Ready to take your English to the next level?
We’re the Three English Experts – Birgit Kasimirski, Rebecca Deacon and David Preston – with over 60 years of combined experience teaching business English and professional English communication. We help German professionals speak clearer, more confident English with practical, real-world strategies that actually work.
We’re the Three English Experts – Birgit Kasimirski, Rebecca Deacon and David Preston – with over 60 years of combined experience teaching business English and professional English communication. We help German professionals speak clearer, more confident English with practical, real-world strategies that actually work.
Rebecca and Dave bring native British English expertise, while Birgit offers the insider perspective of a native German business English coach. Between us we speak seven languages, so we’ve faced the same challenges you face, and we know what truly helps you progress and build your English fluency.
If you want to improve your English speaking skills, communicate more effectively in international settings, or learn English in a more authentic and motivating way, this podcast is for you. Each episode is like a mini English audio lesson taught by experienced English teachers who know how to help German speakers break old language blocks and progress from B2 to C1.
Authentic, practical and motivating – learn with us, grow your confidence, and level up your English.
Your Three English Experts
Birgit, Rebecca and Dave
threeenglishexperts.com
Ever feel like your English just isn’t moving forward anymore? You’re learning, you’re trying, but somehow you still feel stuck. In this episode, we talk about why language learning plateaus happen, how comparison and self-doubt can make them worse, and what you can do to get moving again. And surprisingly, the answer might not be to push yourself harder — but to be a little kinder to yourself.
- 0:00 – Introduction and the topic of learning plateaus
- 0:54 – What a learning plateau can look like
- 2:48 – Learners often underestimate their actual ability
- 3:09 – The psychological effect of creating an unnecessarily large gap
- 5:28 – Trusting the trainer's assessment
- 6:29 – Acceptance can make a plateau feel manageable
- 7:30 – Four questions for getting unstuck: What, How, Why and Can I?
- 8:19 – Birgit's long-term approach to language learning
- 9:49 – A setback while speaking Dutch
- 10:30 – Moving from "What?" to "How?"
- 11:32 – “Can I?” and confidence in language learning
- 12:10 – The importance of having a “Why”
- 13:05 – Rebecca’s experience of becoming a beginner again
- 14:07 – When did you last learn something completely new?
- 14:47 – Finding the “wobble” in the four questions
- 15:50 – Why motivation becomes difficult without a purpose
- 16:41 – Birgit immediately finds a personal reason for Japanese
- 17:30 – Using the four questions to diagnose a learning plateau
- 18:20 – Self-forgiveness as a way to maintain motivation
- 19:25 – Why guilt can lead to more self-sabotage
- 20:20 – “Self-forgiveness is not self-indulgence”
- 21:07 – The inner critic and comparing yourself with others
- 22:18 – Why forgiveness makes it easier to try again tomorrow
- 22:57 – Modern life, endless choices and increasing pressure
- 23:29 – Social media, comparison and the lack of self-forgiveness
- 24:17 – Golden Nugget: Rebecca’s new positive psychology and English courses
- 25:05 – Different course levels and flexible digital learning
- 25:50 – “Mindset Monday” and a new learning community
- 26:37 – Preview of the next episode: modal verbs
- 27:13 – Closing message and invitation to support the podcast
Would you like to work with us?
Join our Conversation Club and activate your English with one of us and other like-minded people.
Just €199 for 10 (60 mins sessions).
Just €199 for 10 (60 mins sessions).
Would you like a free trial? Use the “Contact us” section at the bottom of the website. Write message: “Free Trial” and we will arrange one.
Rebecca: www.rebeccadeacon.com.
Birgit: https://birgitkasimirski.de
Hast du schon mal das Gefühl gehabt, dass du mit deinem Englisch einfach nicht mehr vorankommst? Du lernst, du gibst dir Mühe, aber irgendwie kommst du einfach nicht weiter. In dieser Folge sprechen wir darüber, warum es beim Sprachenlernen zu Stillstandphasen kommt, wie Vergleiche und Selbstzweifel diese noch verschlimmern können und was du tun kannst, um wieder voranzukommen. Und überraschenderweise liegt die Antwort vielleicht nicht darin, dich noch mehr anzustrengen – sondern ein bisschen nachsichtiger mit dir selbst zu sein.
- 0:00 – Einführung und das Thema Lernplateaus
- 0:54 – Wie ein Lernplateau aussehen kann
- 2:48 – Lernende unterschätzen oft ihre tatsächlichen Fähigkeiten
- 3:09 – Der psychologische Effekt, wenn man eine unnötig große Lücke schafft
- 5:28 – Dem Urteil des Trainers vertrauen
- 6:29 – Akzeptanz kann helfen, eine Stagnationsphase besser zu bewältigen
- 7:30 – Vier Fragen, um aus einer Sackgasse herauszukommen: Was, Wie, Warum und Kann ich das?
- 8:19 – Birgits langfristiger Ansatz beim Sprachenlernen
- 9:49 – Ein Rückschlag beim Niederländischsprechen
- 10:30 – Der Übergang von „Was?“ zu „Wie?“
- 11:32 – „Kann ich das?“ und Selbstvertrauen beim Sprachenlernen
- 12:10 – Die Bedeutung eines „Warum“
- 13:05 – Rebeccas Erfahrung, wieder Anfängerin zu werden
- 14:07 – Wann hast du das letzte Mal etwas völlig Neues gelernt?
- 14:47 – Das „Wackeln“ in den vier Fragen entdecken
- 15:50 – Warum Motivation ohne Ziel schwierig wird
- 16:41 – Birgit findet sofort einen persönlichen Grund für Japanisch
- 17:30 – Mit den vier Fragen ein Lernplateau diagnostizieren
- 18:20 – Sich selbst zu vergeben, um die Motivation aufrechtzuerhalten
- 19:25 – Warum Schuldgefühle zu mehr Selbstsabotage führen können
- 20:20 – „Sich selbst zu vergeben ist keine Nachsicht“
- 21:07 – Der innere Kritiker und der Vergleich mit anderen
- 22:18 – Warum Vergebung es leichter macht, es morgen erneut zu versuchen
- 22:57 – Das moderne Leben, unendliche Auswahlmöglichkeiten und zunehmender Druck
- 23:29 – Soziale Medien, Vergleiche und die Unfähigkeit, sich selbst zu vergeben
- 24:17 – Golden Nugget: Rebeccas neue Kurse in positiver Psychologie und Englisch
- 25:05 – Verschiedene Kursstufen und flexibles digitales Lernen
- 25:50 – „Mindset Monday“ und eine neue Lerngemeinschaft
- 26:37 – Vorschau auf die nächste Folge: Modalverben
- 27:13 – Abschlussbotschaft und Einladung, den Podcast zu unterstützen
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