501: The real reason I wrote my language story books

Pete asks: "I'm learning Portuguese, how can I avoid translating in my head?" In this episode: Translation is inevitable It's a useful strategy as a beginner Translation stops being useful as you move to higher levels, and you're dealing with nuances in the language which often don't have translations Stopping translating in your head is something that happens naturally over time Tips for moving away from translation: Be happy with a certain level of ambiguity in the language - fixating on understanding every word is counterproductive Look for patterns and phrases in the language, write them down, notice them being used in different contexts, the begin to use them yourself Deal in phrases and sentences, not single words When watching movies etc, relax and be present with the language, don't try to understand everything Spend time on all four skills </ul

10 Maalis 201615min

Isabelle asks: "I'm about to enter a very busy period of final exams. How can I keep up my Mandarin during this period?" In this episode: The good thing about having a finite period of "busyness" The less pressure the better - results in more learning I suggest picking ONE thing, and doing only that during the whole busy period This could be: have two speaking sessions a week, watch one episode of a TV drama every evening, learn 5 new Chinese characters every morning Resources Featured In Today's Episode: Study Hacks for Busy People - my collection of resources for learning languages under pressure! Triumph in the Skies - my favourite Hong Kong TV series Start speaking today I’d like to thank iTalki for supporting the show. iTalki is the best place online to connect with affordable and effective native speakers teachers and tutors. To claim your free lesson and start speaking today, simply visit:http://iwillteachyoualanguage.com/italkishownotes Do you have a question? Ask me your language learning questions by clicking here, and I’ll do my best to feature it on the show! Also, please subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the podcast! If you’ve got any comments about the show then please leave them in the “comments” section below! If you’d like to help me out, then I’d love it if you could… Share the episode using the social media buttons around you Leave an honest review and rating of the podcast on iTunes (click here to do that) iTunes reviews in particular really help the rankings of the podcast and help me to reach other aspiring language learners out there! See you in the next episode of the I Will Teach You A Language podcast!

8 Maalis 20169min

Freddie asks: "I'm a professional English translator and interpreter living in Portugal. However, learning Portuguese is detracting from my English...what should I do?" In this episode: Freddie's aims are very different English is his professional obligation, while Portuguese is simply the local language Is there a big rush to learn Portuguese? I suggest deciding exactly how much time needs to be spend on English every day, and allocating that time strictly Resources Featured In Today's Episode: Core Study Time in Language Learning - in this post I describe how to organise your language study time every day Start speaking today I’d like to thank iTalki for supporting the show. <a href="http:/

3 Maalis 201610min

Nicolas asks: "I'd like to help my mother learn English. What's the best way to do that?" In this episode: First of all, Nicolas' mum needs to find a good English textbook that she likes Then she should get a basic study goal every day ... e.g. 2 pages a day However, it's not all about the studying - motivation is also extremely important Make it fun by speaking to her in simple English Ask her to name objects in English, start watching English movies, even buy her a cookery book in English There's no rush, so keep it fun and keep her motivated! Resources Featured In Today's Episode: Free eBook: 10 Essential Tech Resources for Smart Language Learners Are you new to the podcast? Here's where to follow Olly for more language tips... Follow Olly on Periscope: <a href="http://peri

1 Maalis 201613min

Masoud asks: "For me, language learning has always been an unconscious experience. Studying just shuts me down." In this episode: We discuss the topic of episode 57, which is whether extensive listening is helpful for language learning. Specifically: The differences between children and adults learning languages The advantages of time that children have Whether children learn efficiently or not Why adults can't replicate the conditions enjoyed by children What they can best do instead Resources Featured In Today's Episode: Definitely check out episode 57 of the podcast for some useful context to this episode: http://iwillteachyoualanguage.com/episode57 Start speaking today I’d like to thank iTalki for

25 Helmi 201614min

In this episode I discuss the common criticism of flashcards as an "ineffective" study technique. In this episode: Three common criticisms of flashcards: Involves rote learning Vocabulary lacks context Doesn't work for many people I address each of these criticisms and discuss why I think flashcard software is one of the most useful and relevant organisational and learning tools for learning foreign languages. Resources Featured In Today's Episode: I wrote a 72-page guide that describes my complete method for learning languages with flashcards. It costs $7 and you can find it here: Get the Make Words Stick Guide   Start speaking today I’d like to thank iTalki for supporting the show. <a href="http://iwillteachyouala

23 Helmi 201617min

In this episode I answer a common question I receive: "How can I make a living online with my language talents?" In this episode: As a language specialist, you have many options for making a living online using your talents. I started a free Facebook community to show you how to do this, and answer your questions. To join, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/languagefreedomleague/ Here are the ten ways to make a living online with languages: Blogging Making and selling your own products Language coaching Online teaching Writing books/guides Vlogging Translation Podcasting Membership sites Selling other people's products Resources Featured In Today's Episode: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/languagefreedomleague/" target="_blank

10 Helmi 201620min

In this episode I'm joined by special guest Jan Van Der Aa. In this episode: Do you have to travel abroad to take your language to a high level? Our experiences of learning multiple languages Resources Featured In Today's Episode: Polyglot Pub - monthly language events in London Join the PP mailing list Join the PP Facebook group Jan's Website: janvanderaa.com The video Jan and I made in Cairo together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5slVHy2JmcQ Start speaking today I’d like to thank iTalki for supporting the show. iTalki is the best place online to connect with affordable and effective native speakers teachers and tutors. To claim your free lesson and start speaking today, simply visit:http://iwillteachyoualanguage.com/italkishownotes Do you have a question? Ask me your language learning questions by clicking here, and I’ll do my best to feature it on the show! Also, please subscribe to the show on iTunes to get automatic updates. Thanks so much for listening to this episode of the podcast! If you’ve got any comments about the show then please leave them in the “comments” section below! If you’d like to help me out, then I’d love it if you could… Share the episode using the social media buttons around you Leave an honest review and rating of the podcast on iTunes (click here to do that) iTunes reviews in particular really help the rankings of the podcast and help me to reach other aspiring language learners out there! See you in the next episode of the I Will Teach You A Language podcast!

2 Helmi 201617min