One of the Best YouTube Channels for Learning English

All around the world, the English language is a key mode of communications. With English being the official language of 53 different countries, and one of the most common second languages in the world, fluency in English means understanding and being understood by almost 400 million people in the world. Not only is the English language the global language of business, it is also the main language for entertainment; who would want to miss out on all the quality TV shows and movies? Even beyond communicating better, the act of learning a second language has also been proven to be a critical aspect of quality education as it helps learners boost their critical thinking and problem solving abilities, all of which are equally necessary life-skills. With so many resources online, one of the best ways to learn is through YouTube. Reflecting such importance, with equal enthusiasm, content creators all over the Internet has matched up with equal levels of enthusiasm, offering learners with a myriad of learning resources. So, “What channel provides me with the best content for learning English?” you may ask. Well, before you become overwhelmed by all the choices, this article will introduce you to one of the best YouTube channels for learning English.

WHAT IS Learning English with Jennifer ABOUT?

English with Jennifer, under the name of “JenniferESL” on YouTube, is a platform founded and run by Jennifer Recio Lebedev. Initially trained to teach the Russian language as a foreign language to a community of international students, Jennifer soon found her passion in teaching English language as a second language to a community of international students. As her career progressed, her eagerness to share her knowledge with anyone who may be interested motivated her to start her own YouTube channel in the late summer of 2007. Being the experienced educator she is, Jennifer’s YouTube channel aims to provide learners with a “complete package” of engaging lessons and effective practice; a combination rarely found in the many online lessons available.

WHY Learning English with Jennifer?

Working to ensure lessons are engaging for all learners, the channel focuses on gaining the faith of the students through rapport building. As suggest by the name of the channel, students that appear in her lessons will be directly learning English with Jennifer. Based on the belief that trust must be built before students can become comfortable with learning from the channel’s content, Jennifer actively infuses her lessons with her personal experiences to make lessons engaging. This is a playlist of her Summer Vacation Vlog; isn’t it refreshing? This personal touch in Jennifer’s lessons allows students to get to know Jennifer herself, helping them trust her and eventually, assimilate into the online lesson and begin learning more effectively. Thus, it is no surprise that her channel quickly became one of the best Youtube channel to learn English.

Another key feature of the lessons on JenniferESL is the practice opportunities they provide. Throughout each lesson, the videos show participants practising certain useful phrases in the English language, such as simple greetings. By witnessing another learner’s practice sessions where improvements are made within the span of one video, students can not only learn from one another’s mistakes but will also be reassured as they are not the only ones who struggle with learning a new language. As viewers watch, they can engage in the process of practising along, which is an essential part of learning a new language. Actively speaking and practising the language has been proven to help students overcome any fears of the language. Constant and regular usage also helps students better pick up the more nuanced aspects of English language such as the accents and enunciations, translating their knowledge into actual life skills, rather than just passively absorbing information. The ability to replay videos as many times as needed also helps each student practise as much as they need to, personalising the pace of learning. To further help students overcome their fear of speaking English in real life, the lessons taught at JenniferESL are also highly practical. When learning English with Jennifer, other than fixating on more theoretical aspects such as grammar and punctuations, videos on the channel also focus on real-life aspects of speaking English, sharing with learners crucial knowledge regarding American accents and slangs, as well as key phrases that can be used on a daily basis. With such practical knowledge, practising only becomes easier for the learner as they can make use of daily casual conversations to learn on the go. JenniferESL also provides a highly accessible channel for anyone to seek the help they may need. Through the email account publicised on the channel or other similar means, all learners can approach Jennifer for personalised help, as and when they need it, which may be particularly useful for learners who may not be comfortable posting their questions in the comments section. The varied channels available for learners to seek personalised help in their learning experience also makes the channel’s contents approachable. Due to the channel’s high accessibility, practicality and consistent uploads, it has become of the best Youtube channels to learn English.

Sharing these resources to all around the world

While becoming fluent in English may be a crucial life-skill, it is sadly not a given for everyone. In every corner of the world there are children, even till this day, who do not have access to these learning resources, especially those in rural and hard-to-reach areas. In fact, the provision of quality education is one of the top 5 priorities of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, demonstrating the urgency of making available quality lessons, such as those produced by JenniferESL. This is where The Patatas comes in. As a social solutions consultancy, we work closely with our partners for worthy social causes, through the formulation of technology-based solutions. Driven by the Mission of using technology in innovative and efficient ways, and through the understanding of our partners’ needs, we formulates solutions that complements our partners’ operations. In the larger picture, The Patatas’ works form a network between partners to create a positive change. Those at The Patatas also have a vision to bring about positive change through technology based solutions. With the belief in collaboration, we work closely with our partners to find the best way possible to fill the gap in the communities they work with.

One of the fruits of our labour is ‘CaseStudy’. Through a detailed survey, we had observed that a key challenge was the logistical complexity of bringing educational technology into developing areas where there are acute lack of infrastructure, much less those protected against the elements such as volcanic eruptions, floods, and typhoons. Working to ensure the provision of quality education in these regions are not compromised, CaseStudy has since been created as a highly affordable digital classroom that is built with inhospitable conditions in mind. Housed in a single waterproof and shockproof unit, educators are now able to easily transport and conveniently set up classrooms regardless of terrain.

Beyond the physical resilience of the product, CaseStudy is also equipped with top-quality software to cater to every teaching and learning needs. CaseStudy houses the Raspberry Pi, a device with functions similar to that of a computer’s CPU. Using Linux as its operating system, CaseStudy has a software that can be fully customised, storing whatever information that may be required for lessons, such as PDF and videos. It can even connect to a projector (also a component in CaseStudy), allowing the teachers to easily broadcast audio and visual materials to supplement and liven up their lessons. With unique portability and customizability, CaseStudy caters to the needs of each individual user, and brings to less developed communities the opportunities for quality education. Applying The Patatas’ technology into worthy social causes, a collaboration between JenniferESL and The Patatas not only makes it possible but also highly feasible to bring top- quality English lessons for these users to learn English. With its unique resilience and adaptability, CaseStudy brings to less developed communities the opportunities to reap the benefits of learning the English Language. Additionally, access to well-equipped classrooms can only do more good than harm. The provision of a proper education not only develops communication skills but can also help impart other hard- and soft- skills that make these children more employable in the future. This provides them with the opportunities to work better jobs and carve out for themselves a happy life that every person deserves. The collaboration between quality lesson providers such as JenniferESL and CaseStudy can help secure the education of these children, and contribute towards a brighter future for them.

Conclusion

Combining the expertise of Jennifer with the technological prowess of The Patatas’ CaseStudy, bringing quality English Language lessons to every inch of the world is only becoming more possible. As one of the best YouTube channels for learning English, it would only be a pity for anyone to miss out on reaping the benefits of learning a practical and highly useful language from such a platform. JenniferESL, together with our CaseStudy, is a source of empowerment for all to work towards a better future.