502: The hidden cost of learning two languages at once

Maria asks: How can I integrate revision into my schedule? In Today's Episode: Revision needs to be meaningful and you need to know it works It's possible to waste a lot of time with revision, time that you could be spending with more content It can be tricky with multiple languages I tend to think of revision now more as a question of repeating content - listening/reading to things over and over Important point: Things that you want to "revise" will learn themselves naturally over time Taking notes is a funny one... many people literally never look at them again My personal revision process involves: Putting key phrases into flashcards and reviewing regularly Highlighting useful words/phrases for lessons Covering topics multiple times in speaking sessions I deal with grammar by: Putting complete sentences into flashcards Looking briefly at rules, and then noticing how that grammar is used in real content Resources Mentioned: Bulletproof Memory - My complete programme for developing a world-class memory & never forgetting another word IWTYAL 246 - Why do some gurus advise against learning multiple languages at the same time? 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 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!

25 Sep 201821min

Ellen asks: How should I supplement my university language course? In Today's Episode: It's good to think about how you want your language skills to develop post-uni, not just how to pass your exams! Many people studying languages at uni cannot speak when they graduate At uni, you'll get a huge amount of "education"... there's no risk of you not learning all the important stuff It's natural to want to master the vocabulary and grammar you meet, but you won't be able to do that by more study The way to master vocab and grammar, and to learn to speak the language confidently over time is by making the language a part of your life Find things you like in Spanish and German and spend as much time as possible enjoying them! I give you permission to put the books away and have fun! Resources Mentioned: Casa de Papel - an extraordinarily good Spanish tv series 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 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!

21 Sep 201816min

Terry asks: What should I do when I lose my motivation? In Today's Episode: Motivation to learn makes or breaks your learning project Sunk cost fallacy - the more time you've put into something the harder it is to let go Languages need to be a living breathing part of your life, or it's hard to keep them up Resources Mentioned: IWTYAL 256: The extraordinary power of haircuts in language learning New Books - visit the launch page to find out about the books and bonuses! 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 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!

19 Sep 201815min

In this episode, I finally reveal the "big news" I've been teasing you with for over 2 years! In Today's Episode: For complete information on today's episode, please visit the main blog post at: 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 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!

7 Sep 201825min

In this episode, I react to the never-ending belief that children's book are good for language learning. In Today's Episode: Why I'll never recommend that adults should use kids' books for language learning: The vocabulary is NOT high-frequency The grammar is NOT simple The content is NOT interesting or relevant Readings from: Harry Potter and the Philsopher's Stone Hansel and Gretel Jack and the FlumFlum Tree 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 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!

14 Aug 201813min

In this episode, Olly continues a new series covering what he believes to be the fundamental rules of language learning. Click here to listen to part 1 Click here to listen to part 2 The Rules: Rule 7: Listen with the transcript Rule 8: Don't worry about something until it’s actually a problem (Spanish varieties, Italian dialects, a notorious grammar point) Rule 9: Do something every day...however small 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 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!

7 Aug 201815min

In this episode, Olly continues a new series covering what he believes to be the fundamental rules of language learning. Click here to listen to part 1 The Rules: Rule 4: Never take language learning advice from native speakers (watch movies, read translations, read kids books) Rule 5: Same study routine every day (discipline in the small things gives you freedom in the bigger!) Rule 6: Look for "big dominos", not new tactics (e.g. read for 1 hour a day, start speaking) 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 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 Aug 201816min

Kristin asks: "How can I learn vocabulary from reading without stopping every 5 seconds?" In Today's Episode: Consider this analogy: When you're pushing yourself on the treadmill and working hard, it can get uncomfortable. However, you keep going because  you know it's doing you good. Try to extend that analogy to the act of "reading without stopping". By keeping reading, without stopping to look up words, you're pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone. Some practical tips to make reading easier: Everyone has a strong desire to understand every word, but there is so much value in being content not understanding 100% To combat that, try a "zero stopping" policy for a while, and see how it feels. After you finish the entire chapter, go back and look at vocabulary. You'll find that - from continued reading - you've already understood words that flummoxed you earlier If you really must look words up, only look up vital words that keep coming up Read electronically so you can look up words instantly On Kindle, you can select your dictionary (monolingual, bilingual) and highlight words with one touch, then create flashcards automatically Separate the tasks of "reading" and "study" - Don't make flashcards while you're reading! Much of this comes back to our perception of vocabulary being everything. In many ways, it is! But that doesn't mean that stopping to look up every word is the best way to get there! Resources: How to read effectively in a foreign language - my complete guide to effective reading in a foreign language Helpful tools: LingQ Kindle Paperwhite Readlang 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 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 re

31 Juli 201816min