It is very important to use contractions in your speech. They are not informal, they are always required. I discuss this in today's podcast.

Teacher Joseph's Podcast

Contractions

Unlock the secrets of sleep with my comprehensive English vocabulary lesson! 🌙 Whether you're learning English or looking to expand your vocabulary, this video is your guide to mastering sleep-related terms and expressions.

What You'll Learn:
🌟 Key vocabulary for sleep and rest
🛌 Common phrases about sleep patterns and habits
😴 Essential terms for sleep disorders, including insomnia
📚 Practical examples to enhance your understanding

English with Hamed

✅ Sleep Talk | English Vocabulary for Sleep and Insomnia

Bedside Italian

Bedside Italian #25 - Attacco di formiche.

JOHN: Hi, Alice, it’s John. How are you?

ALICE: Oh, hi, John! I was just thinking about you.

JOHN: That’s nice. I was wondering if you’d like to go to a
movie tonight.

ALICE: Sure, I’d love to! What’s playing?

JOHN: I was thinking about that new comedy Lights Out. What do you think?

ALICE: Sounds great!

JOHN: OK, I’ll pick you up around 7:30. The movie starts at 8:00.

ALICE: See you then. Bye!

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

A Telephone Call

粤读时光，看见生命中嘅光。 

我今日听咗李克勤嘅《红日》，
觉得打满咗鸡血，
所以想帮你都打吓鸡血。

呢个歌其实系李克勤写俾自己嘅，
佢想帮自己打气。 

李克勤写呢首歌嘅歌词嗰时，
因为拍戏好几日都冇好好休息，
但系因为好赶，
所以佢当日凌晨三点拍完戏，
就喺停车场写歌词。
从凌晨三点一直写到天光。

佢睇住其他艺人落班，
跟住又睇住啲艺人朝早翻黎翻工，
佢心入面觉得好难受，
自己嘅拍档已经翻咗屋企，
而自己仲要匿埋喺呢度写歌词，
点解命运要咁样对佢。

《红日》嘅歌词入面有一句话系命运颠沛流离，
讲嘅其实就系李克勤当时嘅状态。
但系李克勤知道自己一定要坚持落去，
唔可以随便放弃，
所以佢就喺歌入面写咗不应舍弃。

无论宜家情况几咁唔好，
你都千其唔好放弃，
要继续努力，
加油，
困难终有一日会克服，
你都会得到你想要嘅嘢。

下面嚟读下《红日》嘅歌词啦。

命运就算颠沛流离
命运就算曲折离奇


命运就算恐吓着你做人没趣味
别流泪心酸更不应舍弃
我愿能一生永远陪伴你


一生之中兜兜转转那会看清楚
彷徨时我也试过独坐一角像是没协助
在某年那幼小的我
跌倒过几多几多落泪在雨夜滂沱
一生之中弯弯曲曲我也要走过
从何时有你有你伴我给我热烈地拍和
像红日之火燃点真的我
结伴行千山也定能踏过
让晚风轻轻吹过
伴送着清幽花香像是在祝福你我
让晚星轻轻闪过
闪出你每个希冀如浪花快要沾湿我
命运就算颠沛流离
命运就算曲折离奇
命运就算恐吓着你做人没趣味
别流泪心酸更不应舍弃
我愿能一生永远陪伴你

粤读时光，看见生命中嘅光。 


最后打个小广告，微信小程序“小草粤语”更新咗新嘅版本啦，
呢个小程序非常适合零基础的同学使用，扫描文中的二维码，或者在微信搜索“小草粤语”就可以找到我的小程序啦。

先讲到呢度，我哋下次再见，拜拜！


 Advanced Cantonese listening material

Learn a cantonese song : the red sun

Many leaders struggle to strike the balance between friendliness and firmness. One client, let's call her Sarah, excelled in collaboration but found her team didn't take her directives seriously. Her challenge? Assertive communication.

Over 12 weeks, we embarked on a journey to transform Sarah's communication style. Our bi-weekly coaching sessions (Mondays for planning, Fridays for review) provided structure and accountability. Here's how we achieved results:

Unveiling the Power of "I" Statements:  Instead of accusatory "you" statements ("You always miss deadlines!"), we practiced "I" statements ("I feel frustrated when deadlines are missed"). This shifted the focus to the impact on Sarah and the team, fostering collaboration.

Body Language Bootcamp:  Nonverbal cues speak volumes. We practiced confident posture, strong eye contact, and clear gestures. Standing tall while giving instructions and mirroring team members' positive body language fostered a sense of mutual respect.

The Art of the Pause:  Sarah often rushed through instructions, leaving room for confusion. We mastered the power of the pause. Strategic pauses after key points allowed information to sink in and empowered team members to ask clarifying questions.

Innovation in Role-Playing:  Traditional role-playing can feel awkward. We gamified the process, creating scenarios based on Sarah's real-life situations. This playful approach allowed Sarah to experiment with assertive language in a safe space, boosting her confidence.

Celebrating Small Wins:  Progress wasn't always linear. We celebrated even minor victories, like delivering a firm but respectful instruction. Acknowledging her achievements fueled Sarah's motivation and helped her stay on track.

The Result? Measurable Change: Within three months, Sarah's communication transformed. Team meetings became more focused, deadlines were met consistently, and her leadership presence flourished.



The Global Professional Podcast

How I Coached a Leader to Master Assertive Communication - Episode 65 

Know thyself. Make your own language quizzes to improve your mastery. 

111 Tips for Learning a Language 

Tip 24 - Create Personalized Quizzes for yourself

みなさんは「さぼる」の意味を知っていますか？さぼるとは「怠けて、やらなければいけないことをやらない」ことです。学校をさぼる、勉強をさぼる、など日本人はよくこのフレーズを使います。「後回しにする」というフレーズもあります。「後回しにする」の意味は「やる順番を変えて遅らせる」という意味です。「大事なことは後回しにせずに先にやりなさい」と言われたことがある日本人はたくさんいると思います。

最後に、みなさんにお願いがあります。「サボってないで、早く新しいエピソードを作って」と言って、私のお尻を叩いてください。そうすれば、早く新しいエピソードが聞けようになるかもしれません。ちなみに「お尻をたたく」とは「やる気が出るようにはげましたり、何かをするように促すことです。このフレーズもよく使うので覚えましょう！

さぼる：skip
後回しにする：あとまわしにする　put off some tasks
怠ける：なまける　neglect , be lazy
順番：じゅんばん　order
遅らせる：おくらせる　to delay
促す：うながす　urge, encourage