E23. How to master English without living in an English speaking country with Katrien Schiepers

The English for Change Podcast

Mastering a language, academic English and living in Belgium...

Just some of the topics I discussed with this week’s guest, the wonderful Katrien Schiepers, a language teacher based in Leuven, Belgium.
Even though we live in the same country of Belgium - Katrien in the Flemish Dutch part and me in the French speaking part, we actually met online. We are both Patreon supporters of Youtuber Leena Norms and connected over a shared interest in books, feminism and ethical consumption.

Katrien was born and raised in Belgium and still lives there. As a teenager, she fell in love with the English language at a language camp in England. After getting her degree in English and German literature and linguistics, she started working as an English language teacher at KU Leuven university. She also teaches German at the local language centre, both on campus and online. Her interests are not limited to language learning, but also include reading, listening to podcasts, cycling and playing boardgames.

Interviewing Katrien was such a great pleasure and I really think you will enjoy our conversation as she opens up about:

• her job teaching languages and English academic writing in Belgian university town Leuven
• how she has learned English to an advanced level without living in an English-speaking country
• some of her suggestions for the most effective and fun ways to learn any language
• the geography of Belgium and the three languages spoken in the country
• how to write for academic purposes in English
• the benefits and limits of taking classes with a teacher to improve your English

A few resources mentioned for writing in English:

ozdic.com

https://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk/

https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/purdue_owl.html

Listen to Leena Norma on Youtube to hear her take on books, ethical consumption and feminism:

https://www.youtube.com/c/justkissmyfrog

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