Preply Talks: The Language Podcast

Learn how to create an effective language study plan and stay on track with tips and techniques. Discover the importance of setting goals, understanding personal learning styles, and staying committed to language learning. Also, find out about the role of a tutor in language learning.

Learn how to tap into your language learning superpowers and commit to a study plan. Discover the role of synaptic plasticity in remembering new words and the benefits of learning words in the context of phrases. Explore memory techniques like the spacing effect and the power of sleep in memorizing vocabulary.

Sylvia and Iris discuss how podcasts can help you accelerate your learning and share tips and tricks for making the most of them. They also share their top learning podcasts. Sylvia and Iris are part of the methodology team at Preply, where they assist the community of 35k tutors in creating engaging, personalized 1:1 lessons that empower learners to make confident progress in their language learning journey. If you're looking for the right tutor to guide you, visit ⁠preply.com⁠ and find your ideal match!

Stories are an incredible way to learn a language according to Olly Richards, polyglot and creator of the StoryLearning® method. Olly says his near-death experience on a mountain in Argentina got him started with reading stories in Spanish. Since then, he has used this method to learn 8 foreign languages and has authored over 30 books on language learning. Through his books and website, I Will Teach You A Language, Olly teaches languages using the StoryLearning® method, a unique method that helps people learn languages faster using the power of story.  You’ll have the chance to ask Olly questions live, and learn: 📖 How to learn like polyglots do—through stories 🧠 Why stories help our memory of a language 🥊 How Olly would coach you to learn a language from scratch Subscribe to Preply’s Youtube channel for more live talks. Explore Olly’s books and resources. Get 70% off your first 1-on-1 online language lesson with Preply. 🕰️TIMESTAMPS: 00:00 - Intro 02:10 - Why Olly started ‘I Will Teach You a Language’ 03:50 - How to learn a language in 90 days 09:51 - How did Olly discover the StoryLearning method? 14:27 - How to find good reading content 17:16 - Why are stories effective to learn a language? 21:30 - How to make reading more useful 28:00 - The importance of “Tolerance for ambiguity” 32:20 - Why start with pronunciation first 34:00 - Is Harry Potter great language learning material? 36:25 - How Olly overcomes the intermediate plateau 40:05 - What are “language islands?” 41:40 - Can you learn a language while you sleep? 42:05 - Using parallel texts to learn a language 45:05 - Why Olly doesn’t recommend TV as a core method 47:43 - Can you learn multiple languages at the same time? 51:25 - Find out what works for you 52:25 - Outro

Learn to sound more natural, confident, and comfortable with English (in the times you need it most!) in this live Q&A with YouTube English teaching star, Jennifer Lebedev. Jennifer is an English language teacher with over twenty years of experience. She has been online since 2007, and her YouTube channel, English with Jennifer, has 87 million views to date. In addition, she has an award-winning blog for teachers, is a frequent conference presenter, and has published English vocabulary and grammar textbooks.  In this conversation, you’ll learn: 🙈 The most common English speaking errors (and how to avoid them) 💬 How to remember great phrases for real-life situations 👤 How to use “shadowing” techniques for English speaking practice Get the show notes and top tips from this podcast. Subscribe to Preply’s Youtube for more live talks. Get 70% off your first 1-on-1 online language lesson with Preply. Timestamps: 00:00 - Intro 03:12 - Jennifer’s YouTube journey 05:00- Is it important to improve your pronunciation? 07:15 - What are the most common pronunciation mistakes? 12:00 - How can you improve your speaking skills at home? 17:30 - What are language learning drills? 18:40 - How to understand verb forms 23:35 - How to practice individual sounds 27:15 - How to speak 'business English' 31:40 - Using TV and movies to practice speaking 35:40 - Are idioms important? 38:45 - Understanding different accents 40:32 - What activities should you do every week? 44:50 - Understanding English on the phone 47:10 - How to think in English? 49:50 - Final words of wisdom from Jennifer  

Learn how to master a language from home with John Fotheringham, an author and linguist. Discover effective habits of independent language learners, optimize your memory for vocabulary retention, and choose resources that suit your interests and learning style. Explore anywhere immersion techniques, utilizing language apps, creating your own flashcards, and learning vocabulary in context. Improve speaking skills from home and explore the use of video games for language learning. Overcome common mistakes and limiting beliefs to stay motivated on your language learning journey.