The principles that I stick to as an English learner:

1. I'm a student, not a teacher here. I use the system of exercises to achieve native-like fluency as a student, and I do my homework too.

2. I use the target language to learn more about the target language

3. I explore and play like a child

4. I work with the source. I learn from people who speak English from birth, not from ONE person, one textbook, or one course.

5. I invest my time in learning the culture behind the language.

https://youtu.be/jvBbr06qb94

We're accepting applications!

It's a 5-week ONLINE course for people who need to lead with effective business communication in English.

This time we're focusing on executive presence and impactful communication skills in the virtual setting.

What's on the agenda:

- Communicating your ideas to big international teams with clarity

- Executive presence. All shades of charisma (depending on your role and your personality)

- PItching and selling your ideas to individuals and groups

- Structuring a detailed and brief version of your presentation in English

- Storytelling skills. Participants will learn to tell at least 7 stories.

- and a lot more....

I'm giving TWO FREE seats to teenagers who are fluent in English and want to practice their presentation skills in English (15-18 y.o.)

https://courses.nataliatokar.me/courses/online-business-presentation-skills-in-english?fbclid=IwAR1QnnavioySK9NeHrW4_ojnd2LPyQNXCZFoR8UwlHNOivSa_XmauLhrQrI

Everyone will have a chance to join soon. A big Thank you to those 100 people who are testing it with me now!

We start on Nov 3, 2021
Join if you're looking for well-structured deliberate practice to achieve native-like fluency and individual coaching. It's a 6-month program for people who are ready to commit to showing up and putting in the work. https://youtu.be/1BrsQEvFfd4

The Native-LIke fluency group.

I'm considering creating two groups this time. Start date is Nov 3, 2021
You can join on Nov 3 or Nov 7. Then the doors will close for the next 6 months.

Group #1 - those who have never worked in the Native-Like fluency group before.

Our goal here is to learn to build an individualized sustainable practice routine. We will learn all the exercises of the system "9 essential skills" together, students will learn to measure their results and to apply the exercises to any content of their choice.

After 6 months of training, students have a choice to continue practicing on their own or to join Group #2.

Group #2 - for people who have already completed 6 months of training in the Native-Like Fluency group and for English teachers who are working on improving their language skills and their fluency. We will be doing way more advanced exercises together, learn to CREATE exercises and routines for ourselves, and we will do projects together.

There are 3 steps here:

- Learning how the system of exercises works. Mastering all exercises with the coach (group #1)

- Learning to CREATE routines, adapt exercises, and shift the focus. Learning to steer your own learning process when your goal is virtuosity (group #2)

- Learning to manage your inner state. Special sessions with my coach who has over 30 years of experience (group #3) English teachers who have completed their training in group #3 will be invited to work together on corporate projects and can join the team of teachers who can teach native-like fluency.
Apply here https://forms.office.com/r/XSKMSGFr6S

We will be welcoming the next cohort on Jan 4, 2022.
Only 50 students per cohort.

"9 essential skills to achieve native-like fluency" is the course that explains the approach and offers 12 unusual exercises to diagnose and improve your skills.
The course is not about English, the course is in English and it's about the learner and the learner's skills.
My job as a teacher is to help every student find THEIR best way to learn a language and develop the skills they need to achieve better fluency (be it writing fluency, listening fluency, speaking fluency, or reading fluency).

You can get on the waiting list today. Simply leave your email address.
The application process will begin in December.
The course is free for learners who successfully complete the application.

https://courses.nataliatokar.me/courses/9-essential-skills

When little details make a big difference

Micro-learning. Is it good or bad?

I keep saying that the learning process is infinite. Yet, each exercise should feel and be finite.

I know how long an exercise takes me. I know what it means to complete it, and I know how to measure my results.
I like working with short movie clips, super short texts, and I rarely listen to the entire podcast episode in one go.

I organize my own "micro-learning" process, and I can be creative, daring, and curious.

Why do people sign up for apps that promise to organize their routine for them? It's tempting - to never have to think...

But how can people learn to be creative, i.e. to CREATE their routines and their lives (which are merely a collectiion of daily habits) when they are so eager to delegate their own thinking process to soulless tech?
https://youtu.be/B9saFwWGLao

In 2006, a group of students at Xavier High School in New York City were given an assignment by their English teacher, Ms. Lockwood, that was to test their persuasive writing skills: they were asked to write to their favourite author and ask him or her to visit the school. It’s a measure of his ongoing influence that five of those pupils chose Kurt Vonnegut, the novelist responsible for, amongst other highly-respected books, Slaughterhouse-Five; sadly, however, he never made that trip. Instead, he wrote this wonderful letter. He was the only author to reply.

Have you read any of these books? https://www.chattersource.com/article/kurt-vonnegut-books/

Please note that the event on Nov 14 was canceled.
The next meeting in Moscow is on Nov 21, 2021
The topic: The difference between volume, pitch, and stress. How to understand the rhythm of English
See you at the usual place!

http://careerboost.ru/

I'm reading an excerpt from "Will".
A new book by Will Smith
https://soundcloud.com/natasha-tokar/natalia-reads-will-a-memoir-by-will-smith?si=2502b141aeec42db98da98efa0d3e64f

The practice in Moscow is tomorrow.

The rhythm of English + attentiveness game

http://careerboost.ru

If you receive my newsletter, you have all the details 😉

If you don’t receive my newsletter you can sign up here https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/z0j9k4

Не будет Black Friday скидок.
Просто присоединяйтесь к диалогу, если тема для вас важна.
Вебинар бесплатный, и на нем не будет продаваться никакой курс.

Язык вебинара - английский.
Запись будет доступна зарегистрированным участникам три дня.

Это то, что действитльно важно. Не скидки, не количество "дорогих" знаний, которые отдают раз в год за бесценок - а умеем ли мы вообще учиться? Можем ли мы передать этот навык? Есть ли он в нас?

Столько взрослых людей так болезненно переживают ошибки, что страшно... какой пример они показывают молодым поколениям.
Делать вид, что все хорошо, то есть врать?
Истретить "вы не видите во мне гения?"
Наказывать себя, истязать себя морально и физически за каждую ошибку?
Стоять на месте, потому что мне сказали "я плохой", или потому что "я до сих пор делаю такие ошибки"?

Мы сами управляем процессом своего обучения.
Действия, которые сделаны сегодня, создают условия для следующих действий, более точных, более качественных.

Множество маленьких упражнений дают сумасшедший эффект в перспективе при условии регулярности и погружения в их многослойность.

Управлять процессом своего обучения - звучит сложно. Но это просто, если смотреть в масштабе одного дня. Что я делал сегодня? И как в моем "сегодня" создать для себя же благоприятные условия для роста качества навыка (например, английского)?

Это не "рутина"... В русском значение этого слова какое-то удручающее.....
Practice routine в моем понимании должна быть наполнена новизной, потому что невозможно бесконечно повторять present perfect в той же редакции - можно свихнуться.

Методология работы по системе упражнений native-like fluency подразумевает, что каждый студент доходит до уровня "создавать". Create переводится именно так - создавать. Не ждать упражнений, а создавать для себя условия и возможности.
Покажу на примере конкретных упражнений, которые делаю сама. Буду рада диалогу - то есть вашим мыслям и историям тоже.

******
What to expect:
- Ways to organize your learning routine. Examples of exercises and strategies to adapt them
- How to lead by example if you have children who are learning English too
- Strategies to add novelty and creativity to what should be a routine
- The milestones we need to look out for when working on native-like fluency in English
Teachers, parents, and English learners who are driven by the idea of reaching native-like fluency in English are welcome to join.

https://courses.nataliatokar.me/courses/webinar-practice-routine

- I don't care what others think! I'm going to do what I WANT anyway! I will stop expecting approval and finally do that thing that I want to do!
- That's right! Don't listen to anyone! Don't care about what others think or say.
So many similar conversations have taken place in the world over time, and so many people got themselves trapped.
Anyone who says that it's possible to NOT care about what other people think doesn't understand human nature or human biology. We are social species. We become conscious of ourselves only through interactions with other humans.
It's not possible to not care what other people (especially those who matter to us) think of us.
It's not going to work... if your plan is to have that be the prerequisite for finally doing what you want.
You are always going to care what others think. Humans are wired that way.
The question is - to what degree is it going to paralyze you?

Download a list of good resume verbs here https://pages.nataliatokar.me/resume-verbs

We're meeting in an hour. Grab your seat and join the conversation. It's free https://courses.nataliatokar.me/courses/webinar-practice-routine