Hey there! This is TOP episode 133. 4 Best Netflix Series To Learn English in 2022
My name’s Ola and I am an English teacher. My goal is to help you start speaking English with confidence and get rid of speaking barriers. I believe it is achievable for you and it’s time you started speaking English fearlessly! Go to my website for full transcripts and worksheets to each episode. Happy learning!
Welcome back or welcome! Thank you so very much for choosing my podcast. I know how many podcasts on English are there and I appreciate your presence here. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.
Here we learn practical things, we learn how to learn and what to learn. Where should we put our efforts to achieve the most? Where the return of time investment is the biggest. Where is the leverage?
Today I’d like to remind you that in this day and age we have amazing tools, we have access to tv series. You can pick a show, turn on the language reactor on Netflix and learn tons of useful practical phrases.
I am an absolute and ultimate fan of learning a language through tv series, but also songs, ted talks, youtube vlogs. Channels which give us a peek inside the real world of English. I can’t recall recommending you any book here, and I don’t mean book to read, reading can definitely level up your English. What I mean is course books. That’s a big fat ‘no’ for me.
So, today I picked five tv shows available at the moment on Netflix which I can strongly recommend for learning natural everyday English. Please go to episode 5 and learn more about the method. How to learn English with tv series on your own. Today I’m gonna remind you how to choose a proper show and what to take into consideration. What to keep in mind while choosing.
Wait a minute! Is learning with tv series for you? Is this method right for you? I have prepared a checklist for you so go grab it and find out. It’s in Polish and you’ll find it in the description of this episode.
Don’t forget to download the worksheet. It’s waiting for you at teacherola.com/133.
You can also support my work and buy The Worksheet Set. Editable, clickable, with links and QR codes. The Worksheet Set includes The Speaking English Planner, a great tool for monitoring your progress in speaking English. Now, time to dive in. Let’s get to it.
Before we go to a shortlist of shows I recommend, let me tell you something. This list I curated is short. I don’t watch many shows. Of course, I have my subscription but watching one season takes months in my case. I usually watch one or two episodes per week. I have different priorities in my free time at the moment. So treat my suggestions, the titles I’m giving you today as a guideline. I’m sure you know more series and feel free to go beyond my propositions. Again, treat them as your hints.
What is not on my list? There are series that unfortunately are not available on Netflix anymore. The same will happen with some of the shows I’ll recommend today. Shows on Netflix come and go. You know that. So series I would also recommend but you might have to access them someplace else are:
How I Met Your Mother
That 70’ Show
Modern Family
Full House
These were good shows for your English because they share certain features. They had a lot in common to your surprise. So, let’s now see the list of qualities a show should have to be a good tool for you. Let me emphasise that I assume your goal is to learn to speak fluently, fearlessly. Your main focus is small talk, daily conversations. Eliminating language blockade and learning everyday phrases that’ll ease your daily communication.
If so you don’t need a series set in medieval times. You don’t need a science fiction show. Generally, it’d be frustrating watching a show with lots of medical or law vocabulary. So keep your current goal in mind.
What you need instead is normal people, preferably family members, friends or colleagues, neighbours, people from different walks of life having plenty of conversations.
You won’t learn much from series with lots of action, police chasing criminals, cars, guns, sex and rock’n’roll. Dialogues, that’s what you really need.
Technically wise, you wanna watch a show with short episodes, I mean like 25 minutes or so. Hence you can watch it twice or even three times. Let’s be realistic, it really must be doable. Don’t set yourself up for a disaster. Game of Thrones, The Crown, Breaking Bad, Peaky Blinders. These are iconic series but they just don’t hit the mark. They can help to sort of level up your English, but we have a different objective here.
So! If your favourite series of choice is not on my list, think about it in terms of your goal. Judge yourself, will I learn everyday phrases with it? Is it short enough to make it possible for me to watch it twice or three times? Judge for yourself. Now, my list.
Number one. Grace and Frankie.
Grace and Frankie ticks all the boxes. A single episode lasts up to 25 minutes, it’s about friends and their families. Everyday problems, relatable life events. Believe you me, it is jam-packed with phrases, sentences that will make your speaking so smooth, so natural. Personally, I love it. Professionally speaking, really, it is hard for me to find anything better than that. It’s an American accent, but that, to be honest, doesn’t matter to me. Accents are nothing I pay any attention to. I do pay attention to proper pronunciation but accents are just not my thing. I completely ignore them and I recommend you do so too. Honestly, don’t get me going. I talked more about that in episode 97 Love Your Accent! Teacherola.com/97.
At the moment I work with two students who watch Grace and Frankie and the lessons are based on this show and they love it, I love it. It’s not about the content of this show. Of course, we like the show, it’s funny and sad and thought-provoking but having said that I must admit it’s all about phrases. Phrases we pick, learn, explore, built on them, practice, and implement. That’s what it’s all about.
Number Two. Afterlife.
If listening to a British accent is your thing, then definitely go for this one. Dialogs, modern language, tons of swear words. It’s a black comedy-drama so you might find yourself laughing at one scene but after a second start blubbing. That’s the kind. Episodes last about 30 minutes and there are three seasons available at the moment. It is written, produced, directed by Ricky Gervais who plays the lead character. Recently I’ve learned people either love him or hate him, I found that surprising but that’s because I love him.
Three. Superstore.
What a show. 100% American. You’ll love the characters and the setting. It’s got modern vocabulary, it’s set at Cloud 9 a fictional megastore. We have the corporate structure, management, customers, employees. There’s one student I’m working with right now with the first season of the show and we can’t tell you how much this series is packed with useful everyday expressions. I’m afraid it might disappear soon from Netflix so enjoy it while you can.
Four. Sex Education.
Ok, this one doesn’t hit all the boxes. It’s because the episodes are longer. They last about 40-50 minutes. But! The language they’re using is great, the setting, the plots! I love it, I couldn’t skip it on the list. Listen, if you wanna start learning English with this series go to my Youtube channel, Instagram TV or Facebook, it’s Teacher Ola Podcast everywhere, because now you still have access to 8 free lessons on all episodes from the third season! I am still building an online speaking course around these episodes but as for now, they are still available for free. Watch an episode of the show and then join the lesson about a particular episode. Repeat out loud after me and make notes. You’ll learn a lot.
Learning English with TV series. Wow, what an opportunity to grow your confidence and build your active vocabulary bank fast. But, is it really for you? Are you ready to take on the challenge? Well, check out the checklist which is in the description.
Time to repeat some sentences out loud. Here we go.
Today I’d like to remind you that in this day and age we have amazing tools, we have access to tv series.
Today I’m gonna remind you how to choose a proper show and what to take into consideration.
So treat my suggestions, the titles I’m giving you today as a guideline.
These were good shows for your English because they share certain features.
Let me emphasise that I assume your goal is to learn to speak fluently.
Don’t set yourself up for a disaster.
These are iconic series but they just don’t hit the mark.
Believe you me, it is jam-packed with phrases, sentences that will make your speaking so smooth, so natural.
You might find yourself laughing at one scene but after a second start blubbing.
I’m afraid it might disappear soon from Netflix so enjoy it while you can.
I’m glad you’ve made it! Well done. But don’t stop here. Go to your inbox and grab worksheet 133 in order to test yourself. Complete the worksheet with translations. If you’re not a member of TOPeople download the worksheet at teacherola.com/133 and become one. It’s free.
I also have The Worksheet Set. This way you won’t have to download each worksheet separately. It’s gonna be much more convenient to work with this podcast. All the links are in the description below.
If you think this episode is valuable and worth sharing, please share. Think for a second about that one person, that one friend or colleague, or a family member who loves Netflix and wants to start speaking English fluently and let them know about Teacher Ola Podcast. They will thank you!
Do you learn English with tv series? Which one? Please let me know! DM me on Instagram @teacherola.podcast or comment on my website.
Thank you so much for listening and I’ll see you next Wednesday! We’re going to learn English with music! Till then, take care! Happy learning. Stay fearless and say it out loud! Bye!