Cost of Living in Dublin 2026

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About the Erasmus+ Project 

In Everest our team and students have always looked for way to have a positive impact on society. So we are very excited to tell you about a project we have been working on, one that we believe can make a meaningful impact. Since January, Everest has partnered with organisations in Greece and Czechia on an Erasmus+ funded initiative aimed at integrating therapeutic practices into language education for refugees, asylum seekers, and socially excluded adult learners. This nine-month project, running through September 2025, will culminate in the development of a pilot two-week training program for educators, which will be held in Dublin for international participants.

Classrooms across Ireland are made up of students from all backgrounds and cultures and it’s crucial that teachers are equipped with the skills and training necessary to deliver trauma-informed lessons, especially for vulnerable learners. The aim of this project is to ensure that English language classrooms will be inclusive and able to cater to students of all backgrounds and experiences. Research has shown that many refugees and asylum seekers struggle to engage with traditional English language instruction, while also facing additional challenges due to limited English proficiency. This is why Everest and our partners have launched this initiative—to develop a comprehensive and practical syllabus that integrates art therapy and other therapeutic practices into ESL teaching, ensuring all learners have an equal opportunity to enhance their English language skills.

Partner Organisations 

Everest has partnered with two incredible international organisations to undertake this international Erasmus+ project. Both Amaka and Integracni Centrum Praha (ICP) are doing crucial work with displaced and marginalised individuals across Europe in the space of art therapy, social and legal counselling, language education and much more. The representatives from both of these organisations, Maria Vlachopoulou and Eva Šenkýřová respectively, possess essential expertise and experience in providing services to refugees and asylum seekers that will be incorporated into the final creation of the trauma informed teacher training syllabus. Both of these organisations do fascinating work and we are very lucky to have them on board for this project. 

Amaka is based in Greece and runs art therapy workshops, aimed at fighting loneliness and social exclusion, with a particular focus on marginalised groups. This organisation is able to bring valuable insights into the benefits of art therapy for expression and connection to this project, providing expertise on the best ways to incorporate it into language teaching. 

ICP, based in Czechia, works to ensure that individuals who have been granted international or special protections receive fair treatment in Czech society. Their main focus in recent years has been on integrating those fleeing the conflict in Ukraine, through projects such as language education, counselling, legal help, social integration courses and much more. They are taking part in this project to supply guidance on working with displaced individuals and providing language education to refugees and vulnerable groups.

Dublin Erasmus+ Study Visit

We were delighted to kick off this project earlier this year in March with a visit with representatives from our two partner organisations in Dublin. Maria Vlachopoulou from Amaka and Eva Šenkýřová from ICP both travelled to Dublin for 4 days of in person project planning. As well as focusing on the creation of the syllabus, Rob, Maria and Eva conducted two fieldwork visits which were very beneficial and informative to the project. The first was to FIT, an organisation providing internships, training and language education to discuss their work with Ukranian refugees. They spoke to Robert Ardiff and numerous people in FIT, from managers to teachers and students about their experiences of English language teaching specifically aimed at vulnerable groups. 

Our second visit was to speak to Sean McCabe, the Head of Climate Justice & Sustainability at Bohemian’s Football Club. Sean has been involved in various projects with Bohemian’s to boost inclusivity including a groundbreaking climate co-operative. This co-op provides afterschool youth programmes as well as sustainability projects for adults currently serving time in Mountjoy prison. The aim of these projects is to create and encourage community collaborations for social change and improvement. Sean spoke in depth to Maria, Rob and Eva about his current project providing training courses to people in direct provision, allowing them to upskill and engage in community apprenticeships. These conversations were so beneficial to our project as it allowed us to gain insights into how current training courses aimed at displaced individuals in Ireland are being delivered and allow for creative collaboration from both of our projects. 

Next steps in the project 

This project will continue this year with two more in person meetings this summer, first a May trip to Greece followed by a visit to Prague the month after. The Greek session will be led by Amaka and will focus on hearing from therapists and facilitators involved in art therapy sessions for refugees. Representatives from both Everest and ICP will have the opportunity to observe and engage in non-ESL focused art therapy sessions, and gain insights into how these practices and can be adapted into an language curriculum. 

The Prague session will provide an opportunity for representatives from Everest and Amaka to observe teachers providing lessons to recently arrived refugees, specifically those from Ukraine. Observation sessions will help to facilitate opportunities for understanding of how teachers provide trauma-informed lessons to these groups. Feedback and collaborative sessions will follow, allowing participants to develop lesson plans and syllabi with the guidance and input from facilitators from ICP. 

The project will culminate in the development of a syllabus focused on therapeutic teaching methods for English language teaching for refugees, asylum-seeking and socially- excluded adult learners. This syllabus will be delivered as a training course for teachers held in Ireland, and will have been informed and guided by the collaboration and actions undertaken by Everest, Amaka and ICP representatives. It is the hope of Everest that this syllabus will not only be beneficial to language teachers, but will inform and inspire future research into this area to ensure that language learning is accessible and inclusive to all. We are very excited for what the rest of this year has in store and we look forward to sharing it with you in the coming months!

The post Introducing our Erasmus+ project (Dublin) appeared first on Everest Language School.

Answering all your questions about studying English in Ireland

Hello! If you’ve found your way to this blog, you’re probably considering a work-study visa or gap year abroad. There are so many different options available – choosing which one can be a difficult decision!

This blog is to give you some advice and guidance, and to help you decide whether an English language work-study visa in Dublin could be the right choice for you. 

We will go through everything from picking the right school, finding a job, securing accommodation as well as all the great benefits of embarking on a work-study visa. 

First things first, what is a work-study visa?

Simply put, it’s a visa that allows you to work in Ireland while you study English. The visa lasts 8 months in total – 25 weeks of which is studying and 8 weeks are holidays where you can explore Ireland and other European countries!

 

Most English language schools will offer study options in both the morning and afternoon – either 15 hours per week or 20 hours per week. At Everest Language School, we offer a 20-hour per week program in the morning that runs from 9 AM to 1:10 PM, Monday to Friday, or the afternoon option that runs from 1:50 PM to 5 PM, Monday to Friday, which totals 15 hours per week.

Whilst you study you will be entitled to work for 20 hours per week. If you are here from June to September or the Christmas break you will be able to work for 40 hours during this period. 

 

You will learn lots of English in your classroom, and with the added benefit of being able to work you will be able to apply your new language skills to a real world environment. 

 

Although the work-study visa is just 8 months, you can renew it 2 more times and stay in Ireland for 2 years in total. Many students even stay longer if they get job sponsorship or go to university. 

How do I get a work-study visa?

The good news is that, for most students, it is really easy! How easy it is depends on what country you will be travelling from.  Students from countries such as Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Japan and Korea do not even need a visa to enter Ireland!  All you need to do is book your course, make the payment and we will send you your acceptance letter and any other documents you will need to show at immigration on arrival.  When you are in Dublin, you will need to book an appointment with Immigration services to get your visa card. Again, this is really easy to do, and our friendly student support team will assist you with everything you need for it. 

What if I’m from a visa-required country?

For some countries, getting a work-study visa is a little bit more complicated! Don’t let this deter you though – lots of students from visa-required countries are still able to come to Ireland, it’s just a bit more paperwork! Students coming from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Russia, China & Mongolia will need to apply for a visa before coming to Ireland. Again, once you have booked your course and made the payment, we will send you all the documents you will need for your application. There can be a wait of anywhere between 4 to 16 weeks for your visa to be approved, so do keep this in mind when choosing a start date! If you’re coming from a country that’s not mentioned above and you’re unsure of whether you need a visa or not – you can check via the link below. Just type in your country and it will tell you! Check if I need a VISA

Why choose Everest Language School?

Dublin has lots and lots of English Language Schools, so deciding which one can be a bit overwhelming!

Each school in Dublin has their own unique offerings for students, and you should always do your research and choose a school that is the best fit for you.

We’d love for you to consider choosing Everest Language and here’s what we can offer you!

• We are 100% teacher owned. This is very unique in Dublin and it means all of our classes are created by highly experienced teachers which makes the classes dynamic, interactive and you won’t be sitting in class following the same book for 6 months!
• We’re centrally located – we are based in the very centre of Dublin, right beside Temple Bar, Dublin’s cultural hub. The school is very easy to get to and served by all of Dublin’s public transport options.
• We are a relatively small school. There is a real family vibe in our school, and being small allows us to give all of our students the attention they need from both our administrative staff and teacher.  As we are a small school we also have the benefit of having a very diverse nationality mix, we have students from France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Korea, Russia, Mexico, Chile, Brazil etc….
• We have great feedback from students and a 4.9 rating on Google.
• We have competitive pricing. Some schools are less expensive than ours and some are much more expensive.We know it’s a big expense and we try to keep our pricing as affordable as possible, whilst maintaining the highest quality of service and teaching.
• We have wonderful social activities. Our social program manager is always making sure that there are plenty of events outside of the classroom that you can meet other students and explore what Dublin has to offer! This includes party nights to Dublin’s pubs and clubs, cultural trips such as the Guinness Store House and museums, in house events such as movie nights, CV & Interview workshops, conversational classes, day trips to other cities in Ireland such as Galway, Belfast and Wicklow and much much more.
• Last but not least, we really care! We know that moving abroad can be a daunting experience, and things don’t always go perfectly to plan. Our dedicated staff are always available to support you in whatever challenges you might face and our job is to ensure you have the best experience possible and that you thrive academically, professionally and socially whilst you are here.

Why Choose Dublin & Ireland?

• If you Google top 10 friendliest cities in the world, you’ll be sure to find Dublin up near the top spot on nearly every list. 
• Dublin is really multicultural – even though you might be far from home, if you’re ever feeling homesick, you’re sure to find many other students from your native country here too!  So much so we even have shops that are solely dedicated to selling Brazilian products. 
• Jobs are easy to find! Ireland is at its all time high record of employment at the moment (2024). There are loads of hospitality jobs in the city for students, and you don’t need perfect English skills to apply. 
• You’re close to everything else – because Ireland is a small country, whatever city you choose to study in, if you want to go explore the rest of Ireland, the trips don’t take long and can often be done over a weekend. There are beach towns all down the coast of Dublin, if you’re brave enough to swim in the cold sea here!
• We’re part of the European Union. Understandably, many students first thought when thinking about going to learn English is to go to the UK. However since Brexit and the UK exiting the EU, obtaining a visa to go to the UK has become increasingly difficult. Getting a work-study visa to Ireland is much easier – and you’ll be able to visit freely to other European countries if you choose Ireland. 
• We’ve got some of the best pubs in the world – so if you want to go and try your first taste of Guiness, you’ve literally got 100’s of options to choose from!

 

Things to be cautious about

Of course, no city is perfect, and we prefer to be honest with students about things they should consider when choosing to study abroad.

• Cost of living: Like many cities across Europe and the world, the cost of living has increased. As part of your study visa you will need to be able to show that you have €4200 to support yourself.
• Accommodation can take a little while to find in Dublin. Everest Language School provides a range of accommodation options for our students. Most students who come on the work-study program book a few weeks or months in the school’s accommodation to allow time to search for their own place! Many agencies we work with can provide accommodation for you too.
• The weather: weather is very unpredictable in Ireland – you can go through four different seasons in just one day. Just because it’s sunny in the morning, it’s no guarantee it won’t be lashing rain by lunchtime!

What are the benefits of doing a work-study visa?

• English is the number one spoken language in the world. Learning English will open up so many opportunities for you – whether it be professionally, socially or if you wish to travel or go to university.
• You will learn invaluable skills in both the classroom and outside of the classroom.

• You will get to experience an entirely different culture, make lasting friendships with people from all over the world and learn to the view the world from different perspectives
• You will create inner confidence and learn to overcome challenges independently. 
• You’ll gain experience working in English speaking environments, making you much more employable 

 

Still have questions?

If you have any questions about our work-study visa program please contact us at info@everestlanguageschool.com or you can call us on 00353-1-559-4919

You can visit our website at everestlanguageschool.com and check our work-study visa options.

A member of our team would be more than happy to answer any questions you have and support you through every step of the process.

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Student Welfare Supports Dublin

Student Welfare Supports Dublin: Support agency contacts for students who encounter emergency situations or hardships.
This list is not complete, and if you see a support missing, please let us know.
With any issue that arrises, please feel free to talk to anyone from the students support team and we will do everything we can to help and support you.

Mental Health Support

Samaritans

Samaritans services are available 24 hours a day, for confidential, non-judgmental support.

☎️Freephone 116 123 any time.

✉️jo@samaritans.ie

Samaritans.ie

Aware

Information, support and peer groups for people experiencing anxiety, mild to moderate depression, bipolar disorder and mood-related conditions. Support also for friends and family members.

☎️Freephone 1800 80 48 48, 10am to 10pm every day

✉️supportmail@aware.ie

Aware.ie

Pieta

Free individual counselling, therapy and support for people who self-harm or are thinking about suicide and people who have been bereaved by suicide.

☎️Freephone 1800 247 247, any time

☎️Text HELP to 51444 – standard message rates apply

pieta.ie

Bodywhys

Services for adults and young people with eating disorders, and their families. Services include email and helpline support, online chat support groups for various groups, virtual video support groups and family programmes

☎️Phone 01 2107906 – Monday, Wednesday and Sunday from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, and Saturday from 10.30am to 12.30pm

✉️alex@bodywhys.ie

bodywhys.ie

LGBT Ireland

Phone or online support for the LGBTI+ community – by phone, instant messaging or at peer support groups.

☎️Freephone 1800 929 539 – Monday to Thursday 6.30pm to 10pm, Friday 4pm to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday 4pm to 6pm

☎️Transgender Family Support Line 01 907 3707

✉️info@lgbt.ie

lgbt.ie

Housing Welfare Supports Dublin

Threshold 

Give free advice and guidance to those experiencing rental problems in Ireland.

☎️ Freephone 1800 454 454

threshold.ie

Residential Tenancies Board 

An independent public body that works to resolve housing and tenancy disputes. 

☎️0818 30 30 37 

☎️01 702 8100

rtb.ie

Rape crisis

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre

Provides support to those who have experienced rape or sexual violence. 

☎️ Helpline: 1800 77 8888

☎️ Office: +35316614911

✉️info@rcc.ie

drcc.ie

Rape Crisis Network Ireland 

Provides counselling and other support services to those who have experienced sexual violence 

rapecrisishelp.ie

Garda (police) info

Emergency Numbers 

Please call either of these numbers if you have an emergency that needs to be dealt with immediately. These numbers are for police and ambulance services.

☎️999

☎️112

Garda (police) Student Welfare Supports Dublin

Specifically provides welfare supports for international students and tourists. Provides assistance to those who have been a victim of a crime in Dublin. Staff members speak several languages.

☎️+353(0)1 666 93 54

✉️ info@itas.ie

Irish Tourist Assistance Service,

Pearse Street Garda Station,

Pearse Street,

Dublin 2, D02 W289 

Irish Tourist Assistance Service,

Head Office ,

 6-7 Hanover Street East,

Dublin 2, D02 W320 

Garda National Immigration Bureau

13/14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2, D02 XK70 

☎️ +353 1 666 9100/1 

✉️gnib_dv@garda.ie

Everest’s Local Garda Station 

1-6 Pearse Street

Dublin 2

☎️(01) 6669000

Work Issues

Workplace Relations Commission

Provides a place to lodge complaints about employers, workplace issues etc. 

☎️059 9178990

workplacerelations.ie

Domestic Violence

Women’s aid

Women’s Aid is a national, feminist organisation working to prevent and address the impact of domestic violence and abuse.

☎️ 1800 341 900

https://www.womensaid.ie/

This list of Student Welfare Supports Dublin, is not exhaustive. We have tried to include the most important wel

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The following sections will look at the different types of phrasal verbs, problems learners face, and some suggestions to make learning them (slightly) easier.

Different types of phrasal verbs

Multi-word verbs can function in 4 ways, generally related to transitivity, and separability.

Type 1: Intransitive, requiring no direct object. e.g., go off (ring)

The fire alarm went off.

“Their flights taking off” (become airborne)

Type 2: Transitive, requiring a direct object., Inseparable e.g., break into (force entry into)

Burglars broke into the mansion.

“she would run into someone” (to meet someone by chance)

Type 3: Transitive, Separable e.g., give something up (quit)

The direct object either comes between the verb and the adverb, or after the preposition. If we use a pronoun, then it must go between.

He gave smoking up.

John gave it up.

He gave up smoking.

John gave up it.

“She decided to take her jacket off” (remove)

Also, there can be multi-word verbs with 2 objects e.g. (provide someone with something)

He provided me with the directions.

Type 4: three-part e.g., (look up to someone) (admire)

He looks up to his father.

“ looking forward to their flights” (feel excited about something that is going to happen)

Issues learners have with phrasal verbs:

 

● Literal vs idiomatic meaning

“She decided to take her jacket off” vs “hoping for her career to take off”

You may know the meaning of the verb and the particle (draw on)

He drew on the board.(literal)

But not the meaning of:

She drew on her experience.(idiomatic) (make use of)

● Polysemy

“Their flights taking off” (become airborne)(intransitive)

“She decided to take her jacket off” (remove)(transitive)

“hoping for her career to take off”(become successful)(intransitive)

Some phrasal verbs have multiple meanings, including between transitive and intransitive

forms.

● Formality

Generally, phrasal verbs are informal, but that is not always the case.

We chilled out at home. (Informal)

I need to check out that new movie. (Informal)

There are a few options to mull over. (Semi-formal)

We need to carry out a thorough analysis of the data. (Formal)

Some can have a formal one-word equivalent that is used in formal contexts

I keep putting it off. (Informal)

We must postpone the meeting. (Formal)

● Collocation

You may struggle to know the collocation patterns of phrasal verbs and which lexical areas they occur in.

“The match was called off due to the rain”, also collocating strongly with engagement,”wedding”, “meeting”;.

You might understand the meaning, i.e. cancel, and then attempt to apply it to other nouns with which it in fact has no relationship.

For example,”I called off my English class”; sounds strange to L1 speakers, as generally we can only call off events which have been specifically arranged, or that are of a unique, one-off nature.

● Particle use

It can be very easy to confuse particles, or omit them entirely.

“The is growing up”

“I like listening (to) music”

Tips for Learning English Phrasal Verbs

● When reading in English, get into the habit of noticing, identifying and underlining phrasal verbs.

● Write down in a notebook the sentences they appear in.

● Look up the meaning in an English to English dictionary, and make your own sentences.

● Get a teacher or friend to check your sentences.

● Try to limit them to 2 or three per day. This will build up over time.

● Read a little (in English) everyday for a minimum of 15 minutes, read about things you are interested in.

The post Tips for Learning Phrasal Verbs appeared first on Everest Language School.

by Sean Newman

Podcasts for Learning English

Why you should learn English with podcasts:

All podcasts, but especially podcasts for learning English , are a convenient and great way to help you improve your English. They are on-demand internet radio talks that you can download to your mobile phone or tablet. It is said that just 20 minutes per day of a listening to an English speaking podcast can have a positive impact on your learning English! You can listen to them lying in bed, on the train back home or just wandering around the city, and let’s face it, sometimes the idea of sitting down with a 300 page English book after a long day of classes isn’t always what you want to be doing! 

During your English classes here at Everest Language School you will spend a lot of time speaking, reading, listening and writing which of course is a really important part of learning English. However, you will find that out in the real world in any English speaking country you will come across lots of different accents and ‘slang’ words, and especially in Ireland people speak very fast and with many different accents, even in Dublin alone!

Podcasts for Learning English: Podcasts are a great way to improve your listening and understanding skills. This is possible whether it be an English Learning podcast or even just a regular podcast of a topic you might find interesting. Podcasts often have written transcripts (basically subtitles!) that go along with the speaking, so if you don’t understand a word or phrase that’s being spoken, you might be able to understand it in writing!

Podcasts also allow you to choose the subject that’s being spoken about, so you can learn English and also listen to a topic you are genuinely interested in.

You can also pick the level of English that’s suited to you, so if you are finding one podcast to easy or another too difficult, you can simply pick one that’s more suited to you and your level. You can also slow down podcasts to ½ the speed if you feel its too fast, or speed it up to x2 speed if you really want to challenge yourself.

Podcasts are generally free as well! Some have a small subscription fee, but even when they do they usually offer a one month free-trial, so you can decide if it’s worth parting with your money for.

You might find that listening to podcasts during your spare time will greatly improve your learning of English in the classroom!

Below you will find a list of some of what we think are the best podcasts to help you learn English, there are lots more that you can find on our school’s blog.

Podcasts for Learning English: Our favourites

The English we Speak – BBC Learning English

Like any language, English has plenty of terms and phrases that you won’t find in the dictionary! You may hear them out and about and not understand what someone is talking about! This podcast has a huge selection of 3 minute tutorials explaining in simple terms what these phrases mean! For example if somebody says ‘I’ll give them a taste of their own medicine’ this means to get revenge on somebody.

These podcasts are particularly suited to students with an intermediate level and you find them here at this link – The English We Speak – BBC Learning English

6 Minute Grammar

6 minute Grammar is another podcast produced by the BBC and is updated weekly. The clue is in the name, it’s a 6 minute podcast focusing on a key area of grammar! For many students grammar can often be the trickiest part of learning English. This podcast is great for giving you a short and simple explanation of a key area of grammar with examples of hows its used to!

Its suitable for all levels and you can find it at this link – 6 Minute Grammar

All Ears English

All Ears podcasts for learning English use conversational English focussing on vocabulary. Many of the topics are about the different difficulties people face when learning English and cultural challenges that can contribute to this. There are hundreds of podcasts, many of which also focus on American culture.

To check it out you can follow this link – All Ears English

VOA News Learn English

VOA Learn podcasts for learning English focus on current affairs and news around the world – from the World Cup to Politics! This podcast is great if you’re looking to listen to a news topic that interests you, they have sections on Arts and Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Music and many more. You can also choose the level of English you can listen to the newscast. You can even check your level of English as they have a free English assessment test as well as an ‘Everyday Grammar’ section to help you brush up your skills!

You probably listen to the news anyway so you might as well listen in English! – VOA News Learn English

Business English Pod

Business English Pod is a little different to the other podcasts as it purely focuses on business English. What this means is, it focuses on the English you would need if you were doing a job interview, speaking on the telephone at work, presentations and meetings at work. This podcast also gives you tips on how to write your CV. Business English Pod is great for students who have already got their General English to a good standard and are starting to look for employment in English speaking companies. Job interviews and new jobs can be a daunting experience even if you are a native speaker so why not check Business English pod out and give the native speaking candidates a run for their money at Business English Pod!

Splendid Speaking

Here at Everest Language School we do lots of IELTS Exam preparation courses. These podcasts are aimed at helping you prepare for IELTS Exam. The podcasts are conversational and the host Peter Travis interviews a different English learning student each time about how they did in different parts of the IELTS practice test. These podcasts are a great way to help prepare for your IELTS exam and get some first-hand advice from students who have already taken it!

Check it out at Splendid Speaking!

British Council – Learn English

These podcasts for learning English are great if you’re looking for a podcast that does everything! It’s a one-for-all stop for Grammar, Vocabulary, Business English, IELTS and is suitable for students from Elementary to Intermediate Level. You can also interact with other users and give each other tips about what podcasts you found helpful.

Check it out at Learn English – British Council

IELTSPodcast by Ben Worthington

Learn English with Everest – Our very own podcast

Did you know that Everest has its own podcast. Over the last few years our Academic Director and teachers have created an excellent podcast that will really help you improve your English. There are lots of coversations and chats with English speakers from around Ireland so that you can get used to the different Irish and Dublin accents, there are episodes to help you learn professional English for work, and lots of episodes to help you prepare for the IELTS and Cambridge exams. We are really proud of these podcasts and have done lots of blog posts to accompany them so that you can follow along and learn all the new vocabulary. Check it out today and let us know what you think!

These are just a few of the many podcasts for learning English. Alternating the different podcasts on maybe a weekly or monthly basis is a good idea to ensure you’re getting a diverse learning experience.

The post Podcasts for Learning English in 2023- Everest Language School appeared first on Everest Language School.

A mistake that Spanish speakers often make in English is getting confused between false cognates, also known as “false friends.” These tricky words may seem similar in both languages but actually have different meanings. It’s easy for Spanish speakers to think that these words mean the same thing in English and end up using them incorrectly.
Spanish speakers will often think that a word like Actualmente translates directly to the English word Actually, but as we can see below false friends have a slightly or completely different meaning.

Did you know that English and Spanish have some pretty unique differences when it comes to their sounds and spelling? That’s why it’s crucial to focus on how to pronounce English words properly. One helpful tip is to listen to native English speakers and try to copy the way they say words.

Spanish is a phonetic language. This means that the same combination of letters will be pronounced the same way in each word. English is not a phonetic language. This means that the same combination of letters can have a different pronunciation, depending on the word. This can be confusing a frustrating for learners, but you can use an online dictionary to hear the pronunciation of common words and learn those. A good example of this is ‘ough’, which is pronounced differently in:

Another pronunciation difference is that when groups of vowels are together, in Spanish they are each distinctly pronounced, whereas in English, we tend to ‘reduce’ vowels/groups of vowels to a weaker sound called a ‘schwa’. Click on the audio symbol on the words here to hear ‘information’ and ‘información’. Notice the difference in pronunciation of ‘ion’ in the two languages.

You might find phrasal verbs a bit confusing. One way to improve is by using phrasal verbs in the right context while speaking or writing in English. Start by learning the most common phrasal verbs, start small and keep at it, and you’ll soon be using phrasal verbs like a pro!

The post The Top 10 Common Mistakes Spanish Speakers Learning English​ appeared first on Everest Language School.

You’ll find the scripts for each part of this episode here and don’t forget to check out the glossary at the end for words and phrases you may not have encountered before.

Podcast: Beginner’s luck

English Vocabulary about Luck

Did you ever play a game for the first time, still unsure of all the rules, and yet manage to win? You’d think it should be the opposite way around, especially if playing against an expert. This is known as beginner’s luck. Is it a real phenomenon or is it all just in our heads? Is this something we can harness and use to our advantage? On this episode, we’ll explore beginner’s luck and the benefits of being a novice every day – even in school!

Story One:

First things first. Beginner’s luck doesn’t actually exist, but we do however perceive that it does. So why do we perceive something that isn’t there? 

Well, as humans, we tend to remember things that are interesting and noteworthy. What is the point of remembering all the times when nothing interesting happened? This however, creates a flaw in our thinking. If you try something new 20 times, but only succeed once, are you remembering the 19 times it didn’t work, or the one time you had success?

We also have a tendency to accept evidence that affirms our beliefs – this is known as confirmation bias, and this can come into play when we see beginner’s luck in action. If you were to see an expert lose to a novice, it’s easy to buy into the idea of beginner’s luck because it’s exciting, but in reality we are probably ignoring the causes as to why the beginner performed so well. 

So why does beginner’s luck happen, (or appear to happen)?

To the Beginner, Anything Is Possible

If you are a novice, you are giving yourself the permission to ask silly questions, to look foolish. You have a naive optimism, anything is possible. Because the beginner doesn’t have the experience, they haven’t convinced themselves of the right or wrong moves in a particular situation. This may mean they may try something stupid, but it also could mean they’ll find a more creative solution and take worthwhile risks. Whereas the expert draws upon their experience. When an expert tries to analyse a strategy that isn’t really a strategy at all, that expert is likely to fail and the beginner is likely to win.

Experts Choke Under Pressure

When you’re great at something, you’re under a lot of pressure to continue to perform at that level. This can cause you to choke under pressure. Beginners don’t have these issues because they don’t particularly care how they perform. When you don’t care about the outcome, you don’t have the same pressure. 

Experts May Trust Their Intuition Too Much

Just as over-thinking can cause an expert to choke, trusting their gut can cause problems as well. Most experts have some sort of muscle memory for the things they do and that usually works in predictable situations. When up against a beginner, or in an unusual situation, the predictable goes out the window, and it can be a recipe for failure for the expert.

So, want to channel your inner beginner? Well, throw away everything you know for a moment. Think like a kid and imagine how they would look for a solution. Consider crazy ideas and strategies. When you’re sure something won’t work, consider it anyway. If you have an idea you really like but are afraid to try it, that’s probably a good sign. So even as our skills improve, there are some benefits of keeping that spirit of the novice. 

Story Two:

Singer John Legend learned to swim with his kids when he was 40. Many people took to twitter to thank him for showing that it’s never too late to pick up a new skill. Learning something new and challenging, particularly with a group, has proven benefits for our brain. Not only that but you’ll gain a boost of confidence too. Our next story comes from the UK, where language classes are improving wellbeing and cognition for those with dementia

Lingo Flamingo was started in 2015 specifically with the aim of providing lessons for older adults. Not in the same way as many language schools, but instead in care homes and community centres across Scotland.

The language classes are the brainchild of entrepreneur Robbie Norval who says his idea wasn’t always met with enthusiasm, and many care homes had reservations. But working with Thomas Bak, a psychologist from Edinburgh University, has been key to building credibility.

According to Bak, even for people who aren’t bilingual, learning a language in later life has benefits. He has found improvements among older adults’ attention, verbal fluency and memory. 

Bak believes it is never too late to learn a language and in fact is particularly valuable because of the variety of tasks involved: distinguishing different sounds,  new concepts, grammar. 

Apart from the cognitive research, it increases wellbeing and self-confidence as well. 

The course material has been designed to be accessible, with textbooks printed in a larger font, incorporating colours that those with dementia can recognise, and using sensory learning to include those who might be unable to speak. One group writes postcards to a twinned care home in France, and has held a lesson with local schoolchildren. 

The beauty of being a beginner here is that everyone is on a level playing field. Nobody is any better at speaking the language than anybody else, whether you have dementia or not. For that period of time, the dementia is not there.

Story Three:

The following story is about overcoming the odds. It’s about pride, belief and beginners showing their true colours. It’s time to head to 1988, and you might want to wear an Irish jersey for this one.

If you have ever lived in Ireland, you will have heard of the Green Army. And no I am not talking about a military army, but the Irish soccer supporters. And in 1988, we were all part of Jackie’s army. Jack Charton, that is.

In 1986 something unexpected happened. An Englishman was appointed manager of the Irish soccer team. Unexpected, as Ireland was in the midst of a period of conflict known as The Troubles, and had only gained independence from the UK a little over 60 years prior. To put it lightly, we did not love the English and Jack wasn’t immediately met with open arms.  Not only that but a lot of our national team lived and worked in England but were born to Irish parents. This was a strange setup for an Irish team.

Before his appointment, the team had never qualified for a major tournament. But that soon changed. The Euro 88 qualifying group for the Republic of Ireland soccer team included Bulgaria, Belgium, Scotland and Luxembourg. This was a difficult group for the Irish, but against the odds they fought their way to the European Championships.

The country was going through an economic crisis at the time, and the Irish team qualifying was a symbol of hope we all needed. The Green Army got behind its team, people got loans out to travel to support the underdogs, many of whom had never been abroad before. Excitement was mounting. Ireland was on the world stage.

Then we waited for the group draw: would it be Germany, Spain, Holland? No, the first team we were drawn to play in our group, one who we have a lot of history with, was England – one of the tournament favourites, of which Ireland was not. We were written off by the British pundits before we even began. This wasn’t going to be easy.

So now it’s crunch time. It’s about 28 degrees in Stuttgart that day, people are nervous with how the match will go, there is concern as well with how fans in the stands will react to each other. There is tension in the air. The whistle blows. 

Within the first 8 minutes, the smallest man on the pitch, Ray Houghton jumps up, and with a header scores the first and only goal of the match. Ireland leads against England and now spend the next 82 minutes holding on against their old enemies. The Irish singer song writer Christy More sums it up well in his song ‘That day will be the highlight of many people’s lives’.

In his time in charge, Charlton took the country to Euro 88, and two World Cups but more importantly, he created great memories for supporters, boosted the country’s confidence and became a national hero.

Beginner’s luck? I’ll let you decide…

English Vocabulary from Podcast:

These English phrases and vocabulary about luck accompanies Episode 10 of the podcast series and will provide short definitions of words and terms you heard or read which may be new or unfamiliar to you.

Story One:

• noteworthy – significant
• a flaw – an imperfection, it makes something not perfect
• evidence – proof
• affirms – supports or confirms
• to buy into – to accept that something is true
• naive – an adjective to mean that someone has a lack of experience 
• the right or wrong moves – the right or wrong strategies/tactics 
• to choke under pressure – don’t perform as well as expected because of expectations
• trusting their gut – trusting their intuition, their feelings
• muscle memory – when your body remembers how to do something automatically
• up against – in competition or conflict with someone or something
• goes out the window – gets forgotten about
• to channel – to transmit or become
• throw away – to get rid of, to put in the bin

Story Two:

• the brainchild – the amazing idea
• accessible – everyone can easily use or take part in something, especially people with different or additional needs
• twinned – matched with another similar place (often used for towns and cities)
• the beauty of – the unique advantage of
• the level playing field – a situation where everyone has an equal chance

Story Three:

• overcoming the odds – achieving something even though you are not expected to
• an Irish jersey – an Irish football t-shirt
• in the midst of – the middle of
• the Troubles – conflict/war in the six counties in the north of Ireland 1960s-1990s
• prior – before that
• to put it lightly – a way of understating something
• a strange setup – an unusual situation
• got behind – supported
• got loans out – borrowed money from the bank
• mounting – increasing
• the group draw – the lottery system to determine which teams will paly each other
• favourites – the teams expected to win
• written off – dismissed as having no chance
• pundits – professional commentators
• crunch time – the most important moment
• the stands – the crowd/audience area in a football stadium
• a header – controlling the ball using your head

The post English Vocabulary about Luck – Podcast appeared first on Everest Language School.

In episode nine, we’ll be thinking about kindness and how it can help us in our daily lives. We’ll listen to a story about the power of laughter, hear some good scientific reasons for being kind and we’ll get some tips for how to incorporate kindness to yourself into your life.
You’ll find the scripts for each part of this episode here and don’t forget to check out the glossary at the end for English vocabulary about kindness you may not have encountered before.

English vocabulary about Kindness

I came across a positive news story recently about a random act of kindness that inspired others to continue with the generous turn. One person at a drive through restaurant decided to pay for the meal of the car behind them. The person was so amazed by their generosity, they decided to surprise the car behind them and pay for their meal. And so this chain continued. Strangers surprising strangers. In the end more than 900 cars continued this good deed. Can you imagine the surprise of the staff who worked there? This episode is all about kindness.

MUSIC: Make ‘em laugh

Story One:

You might have heard of the international humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders. But ever heard of Clowns Without Borders? Their mission is to help spread laughter among children in refugee camps, conflict zones and disaster areas.

Clowns Without Borders works with professional artists to create shows that encourage children living through crises to laugh, dance and play. You will find a mix of circus performers, clowns, theatre and street performers, actors and musicians all offering their skills, humour and time on a voluntary basis. They perform professional shows, teach skills and bring laughter to children and their communities.

When we experience positive emotions through laughter and play, endorphins are released, which reduce pain and generate feelings of wellness, and stress relief. Children learn through play. It’s how they build human relationships, trust, and empathy. Children are naturally resilient even through trauma, but without access to laughter, to play, they’re unable to fully develop and heal.

The charity began in 1993, when children in Barcelona raised funds to send a famous clown, Tortell Poltrona, to refugee camps in Croatia. It unexpectedly attracted audiences of more than 4,000 children! Thus Tortell founded Clowns Without Borders.
It now exists in fifteen countries and every year they complete more than 120 projects in around 50 countries, for over 300,000 children and their communities in around 1,500 shows and 400 workshops.

A reminder that laughter can really be the best medicine at times.

Story Two:

Treat others as you would like them to treat you. This was a favourite motto of my old school principal. And I have to give it to her, there are a number of real-life benefits associated with the way we treat others. Here are a few science-backed benefits of being kind.
1. Kindness prevents illness
Kindness boosts our brain’s feel-good hormone Oxytocin. Oxytocin reduces inflammation which is linked to diseases such as diabetes, cancer, chronic pain, obesity, and migraines. So boost your supply by doing a simple act of kindness.

2. Kindness releases feel-good hormones

Doing nice things for others boosts your serotonin, responsible for you feeling good and satisfied. Like exercise, being kind to others also releases endorphins, a phenomenon known as a “helper’s high.”
3. Being kind is also good for your heart
Oxytocin also expands blood vessels, which reduces blood pressure which we know is good for your heart.

4. It can help you live longer

According to Health.com, you’re at a greater risk of heart disease if you don’t have a strong network of family and friends. When you’re kind to others, you develop strong, meaningful relationships and friendships.
5. It reduces stress
When we focus on the joy we are bringing to someone else, we give our brains a much-needed break from figuring out our own problems. This is one of the amazing benefits of being kind. By focusing on someone else’s happiness, we forget about our problems for a while.

Story Three:

The art of self-kindness.

The global pandemic has had a powerful effect on our mental health as people isolate, restrict movements and are prohibited from contact with friends and family. It has been a trying time for many. Practising self-kindness and self compassion can give our mental health a well-deserved boost and help us navigate future stressful situations.

Give yourself a break. Put away your laptop and your work after work or school! Make sure you take that lunch break. If you’re sick then take time off. It allows us to be more focused and happier in what we do.

Keep a gratitude journal. Write down three things you’re grateful for each day. The more specific the better. Being in the here and now and noticing the smaller things helps us to foster a more positive mindset.

Control your social media feeds. Social media can make you feel worthless about yourself. But it seems very difficult to avoid. Instead of completely shutting it out, take digital detoxes. And filter out anything that could be damaging to you.

Don’t forget to play – this is something we can easily allow to slip away as adults. Whether it’s a board game, sports, finger painting or even having a good old pillow fight – have some fun!

English vocabulary about Kindness:

This glossary accompanies Episode 9 of the podcast series and will provide short definitions of words and terms you heard or read which may be new or unfamiliar to you.

Intro
random – by chance
a good deed – something positive and generous that you do for another person
Story One:
resilient – strong enough to be able to survive something bad
heal – get better
thus – as a consequence
Story Two:
motto – a short phrase that explains your beliefs
I have to give it to her – I have to admit that she is right
figuring out – trying to understand
Story Three:
trying – adjective that means difficult or annoying
the here and now – the immediate present
to foster – to look after and help to grow

The post English vocabulary about Kindness – New Podcast Episode appeared first on Everest Language School.

In this week’s episode you can learn English vocabulary about sleep

Learn English with Everest – Podcast

In this week’s episode, we’ll be talking about the importance of sleep and how it affects our brains. You will have the chance to learn lots of English vocabulary about sleep  There will be an article about the benefits of napping, we’ll hear a story about how one man’s afternoon nap may have changed the world, and there will be some tips on how to get a good night’s rest.

You’ll find the scripts for each part of this episode here and don’t forget to check out the glossary at the end for words and phrases you may not have encountered before.

English Podcast about Sleep

Intro:

How much sleep do you get a night? A good night’s sleep is just as important as regular exercise and a healthy diet. Research shows that poor sleep has immediate negative effects on your hormones, exercise performance, and brain function. But fear not, if you are not getting your 7+ hours’ sleep each night, maybe a nap can help balance things out. This episode is all about sleep…

Story One:

The afternoon nap gets a bad rap. Some see a siesta as a sign of laziness, low energy, or even illness. A recent study however has found that taking a “regular” afternoon nap may be linked to better mental agility.

The study, published in online journal General Psychiatry, examined the sleep patterns of 2,214 healthy people aged 60 and over in several large cities in China.

Of those who took part in the study, 1,534 took a regular afternoon nap of between five minutes and two hours, while 680 did not.

It was found that in addition to reducing sleepiness, naps can offer a variety of benefits such as  better working memory, better verbal fluency, and can aid learning. A short afternoon nap can leave you feeling alert and ready to tackle the rest of the day. When napping, your brain clears out unnecessary information out of your brain’s temporary storage areas to prepare it for the new information to be absorbed.

So if you get caught having a nap at work, this time you have a valid excuse.

Story Two:

Still not convinced that napping is for you? Well our next story takes us back to 1869, where one man’s nap helped revolutionise the world of science. Get your duvet ready!

We all remember it from school science books, you probably had to learn it off for an exam. The Periodic Table. Did you know that 2019 marked the 150th anniversary of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements?

Let’s go back to 1869, to St Petersburg to be precise, where Dmitri Mendeleev’s discovery was to transform chemistry from a tangle of disorganised facts into a disciplined science. His table would arrange 63 elements, into a recognisable and repeating pattern that all the other 58+ elements, yet to be discovered, would follow.

One morning in 1869, Mendeleev wrote the name of each of the known elements on separate pieces of card, added the atomic weight, a few physical properties and the formulae of its products when reacted with hydrogen or oxygen.

He began to play with these cards, eventually arranging them in rows from left to right. Happy with his morning’s work, he wrote it down on the back of an envelope. He then took an all important afternoon nap. Once he woke up, he was inspired to instead arrange the cards in eight vertical columns instead of horizontal rows and this is the format of the Periodic Table that exists today.

Is the afternoon nap the key to the discovery? I’ll let you sleep on that…

Story Three:

If you are not getting enough sleep at night, it can feel like torture. Maybe you have trouble falling asleep, or wake up in the middle of the night, or maybe you have a baby that is wreaking havoc on your sleep pattern. Either way, not getting enough sleep is cruel. Keeping your bedroom dark and at around 18.5ºC and taking regular exercise can help, as well as the following alternative remedies. As always, make sure you’ve done your homework and always consult an expert. Any tips of your own – be sure to let us know!

The following has been recommended by organic natural health experts:

Herbs

Certain herbs can relax the mind, help induce sleep and reduce disturbed sleep patterns. These include: Valerian, Hops, Passionflower, Wild lettuce.

Essential oils

Some essential oils, such as lavender, have been proven to promote a restful night’s sleep. Roman chamomile is a calming oil and Vetiver is helpful for relieving stress and tension.

Food

Cherries, goji berries, tomatoes, chillies, white or black mustard seeds, sprouted seeds, corn, rice all provide melatonin which aids sleep. Try to avoid junk food, which studies have shown can disrupt restorative sleep.

Supplements

There are certain nutrients that have been specifically linked to improvements in relaxation and a reduction in insomnia.These include: Omega-3 , Magnesium and Vitamin D

Hopefully some of these can help you drift off to the land of nod.

English Vocabulary about Sleep:

This glossary accompanies Episode 8 of the podcast series and will provide short definitions of words and terms you heard or read which may be new or unfamiliar to you.

Intro

• fear not – don’t worry
• a nap – a short sleep during the day, similar to a siesta

Story One:

• gets a bad rap – has a bad reputation
• mental agility – ability to think quickly and easily
• Tackle – to manage or deal with something (often something difficult)

Story Two:

• duvet – something that covers you in bed – also known as eiderdown, comforter, quilt, covers
• a tangle – a confused mix of things, for example, long hair can get in a tangle 
• sleep on that – to sleep on something means to give yourself time, usually overnight, to think through and process an idea 

Story Three:

• wreaking havoc on – destroying
• alternative remedies – non-pharmaceutical medicine, ways of healing people with local or traditional use of plants, herbs, methods
• done your homework – a way of saying do your own research, find out about things yourself
• drift off – fall asleep
• land of nod – another way to say sleep

The post English Vocabulary about Sleep – Podcast Episode appeared first on Everest Language School.