The myth of the “native speaker”
A few years ago, a sharp, hardworking learner – terrified of his own accent – asked me to help him sound “more British”. He’d watched…
Tag: JustMeneesha
The hidden cost of being ‘native’
For years, the conversation around first-language bias has focused – rightly – on the harm it causes teachers and learners who use English as an…
The translation layer: Why fluency isn’t a level you reach
When I began my English training journey, I thought the goal was fluency. Not just competence – real fluency. The kind where you don’t pause,…
What I do as an English trainer
I’ve noticed something over the years. When people hear “English trainer”, they assume certain things: I don’t. And I think it’s time I shared, clearly,…
Permission to pause: why silence is not a sign of weak English
I notice something with almost every client I work with. They rush. Not because they’re in a hurry. Because silence feels dangerous. A two-second pause…
Beyond “native” and “non-native”: a kinder way to teach English
If you have ever taught English – or learned it – you may have felt the weight of certain words: These terms arrive with good…
From “Lost in Translation” to “Found in Interpretation”: the executive’s guide to cultural code-switching
For the internationally mobile executive – whether navigating a joint venture in Singapore, leading a multilateral negotiation for a development bank in Addis Ababa, or…
The strategic English deficit: why fluency isn’t enough for global leadership
In boardrooms around the world, among the executives of the world’s most prestigious institutions, a quiet realisation is dawning. The global business arena no longer…
Riding the waves of 2025
Gosh! I am so ready to see the back of this year. If 2025 had a mantra, whispered beneath the roar of the waves and…
How moving disrupts your work-from-home groove (and how to survive it)
After three decades in this house, I’m not just packing up a home – I’m dismantling my entire work life. As someone who works fully…