The Fluent Show

This episode effortlessly covers the full language world, from Sean Paul to the UN Declaration of Human Rights. via GIPHY It's the United Nations Year of Indigenous Languages Up to 95% of the world’s languages might be extinct or endangered by the end of the century. And most of them are indigenous, meaning that they spoken by the indigenous people of a region. In this show, you'll discover What’s an indigenous language? Why does it matter so much that we preserve these languages? Hint: Because it's a HUMAN RIGHT Should any country at all have an official language? And where do you start if you want to learn an indigenous language? And we think you love a quiz as much as we do, so don't miss out the indigenous language quiz in this episode. Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

How can you keep an older language fresh while starting on a new one? Do you have to worry about forgetting everything you've learnt within weeks? This week, head over to the blog for detailed notes and an article on this topic: Click or tap here to read the blog article on www.fluentlanguage.co.uk Conclusions: You can’t just forget a language, but in order to keep it fresh you need to engage in maintenance activities and accept a learning curve when you immerse again Learning more languages, even at the same time, is awesome But don’t expect miracles, consider your goals and limitations Interference is a normal process of language acquisition Thank you to Bonnie for this episode introduction. Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

This week, I'm answering a listener question with help from a special guest. Gareth Popkins is a serial language learner with decades of experience. He's a native English speaker but fluent in Welsh, Russian, German, and currently learning Japanese and Basque. He regularly builds preparation for language exams into his study routines, so today I asked Gareth to come on the show and share his views on the following quesion. Evan asks: I see many people who reach advanced C1/C2 level with a few of their languages, but just learned them for the heck of it (or they grew up with it in their homes). These people probably never took an official test to get a certificate proving that they are C1/C2 level or something. Why might one want to get this certificate, or any other sort of qualification, to prove their language abilities? Is it worthwhile or not? You may find yourself wondering why a language exam would be useful for you at all, especially if you’re not studying for work or school. But there are a few excellent reasons to dive into the idea of test prep. Good question! Between our experiences taking the IELTS, Goethe Institut exams, the TRKI Russian exam, Gareth and I talk. Listen in to hear the best reasons to prepare for a language exam why exams are more than just a memory test which situations mean you will never need a language exam to prove your skills Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!Special Guest: Gareth Popkins.

How do you feel about your memories of learning languages at school? Did you leave feeling like you were just not a language person? Got tales of cheating on every exam? Perhaps your teacher even threw things? Oof! Language lessons can leave scars, and now that you're an independent learner it's time to break free and purge those bad memories. This week, I'm bringing you real life stories from Canterbury, UK and my best strategies to help you turn the tables and start successfully learning a language as an adult. Thank you to Anne for this episode introduction. Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

“If we can produce proficient, correct language, it seems all is great no matter how we feel about it.” My guest for this week’s podcast is María Ortega Garcia, who you will get to know well during the course of our interview. María is a rebel. She encourages you not to break the rules, but to look beyond the rules. Here are some questions we discussed: How could you play with a language you love? Who owns the rules of a language? Can we see beyond the need to be correct, to achieve a higher level of connection and an authentic self-expression? Does being so touchy-feely mean we'll miss all our goals? This was a fascinating conversation about permission, ownership, and what we think we’re all allowed to do in another language. It helped me understand my role as language coach and language teacher in a whole new way. “It doesn’t need to have any specific goal or purpose. It’s just pleasure and self-expression.” “For me, a foreign language has to come along with my own personality and background. I can’t be following someone else’s rules.” Workshop: Creative Writing, Public Speaking and Performance I want to let you know as early as possible that María and I are actually taking this one step further. We have been working on a joint language workshop inviting you to explore how creative writing and performance find your voice and courage to speak and elevate your communication skills. If you struggle to express your true self in another language, and wish you could find the right words for how you feel, this new workshop is just perfect for you. You can catch this workshop at Langfest in Montréal (tickets available now, 15% off using code KERSTIN). Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!Special Guest: María Ortega García.

I'm continuing the Fluent Show's little business series with a solo episode about online language teaching. Last week you already heard a little bit about how Lindsay and I got started, what we value in our businesses and our brutally honest views about both the sacrifices and the rewards of doing this work. So in today's episode: Effective Teaching! I've got three fundamentals that I believe made me a better language teacher. Let your student do their student thing. Allow them to know their own answers and ask more questions. Put effort into explaining grammar in a way that makes sense. Make the tech and the setup a non-question. This includes boundaries. In today's show, I'm also answering a listener question from Chenelle about successful collaborations How do I go about approaching someone about my project in order to get them to come on board with me? For us as one-person enterprises, it's often so beneficial to collaborate with others when it comes to creating successful projects like courses, books, and lessons. Look around you and you will see DOZENS of collaboration examples. In the online teaching space, here are a few that are successful: Languagelovers.au by Penny and Bec in Melbourne Con Parole Nostre by Elfin, Silvia and Barbara in 3 countries Women in Language by Lindsay, Shannon and me (and all of you!) And of course let's not forget [Teach & Thrive](www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/teach-thrive) by Lindsay and me. And [German Uncovered](www.german2019.com) by Olly and me. You've got me, I love collaborating. It's more social, compensates for weaknesses and creates cool results. So how do collaborations work best? How do you become a success? Listen in to hear my 5 most important tips - all hard won through experience. Thank you to Maria for this episode introduction. Sorry about the slightly lower quality sound - next week back to the usual high standards. Teach & Thrive: Open Now! The Teach & Thrive workshop series is opening its doors to you this weekend. Sign up at www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/teach-thrive to join our 6 monthly masterclasses on creating and selling product, reaching an audience through marketing, and of course staying sane while becoming more successful. Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

This week…something completely different. If you ever wondered what it’s like to run an online business in languages, this episode is for you. Lindsay and I offer you one of the most in-depth looks we have ever offered into our businesses, mindsets, and how we work. Did you enjoy this chat? Then there is MORE! We have recorded more episodes in this business series, and they can all be yours. Get our chat about MAKING AND SELLING PRODUCTS at www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/teach-thrive-success Get our chat about ONLINE MARKETING on the Teach Languages Online podcast -- published on 21 June 2019 And finally, our conversation about OUR FIRST ONLINE COURSES at www.lindsaydoeslanguages.com/teach-thrive 13 Tool Recommendations ✅ Click or tap here to to get a list of recommendations for the essentials we use every single day in our business. Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

This week I'm answering a listener question from Erin who was curious about applying her skills when she cannot attend a language retreat! The key with a retreat is to step out of learner mode and step into speaker mode, so that you apply what you are learning. But do you have to get away for that? This question is HUGE - it could really crack how you approach language learning and make a difference to whether you are successful or not. So in today's podcast episode, I'll share one idea that Design Your Own Immersion Day Make sure you PREP!! Queue up podcasts, decide what you're reading, book conversations, look around for recipes or restaurants, listen to top tools. And set a date in the diary! Radio or TV in the morning, perhaps a podcast - try to take in your target language first thing in the morning. Get chatty with some self-talk in the kitchen while you're making breakfast. On the commute, why not read in your target language or get some sat nav cues for a route you know? Not everyone speaks their target language in the workplace or at school, so sometimes we've got to allow the good in place of the perfect. Lunch could be your chance to go out with another learner, perhaps have a conversation in your target language or simply enjoy an old-school phone conversation. Social media? Totally doable in your target language. After work, it's time to refuel and relax. By now you might be in the mood for some music on Spotify, a nice meal cooked at your fave resto or by yourself in a TL, or a trip to the cinema. Again, yes they might show subtitles but... Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. And if you DO want to join me at the next language retreat, I'm planning a German one returning to beautiful, majestic, thousand-year old, wine-fuelled Trier in December! I say it's Germany's best Glühwein. Sign up here for updates so you can book a place when the retreat opens. Thank you to Aleksandr Ivanov for this episode introduction . Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

It's Top Tools time! In this regular feature, Lindsay and I dedicate the full episode to bringing you our tips for the most exciting language learning tools of the season. In this episode, get to know Music Planet Roadtrip Insight Timer Evertype Teach Yourself Library Genius Pleco Click or tap here to read full show notes and get all links on www.fluentlanguage.co.uk Teach & Thrive Sign up here if you're interested in Lindsay & Kerstin's new workshop series for ambitious online language teachers and creators. Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you! You can now play the Fluent Show through google home devices (“play the Fluent Show podcast”) and add us to the Alexa flash briefing. The feed URL you need for that is https://www.fluent.show/alexa

In this episode, I am answering a listener question from Leandro. I'm going through a really hard time on learning languages. I'm a Portuguese native speaker and I'm learning English and French. Most of time I'm really motivated learning English, because I love British 19th century literature and I fancy reading all the books in English. My level is not that bad, I guess. But, most of time I'm so unmotivated to learn French and keep with my daily studies. Sometimes I get so frutrated I want to burn all my materials of study out. I have two questions: how to handle with frutration? And how to get better at pronunciation by myself? Ready to hear my answers? Then tune in! Leandro's good practices with English: You have a very clear thing that you love and enjoy in the target language - English 19th century literature You can picture a goal, a situation that feels possible to you - reading all the books in English You are feeling fairly confident and you don’t struggle with self doubt - like you say, your level is not so bad. You’re working within the realm of what’s possible, you’re not asking anything impossible from yourself, you are not obsessed with progress, just having a good time. Before you set fire to your books and possibly other things, know this: IT IS OKAY TO FEEL UNMOTIVATED. IT IS NORMAL. The most important question you haven’t answered is why do you feel so unmotivated Teach & Thrive Sign up here if you're interested in Lindsay & Kerstin's new workshop series for ambitious online language teachers and creators. Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you! Thank you to listener Bonnie for this episode introduction.

Learning a language gives you a huge career advantage over others who don't have a language. One example is working for the EU, one of the world's largest international organisations. But could the EU be for you? My guest for today’s episode is Paul Kaye, language officer of the European Commission's representation in London. Get Paid For Your Languages Paul is the European Commission's language officer in the UK, so he was my top person to ask about the secrets of working there. Listen in and learn how Paul became a translator, and his answers to these questions: How can we make languages SEXY as a career choice? What kind of personality type do most translators have? (and why Kerstin is NOT an ideal candidate) Do you have to be bilingual to work as a translator in the EU? How do you get a job as an EU translator? What does the EU do to contribute to language diversity? Plus, halfway through the episode Paul went ahead and surprised me with a quiz about the EU's official languages, which is just THE BEST. Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!Special Guest: Paul Kaye.

In this episode, I answer a listener question with the listener on the line! My friend Nicky Roberts (near-miss Welsh learner of the year 2018) meet up with me at last year's Welsh national festival and during our long chat he asked this question: When do you stop being a learner and consider yourself a speaker? Is it a problem to hold on to your identity as a "learner" and hide from speaking your target language? This week, I brought Nicky to the show to talk about it. Thank you to Nicky for this episode introduction. Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!Special Guest: Nicky Roberts.

“The merit of all things lies in their difficulty.” Alexandre Dumas In this podcast, Lindsay and I discuss what makes a language easy or hard to learn, and share our own Top 5 easiest languages. Listen to find out more. Want to Join The Discussion? We have a full blog article to go with this episode, where you can leave a comment to tell us your own thoughts: Click or tap here to read the full blog article on www.fluentlanguage.co.uk Thank you to the Fluent Language Learners Facebook Group for their contributions. You can join this group if you also want to talk about languages over there and check in regularly with other learners. Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

In today's episode, my retreat group from the summer retreat in Munich What happens when you only speak your target language for a week? How do you prepare for a language retreat? What is the most important mindset you can have while doing language immersion? What happens after the retreat? Are you eager to experience a language retreat for yourself? Head to www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/retreats to discover the upcoming retreats - in Hamburg (June 2019) and the Loire Valley (June 2019). My guests also share tips on creating an immersion environment no matter where you live. Special Guests: Anne Semmler and Renato and Catarina.

This episode, I'm bringing you an interview with experimental psychologist and author Dr Roger Kreuz. Along with Richard Roberts, Roger is the co-author of my favourite language learning book ever, Becoming Fluent. “People think about fluency as perfection as opposed to something that’s achievable by almost anybody with some effort. There really is a different way of thinking about it that makes all this much more achievable.” Roger Kreuz I've previously raved about this book on my blog (see link section), and in this interview I was excited to get the opportunity to discuss the psychology of language learning with Roger. Click here to get my free Becoming Fluent book notes and action plan Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!Special Guest: Roger Kreuz.

Click or tap here to get the free guide to building your language learning habit Thank you to Bonnie Z for this episode introduction. Today’s question comes from Elizabeth - here's a summary of what she's asking: I am attempting to learn Japanese. I’m trying out different methods in order to establish a routine that works best for me. This is starting to frustrate me because I feel like I am going in circles without making any real progress in the language. I absolutely love Japan, and so I’m trying hard to stay motivated and keep going, but the lack of progress is starting to zap my enthusiasm. Is this type of “wheel spinning” typical when you are a first time, self-directed language learner? OMG ELIZABETH I LOVE THIS QUESTION!!!!!! You’re taking your first baby steps into indie learning and choosing what is right for you, and that’s just super strong and amazing. In today’s episode, I’ll take the opportunity to talk you through a few key steps as I teach them in the Language Habit Toolkit, my all-in-one package to help you create a great language learning routine. The idea of this language HABIT is so important because of what a good habit signifies. 5 Steps To Establishing Your Language Learning Habit Assess your resources - are they right? You want a guiding resource, some input resources, and a few reference materials. Learn more about this in my blog article "No More Hoarding!". Aim for higher levels of COMFORT not skill Work with the right goals There are two types of goals you need for language learning: Vision Goals and Path Goals Track what you do If your goal is the habit, progress is coming closer to the language being an absolutely irremovable part of your life. Progress isn’t always about knowing one more word of vocabulary, but instead about one tiny little degree of comfort. My most basic check-in is the “daily contact”, keeping me feeling accomplished even on super busy days. Review Regularly This is where we find out what’s real and what’s not, and that means whether you are actually spinning your wheels. The key is to answer questions like What went well, what didn’t go well Was there any surprise What do I want to do next Where am I in relation to my goals TRUST IN YOURSELF you’re doing an awesome job Elizabeth!! Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

Inspired by one of the discussion panels at Women in Language, Lindsay and I dedicated this episode to creativity in language learning. We shared 9 cool ideas that you can use for your own language learning routine, and then got to the deeper question: Why do you feel like creative language learning activities aren't "real learning?" Make sure you read the in-depth blog article on fluentlanguage.co.uk to join our conversation about creative language learning routines. Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you! Get in Touch Send us an email to [email protected] or say hi on Twitter (@thefluentshow) or Instagram (#thefluentshow).

¡Hola Radioyentes! This week I'm answering a listener question (asked in Spanish AND English!): When is it the right time to start learning another language? The question came from Tomás, 45 years old and a native speaker of Spanish. Tomás has good English and regular exposure through books and TV, but he feels unsure about whether he's ready to add a new language like German or English. This has happened to me a few times, and I’ve also studied up to 3 languages at the same time. In this episode, I reflected on what matters most when you are facing this question and shared 3 core rules for you: 1. When you don’t practice a language, you’ll lose a bit of it Not practicing a language doesn’t mean that you’ll never remember it again. In fact, you are unlikely to ever go all the way back to zero. But it does mean that your progress will slow down and if you don’t do anything, it means that you will forget some of what you practiced in the language most recently. Remembering that memory is all about repetition and exposure, it seems likely that you’d lose what you were last exposed to. So maybe as a rule of thumb expect that you’ll step down one level. But if you’re already a few years in, you won’t lose all those years. If you stop actively studying after 3 months = it can feel like nothing sticks. If you stop actively studying after 5 years = it will not all disappear. 2. Make sure you adjust your expectations for both languages You could be learning five, ten languages at once and in fact there are ways in which this will absolutely propel you forward. But don’t expect the results of a sprint when you are in fact practicing a triathlon. Progress is not linear - it’s not always what you expect or predict, and often your destination changes 3. Declare your intentions Once you have worked out your goals and you got in touch with what you really want, you get to decide and move forward. Your decision is not forever. And as far as I can see, you are in an absolutely perfect position. Good luck! Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you! Thank you to Maria for this episode introduction.

What's it like to realise you're getting good at the language you're learning? Where do you go when you don't need handholding anymore? In today's episode, I'm talking to Nicole Miles, an advanced level French learner preparing for her C1 exam this year. Her language learning story is all about how she made it work as an adult learner with a positive attitude. If you wonder about advanced level study, the kinds of questions that come up when you’re like "OMG I’m good at this", and moving towards taking on your next foreign language, then our interview will answer so many questions. If you're at the start of your language learning journey and wondering how you'll ever get anywhere, then Nicole's got tips that you need to hear - especially you introverts out there! Here's what's in store in our podcast Hear why and how Nicole learnt more French in one year of solo study than in all her school years Discover what helped her find the best italki tutors and make more out of her sessions Hear about what the controversy around one small book title can do for one learner's motivation Learn a language learning trick we call the language role model to tap into a version of yourself in your target language Join me to wish Nicole all the best for her upcoming language exam languages she's planning to study next...and how! Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!Special Guest: Nicole Miles.

Do you love languages, and want to live and learn, create a successful career or travel the world as a multilingual person? This year, let the Women in Language conference show you how! This is one of my FAVOURITE language projects and you'll have SO MUCH FUN with us. Women in Language is a 4-day online event filled with talks presentations from 30+ female language experts who have done amazing things and documented their journey. The conference is open to everyone, regardless of gender identity. Get your ticket at www.womeninlanguage.com In This Episode: "It is by seeing other people like us that we get inspired and that we believe we can do things and there is a space for us" In the podcast you'll hear speakers and guests at the conference talk about the upcoming event, what they're looking forward to, and why it matters that there women in the spotlight. Here's the full schedule they are looking at: Got your ticket yet? If not, here is where you can get one Here are the voices you're hearing on this show: Me! Haha, of course The following 2019 speakers: Shahidah Foster, creator of Black Girls Learn Languages who's back from last year to teach you how to prep for a job in another country Maria Ortega Garcia, an inspiring Spanish tutor who will present about Creative Writing for Rhythm and Intonation Penny Wilson from LingoMama, who is doing double duty on our panel about "Languages, Loved Ones and Little Ones" and with her own talk about language travel Plus these veteran Women in Language fans Michele Frolla from the Intrepid Guide, a language and travel blog Sara Holmes who runs Language Answers Maria Seco, our second Spanish Maria 😀 and Spanish tutor for the Camino Jennifer O'Donnell, a game localizer and translator for Japanese/English Sara Maria Hasbun, who also writes at Misslinguistic Deborah Janik a.k.a. Lingualibri on Instagram Alba Casado, our Spanish correspondent and creator of Españolizarte Rebecca Howie, Aussie language lover and owner of language stationery business Irregular Endings Chenelle Hanckock from Chenelle’s language learning journey podcast Cara Leopold who runs a listening skills website called Leo Listening Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!Special Guests: Alba Casado, Cara Leopold, Chenelle Hancock, Deborah Janik, Jennifer O'Donnell, Maria Seco, María Ortega García, Michele Frolla, Penny Wilson, Rebecca Howie, Sara Holmes, Sara Maria Hasbun, and Shahidah Foster.

Alessia, 17 from Verona asks: How to switch quickly from a language to another? Is it just a question of practice? Click or tap here to read the full show notes in my blog article on www.fluentlanguage.co.uk The short answer is that yes, there’s a huge element of practice involved. Sorry, no one likes to hear that there isn’t a secret shortcut! But that doesn’t mean we can’t look into a few ways to practice that could help you get more comfortable and process language faster. Listen in to hear my tips and ideas for switching as efficiently as possible. Thank you to Rebecca from Irregular Endings for this episode introduction. Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

"I don't know how I knew this word, I just knew it." Have you ever found yourself in a conversation where you speak without thinking? In a moment like that, you trusted your gut. But how the heck does your GUT know another language? In today's episode, Lindsay and I talk about the magic of using your language intuition. The episode is a fun discussion, and a bit of a search for answers. Join us to hear about the powerful ways your brain helps you develop a sense of what's correct what your gut feeling has to do with whether you feel fluent in another language how you can use your environment and mood to boost this sense of intuition in order to become a better speaker training your language intuition by adding lots of input 3 Books I've Read To Learn More About "Fast Thinking" Thinking, Fast and Slow - still reading this at the moment, and it's well worth my time. In the show I read a tiny bit from chapter 5 (cognitive ease). Becoming Fluent - I know I recommend this every 20 minutes, but there's a reason! Blink - Classic Malcolm Gladwell Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

In this episode, you'll hear about the results of the Fluent Show survey, followed by your questions on my personal language learning thoughts and story. Top 5 Languages Studied by Fluent Show Listeners Spanish French German Italian Russian But that is far from everything, so here is the complete amazing list of 43 languages you guys are studying: Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Swedish, Arabic, Dutch, Greek, Persian, Irish, Norwegian, Hawaiian, Vietnamese, Icelandic, Polish, Sign Languages, Esperanto, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Sicilian, Portuguese, Kumeyaay, Latin, Luxembourgish, Xhosa, Zulu, Setswana, Yiddish, Hindi, Afrikaans, Danish, Hmong, Thai, Slovak, Malagasy, Finnish Your Questions, My Answers Here are the language learning questions I answered in this episode of the Fluent Show Have you ever considered another profession or do you have another passion? (from Nikolapolyglot, IG) Tell us more about your education, college, internships (Michelle, Twitter) How is Luxembourgish changing your perspective on your own native German dialect?” (Val.5467, IG) How you choose which languages to learn, and if you've ever given up on a language and why. (Spanish con Salsa, Twitter) Get Involved If you want to get involved with the Fluent Show in more ways, here are some ideas: 1. Send An Intro For The Show You can become the welcoming voice of this podcast! Record an introduction in a language of your choice, saying what your name is where you live which language you're speaking and "you're listening to the Fluent Show" Then email your intro as an audio clip to [email protected], and get excited to hear yourself on the show. Thank you to Bonnie for this episode introduction. 2. Sign Up To The Newsletter Receive my free weekly newsletter with language learning tips. This is how you can be first to find out about retreats, new language courses, and podcast episodes. 3. Support This Podcast If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

This Podcast Episode Is Bilingual: French and English Khady comes from a bilingual family and grew up speaking Wolof and French. And as such, we will be speaking French during some parts of the episode. And my French is far from perfect, so trust that I'm doing mon mieux. If you are not an experienced French learner, there will be some parts of the podcast that you don’t understand. But like all language learners, you’re not alone in that feeling. I always remember what the lovely Ron Gullekson said: “I want to get used to feeling uncomfortable.” So fear not, trust that we will come back to English again and again, and the interview will still be interesting for you. Let's Talk About African Languages If your language bucket list is longer than you'd like...you're going to HATE this episode 😛 There are over 2000 African languages, and most people don't know about their existence. There is a huge dominance of European languages, even on the continent itself, but learning African languages is more valuable than ever. Par Spiridon Ion Cepleanu — Travail personnel, CC BY-SA 3.0, Lien In today's episode, my guest Khady Ndoye will tell you more about the most widely spoken languages of Africa, such as.. Swahili Hausa Yoruba Igbo Oromo Zulu Lingala ...and yes...Arabic! why African languages are a great choice for any polyglot how you can go about learning one of these languages why it won't work to just say "oh, I'd like to learn an African language" Khady's a African music and TV recommendations! Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!Special Guest: Khady Ndoye.

Today’s episode is based on an Instagram question from Iye, who is learning Norwegian. She asks Do you have any tips for how I can go about creating my own language learning materials? Listen in to discover how creating your own materials will help you learn faster and better. And there's more: click or tap here to read the full show notes in my blog article on www.fluentlanguage.co.uk. Thank you to Evelina from Alaska for this episode introduction. Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

Linguist hour! Lindsay and I bring you an interview with one of our favourite podcasts, the linguistics show Talk the Talk from Australia. Please take 5 minutes to take our Fluent Show survey! We don't often have research scientists on the show, so this was a huge opportunity for the Fluent Show to go into science. We posed your "Ask a Linguist" questions on these topics: Is it a language? Is it a dialect? Talk the Talk had a few insights that I had never heard before. What determines the prestige of a dialect within a language? We looked into how politics and social developments can directly influence how you speak, and how you feel about it. Are there common language learning stages across all languages, for example grammar needed to communicate something? In fact, there are two ways to approach language learning: analysis and pattern-spotting, and learning and copying useful chunks. Which one works? Talk the Talk gave us the science perspective. Plus: What is "glottochronology?" Hedvig quoted this research paper. If we come across a language in the same area that uses different words for the same concepts, does that language come from a different family of languages? In essence, yes. For this one, you need a basic vocabulary list - but they're not all that straightforward. Hedvig and Kylie explain more on this episode. Finally: Podcasting! Also: We talk about what it's like to podcast about languages, and about podcasting in general. If you're not interested in the wider context of language and podcasting authentically...then skip it and you won't miss the linguistics. We do know that many listeners love podcasts and think about starting their own, so for you this discussion is going to be both useful and interesting. Ultimately, we love and support community radio and podcasting. And in that sense... Please Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!Special Guests: Kylie Sturgess and Talk The Talk.

It's January, time for new year's resolutions and long weeks waiting for pay cheques. Please take 5 minutes to take our Fluent Show survey! If you're finding yourself motivated but broke this month, don't worry! I've got your back because this week I'm answering the question: What are ways to immerse in the language without traveling or spending a heap of money for studies? Immersion was one of my KEY words for 2018, and that's not just because of the amazing language retreats I've been able to teach. A language retreat is quite an experience - life-changing time spent loving and learning languages in your target country. Who wouldn't want that? (By the way, sign up here if you do want that.) But let's get real. You may not be able to travel easily. You may not have the budget for a retreat. None of this means you have to miss out on language immersion Consider Your Investment In Studies Follow this checklist if you're getting ready for a new language learning project: Budget time as well as money Research what you buy Get online lessons Use what you buy, with your time or your money Try an Immersion Day Let's face it, nothing is quite the same as walking down the street in another country and experiencing the history and culture of that place all around you. But with these tips, you can design your own mini-immersion today for very little money. Watch TV? Look no further than YouTube Read online? Try LingQ Listen to music? Use TuneIn Radio or Spotify Want to chat to people? italki, Skype, and local connections have you covered Go on social media? Create lists or dedicated accounts Cook? Try a recipe or instruction video in your target language Thank you to Bonnie for this episode introduction. Submit your own intro with an email to [email protected]. Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

Happy New Year! 🎇 Please take 5 minutes to take our Fluent Show survey! In this episode, I hung out with friend of the podcast Shannon Kennedy to talk about saying goodbye to an old year and welcoming a new one. Shannon is an accomplished language learner who's studied over 10 languages including French, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Italian, and Russian. Her year has always been about languages, and with her recent move to work with language app Drops, she even chose to add more languages. Here are the year review questions we discussed. You can use them to conduct your own review of 2018 and set goals for the next year. How would you sum up the year in your languages? What changed in your life and in your languages in 2018? What lessons do you think you learnt from the year 2018? What surprised you? What will you change going forward? Looking forward, what are your language learning goals for 2019? Shannon's top 3 books of 2018 Grit by Angela Duckworth The Organised Mind by Daniel J. Levitin Courses from the Assimil series Shannon's top 3 apps of 2018 Drops, naturally! Streaks Lingq Shannon's top 3 courses The Add1 Challenge Yoyo Chinese 90 Day Korean Don't forget that Women in Language is back in March 2019!! Join us to experience this amazing 4-day conference live. Click or tap here to read the full show notes in my blog article on www.fluentlanguage.co.uk Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!Special Guest: Shannon Kennedy.

It's so annoying when you say a word in your target language and you're 100% SURE it's going to mean one thing...and then it turns out to mean something completely different. Ugh, awkward! When those words look the same as your native words, you've hit upon false friends. They're a common frustration in language learning, and in this episode I've got some tips that you need to hear if you want to get better at dealing with them. In today's episode: the most interesting false friends in other languages. why do these happen, and why I think more people should get excited about false friends. what you can do to avoid falling for them again and again. If you want to learn my tricks to systematically tackle these frustrating false friends, tune in to this podcast episode. Thank you to Mo for this episode introduction. The Fluent Show is taking a Christmas break and will be back on 7 January 2019. Stay tuned, and have a WONDERFUL holiday season. Nadolig Llawen! 🔔 Fröhliche Weihnachen! 🎄 Joyeux Noël! 🎁 С Рождество́м! 👼 Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

This week, my guest on the podcast is Cara Leopold, an English teacher who focuses on helping her students enjoy TV and films in English by improving their listening skills. Some of Cara's top tips: Don’t mess around with TV and films initially. They're more challenging than many of us like to admit, and it can be disheartening even at B levels to miss big chunks of action because we insist on switching off the subtitles. Instead, stick to curated materials for learners Look for natural speech over scripted speech, actors with a naturalistic delivery who don't mumble in order to sound authentic Try podcasts and interviews, because they deliver natural speech and structured content. If a show comes out regularly and follows a strict formula with set segments, it’s going to be easier to understand The biggest mistakes Cara sees language learners make is to treat tv and films like you would in your native language, expecting to kick back and relax for 2 hours. If it's passive consumption you are after, your listening skills will not improve - think quality over quantity. And here is a piece of Cara's philosophy that stood out to me: “Everything works in language learning." Step By Step to Subtitle Freedom Here are the steps Cara recommends so you can improve listening skills and hit that subtitle freedom: Get hold of a text, for example search youtube by subtitles Open the transcript below your YouTube video so you can read it as you move along Find trailers or selected clips of films and TV shows, or choose to watch a show or film in scenes Practice dictation Switch the subtitles on and off as required Repeat things as closely as possible to how the actor is saying them “You have to be able to settle for some imperfection." Special Guest: Cara Leopold.

What's more frustrating than speaking at intermediate level, where we stutter and stumble over words, and leave....lo o o o o ng...um....gaps in sentences because the words just won't come into our brains. This week on the show, I'm answering a listener question from Elisabeth who is stuck in that dilemma. She says: My tutor says I'm very close to B2. I've been hit with a puzzle though. (..) I have a lot of vocabulary but there seems to be a disconnect between my thoughts and my speech. (..) I stutter and pause a great deal when I speak in my target language. Will this go away as I continue my speaking practice or should I be concerned? I just assumed that B2 would feel easy breezy beautiful when I talked and while I'm not there yet, I can't believe I'm close with all this difficulty connecting word bank to mouth. Listen to the episode for my tips and insights on the intermediate language dilemma, and don't forget to click or tap here to read the full show notes in my blog article on www.fluentlanguage.co.uk Support This Podcast Like all podcasts, the Fluent Show is supported by your online reviews and word of mouth. If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show or go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review. Thank you! Thank you to Rebecca from Irregular Endings for this episode introduction.

Self-care, backstop, vegan, glamping, problematic - those are evocative words and they have the power to sum up a whole year. Join us as we delve into a selection of wonderful words of the year from many languages, figure out what “self care” even means, and discuss the ban on plastic straws. Dive into this week's extra long link selection to find out more about the many words of the year we covered from Great Britain, Australia, the USA, Japan (it's a kanji!), France, Portugal, and Germany. (I demonstrated some ignorance about the colours of the Jamaican flag 🇯🇲 and have educated myself since then. There is no red in that flag! My apologies.)

Click or tap here to read the full show notes on www.fluentlanguage.co.uk Learning a language is a long journey, and even after many years of dedication it can still feel like you're far from arriving. One of the milestones we hope to hit along the way is to start creating a 'perfect accent' in another language, so we can fit in well. But how is that done? In today's episode you'll hear a listener question all about accents, and I'll share my reflections and tips for improving your accent in any language, step by step. Thank you to listener Stephen for this episode introduction.

Can you imagine how fun it would be to speak to a fellow language lover who's encouraging you to share ALL your language questions, from comma conundrums to relative clause regrets? And how great would it be to have all this language joy just outside your front door? With excitement about any language? Let me tell you, this utopia exists in New York City. In today's episode, I brought back Ellen Jovin, one of the most inspiring language lovers I know. And Ellen has a brand new project to share - in fact, an inspiring message of encouraging conversation about language . Ellen's new project is called Grammar Table, and it's free for all of us. As ever, Ellen comes armed with a thousand hilarious stories and quotable sentences. Here are a few quotes - listen to our interview to hear these quotes and topics: What is Grammar Table, and where can you find it? "Some people stay away from grammar table, it’s like I have toxic grammar syndrome or something" Why Ellen believes that the more we talk to people in person, the better "Grammar humility is an important principle to me." How the table encourages looking beyond just google for finding an answer to any question "Grammar table enables me to have conversations with strangers about a topic I love. And it’s got drama!" There is one swearword in this episode which we announce way ahead of time with a warning. Language can be like that.Special Guest: Ellen Jovin.

Every other week on the Fluent Show, I answer your listener questions. Today a question from Sheela: How to Simplify Your List of Languages To Learn Here are a few options for getting more clarity in your ‘to learn’ list: Do allow yourself a dabble in some languages and choose only one or two big focus languages every year, or even for several years. Your reasons and useful/practical considerations can always vary so of course it’s ok to focus on the languages that are most relevant to your life right now. Take the risk of having to re-learn a language and that means, yes of course it is ok to let go of some languages. Follow the answers you indicated in your question. You 1) want to focus deeply on a small number of languages 2) want to give priority to languages that feel relevant for the future 3) want to focus away from languages that are not relevant to your current goals. All three of these goals are more than legitimate, and can give you a more simplified bucket list. There are many more notes and tips over on the Fluent Language website: Click or tap here to read the full show notes in my blog article on www.fluentlanguage.co.uk Thank you to Jo-Anne for this episode introduction.

Our theme for today’s show is language learning friendship and having buddies who truly love language learning. We are recording this week in Ljubljana from the Polyglot Conference, so in the show you'll also hear from a few of the many language loving people visiting the city this weekend. The polyglots you heard in interviews from the Polyglot Conference were Katie Harris, Ruslan Kokorin, Irena Dahl, and Gabriel Gelman. Congratulations to Alex Rawlings and Richard Simcott for a great event. Only A Few Days Left Tickets for Women in Language are open until 3 November 2018, but make sure you join by 31 October if you want to participate in our special Language BF for the Day programme.Special Guests: Gabriel Gelman and Katie Harris.

Click or tap here to read the full show notes in my blog article on www.fluentlanguage.co.uk Every month, a staggering amount of new ideas, apps and websites burst onto the scene of language learning. It can be hard to keep up, but here at the Fluent Show we've got your back. We regularly choose our list of top tools in language learning and present them to you in a special episode of the show. Listen to this to find out what apps and tools you have GOT to check out this season. Plus: The events you should not miss this year! And you'll hear why the next thing you'll see is a picture of Lindsay's wedding dress: If you read the words on her dress thinking "weird", here's an explanation from Lindsay: Amélie is one of my favourite films and I figured a quote from Amelie was more wedding day appropriate than a quote from A Clockwork Orange or Mean Girls my other favourite films!

In today's episode I discuss the question of how to have the best memory possible for learning a langauge. There are a bunch of rules of thumb to help you work out if memorizing can help you progress from where you are right now. Speaking requires quick recall, agile thinking. Writing requires attention to detail. Rule of Thumb: Understand the concept, learn details on a need-to-know basis. Rule of Memorizing: Know the difference between cramming and acquiring. Rule of Thumb for Learning a Language: Aim to make mistakes and be understood, not to be perfect and silent. Press play and have a listen to the show for more detailed advice about memorizing, plus my personal declaration of love for post-it notes. Thank you to Owain for this episode introduction.

Click or tap here to get inspired with a gallery of inspiring pages from the best instagram journalers What if you had a language learning tool that costs you hardly anything, adapts to your own preferences, boosts your memory and helps concentration? Turns out you do, and it's probably in your bag right now: Your notebook! In this episode of the podcast, I'm joined by language lovers Kathryn and Sam who are passionate about taking creative language notes. Listen to discover their experiences, language learning tips and strategies for effective note taking and creating an amazing language journal for yourself.Special Guests: Kathryn (365smallsteps) and Sam Grigg.

Every other week on the Fluent Show, I put aside a little time to answer your listener questions. Email your question to me at [email protected] or tweet it to @thefluentshow Click or tap here to read the full show notes in my blog article on www.fluentlanguage.co.uk Luka asks: I have been learning Spanish for 3 months. I started learning with Duolingo and was really into it, and recently I have been using a textbook as well but have become really demotivated - not because I give up, because I am bored of duo lingo. I’m tired of the way it’s trying to teach me and I don’t feel like I’m progressing. [..] My question is, if I’m not using Duolingo, what can I actually do to learn Spanish? I’ve looked everywhere and all the websites have a lot of ‘tips’ but not an actual guide saying things like resources to use etc. Tips for Dealing with Duolingo boredom - while using Duolingo! Get on the web version so you can read explanations Restrict yourself to a few minutes a day - pairing is good here, how about Duolingo while waiting for your kettle to boil or your bus to arrive Try out a club so you can compete Beyond Duolingo, the key to stop yourself getting bored and to staying interested in your target language is to take control of your own language routine. If you want to learn more about this, the Language Habit Toolkit is designed to help you set up exactly this way of thinking and create a solid language learning routine. For Spanish Learners You can find my curated list of resources and articles for Spanish learners at www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/for-spanish-learners. Thank you to Andy for this episode introduction.

It's the European Day of Languages! Yay! Here on the show, we love to celebrate this day. 3 years ago, Lindsay and I got together to bring you a HUGE quiz, we’ve made videos, we’ve spoken lots of European languages. We even have a European Day of Languages playlist on Spotify! And today, this special episode will bring you a quiz with a twist and you can play along. How To Play Before recording this show, Lindsay and I enrolled an assistant, Josiah who selected a list of 10 European languages for each of us We went away and researched those languages and also found out what they sound like So Lindsay has 10 and I have 10 and we don’t know each others’ lists We’ll now play these languages to each other and to you listeners…and try to guess what they are! Europe doesn’t just have the obvious languages, so this might get tricky but we’re ready to give it a good go! Get Language Facts And Resources These show notes do NOT include the links for all the different languages mentioned on the show, because that would be spoiling the quiz for you. If you'd like to get a copy of the notes, simply click here to join the Fluent Language Newsletter. Once you join, I'll send you a password with access to my special membership area on the website where you can download the full show notes document. Help Us Spread The Word Love The Fluent Show? If you have a second, a review on Apple Music or in your Podcasts app would be VERY appreciated. Or you can mention us on Instagram (#thefluentshow), Twitter @thefluentshow, or to your language learning buddy!

In today's episode, I had planned a Q&A but what you'll hear is more of a Q&D: a question and discussion session with special guest Olly Richards from I Will Teach You A Language. You already know Olly from our recent episode documenting how we made a German course together, but in fact he's also a language learner just like me. Click or tap here to read the full show notes in my blog article on www.fluentlanguage.co.uk What about you? Do you have fun when you're learning a language? Do you think it's possible to have 100% fun in language learning? Do you enjoy the language learning process? Or do you only really love speaking to people? Join our discussion and share your answers in the comments below! I'm looking forward to reading how you treat "fun" in language learning! Thank you to Olly for this episode introduction and to Live Lingua for sponsoring our show.Special Guest: Olly Richards.

After our live episode for number 100, we're rolling 'back to school' and reviewing summer motivation and new routines before cracking on with our topics this month. In The News We discussed this BBC news article about a pedantic (?) rule in French grammar...and who's trying to get rid of it. The language, ever changing, but who thought THIS untouchable rule would be questioned? How To Refresh Your Language Learning Goals In this episode we focused on the big topic of goals. Do you EVER get everything done that you aim to do in language learning? Here's what we discussed How we think about achieving or failing to achieve our own language goals What the word for "failing to achieve" should be (call me maybe, Merriam-Webster) The hidden information you only get from a failed language goal The two sides of reviewing language goals on deadline day: data and motivation 6 Strategies for refreshing your language learning goals and dealing with disappointment What is a good tracking method to make sure you actually work on your goals? Whether to re-set or abandon a goal if you didn't achieve it A Song For When You Wonder If Your Progress Will Disappear Because You Didn't Reach A Goal Everything stays Right where you left it Everything stays But it still changes Ever so slightly Daily and nightly In little ways When everything stays And here's a wonderfully helpful quote from Ira Glass Ira Glass on Storytelling from David Shiyang Liu on Vimeo. And finally, more life advice from "Adventure Time"

Listeners, this is a big question and let me tell you I wrote several pages of notes to answer it. Listener Simon from Dublin was feeling a MAJOR case of frustration and wrote in to the show. Here's some of what he said: Sometimes I just cannot seem to lock down a concept in the language I'm learning, no matter how much I try. These mental blocks can be demotivating. They force me to use simpler sentences than I know I can produce. They make me feel uncertain when trying to express certain concepts, and they can cause frustration when they seem like they're always going to be stopping my progress. Sometimes these blocks are the reason a person thinks they're not good at learning languages. Frustration In Language Learning There's a truth about learning any language: Frustration is real and it's normal and it's extemely ennoying! Once you start to feel it, you have reached a new stage of growth...expect to be frustrated for a few years. Frustration's good sides are: It's a sign that you care. It pushes you to re-commit to the process of learning a language. You cannot really eliminate all of this and fix every mental block, but you can REDUCE and EMBRACE the frustration. Here's how to do it: 1) Change your outlook. The mental blocks are not hindering your progress. They ARE your progress. 2) Deal with the practical challenges one by one, not all at once. 3) Cut out comparison. Where you are right now is fantastic, and it's important to examine the source of your high expectations. 4) Set the best possible goals for yourself by leveraging the Zone of Proximal Development - not the Panic Zone! More about all this in the episode - click play and I hope you'll find it helpful. Thank you to Stephen for this episode introduction and to kick-ass language learning app Clozemaster for supporting this show.

Lindie Botes is a designer, polyglot, and popular YouTuber sharing videos with her audience of over 55,000 viewers. She loves to study languages from all over the world, including Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Hungarian. In this interview, you'll get to know Lindie and her unique language learning story, including: Growing up as a third culture kid and what that means What language learning is like in Lindie's current home country of South Africa "I don't think there's a single school in South Africa that teaches Japanese as a subject" Feeling successful in language learning How to embrace YouTube for everything it's giving the language learning community What Lindie does when she wants to get to the next level in any of her languages The best thing about having a YouTube channel - and the worst! Being real is the only way to have success when using social media for language learning And what is up with language bragging on YouTube? You'll also find out how to say Lindie's name correctly, and what my surname sounds like in Japanese!Special Guest: Lindie Botes.

Wow wow wow wow, our episode 100 live show was a blast, with busy chatroom and over 80 listeners tuning in live from all around the world. Today's podcast episode is a replay of that live broadcast, featuring five amazing guests. Long one, but worth it! SHANNON KENNEDY, the musical and multilingual bookworm from California. Shannon is an old friend of the show and never fails to impress with her incredible productivity. Shannon joined us to share her own good, bad and struggling stories. RICHARD SIMCOTT, one of the most multilingual people in Britain and co-organiser of the Polyglot Conference. KYLIE STURGESS, co-host of the all-round wonderful podcast Talk The Talk, philosophy teacher, and experienced radio broadcaster. GABRIEL WYNER, bestselling author, owner of a huge app project which will make us all Fluent Forever, and definitely not a robot. We pitched Richard, Kylie and Gabriel against each other in Lindsay's fiendish episode 100 quiz - you'll have to listen in to find out who won. Play along - would you have known the answers? And finally, we played "Conversation Starters" with BENNY LEWIS, the world-famous author of Fluent in 3 Months, Irish person, YouTuber star, "language hacker", and inspiration to language learners around the world. Thank you all SO much for continuing to listen to the Fluent Show! "Skype. Sometimes it works." Plus another thank you to our sponsor Clozemaster, the free language app designed to help you keep up your langauge learning habit with ease.Special Guests: Benny Lewis, Gabriel Wyner, Kylie Sturgess, Richard Simcott, and Shannon Kennedy.

5 Lessons From Travelling The World Read Lindsay's 5 lessons from travelling the world and her list of travel phrases for connecting with anyone, anywhere, over on the blog.. For a taster of the world trip, check out this video:

This week’s question comes from Instagram: I speak French, Arabic, English.. I’d like to start learning German but I really have no idea how to begin because I’ve already started but ended up by giving it up, I’ve found it a little bit tricky and I couldn’t devote a lot of time for it because I’m still working on my English, I’m confused now. We've all probably got that one language we studied in the past...but somehow things didn't really go anywhere. So how can you get back with that language? Step 1: What’s done is done You need a clean slate. Shake it off, and put your past experiences behind you. Then note your new wishes. You are starting again. Step 2: Conduct a review This can be very straightforward. Last time you picked up German, you noticed a few difficulties and perhaps they took you by surprise. The good news is that these cannot surprise you anymore. Ask yourself what you could do to prevent the same problems when you start again. Step 3: Get realistic If you’re learning English and you’ve got limited time, then you won’t be ultra fluent in German this month. That’s no problem. Think about what you can do in German. Believe it or not, you will STILL learn stuff. I have spent about 6 hours on Chinese so far, over 2 months, and still I now know a few characters and words. This is about managing your expectation. Step 4: To get started again, put it all together and add resources. Your Review: How do you want to learn German this time? What worked before? How will you avoid the same mistakes as last time? Who will help you, why are you back? Your Circumstances: When are you going to learn German and how much time and money have you got? Your materials: What are you going to use? Note on materials: Reviews are not always the best thing, but they’re a good start. Look for reviews of a publisher’s GERMAN course, not the whole series. With all that in place, you are set up for success. Remember, language learning is a habit. If you feel you’re stuck, focus on what you do not what you should see. Thanks to Clozemaster, that’s it, please rate & review. It helps other people find the Fluent Show. Or tell a friend about us - you'll look so cool and in the know. Thank you to listener David Evans for this episode introduction in Hebrew.

Is it possible to start learning a language from scratch when you're in your 30s? With a baby and a dog (and a husband) to look after? Of course it is! In this podcast episode, I am speaking to my friend Daniela. She's a writer and teacher, and about to spend a month in Germany. Daniela wants to learn German, so she got in touch to ask me: How to find resources that will be right for her? If she can really make time for learning a language, even though she's got a busy life and no classes to attend? How to ensure she stays motivated and benefits from learning German for more than just a month? How to be successful even after a year to *avoid the regret of saying "if I'd done more..." She wants to get there! This is a conversation in which I helped her set meaningful goals and explore how she can benefit from learning. And we recorded it so that you can benefit too! Join Us And Answer My 7 Questions Click or tap here to read the full list of coaching questions in my article on www.fluentlanguage.co.ukSpecial Guest: Daniela Uslan.

This week on the show, I answered a question from Twitter user @akalious: I’m so curious how you learned English to IELTS 9* even before you went to UK... Could you talk abt that a little bit in future episodes? In this episode you'll learn: How Many Formal Study Hours Of English I Took in the first 8 years of studying English...and why that only half matters What I Did Differently To Give Me Native-Like Fluency in English How having No Native Speaker Contact actually helped me grow in English The one way that polyglots can damage your language learning 😲 Why my dream job of "grumpy record store owner in London" helped me imagine my success even when I was 13 Why you must never doubt yourself and it's better to believe than compare 8 Language Mindset Tips You Can Start Using Today OBSESS CONTINUE LISTEN Be confident from day 1. Know that you can do this. Do not doubt yourself. Drill grammar, read books, use what you have. Think long term - I never wondered when I’d be fluent. Why? I had no one to talk to anyway. Sleep with a dictionary by your bed. Don’t overthink it. I didn’t worry about how I was learning or whether my vocab study method was the MOST effective. I just did what I did. If there is an actual secret, it is this: Yes, you can simply decide that you're going to be awesome - you don't have to tell anyone or proclaim your amazingness online or with friends. But you can know it on the inside and carry the confidence into everything you do in language. Oh, and grammar drills are effective. 😅 Thanks to Ashley Williams (husband of co-host Lindsay for this week's podcast intro. IELTS 9 means roughly a C2 level, on the "International English Language Testing System" endorsed by most British universities and the British Council. You take this test for immigration or for going to university.