Languages Pedagogy Podcast

AI won’t make great language teachers irrelevant. But teachers who understand how to use it may completely redefine what great teaching looks like. In Part 1 of my conversation with Argentine educator and  AI in ELT  co-author  Belen Albarracin , we explore what artificial intelligence is actually changing inside language classrooms—and what it absolutely cannot replace. We examine AI literacy, pr...

When a school asks teachers to hide who they are, what message does that send to the students watching them? In Episode 234 of the Languages Pedagogy Podcast, Mike Johnston returns to take the metaphor of  Teaching Is a Tattoo beyond personal identity and into the deeper questions of inclusion, professional judgment, school culture, and belonging. This conversation challenges educators and school...

The most powerful thing a teacher brings into the classroom is not a textbook, strategy, or qualification—it is who they are. In Episode 233 of the Languages Pedagogy Podcast, educator, author, poet, and speaker Mike Johnston joins Mike Llerena to explore the central message behind his book,  Teaching Is a Tattoo : teaching does not simply become part of your résumé. It becomes part of your identi...

AI can imitate your writing, reproduce your voice and confidently accuse you of work you genuinely created. The greatest danger may not be that artificial intelligence becomes human—but that humans gradually stop thinking, questioning and connecting for themselves. In Part 2, Mike and Jose Torres move beyond productivity and confront the darker side of AI in education: dependency, hallucinations,...

AI is not coming for great teachers but refusing to understand it could put educators at risk. The real divide in education will not be between teachers and machines. It will be between professionals who know how to use AI strategically and those who continue working as though the technology does not exist. In Part 1 of this provocative conversation, Mike sits down with returning guest Jose Torres...

What if fluency isn't about studying more—but about studying differently? Most language learners never escape the intermediate plateau because they're searching for shortcuts instead of changing how they interact with the language. In Part 2 of this fascinating conversation, Mike welcomes back  Victoria Radomiljac  to explore what truly separates learners who remain stuck from those who fi...

You've studied English for years… so why does it suddenly feel like you've stopped improving? The answer isn't a lack of talent. It isn't your age. And it certainly isn't because you've reached your limit. In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Mike sits down with Argentine educator  Victoria Radomiljac  to uncover one of the biggest frustrations language learners face: ...

You cannot discipline a nervous system into becoming ready to learn. Sometimes the most effective classroom intervention begins with movement, regulation, and connection. In Part 2, Lara Barnes moves from neurological theory to practical classroom application. She explains how brief movement routines, cross-body coordination, animal walks, balance exercises, wall pushes, breathing, humming, stretc...

What teachers call misbehavior may be a child’s nervous system asking for help. Before we punish the behavior, we need to understand what the brain may be communicating. In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Mike sits down with Lara Barnes, founder of Brain Development UK, to examine why difficulties with attention, movement, emotional regulation, communication, reading, and classroom participa...

What separates a good teacher from an unforgettable one? In this special recap of Episodes 221 and 222 of the Languages Pedagogy Podcast, we revisit an inspiring conversation with Tisha Richmond and Dave Burgess about what truly transforms learning. Extraordinary classrooms aren’t built by accident. They’re created by educators who design experiences, ignite curiosity, embrace creativity, and make...

What if the biggest problem with ADHD isn’t the child… but the way schools understand the child? In this powerful recap episode of the Languages Pedagogy Podcast, we revisit one of our most impactful conversations with Eliza Dadson from Episodes 219 and 220. This episode explores why ADHD is far more than hyperactivity or inattention. We unpack executive functioning, emotional regulation, sensory...

Being a great teacher is no longer enough. The future belongs to educators who know how to adapt. In Part 2, Mike continues his fascinating conversation with educator and entrepreneur Luana Borges. They discuss the practical side of surviving—and thriving—in the rapidly changing education industry. Topics include: • Why teachers need a digital presence • The role of AI in modern education • Buildi...

What happens when there simply aren't enough children to fill classrooms? The future of education isn't coming—it's already here. In Part 1 of this eye-opening conversation, Mike sits down with educator and entrepreneur  Luana Borges  to explore one of the biggest challenges facing education worldwide: declining birth rates. From China's rapidly changing education landscape to scho...

Welcome to the Languages Pedagogy Podcast Are you ready to transform the way you think about language acquisition, teaching methodologies, and communication?  Whether you are an educator refining your classroom practice, a researcher diving into applied linguistics, or a passionate multilingual learner striving for fluency, this is the community you’ve been searching for. Hosted by Mike Llerena ,...

In Part 2, Tish Richmond and Dave Burgess go deeper into what truly transforms learning: emotional safety, authentic experiences, hands-on discovery, AI as a creative partner, and the danger of treating textbooks like sacred objects. This episode is a masterclass for teachers who want more than compliance — they want connection, curiosity, and real impact. Listen now and keep building classrooms s...

What if the best classrooms don’t feel like classrooms at all? What if real learning begins with energy, joy, curiosity, and a little magic? In Part 1, Mike sits with Tish Richmond and Dave Burgess to explore how great teachers turn ordinary lessons into unforgettable learning experiences. From  Teach Like a Pirate  to  Make Learning Magical , this conversation challenges traditional teaching and...

Different does not mean broken. And ADHD was never something to “fix” — it is something to understand. In Part 2, Eliza Dadson shares practical ADHD strategies for teachers and parents, explores the role of technology, screen time, emotional regulation, classroom redesign, and opens her heart with a deeply personal story about her late husband and his ADHD journey. This episode is powerful, human,...

ADHD is not laziness. It is not bad behaviour. It is a different operating system schools still misunderstand. In Part 1, Mike speaks with Eliza Dadson about why ADHD remains deeply misread in modern education, how traditional classrooms fail neurodiverse learners, and why movement, emotional safety, creativity, and executive function must become part of the conversation. This episode is essential...

Raising a multilingual child is not magic. It is strategy. In Part 2, Yulia Akhmetova returns to the Languages Pedagogy Podcast to move from awareness to action. This episode focuses on how parents can actively protect the home language, build a family language plan, and create routines that give children real exposure beyond basic commands. We discuss why “children are like sponges” is dangerousl...

Your child can speak your language today… and slowly lose it tomorrow. In this powerful episode, Yulia Akhmetova joins the Languages Pedagogy Podcast to unpack the hidden crisis many multilingual families face: children gradually abandoning their home language, and with it, part of their identity. We explore why language loss is not just about vocabulary, but about family roots, culture, memory, e...

The breakthrough in Russian starts when you stop trying to understand everything at once. In Part 2, Larisa Zepeda goes deeper into practical strategies: how to learn grammar without panic, why beginners should speak from day one, how music and Soviet films can train your ear, and why consistency beats intensity every time. This episode is a direct roadmap for learners who want real Russian fluenc...

Russian feels impossible until someone finally explains what really matters. In Part 1, Larisa Zepeda breaks down why Russian intimidates learners: grammar, cases, pronunciation, Cyrillic, word stress, and the fear of sounding “wrong.” But this episode reveals the truth: Russian is hard, yes—but not unbeatable. A powerful conversation for serious language learners, Russian beginners, teachers, and...

Inclusion is not lowering standards. It is building learning that more brains can actually access. In Episode 214, Kate Grimes returns to discuss practical classroom strategies for neurodivergent learners: visual supports, movement breaks, predictable routines, flexible assessment, parent communication, and the emotional safety students need to keep trying. This is the episode for teachers who wan...

Traditional teaching doesn’t fail because teachers don’t care. It fails when every brain is expected to learn the same way. In Episode 213, Mike Llerena sits down with psychologist Kate Grimes to unpack dyslexia, neurodiversity, reading difficulties, working memory, early intervention, and why many struggling learners are often mislabeled as “lazy” or “not trying.” A must-listen for teachers, pare...

The future will not replace great teachers. It will expose average ones. In Part 2, Nik Peachey goes deeper into what modern language teaching must become: real language use, task-based learning, action research, teacher reflection, soft skills, AI-supported learning, and the uncomfortable truths ELT still needs to face. This is not just about technology. It is about teacher identity, professional...