Category Archives: Conversation

938. Film Club: Monty Python’s Life of Brian (with Antony Rotunno)

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A return to Luke’s Film Club with a conversation about one of the funniest and most controversial films of all time, also voted one of the UK’s favourite films. Antony and I discuss the film’s writing, production, story, famous scenes, deeper meanings and acting by the various members of the Monty Python team. Transcript available.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

Get the full episode transcript here 👇

938. Film Club_ Monty Python’s Life of Brian (with Antony Rotunno)Download

Links for Antony’s Podcasts 👇

Previous episodes about Monty Python’s Flying Circus 👇

195. British Comedy: Monty Python’s Flying Circus
202. British Comedy: Monty Python & The Holy Grail
583. British Comedy: The Dirty Fork / Restaurant Sketch (Monty Python)
781. Film Club: Monty Python & The Holy Grail (revisited ) with Antony Rotunno [LEP / Film Gold SwapCast]

937. A Birthday Ramble / The Spinning Wheel of Random Questions

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It’s my birthday 🥳 so join me for a relaxed and light-hearted ramble, first with some comments about recent episodes and other podcast housekeeping, and then a series of talking points with the Spinning Wheel of Random Questions ☸️ including bits about how being an English teacher affects my social interactions 💬, the infamous ice-cream wars of Ice-Cream Island 🏝️, leading an army of English learners into battle on the back of an Elephant 🐘, the title of my (hypothetical) autobiography 📖, and my age revealed at the end of the episode. Full transcript available 📄.

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Get the PDF with speaking questions, and full transcript 👇

937. A Birthday Ramble _ The Spinning Wheel of Random Questions PDFDownload

934. Sign Language is Fascinating (with Siobhan Dodd)

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Have you ever wondered about sign language, how it works and if it is similar to other languages like English? In this conversation I speak to Siobhan Dodd who is a sign language interpreter between English and BSL (British Sign Language). Siobhan is an enthusiastic and entertaining guest and we have a great chat about the nature of sign language, the challenges & opportunities faced by the deaf community today, and some of Siobhan’s memorable interpreting experiences, such as working at the Glastonbury music festival.

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https://youtu.be/OwOdynFdDYg

Get the episode transcript here 👇

934. Sign Language is Fascinating (with Siobhan Dodd)Download

Siobhan’s Links

932. What is so great about Shakespeare? (with Mum & Dad)

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In this episode I talk to my parents about the topic of William Shakespeare. Enjoy a conversation about this important figure in English language and culture, with two other important figures – my mum and dad!

We discuss the enduring appeal and significance of William Shakespeare’s work, biographical details of his life, the key themes in Shakespeare’s plays, and the impact of his language on modern English. We try to explain the qualities that make Shakespeare great, using examples from plays like Hamlet, Twelfth Night, and Macbeth.

PDF available with transcript, vocabulary list and vocabulary quiz. Premium listeners – watch out for a language review of this episode coming soon, in P68 “Learn English with Shakespeare” parts 1 & 2.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

https://youtu.be/cGid3C2AfuY

Get the PDF with full transcript, vocabulary list & vocabulary quiz 👇

932. What is so great about Shakespeare? (with Mum & Dad)Download

Coming soon to LEP Premium 👇

A new series of episodes – “Learn English with Shakespeare”, including:

  • A vocabulary review for LEP 932 with my parents
  • The best idioms and expressions from Shakespeare’s work
  • Learn English with Sonnets & Verses + pronunciation practice

Sign up to LEP Premium here and access 200+ episodes about vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, and all new premium episodes which arrive every month.

931. Overcoming Fears (with Zdenek)

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This episode features a conversation with Zdenek about fears and anxieties experienced in everyday life. We explore common fears such as driving, flying, culture shock, language learning and public speaking. Listen for stories of Luke’s fear of Paris cafes ☕️, airport anxiety ✈️, Luke’s dramatic scooter ride in Nha Trang 🛵, Zdenek’s fears of Vietnamese roads and driving 🛣️, Luke’s recent cycling accident in Paris 💥, Zdenek’s encounter with a London police officer 👮‍♂️, nerves about teaching 😳, and more.

The PDF worksheet offers a vocabulary list from the conversation, with definitions, examples, and quizzes and a full transcript to help you boost your English with the episode.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

https://youtu.be/_0yTntyjeA4?si=S0A_8s7agzO3Z69N

📄 Get the PDF here (lucky you – it’s very expensive but you can have it completely free) 👇

  • Detailed vocabulary list
  • Vocabulary quiz
  • Full episode transcript
931. Overcoming Fears with ZdenekDownload

Other links 👇

⚽️ The Footglish Podcast (Learn English with Football)

💬 Zdenek’s Discord server “The Achiever’s Chamber”

🏆 LEP Premium 👉 www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium

925. Walaa’s Experience in Syria / Walaa Mouma Returns (Part 2)

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When Walaa was first on this podcast in episode 703 she talked about living in Syria as a student during the civil war (or people’s revolution) but at that time she felt she could not talk in detail about the situation. Now that the Assad regime is no longer in control of Syria, Walaa feels she can talk more candidly about what it was like to live near Damascus during those days. Walaa’s descriptions are both shocking and moving. This is the topic of this episode, which is part 2 of a two-part series.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

Links for English with Walaa

Listen to Part 1 👇 (Walaa talks about her academic studies in Wales)

Walaa’s previous appearance on LEP (episode 703) 👇

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9ythdvbKKM&t=1s&ab_channel=Luke%27sEnglishPodcast

Episode Transcript

925. Walaa’s Experience in Syria Walaa Mouma Returns (Part 2)Download

921. From Comedy to Cosy Crime (with Ian Moore)

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Ian Moore returns to the podcast to talk about his career shift from stand-up comedy to writing “cosy” crime novels. After several decades as a professional stand-up comedian, Ian has transitioned to writing murder mysteries. Now he is a bestselling author and his books are being adapted for television. In this episode Ian talks about ending his stand-up comedy career, why he was not suited for life as the host of a guesthouse in the French countryside, writing books on trains, and why his COVID lockdown was actually great. Includes comprehension questions and a PDF transcript.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

https://youtu.be/0iitR4Ve3XU?si=Vx_Y8NiOJpMeSkbN

Get the PDF transcript here 👇

921. From Comedy to Cosy Crime (with Ian Moore)Download

920. Animal Vocabulary Quiz (with my daughter)

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Do you know more animal vocabulary than my 6-year-old daughter? Find out in this episode which covers over 60 items of vocabulary for describing animals, their body parts, habitats and behaviour. I am joined by my daughter for a quiz and chat about different kinds of animals. PDF available with quiz questions, vocabulary review & more.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5K46ddeRZw&ab_channel=Luke%27sEnglishPodcast

Get the PDF with transcriptions, quiz questions, vocabulary review & more 👇

920. Animal Vocabulary Quiz (with My Daughter)_compressedDownload

902. “A Year on the Fosse” by Rick Thompson (English History & Wildlife) Dad’s New Book – Out Now

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A conversation with my dad about his new book, which is about the history and wildlife of a famous Roman road which passes right through the heart of England. Expect stories from various periods of English history, plus descriptions of typical English bird life. English history and culture on Luke’s English Podcast.

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https://youtu.be/MvO0edpmFvE?si=a-tzy_W8f3I0-xli

👉 GET THE BOOK ON AMAZON HERE 📖

900. Doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results (with Amber & Paul)

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It’s a catchy title! Episode 900 is here, and what better way to celebrate than by inviting my pals Amber & Paul back onto the podcast? Amber & Paul have been regular guests on this podcast for 10 years. We usually have light-hearted and tangential conversations and these episodes are often very popular with long-term listeners. This time we talk about Episode 900 celebrations 🎉 the title of this episode 🔁 Paris Olympics 2024 🏟️ encounters with dead animals in Paris 😢 Paul’s Olympic marathon run 🏃 the dangers of sneezing 🤧 and more…

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YouTube video version👇

Paul’s Olympic marathon medal 👇