It is the start of the new year, and that means the Thinking in English Patreon has had a lot of new members joining, old members becoming motivated again, and listeners considering signing up.
I’m sure many of you have questions about Patreon. What is it? What are the different levels? What benefits do I receive?
That is why I have decided to write this post giving you all a basic introduction to everything Patreon. This post will contain information about the:
- Patreon tiers
- Patreon Benefits
- Upgrading/Downgrading/Cancelling etc
- Frequently Asked Questions
(Also, a quick idiom for you – the title of this post is “Patreon 101” – “something 101″ means basic, beginner, introduction. The first class at an American university is usually called History 101 or Biology 101)
Patreon Tiers
There are current 3 tiers of the Thinking in English Patreon (there have been more previously). These are:
English Listener (~£5 a month)
English Learner (~£10 a month)
English Master (~£40 a month)
Depending on your membership, you will be entitled to certain “benefits.” Let’s explore these benefits in more detail!
Patreon Benefits
Bonus Episodes (All Tiers)
Every Friday, I release a Patreon exclusive bonus episode. There are now over 100 Patreon exclusive episodes available to listen to, covering topics from basic grammar to personal Q&As, and the history of Japanese whisky.
All Patreon subscriber can listen to Bonus Episodes – and there are a few ways to do this…
- Listen on Patreon
- Listen on Spotify
- Listen on the Thinking in English Blog
- Listen on your Favourite Podcast App
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
How to listen on Spotify?
- Connect Patreon and Spotify in your settings.
- Search Thinking in English Bonus Podcast on Spotify.
- Sign in.. and enjoy!
Discord Server (All Tiers – English Listener Limited Access)
Discord is the platform we use to host our conversation clubs (as well as other events and chat rooms). It is a really convenient platform. I like to describe it as a mix between Zoom and a traditional chat room.
Discord is the best place, and most up-to-date place, to check scheduled events.
All member can join the Discord, but English listeners will not have access to voice calls/events etc.
To join our Discord server, you need to connect Patreon and Discord. Here is how to do that!
- Log in to your Patreon account
- Click on Settings from the left side menu
- Click on More and then Connected Apps from the menu bar
- Click on Discord and then click the Connect button
- Enter the email address or phone number you use to log in with Discord and your password and click the Login button
- Click the Authorize button
- You’ve successfully linked Discord to Patreon! You may need to refresh the page
On Discord, you will automatically be given a “role” corresponding to your Patreon subscription. This means that different “tiers” will be able to see different things.
If you notice you can no longer access Discord or it looks different, it is usually because your payment to Patreon declined, or you changed your subscription.
Conversation Clubs and Film Clubs (English Learner and Master)
Perhaps the most popular Thinking in English Patreon benefit is our Conversation Clubs. Each week, members from around the world gather to practice English and chat with other members.
We work in small groups of 3 or 4, with an English tutor present to supervise. The focus is on giving you a safe space to have conversations in English!
The conversation clubs currently take place 6 times a week (this may change in the future), on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12pm, 6pm, and 11pm UK time.
We also have Film Clubs (keep an eye on Patreon for more up to date posts).
Every week, I make a blog article to help you all prepare for conversation clubs. Usually the topic is related to a recent episode.
In the article you will be able to….
- See the upcoming questions
- Find some useful vocabulary for the week
- Check example answers at different English levels
You can find all the articles here:
There will also be a post sent out on Patreon every Saturday or Sunday. This post will link to the blog post (mentioned above) and include…
- The week’s questions
- Links to the week’s events on Discord
For the links to work… follow the above steps to make sure you are in our Discord server!
This will be sent out as an email by Patreon (make sure to check your inboxes) and on the Patreon site.
Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.
Conversation with Tom (English Master)
English Master subscribers can book one 1 hour conversation with me (Tom) every month as part of the subscription.
I don’t currently teach classes to the general public… so this is the only chance to book time with me!
Study Packs (All Tiers)
Patreon members can download my study packs (grammar) for free from the Patreon store:
Recommended products
-
Study Packs – First, Second, Third, and Mixed Conditionals
Original price was: £10.00.£5.00Current price is: £5.00. -
Study Packs – Past, Present, and Future Perfect Tenses/Grammar
£5.00 -
Study Packs – Past, Present, and Future Perfect Continuous
£5.00
Discount for Peter ESL
English Classes/Courses/Workshops (All Tiers)
As part of your Patreon membership, you get 10% off all of Peter’s classes, workshops, and courses. Peter is a great English teacher who also helps run my conversation clubs and film clubs.
Find out more information at https://peter-english.com/courses or email Peter at peteresltutor@gmail.com
Quizlet Class (All Tiers)
Join the Thinking in English Quizlet Class for vocabulary sets using this link:
Extra Blog Resources (All Tiers)
Some of the features on my website are behind the Patreon paywall (conversation club material, bonus episodes, Descript interactive transcripts, vocabulary exercises etc).
You can access these resources by logging into my website using you Patreon account. The sign in area is either in the top right (on desktop) or bottom of the page (mobile).
Upgrading/Downgrading/Cancelling
If you would like to upgrade or downgrade your membership, you can do it in your Patreon settings.
Here is a guide on how to change your tier:
You can also change to an annual membership for a Discount.
If you would like to cancel, please do it yourself (I can’t cancel your subscriptions) – here is a guide https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005502572-Canceling-a-paid-membership
FAQs
Why can’t I see anything on Patreon?
There are usually 2 reasons:
- Your payment to Thinking in English is declined – fix it here https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/203913769-How-do-I-update-my-payment-information
- You have accidentally made 2 accounts (a free one and a paid one). Make sure to always use the same email when signing up and logging in.
Why can’t I join the Conversation Club?
There are usually 3 reasons:
- You are an English listener member. Please upgrade to join the conversation clubs.
- Your payment is declined (see above)
- You haven’t connected Patreon and Discord – https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/212052266-Getting-Discord-access
Can I have a refund?
Usually… no. Patreon is a monthly subscription to support me – you will have full access to benefits until the end of your membership.
There are some exceptions (for example, if you come from a country where Discord is banned).
Why can’t I download study packs?
You need to be a full member to download study packs. If you are on a free trial, wait until you have paid for your first month!
I’m sure there is something else I have forgotten, but hopefully this is a useful guide to my membership subscription!
