. Then do it. 💡 Ideas: On your lunch break today, sit with other English speakers, not the folks who speak your first language, and actually engage in the conversation. As soon as you step into your workplace today, greet the first person you see and ask them what they did last night. (Bonus: come prepared to quickly talk about what YOU did last night.) The weekend...
3 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Happy Tuesday to you! If you have found yourself STUCK at a certain score on the CELPIP, then this week's podcast is for you: CELPIP Score Stuck at 7? Here's why and what you can do about it. What's On This Episode? Consistently low scores on the CELPIP may indicate your English level is not where it needs to be to get the score you want. (But most people just try to take as many CELPIP exams as they can to try and 'pass it.' If you find yourself stuck scoring the same low...
5 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, A few weeks ago I read a post on LinkedIn from Ana Canseco — a regulated immigration consultant and repeat guest on this podcast — about something that's been breaking her heart lately. Clients coming to her on their 11th temporary application. Their complex journey so far? Visitor visas, study permits, PGWP, work permits, back to getting on a visitor visa — over and over, for 10 years. Every single one approved. But somehow, they're further from attaining their PR than when...
19 days ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Have you ever been in a conversation, understanding everything just fine, and then the second it's your turn to talk... nothing? Like your brain just hits mute? Even worse, do you feel like that 'muting' happens often in your day-to-day interactions, and it's starting to drag your self-confidence down? Then you need this week's podcast episode 👉 Feeling Muted? Here’s How to Find Your Voice in English That's what this week's podcast episode is about — a listener question about...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, I've been working on something that might be just what you have been looking for if you have been living in Canada for a while now, like years, but your English skills don't seem to have gotten any better. And even worse, you can't seem to get the CELPIP score you need for your immigration process. (By the way, here's a secret: your CELPIP score is directly tied to your current level of English. Build your English skills, and your CELPIP score will go up too. ) Back to what I've...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, Quick one for you today. If you've ever frozen up during Speaking Task 3 or 4 on the CELPIP — staring at a picture, knowing exactly what you want to say but not having the precise word for it — this week's podcast episode is for you. I walk through a simple way to turn places you're already going — the grocery store, the gas station, a walk downtown — into two or three minutes of effective CELPIP practice each time. No extra time carved out of your day. Just pausing wherever you...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, A little while ago a viewer from my Youtube channel asked if I would make a video to help with their writing skills for the CELPIP. I haven't created content on my channel on that topic yet, but I wanted to know if that is something you would be interested in? What would you like me to talk about next? Yes - writing skills would be helpful! Listening skills Speaking skills Reading skills Just general English - I don't need the CELPIP Recently on Reddit I saw this question: "Does...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Hello Reader, You want to know what I find hard to do sometimes? I find it hard to consistently do what is important to me, especially when things get REALLY busy in my life. Does that happen to you too? I've got a new podcast for you! Listen right here. This week's podcast is live, and I talk about competing priorities and how much of a struggle it has been to stay focused - and more importantly, what to do when you realize you are off course. This is what I'm dealing with...trying to bring...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Hello Reader, This week I had multiple requests for help with CELPIP reading skills, so I wanted to share some resources with you that will help. First, here's a dedicated 3 video reading skills playlist from my youtube channel. This playlist will teach you How to take effective notes What you MUST read - it's not the entire text! Why you have to start reading WIDELY right now to build your vocabulary. How to skim and scan when you read Prefer audio only? Here is a 10 episode playlist from my...
2 months ago • 1 min read