The Language Learning Show

Have any questions? Don't hesitate to reach out @polyglotazren on Instagram or email me at https://azrenthelanguagenerd.com/contact .

In today's podcast, I interviewed Logan, a German, Danish, and English instructor at the Calgary Language Nerds. We discussed a variety of topics, but by far the highlight for me was our discussion around taking university classes to learn a language. Let me explain. Logan used to be an aircraft mechanic, but decided to change careers. He is now in the latter half of a degree in French and Spa...

Timestamps: 0:20 What to do when you understand what someone says, but you can’t reply back? 7:28 I’ve been learning a language for 5 years and I’m not interested in learning it anymore, but I feel like I need to continue due to sunk-cost fallacy. 12:37 How do I learn an endangered or indigenous language? There are almost no resources to learn. 17:32 Do you think it is a good idea for someone to s...

What a fun interview this was! Katrina follows my language learning blog ( https://azren.substack.com ). We were exchanging emails and I thought it would be fun to invite her onto my podcast to nerd out about language learning. The highlight of this episode for me was that both Katrina and I let wonder guide our language efforts. We constantly ask ourselves questions such as: I wonder why native s...

I recently interviewed the Biblical Hebrew and Latin instructor at my business, the Calgary Language Nerds. In today's podcast, I interviewed another CLN instructor. Catherine is a polyglot who speaks English, Spanish, Russian, and Galician. She is also learning French. Catherine has a Masters degree in teaching foreign languages and has taught at the CLN for about 3 years. Catherine will be t...

I had the pleasure of doing an interview with Ruth, the Biblical Hebrew and Latin instructor at my business, the Calgary Language Nerds. Ruth is a polyglot herself who has a high level in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Spanish, Latin, and Hebrew (modern and Biblical). It was fun comparing and contrasting our personal approaches to language acquisition! Ruth will be running an Intro to Biblical...

In this episode, I comment on Dr. Cat Hicks' tweet about feeling axious to speak another language. Hit me up @polyglotazren or email me if you have any comments or questions: https://azrenthelanguagenerd.com/contact

I went to a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class the other day for the very first time. I learned numerous lessons from that class that apply directly to learning a language. Some of the topics I covered in this episode are: structured vs unstructured learning approaches, the level of importance that should be placed on measuring one's progress, becoming a skilled language learner, and more. Feel free to...

This is the question I answered in this video: "I studied Japanese for two years, Russian for two, French for about six, and a little Spanish for fun. However, I never really managed to get to fluency and just seemed to hit a plateau where I could limp along but never got to being able to hold a real conversation. What's your advice for getting past this?" This is the Reddit thread I...

This happens quite frequently. Here are a few tips on how to maximize learning in an immersive environment (e.g., being abroad, working in an environment surrounded by native speakers). Feel free to contact me @polyglotazren on social media email me if have any questions or comments: https://azrenthelanguagenerd.com/contact

TIMESTAMPS 0:40 to 5:19 why do people underestimate the time required to learn a language? 5:20 to 10:47 how many times do you need to hear a word before you start using it in your own speech? 10:48 to 14:29 are some dialects of a language harder to learn than others? 14:29 to 21:36 should we tailor our language studies around topics you know well in your first language or should you use the targe...

In this episode, I replied to a comment from a follower who said the following: "language learning sounds so hard and I'm so tired. Mostly I do 3 minutes a day on Duolingo because I have no energy these days." Feel free to to message me @polyglotazren or email me at https://azrenthelanguagenerd.com/contact if you have any comments or questions.

I realized recently how much CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) and TBLT (Task-Based Language Teaching) have helped me in my language learning journey, particularly at the intermediate level. I explain why this is in this video. Contact me @polyglotazren or by email at https://azrenthelanguagenerd.com/contact if you have any comments or questions.

A podcast where I discuss switching languages, decision paralysis, and the importance of knowing yourself as a language learner. The writing program I referenced is https://essay.app. Contact me @polyglotazren or at https://azrenthelanguagenerd.com/contact if you have any comments or questions.

If you're learning a language and feel frustrated about a grammar point, a letter that's hard to pronounce, or even just a general lack of progress, this video is for you. Contact me @polyglotazren on any major social network or by email at https://azrenthelanguagenerd.com/contact if you have any comments or questions.

In this video, I answer a question from a viewer. This individual wanted tips on what he could do to avoid getting stuck when he hears a native speaker use a word he doesn't know. As many of us can probably relate, it's so easy to get stuck on a word we don't know and then stop listening to what someone is saying altogether. I hope this video helps you overcome this challenge. Contact me @polyglot...

A new idea I've never thought about before. Contact me @polyglotazren or at https://azrenthelanguagenerd.com/contact if you have any comments or questions.

Newsflash: laziness or a lack of motivation likely aren't at the heart of the problem. Contact me @polyglotazren or at https://azrenthelanguagenerd.com/contact if you have any comments or questions.

Contact me @polyglotazren or at https://azrenthelanguagenerd.com/contact if you have any comments or questions.

Aside from discussing the effectiveness of immersion, I also share a few insights I had after watching a talk about language acquisition by Stephen Krashen. Contact me @polyglotazren or at https://azrenthelanguagenerd.com/contact if you have any comments or questions.

I'm back after a 5-week break! I was in Mexico for 2 weeks, Ottawa for 1 week, and I took 2 weeks to myself as a staycation. In this episode, I share my plans for Gujarati self-study resources and a piece of advice around immersion. Enjoy! Hit me up @polyglotazren or at https://azrenthelanguagenerd.com/contact if you have any questions.

I believe that private language teachers can benefit from taking private lessons themselves. I recently took two Korean lessons and learned a useful way to improve fluency and make learning more immersive. In this episode I also share a simple activity to your improve listening comprehension skills and one way traditional language classes fall short. Contact me @polyglotazren or at https://azrenth...

The movies I mentioned are Language Lessons with Natalie Morales and Mark Duplass, along with Wakanda Forever. The actress I mentioned who spoke 5 languages in Wakanda Forever is Lupita Nyong'o. Enjoy this episode! Contact me @polyglotazren or at https://azrenthelanguagenerd.com/contact if you have any comments or questions.

The CEFR is a widely used framework for to measure proficiency in another language. Although many language learners are aware of the six levels ranging from A1 to C2, there is a lot they do not know about it such as:   → The elusive seventh level of fluency  → What the the CEFR Companion Guide is and how to use it to be a better language learner  → Sub-categories of proficiency for...

If you thought fluency equals confidence, think again. There is not a direct correlation between the two. Listen to this episode for an explanation of why this is and how to actually develop more confidence. Contact me @polyglotazren or at https://azrenthelanguagenerd.com/contact if you have any comments or questions.