How Netflix can help you become an advanced Business English speaker
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The English Training Company – become an advanced business English speaker!
How Netflix can help you become an advanced Business English speaker.
We always get asked by students (intermediate and advanced level), what series can they watch to improve their listening in English.
And we always tells them that watching/listening to a series without speaking about the series is only 20% effective vs 70-80% effective, if you do both! (See active vs passive learning pyramid)
Why combining watching (listening) and speaking about Netflix series is the key?
Passive learning = listening without speaking about a Netflix series (remember 20%).
When we listen without the pressure to understand and talk about (communicate) what we’ve listened to our brain relaxes and takes it easy (passive learning).
And this is mainly because we don’t need to remember, comprehend and then use the information we’ve listened to communicate. For example, what is more difficult a meeting or conference call in English where we have to participate or just listen?
Active learning = listening and speaking about a Netflix series (remember 70-80%).
Now if have to listen to remember, comprehend and then use the information we’ve listened to communicate (speaking) we have just multiplied our learning effectiveness by 4 times (20% vs 70-80%). (See active vs passive learning pyramid).
Solution – watch (listen) and speak 1- 2 minutes about a Netflix series’ episode recording yourself (smartphone)
The solution has 4 quick and easy steps:
- Watch an episode of a Netflix series (take brief notes about point/number 2)
- Then audio record yourself (record yourself with your smartphone) for 1 to 2 minutes speaking about the episode. Answer these questions – “what was the episode about?” and “why did or didn´t I like you this episode?”.
- Listen to your recording and think how you can improve your speaking (content, fluency and confidence)
- Record yourself speaking again and improve it.
Netflix Series for intermediate level (B1)
- Vikings
- Jane the Virgin
- Gotham
- Ozark
Netflix Series for upper intermediate level (B2)
- Stranger Things
- Suits
- Friends
- Downton Abbey
- New Girl
- Big ban theory
Netflix Series for advanced level (C1 )
- Sherlock
- Sense8
- Orange is the New Black
- Peaky Blinders
- House of Cards
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Recommendation: Watch/read our post ‘Stop Apologising For your English’ (and what you can do instead)’
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In Spanish I love watching ‘El Ministerio del Tiempo‘ and it’s helped me a lot to speak about the series with friends and family.
I hope this helps you with your professional English and in your professional career, Christopher!
The English Training Company – we help companies and professionals to become advanced business English speakers!
