Level up your English with TV shows, magazines and podcasts

Mastering a new language requires grit, determination, and patience. Yet, many learners find themselves adrift, wandering in an endless abyss without guidance. For Sadman Haque, a struggling journalist, learning English has been a tumultuous ride. He toils away at a Bangla newspaper, dreaming of working for an English outlet.

Despite trying every trick in the book to learn English, Sadman struggled to make progress. "For over three years, I have been trying to master English. I enrolled in coaching centres, subscribed to online courses, and sought advice from numerous sources, but nothing seemed to work," Sadman said. 

He even questioned if he would ever be able to conquer the language.

However, around six months ago, he started reading English magazines using a dictionary and watching TV series. Now he feels like he has a better grasp of the language. "I wonder why I did not try these methods before! Now my comprehension has improved a lot, even my listening has improved," shared Sadman. 

Syed Nakib Sadi holds a Master's degree in English Language Teaching (ELT) from Dhaka University. He is currently a Lecturer at Sylhet Metropolitan University and a participant in the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) Programme at the University of Michigan, US.

Sadi emphasised the importance of context when learning a language. 

"It's crucial to understand that language is context-specific, and to make sense of it, learners must use it in a real-life context or at least in a context similar to what they might encounter," he explained. 

"In that case reading magazines, watching TV shows and listening to podcasts provide contextual use of language and help the learner to internalise the language effectively," he added.  

Watching TV series to improve conversational English 

Maksud Ur Rahaman, an engineer and researcher, improved his English skills by watching TV series. 

"After watching many TV series, my listening skills improved significantly, and I learned the correct expressions for different contexts," he said. 

He also emphasised on watching shows with subtitles turned on.

TV series are effective in improving conversational English as they expose learners to diverse accents, cultural references, idioms, and natural conversations. Sadi highlighted the gap between traditional academic learning, which focuses on formal language, and real-life communicative English, which often requires colloquial language. 

"TV shows provide a way to fill this gap and help learners improve their conversational skills through authentic language use," he added. 

Here we have a list of tv shows for you to check out:

Friends: A popular sitcom that aired from 1994 to 2004, Friends follows the lives of six friends living in New York City. The show is known for its humour and relatable characters, and it provides a great way for English learners to practise conversational English. If you have plans for TOEFL, Friends can be a good start. Along with the language, this tv show will introduce you to the East Coast culture of the US.

The Crown: A Netflix drama series that chronicles the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, The Crown provides an excellent opportunity for you to learn about British culture and history while improving your listening skills. Also while watching The Crown you will experience Queen's English. Queen's English refers to a standard form of the English language and is considered to be the most prestigious and formal form of British English.

Our Planet: A documentary series on Netflix narrated by David Attenborough that explores the impact of human activity on the natural world. It showcases the beauty of wildlife and landscapes while addressing environmental issues such as climate change and conservation. Watching the show can help English learners improve their listening comprehension, vocabulary, and understanding of complex concepts related to the environment. David Attenborough narrates in his engaging tone; he is known for his clear and articulate voice, which can be a great model for practising English pronunciation and intonation. Additionally, the documentary can also help improve our knowledge of geography and the natural world around us. 

Phineas and Ferb: An animated children's show that follows the adventures of two stepbrothers as they invent and build things during their summer vacation. The show is known for its witty humour and catchy songs, making it a fun and engaging way for English learners to practise listening and comprehension skills. Also, its fast-paced English exposure can enhance listening, especially if watched regularly to adjust to the language's speed.  Solika Akter, who scored an overall eight in IELTS, including a perfect nine in listening, finds these types of shows helpful for language learning. "The visualisation of content like cartoons helps young learners master the language faster with fun," she explained.

Reading magazines to give your language a touch of sophistication:

According to Solika, reading magazines not only helps improve vocabulary but also aids in developing fast reading skills, which are essential for tests like IELTS. "Fast reading is a necessary skill for such tests," she emphasised.

Bijoy Lal Basu, an ELT teacher at Dhaka University, believes that reading authentic materials like magazines or books can help learners achieve grammatical accuracy without having to memorise rules. "If you ask why we study syntax or grammar, the answer will be to produce correct sentences; then why not internalise the structure through reading?" he explained.

Moreover, reading reputable magazines can improve your English skills and critical thinking. As Sadi puts it, "Reading quality journals and magazines exposes readers to sophisticated language use, which, in turn, improves the reader's language."  

The following is a list of useful magazines for learning English:

Reader's Digest: A general-interest magazine that covers a wide range of topics, from health and wellness to culture. The articles in Reader's Digest are written in an accessible style, making them a great resource for English learners looking to expand their vocabulary and comprehension skills. "I read RD, especially for their jokes and animal stories," said Sadman.  If you are not likely to read long articles or thick books, RD is a small but great option for you. 

The Economist: A weekly news and current affairs magazine that provides in-depth coverage of global events and trends. The articles in The Economist are written in a more formal and academic style, making them an excellent resource for English learners looking to improve their reading and comprehension. In IELTS reading, you will find this kind of academic reading. So if you are preparing for IELTS, get your copy of The Economist today. 

National Geographic: A magazine that focuses on geography, science, and history. It also comes with high-quality photos which make reading it very engaging.  National Geographic provides English learners with an opportunity to learn about the world and expand their vocabulary and comprehension skills.

The New Yorker: The New Yorker covers culture, politics, and current events. It is known for its long-form articles and literary style. Abrar Aowsaf, a regular reader of The New Yorker, said "The articles in The New Yorker are often complex and nuanced, making them a challenging but rewarding resource for those who want to be engrossed in reading." For English learners looking to expand their reading and writing skills, The New Yorker is a great source.

If you cannot get a hold of the new issues, don't fret. Old copies of all these magazines are available at Nilkhet, Dhaka.

Podcast can improve listening skills 
Solika credits her perfect score in IELTS listening to podcasts. "I have learned more through listening because I'm more accustomed to it. So listening to podcasts helps me pick up expressions and try to use them in my daily language," she said. "Also, it gives me a sense of the trendy words or the trendy style of language, which I sometimes might add in my speaking and writing."

In addition, podcasts can improve your listening comprehension. Many podcasts can challenge listeners, with complex vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and fast-paced dialogues. By listening to these podcasts, you can improve your ability to understand spoken English and pick up on subtle nuances and cultural references.

For anyone looking to improve their listening skills, podcasts are a valuable tool to add to their arsenal, 

Here are a list of podcasts you can check out: 

Revisionist History with Malcolm Gladwell: A podcast that re-examines overlooked or misunderstood events and ideas from history. Revisionist History provides English learners with an opportunity to improve their listening and comprehension skills while learning about interesting and thought-provoking topics. Malcolm Gladwell and his guests have fun chats, tell interesting stories and ask difficult questions.

BBC Global News Podcast: A daily news podcast that covers the latest events and trends from around the world. BBC Global News Podcast exposes English learners to a variety of topics and vocabulary related to current events, as well as, different accents and dialects of English. As you go about your day, if you want to have an idea of what's going on in the world and a dose of English, this is the one you need. 

Tifo Football Podcast: A podcast that covers all things football, including analysis of matches, players, and tactics. The podcast exposes English learners to sports-related vocabulary and terminology while also improving their listening and comprehension skills. Shahnoor Rabbani, a football enthusiast, noted "Tifo Football Podcast provides insightful analysis in a language which is not complex but sophisticated."

Nature Podcast: A podcast that covers the latest research and news in science and nature. Nature podcast exposes English learners to scientific vocabulary and terminology while also improving their listening and comprehension skills. Nature Podcast is not only just for people interested in science, but they also speak about complex topics in layman's terms, so everyone can understand and follow.

These podcasts are available for free on google podcasts or apple podcasts.