I'm an English coach, polyglot, entrepreneur, and digital nomad who loves to talk about education, travel, and business & entrepreneurship. Subscribe to my newsletter, I look forward to meeting you!
Same message. Different culture. Totally different result. What's going on?
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Hi Reader Giving feedback might seem simple, but cultural differences can completely change how it's delivered, and received. Let’s compare three common styles: British. Polite and indirect. Criticism is often softened with phrases like “Perhaps you could…” or “It’s not quite there yet.” This is known as using a downgrader, a softening phrase to make feedback sound less harsh. It’s also common to wrap criticism in praise (the classic “feedback sandwich”). American. Confident and clear. Feedback often starts with praise and moves quickly to the point: “Great job on X, next time try Y.” Downgraders like “kind of” or “maybe” are sometimes used, but Americans are more comfortable mixing praise with direct suggestions. German. Honest and detailed. Feedback is usually direct and unfiltered, focusing on improvement rather than feelings: “This part didn’t work. You should change it like this.” Downgraders are rare because too much softening can feel unclear or inefficient. Tip of the monthNext time you give or receive feedback across cultures, notice the tone Reader. Are you being too direct? Or too vague? A small language shift can make a big difference. November 2025Coaching cornerA moment for quiet reflection or journalling, even just thinking about your answers can help you notice patterns and shift your focus. What’s one small change you could make to give clearer or more culturally aware feedback? Stay tuned for more tips, videos, client stories, podcast episodes, travel reflections, language disasters and everything inbetween! Hit reply and tell me what you're learning at the moment. Meg P.S In my lessons, I create a safe, welcoming space for feedback and suggestions, and I want the same for this newsletter. Let me know what you'd love to see more (or less) of. I’m listening. Fully certified Business English coach
“Megan is an excellent teacher! Our classes are so dynamic that the 50 minutes pass too quickly. Having lived in different countries and loving to travel gives her knowledge of other cultures and languages which enriches our conversations.” |
Mega Language Coach
I'm an English coach, polyglot, entrepreneur, and digital nomad who loves to talk about education, travel, and business & entrepreneurship. Subscribe to my newsletter, I look forward to meeting you!
Hi Reader Have you ever felt like no matter how hard you try, your English just doesn’t improve? That could be learned helplessness. This is when past experiences of being corrected, misunderstood, or embarrassed make you believe you’ll never get it right. But that belief isn’t a fact. It’s a pattern you’ve learned, and you can unlearn it. The good news is, you're not failing, you just need another approach! With small actions like recording voice notes, tracking your English time (not your...
Hi Reader I hope you've had a serene September. As my Mexican adventure finishes and I prepare for the next chaper, I want to share some reflections which may be useful in your own journey. "Oh the places you'll go" by Dr Seuss is a book that I loved as a child, even before I could read it myself. (I've heard rumours of a film adaptation coming soon, which will be a great chance to practice English comprehension!) This book taught me that we don't know where we will go in the future, and to...
Hi Reader As we pack away the sun cream and unleash a new set of pens ready for back to school, I want to talk about fake progress in language learning. (I do miss the days of new highlighters, notebooks and sharp pencils as September begins!) Sometimes it feels like we’re doing everything right: watching films with subtitles, listening to podcasts on the way to work, highlighting useful words in news articles, taking lessons regularly. Yet there is still no real change in confidence. No big...