Bite-sized podcasts for English fluency

I’ve been using a few podcasts in German and Japanese, and have noticed it’s much easier for me to put together sentences – I’m soaking up grammar and new words, because I’m interested in the topics the podcasters are talking about.

When you listen to a podcast about a topic you’re interested in, you pay attention and try to understand. If it’s a topic you don’t like, you will switch off and nothing you listen to will soak in. That explains a lot about school, doesn’t it!

Podcasts and audiobooks purely for learning a language can get boring fast. And they often cover topics and words you wouldn’t actually use in real life.

Best to pick an interesting topic then and learn the language via osmosis!

Here is a selection of short to medium length podcasts are slowly and clearly spoken, by people from around the world, about a variety of topics (of course, the ones I am interested in) and with a variety of easy-to-understand accents.

I hope you find a topic and podcaster you enjoy.

• Go Gently, by Michael Nobbs – an artist encouraging creativity in a slow and comfortable way, as he manages a chronic illness.
• Brains Matter, a scientific podcast from Australia (and presented by one of my university friends).
• BBC Open Book – a series interviewing authors about their books.
• Mole Out Loud, by Miranda Morris - a writer and ponderer, a scholar, mentor and, having inherited an insatiable curiosity, a perpetual student.
• Hurry Slowly, by Jocelyn K. Glei - she strives to help people find more creativity and meaning in their daily work.

And a few vodcasts (video podcasts), vlogs, and other creative videos.

• Lichen & Loam (formerly The Green Bean), by Katy Green - a watercolour artist, sewist, knitting pattern maker and hiker living in Wales.
• Sean Tucker Photography - clear, no-nonsense, excellent information about photography.
• MS Paints - a miniature painter and tabletop gamer in the UK who makes laid back, beautiful quality videos.
• North of the Border - a sculptor and miniature painter making tiny nerdy things.
• Sarah Burns, an artist in Scotland (originally from America), vlogging her life in Scotland and painting tutorials.
• Vasi Birchwood is a historical clothing sewist and historical experimenteur.
• Jillian Eve, frm the US, records spinning and weaving tutorials about equipment and techniques.
• Cornelius Quiring is a Canadian tailor who makes easy to follow tutorials about sewing.
• Huw Richards is a gardener in Wales, focused on growing lots of food in small spaces.
• Rachel & Jun’s Adventures! is a DIY, foodie, crafty cat-filled channel about living in Japan (American accent).
• Bernadette Banner is another sewist and fashion history costumer who records project vlogs and sometimes tutorials.

I’ll be adding more to the list as I discover them – if you know of a good, clearly spoken, short-medium length podcast I should add, please do let me know!