Luke's ENGLISH Podcast - Learn British English with Luke Thompson cover image

Luke's ENGLISH Podcast - Learn British English with Luke Thompson

537. How Olly Richards Learns a Language (Part 2) Intermediate Plateau / The Magic of Story / Pronunciation & Personality / Classroom vs Self-Guided Learning

Jul 2, 2018
Olly Richards, a seasoned polyglot who speaks eight languages and runs the platform "I Will Teach You a Language," dives into fascinating insights about learning new languages. He discusses overcoming the pesky intermediate plateau and highlights the magic of storytelling as a key learning tool. Olly shares his struggles with tricky pronunciations, like the English 'TH' sounds, and how persistence pays off. He advocates for self-guided learning, arguing against outdated methods in favor of more engaging, conversational approaches that fit modern needs.
01:00:57

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Overcoming the intermediate plateau requires engaging with rich materials and stories to enhance retention and comprehension.
  • Incorporating stories into language learning not only aids vocabulary acquisition but also fosters emotional connections for better memory retention.

Deep dives

Language Learning Progression

Achieving fluency in a new language can present various stages of challenges. The beginner phase is often enjoyable and motivating, as learners see rapid progress in acquiring new phrases and vocabulary. However, the intermediate level poses a unique struggle where learners may feel stuck or plateau, leading to frustration over perceived lack of improvement despite hours of study. On the other hand, advanced stages require grappling with nuanced grammar and language concepts that can be technically demanding, making support and strategy crucial throughout the learning process.

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