Flow: Image: Cea. via FlickrAs a teacher in Japan, I was surprised by how many people want to be able to speak English like a native speaker. Tetsuya 'Ted' Yasukochi of 東進ハイスクール has noticed it too:

"Strangely, almost everybody learning English in Japan, even beginners, wants to be like a native speaker, and some people are ashamed of speaking English which is even a little bit short of that of a native speaker."

According to Yasukochi-sensei, most people in Japan spend their English lives waiting for a day that will never come — the day they speak English perfectly. Most people will never be able to speak English like a native speaker. Even Mr Yasukochi himself admits that he will probably never be able to speak English like a native speaker. It's an impossible dream. David Thayne of AtoZ English agrees:

English-speaking countries of the world

If you listen to and understand one programme in each of the following accents, your general English comprehension will almost certainly be greatly improved (unless it is fantastic already!). The greatest benefit will come if you figure out for yourself what people are saying, by just listening. This will be a real challenge for you. Don't worry if you cannot understand them. The point is to experience the different flavours of English.

It's an iPod, baby.: Photo: Beard Papa on FlickrOne great way to use an iPod is to record and play back your own study materials. For example, you might record a life script, or the results of your latest Poligo edit, or anything else that you have found or made that you want to memorise. You can either have a native speaker record for you, or you can record yourself. Many learners think that they should not record themselves, because they will reinforce their imperfect habits of pronunciation. It is true that it is better to have native speaker pronunciation on your recordings. But if you can't find a native speaker to do it for you, it is still far better to record yourself than to have no recording.

My shoes? Yes, they dance...: Photo: *ZaraEnglish podcasts are available at all levels, from beginner to advanced. They can be long or short, and there are many different kinds, with different content to suit all tastes. You can learn English through stories and plays, or listen to the news read especially slowly, or listen to podcasts about non-fiction topics that interest you. If you look around, you should certainly be able to find something you like. The more advanced your English becomes, naturally, the more choice you have of podcasts that suit your level.