Do you need resources to prepare for the IELTS exam? Today, Lindsay and Jessica talk about three creative practice recommendations, and three textbooks to help you prepare for the IELTS exam! Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does your English sound natural? Or do you sound like a textbook when you speak? Today, get 7 tricks to update your English and sound more natural by using real talk instead of textbook talk! Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training now Speaking natural-sounding English can be difficult when you only work with textbooks. While what your textbook says may be technically correct, some of the phrases might sound outdated or odd to native ears. Can’t find native speakers to practice English with you? Can’t get your English corrected by your native-speaking friends? Get a professional, native English teacher in seconds at italki. For a limited time, italki is offering 10 USD in free English lessons. Click here to get your 10USD in italki credits before this offer runs out! Here are 7 ways your textbook might tell you how to say something, as well as the ways a native English speaker would really say it. * Textbook: Hello. * Real: Hi!, Hey!, or What’s up? * Textbook: Are you having a good day? * Real: Having a good day? * Textbook: How are you?, How do you do? * Real: How’s it going?, How you doin’?, or How’ve you been? * Textbook: I’m fine, thanks. * Real: Doin’ well., or Not bad. * Textbook: What are your hobbies? * Real: What do you like to do?, What are you into?, or What do you do for fun? * Textbook: I wish to (do something). * Real: I wanna (do something), or I’d like to (do something). * Textbook: See you. * Real: See ya., Take care., or Bye. Do you speak textbook English? Do you know any other differences between what your textbook says and how native English-speakers speak? Let us know in the comments section below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you ready for an italki challenge to push your language-learning forward in 2015? Today, learn how to take action and bet on yourself with an amazing opportunity! Every challenge you face is like putting a bet on yourself. But the only way to really lose is if you don’t even try. This month, the italki.com Language Challenge can help you improve your English in a serious way. A $10 sign up fee gets you into the game. If you can complete 20 lessons (20 hours) with an online teacher by the end of February, italki will pay you $40 back in credit. This comes out to 3-4 lessons per week. Can you handle that? Essentially, you are placing a bet on your commitment to learning English! Three reasons to participate in a language challenge: Motivation: All of us need to be pushed sometimes, and there’s never better time than NOW! Defining your goal: Learning English is a lifetime project, but having defined goals will bring clarity to your progress. Social experience: Even though you could do this by yourself, being accountable to others will focus you and help you follow through to the end. Ready for the challenge? Sign up at allearsenglish.com/italki. Are you signing up for the challenge? Share your goals in the comments section below! Kevin Chen is an entrepreneur based in Shanghai, China. He is co-founder of italki.com, a language learning community marketplace that connects students and teachers from around the world for online language lessons. italki has over a million users, thousands of teachers, and thousands of language classes are scheduled through the site every day. Kevin is also an organizer of Techyizu.org, a non-profit group that organizes startup and technology events in Shanghai, including Barcamp Shanghai and Designing Shanghai. Kevin previously co-founded Famento, a startup focused on recording family history. Before that, Kevin worked in the finance industry as a research analyst for Lehman Brothers and Merrill Lynch. He has a masters degree from the London School of Economics, and a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Read the full episode summary When should you say goodnight in English? Today Lindsay and Michelle explain the answer to this with examples. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you know how important it is to show charisma in American English? Today, Lindsay and Michelle talk about why it’s important, and give you three ways to be charismatic in English! Come back to our site for more information Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you making an impact? Today, get two quotes by two famous entrepreneurs, and learn how to talk about the impact you want to make on the world in 2015! Come back to our site for more info Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you raise a bilingual child? Today, Lindsay chats with Marianna Du Bosq, a bilingual educator who has three ways to help you raise your child to speak more than one language! The benefits of raising a bilingual child are many. Not only will knowing more than one language open career opportunities for the child when they grow up, research is also finding significant positive cognitive advantages to having a bilingual brain. Marianna believes bilingualism (and even tri-lingualism) is definitely achievable if parents are focused enough. Here are Marianna’s three main points to focus on: Expose your children to quality language input. Read books, or even use audio books. This way, your child is hearing voices other than those of their parents. Create a need to use the language. If the child doesn’t have to use the language to get what they want, they’re naturally going to fall back on using the dominant language. Ask your family members help by only speaking one language or the other. Keep it fun! Children will be far more involved in the language if they are doing the kinds of things they already love to do. Are you a parent interested in raising bilingual children? Share your thoughts or experiences in the comments section below! Marianna Du Bosq is a bilingual mother, former bilingual educator, and lifetime language learner. She is the host of the Bilingual Avenue podcast and blog where she interviews parents and experts raising and teaching multilingual children, and provides an excellent collection of tips and strategies for anyone choosing this journey. She is originally from Venezuela, has spent the last twenty years in the United States, and is currently on a one year adventure in the Black Forest in Germany with her husband and two year old daughter. Click here to get “7 Ways to Increase Exposure in the Target Language” a free PDF guide Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you use the word ‘even’ in English? On today’s Tear-Up Your Textbook Tuesday, Lindsay and Michelle talk about four situations for using the term ‘even’, and how to use your tone of voice to make it work in an English conversation! Get more info here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you declare a New Year’s resolution in English? Today, Lindsay and Michelle discuss five easy English phrases to use for your intentions in the new year! Come back to our site to see the phrases Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can you prepare for the Reading Section of the IELTS? Today, Lindsay and Jessica discuss two strategies to help you answer questions quickly and correctly! Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can you use your body to learn English? Today, Lindsay chats with Jessica Coyle about some of the ways the art of improvisational technique can help you use your body to improve your English! Come back to our website to learn more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you build a “Brain Box” for the IELTS Listening Exam? Today Lindsay and Jessica talk about two strategies to make the listening part of the IELTS exam easier! Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices