Hear You Go

How to survive winter | English Listening Practice

Winterlude is a celebration of winter here in Ottawa, and with luck and good weather, it will take place in February. It's like a cold weather carnival! There are skating, hot chocolate, and ice sculpture competitions. But Canadians aren't the only people who experience and enjoy winter.
 
In this episode, I'll share my thoughts about winter in Ottawa, as well as some good advice from the Danish and Norwegians who are also experts in all things winter. What do you like about winter? How do you stay active and happy in these colder weeks of the year?
 
Winter can be difficult for some people, such as the elderly who find it hard to get around, and for many of the students I've taught over the years, who come from much warmer climates. And if winter is affecting your mental health, please talk to someone. Here are some resources in places where my listeners are located:
In Canada: Mental health support.
In the New Jersey, USA: Mental Health Resources.
For your English listening practice, there are some good expressions and idioms in this episode. Listen for the sounds of spoken English too. For example, how do I say "for" at different parts of the episode? What is the difference between "wind" and "to wind" or "close and clothes"? 
Cozy up under a blanket, drink warm tea, and rest, and maybe try a fun winter activity. Before you know it, the spring flowers will be blooming again. 
Thanks for listening. Be sure to sign up for the newsletter where you can get a link to the transcript to practice your reading in English: English with Catherine.
Follow me on Instagram too.
Listening to music is also a good way to enjoy winter, so why not listen to Amos the Transparent, the band who provide my podcast theme song? 
 
 

”This is really about your journey” with Dan Hay | Intermediate English Conversations

Hello everyone!
Today, I'm offering you something a little bit different. Here's an intermediate English conversation for you where you'll work hard at your listening practice.
My first guest is Dan Hay, the sound engineer and producer of the Hear You Go podcast.
Dan is an accomplished musician who plays in the band Amos the Transparent, the band responsible for the soundtrack to the podcast, a song called Change my Mind. 
Dan is also a music teacher who owns his own music school called The Spark Music Academy  He teaches at a local elementary school as well. 
You'll hear us talk about:
how we make the podcast
music
our approach to teaching
how to motivate students
how teachers stay energized
I hope you will hear the excitement we have about teaching and learning. Like Dan, I believe that learning English is your journey: I'm here to help you speak English the way you dream of speaking it, but you are the leading the way, not me. It's a partnership.
P.S. You might also hear my nephew bouncing a ball, and that's life! Some things just can't be (or shouldn't be) edited out :)
 
If you need someone to help you produce your music, or a podcast, or if you are a teacher making recordings for a course, reach out to Dan at The Spark Academy
 
Thanks for listening! Remember to follow me on Instagram to get more information about the language used in the podcasts, and some pronunciation tips as well. Check out my website for more information on the podcast and English language lessons: English with Catherine.

Tourtière: A French-Canadian meat pie | English Listening Practice

What do the winter holidays smell like to you?
Do you eat something special over the holidays?
I just spent last weekend making latkes with a friend who celebrates Hanukkah. I also recently made tourtière. Have you ever heard of it? It's a French word that means meat pie in English.
 
Listen here to learn more about this French-Canadian specialty, and when you’re done, send me a message about the foods you eat during the holidays. You can contact me on my website: English with Catherine.
You can find the recipe for tourtière there as well, and the transcript. 
If you like to cook, why not read recipes in English to practice your reading in English? Or watch cooking videos to practice your English listening?
 
Sign up for my newsletter to never miss an episode or transcript. Transcripts help you with reading in English.
 
Don't forget to follow me on Instagram where I share some language used in the podcast: definitions of vocabulary, the meaning of expressions, as well as tips for listening to all those sounds in English that are messy and hard to hear.
I’m excited to attend a holiday party on Friday, where I’ll see Amos the Transparent.  Amos is the band you hear on the Hear You Go podcast. Make sure to listen to their music over the holidays.
Thanks for listening! Best wishes for the holiday season, and stay tuned for more episodes of Hear You Go in January 2023.

Taylor Swift: Taking Us to the Past using the Present | English Listening Practice

I will love Taylor Swift until I die. In fact, I want her music playing at my funeral. I'm not kidding. That woman saved my family.
 
In 2020 and 2021, her voice and music filled our home and soothed our pain. This is a very personal episode, kind of a love story. But, it's also about the English language. It's about English grammar. It's about how verb tense and time in English are flexible.
 
Taylor Swift's music is not only beautiful, but her lyrics are great tools for practicing English listening and reading. You can learn a lot about how to speak (sing!) English and how to write in English if you listen to her music and notice the language she uses. 
Do you want to know more? 
Listen and share your thoughts with me. You can contact me from my website: English with Catherine.
Here is a link to the article I talk about in the podcast: The Paris Review.
Don't forget to follow me on Instagram where I share some language used in the podcast: definitions of vocabulary, the meaning of expressions, as well as tips for listening to all those sounds in English that are messy and hard to hear.
 
Music is a big part of our lives, isn't it? It's important to support the talented musicians we love. Go listen to the band that provides the theme song "Change my Mind" to the Hear You Go podcast. They are Amos the Transparent.
 
Thanks for listening! Stay tuned for the next episode of Hear You Go.

Do children have rights? | English Listening Practice

The famous children's writer, Dr. Seuss, wrote that "A person's a person no matter how small". He liked kids and treated them with respect. Kids are people, just small people.
The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is 33 years old, and it was created to make sure that governments around the world treat children as people with human rights. 
In this episode, I'll share a little history about the convention, and why it was and is necessary, as well as some good news that I hope will inspire us to keep working and make life better for all kids. 
Thanks for listening. Can I ask a favour? I would love it if you followed or subscribed to the podcast and left a review. You can listen here on Podbean, or on Spotify and Apple podcasts. Share it with your friends to help grow our listening community.
Remember that transcripts and extra materials are available on my website: English with Catherine. Sign up for the newsletter to never miss an episode or transcript. 
Follow me on Instagram for listening and speaking challenges.
 
My theme music song is by Amos the Transparent.

Libraries: Do we really need them? | English Listening Practice

I taught beginner and intermediate English in libraries for many years. I loved connecting in English to people from all over the world who were learning to speak English and start a new life in the USA and Canada.
That's reason number one why I love libraries. Libraries offer English language courses. They also offer millions of books to read in English and movies for you to watch to practice listening in English.
Do we still need libraries though when the internet can give us information, entertainment, and English language courses on our phones and computers?
Yes, yes, yes! Listen and find out why libraries are amazing and more than just places to get books.
Thanks for listening! Please follow the podcast and leave a review. 
Visit my website for the TRANSCRIPT & ACTIVITIES at: https://www.englishwithcatherine.com/
You will also find the links to articles I read for this episode. I encourage you to read them, especially the one about the architecture of new libraries.
 
Remember to find me on Instagram.
I'm excited to see Amos the Transparent play in concert in December. They are big fans of libraries too :).  
 

New Jersey: Diners, Delis and Parks | English Listening Practice

So I lived in New Jersey for over 20 years, and let me assure you that there are many different ways of speaking English in The Garden State.
In this episode, I share some of my family's favourite things about the state we called home for many years. It's not a typical travel guide because it's personal.
I'll also share some of the ways the locals could tell I was Canadian: it had everything to do with my English accent. Yep, they knew when I said certain words that I wasn't speaking New Jersey English.
That's the beauty of English: it's spoken in different ways, from beginner English to advanced English, we all bring our own accent and vocabulary to it. I hope you learn a few things about this state, and if you're from New Jersey, tell me what your personal recommendations are: we'll share our love of New Jersey on Instagram for others to see.
 
Thanks for listening! I hope that you are learning some new techniques for how to listen. Are you listening a few times? Are you writing words and expressions down and practising their pronunciation? Are you reading the transcript (available on my website: https://www.englishwithcatherine.com/) and seeing the words that you didn't hear, the words that are very quiet or that are reduced or connected to other words? 
 
Check out my posts about listening on Instagram:
 
Follow Amos The Transparent, the band that you hear in this podcast. They were just voted as the best Ottawa band for 2022.
 

Jeans: The Coolest Pants in the World | English Listening Practice

Jeans. Classic, blue, denim pants. I love my jeans. What about you?
Question: Do you speak English like an American when you wear your Levi's?
Jeans are kinda like English: they're made all over the world, in different styles and colours. Some are more traditional, some are more stylish, and some are basic. English too is a global product, spoken in different styles, and some is more colourful than others. Ha ha ha! A colourful English is one that is full of lots of swear words, curse words.
 
In this episode of Hear You Go, I’m going to take you on a journey to learn about where jeans were invented, how I understand jeans are made, and why they are still so fashionable. Why do you think jeans are still so cool?
I love hearing from you, so please share your ideas or thoughts about your jeans and what they mean to you.
Follow me on Instagram to explore the podcast after you listen to it.
Get my news and the transcript in my newsletter.
To see how denim is made, watch this!
https://youtu.be/iapRWUrP2CY
 
Theme music by Amos the Transparent.
 

Wanna have lunch? | English Listening Practice

The key to a happy life is not speaking perfect English.
The key to having a happy and healthy life is to have friends and close relationships.
What do we do when we move to another city or country, and we have to learn to speak English and try to make new friends, and, and, and...?
How can we make friends as an adult when our lives are SO full and busy? 
In this episode of Hear You Go, we'll think about how to make friends, and I'll share some tips and ideas from a news article and a video, included here:
How to make friends as an adult | Psyche Guides
https://youtu.be/b3BaC_Zte_U
Remember that people just want to connect with you. They don't care if you speak English like they do.
As always, I'd love to "hear" from you! Please send me a message. Share your experiences of making friends as an adult. We can all use some help!
Thank you for listening -- enjoy! 
Follow me on Instagram.
For more information and  to get the free transcript, sign up to my newsletter on  my website : https://www.englishwithcatherine.com/
And listen to Amos the Transparent, the amazing band that made the music you hear in the podcast. They are super talented Canadian musicians: https://www.amosthetransparent.com/

Friendship - Why It's Important | English Listening Practice

How many friends do most people have? Why is it important to have friends? What is a good friend?
These are some of the questions we will explore in this intermediate English listening episode of Hear You Go.
Sign up to my newsletter to access the transcript for free. 
 
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catherineangus_hearyougo/
For more information, see my website: https://www.englishwithcatherine.com/
And listen to Amos the Transparent, the amazing band that is made the music you hear in the podcast. They are super talented Canadian musicians: https://www.amosthetransparent.com/