StoryLearning Podcast

In this episode, Olly speaks with Simon Robinson about his social activism projects and their impact on his language learning. In Today's Episode: Simon Robinson is an English language teacher living in Okinawa, Japan. He's been involved in multiple social-change projects over the year and has witnessed how being part of a movement has had a huge impact on his Japanese. In this episode, we explore...

 Click here to see the Full Blog Post Click here to see the full YouTube video Welcome to the my new series "The Rules Of Language Learning". In these videos, you'll learn my best tips and ideas for learning foreign languages... from the "obvious" to the "downright controversial"! Do you agree or disagree with my conclusions?  Listen to the episode, then leave me a comment below and let me know! S...

Hilina asks. "Is it useful to learn songs?" In Today's Episode: The links between musical ability and language ability are sketchy at best... However, most of know intuitively that there is a link I think the most obvious connection is with pronunciation Learning songs is a great way to add variety in your language routine, and to learn vocabulary and phraseology Music is also a wonderful way to f...

 Click here to see the Full Blog Post Click here to see the full YouTube video Welcome to the my new series "The Rules Of Language Learning". In these videos, you'll learn my best tips and ideas for learning foreign languages... from the "obvious" to the "downright controversial"! Do you agree or disagree with my conclusions? Listen to the episode, then leave me a comment below and let me know! St...

Maya asks. "Why do I have random bad days in my language learning?" In Today's Episode: It's totally normal to have "slow days" in your language learning, or days when your brain doesn't seem to fire up at all The learning process involves lots of ups and downs - it's how you learn! I like to think of the bad days as the time when you're really learning and improving! Start Speaking Today: I’d lik...

 Click here to see the Full Blog Post Click here to see the full YouTube video Welcome to the my new series "The Rules Of Language Learning". In these videos, you'll learn my best tips and ideas for learning foreign languages... from the "obvious" to the "downright controversial"! Do you agree or disagree with my conclusions? Listen to the episode, then leave me a comment below and let me know! St...

In this episode, Olly speaks to Ben Worthington of the IELTSpodcast , about how to pass the IELTS exam. In Today's Episode: How did Ben get into teaching IELTS? What is IELTS? Who takes it? Why do students need it? What are the most common errors students make regarding IELTS? How do they solve them? What are the most common challenges regarding IELTS preparation? (Speaking, reading, writing, list...

 Click here to see the Full Blog Post Click here to see the full YouTube video Welcome to the my new series "The Rules Of Language Learning". In these videos, you'll learn my best tips and ideas for learning foreign languages... from the "obvious" to the "downright controversial"! Do you agree or disagree with my conclusions? Listen to the episode, then leave me a comment below and let me know! St...

Jorg asks: "Can I learn Italian in 4 weeks?" In Today's Episode: Yes, you can! But you approach will change depending on your goals If you're just looking to speak and have conversations on your trip, then I'd recommend speaking every day leading up to your trip for 2-3 hour However, to set up a better long-term foundation, I would do exactly what I did on my Italian Project last year - i.e. lots...

To find out more about French Uncovered and claim your special launch bonuses, click here: FrenchUncovered.com

 Click here to see the Full Blog Post Click here to see the full YouTube video Welcome to the my new series "The Rules Of Language Learning". In these videos, you'll learn my best tips and ideas for learning foreign languages... from the "obvious" to the "downright controversial"! Do you agree or disagree with my conclusions? Listen to the episode, then leave me a comment below and let me know! St...

Adriana asks: "Do I have an advantage in language learning from my Italian as a child?" In Today's Episode: Yes! Your brain formed  in Italian, so there's no way the language isn't still in there somewhere! It's difficult to say what your advantage will be Your biggest opportunity is to reconnect with things from your childhood, as that will help to form mental connections and also be a source of...

 Click here to see the Full Blog Post Click here to see the full YouTube video Welcome to the my new series "The Rules Of Language Learning". In these videos, you'll learn my best tips and ideas for learning foreign languages... from the "obvious" to the "downright controversial"! Do you agree or disagree with my conclusions? Listen to the episode, then leave me a comment below and let me know! St...

Alex asks: "Do you have any tips for learning sign language?" In Today's Episode: Some principles from spoken languages should transfer to sign language: Study more frequently Practise using the language on a regular basis Resources Mentioned: Breakthrough BSL - My introduction to British Sign Language course Start Speaking Today: I’d like to thank italki for supporting the show. To claim your fre...

 Click here to see the Full Blog Post Click here to see the full YouTube video Welcome to the my new series "The Rules Of Language Learning". In these videos, you'll learn my best tips and ideas for learning foreign languages... from the "obvious" to the "downright controversial"! Do you agree or disagree with my conclusions? Listen to the episode, then leave me a comment below and let me know! St...

William asks: "What do you think of cultural appropriation in language learning?" In Today's Episode: Olly speaks his mind about cultural appropriation Start Speaking Today: I’d like to thank italki for supporting the show. To claim your free lesson and start speaking today, visit:  https://iwillteachyoualanguage.com//italkishownotes Do You Have A Question? Ask me your language learning questions...

 Full Blog Post: https://www.iwillteachyoualanguage.com/blog/language-advice-native-speakers Click here to see the full YouTube video Welcome to the first video in my series "The Rules Of Language Learning". In this video, I'll tell you why it's probably NOT a good idea to take language learning advice from native speakers. Don't agree? Leave me a comment and let me know why! Start Speaking Today:...

Kristin asks: "How do you overcome the overwhelming ocean of language learning?" In Today's Episode: How I most relate to this: Cantonese 3 months isn't a long time... so be patient! Recognise that this is a psychological / motivation issue... not a language learning "problem" Over time, you get to know how you work and how you learn, and that's what gives you confidence But staying motivated is t...

Silvia asks: "What's the best way to meet and maintain language partners?" In Today's Episode: Be specific about what you're looking for from a partner Spend longer getting to know a prospective partner before investing too much time Don't worry if it doesn't work out...it's normal! Resources Mentioned: The Worst Language Exchange Ever - ... that's all! Tandem - A cool language exchange app HelloT...

Jon asks: "What's the best way to learn to read Chinese?" In Today's Episode: Don't make the assumption that you need to learn to write Chinese characters There are many approaches and methods to learning to read and write Chinese For me, the fundamental approach should be to learn by doing the activity that you want to ultimately do. E.g. if your aim is to read, you should learn the script by rea...

Lucia asks: "Should I give up Russian to focus on Chinese? In Today's Episode: In general, the best advice around learning two languages at the same time is... don't! However, advice should always take account of your personal situation I'm finding that focus on feelings and emotions around the study process is yielding great results Resources Mentioned: Italian Uncovered - my new beginner Italian...

In this episode, Olly chats with Lindsay Williams about creativity in language learning In Today's Episode: What is creativity in language learning? How can you inject creativity into your learning? Recommended resources and learning ideas Resources Mentioned: The Ultimate Guide to Netflix for Language Learners - Lindsay's blog post on ... Netflix for language learners! OpenSubtitles.org - every s...

Lewis asks: "How can I improve my Italian pronunciation? In Today's Episode: Pronunciation begins with awareness Spend a long time listening English speakers often have to get over intangible “weirdness factor” and drop the sense of pride Record yourself and listen back - it’s always different to what you think! Focus on vowels - it’s a common problem for English speakers Resources Mentioned: Olly...

Andriy asks: “Is it ok for me to study Spanish through English?” In Today's Episode: Given that your English is so strong, you shouldn’t have any problem! Laddering is the term given to learning a 2nd language through a 3rd The rule with laddering is that it should feel comfortable for you Resources Mentioned: Fluent Spanish Academy - My course for intermediate Spanish learners Episode 106 - How u...

Innes asks: “How can I keep my motivation up after returning from a trip abroad?” In Today's Episode: It’s a great feeling coming back home after a trip abroad, with newfound motivation to study: Remember that the logistics of studying in-amongst real life haven’t changed You’ve still got to commit It can help to re-examine your beliefs about how you learn languages, and the methods you use It may...