Podcast Episode 24: European Day of Languages Live!

Welcome to our first ever LIVE episode of the Creative Language Learning Podcast! In episode 24, we treat you to a piece of the European Day of Languages broadcast which was the first time ever that Lindsay and I tried something like this.

There was so much going on:

  • Music!
  • Live comments!
  • A Revival of the Languages vs. Dialects Debate!
  • Reports on Log Sawing in Germany!
  • Chat about our Grandparents!

European Language Charts!

Instead of the Creative Language Learning Podcast tips, this episode featured a collection of as many European artists and European language songs as we could find. Here is our Spotify playlist for hours of Euro music fun.

Links and Resources from this Podcast

You can also read the list and find out more about genre and languages on our huge Evernote list.

Did you enjoy the live episode? Were you there? Let us know what you thought in the comments below!

Episode 23: Teach (Yourself) a Language with Tammy Bjelland from Language in Bloom

It's episode 23 and I'm back with another lovely and inspiring interview. Tammy Bjelland sparkles with all the energy she brings to language learning and teaching. She teaches, trains, offers curriculum design and runs her own podcast, the Business of Language Podcast. Let her enthusiasm pull you along in this interview!

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You'll hear about:

  • What you're going to do with that language later
  • The many secret benefits of languages in your career
  • The 7 superhero skills of language learners: Empathy, Independence, Curiosity, Versatility, Creativity, Autonomy and Self-Discipline
  • How group learning can be a HUGE advantage for you
  • How to develop your custom curriculum
  • Tammy's truly impressive looking course Language Learning Formula

"You have to learn to teach yourself a language. It's a skill in itself"

Tips of the Week

Tammy was by far the most decisive guest I've ever had on this podcast. She went straight for tip number one as your Tip of the Week!

1) Practice your pronunciation with Soundcloud

2) Practice your pronunciation and get instant feedback by talking to Siri in a foreign language

3) Make a food log in a foreign language (thanks for the tip to Ron Gullekson

Tips and Links from this Podcast

New Podcast: Episode 21 - Why Your Language Learning Goal Sucks and What to Do About It

In episode 21 of the podcast, I'm flying solo! This episode is a shorter version of our usual podcast. A snack size, so to say. I've been so busy creating, promoting and talking about Speak German like a Native that there was little time to do anything else.

But Wait! Here's What I Just Had to Tell You

language learning goals

You language learners and your goals.

You all say you're going to be efficient and effective and committed, and then I ask you what your goals are in the Summer Giveaway and 150 people say get fluent.

Me language learner and my goal!

When I was asked about my short-term language learning goal recently, I wasn't much better. In my language tag video on YouTube, I shared my short-term goal for Welsh..except I had no idea what my short-term goal is! I managed to say "I want to have a conversation", but is that really any better? I don't think so.

So in this podcast, I collected five great tips to help you and me become better goal setters in language learning. Listen to the episode to find out why your language learning goals suck and how to make better ones.

My Improved Goal for Welsh

My next short-term goal for learning Welsh is much clearer now. It is a mini one, nothing particularly large, and it doesn't follow all the rules outlined in the podcast. This is difficult stuff, yo, especially since I seem to have chosen a REALLY unpopular language to learn.

As such, the goal is this:

I will listen to episode 3 of Say Something in Welsh and write down all new vocab in my notebook by Saturday.

I'd love to hear your new and improved goals, especially if you're guilty of "my goal is fluency". Share them in the comments for feedback!

New Podcast Episode: Mobile Language Learning and Big News with Lindsay Does Languages

Big news for the ladies of the Creative Language Learning Podcast in episode 20: Lindsay is engaged and Kerstin is married! 

In this episode, you’ll hear:

  • What makes a German wedding and an English engagement special
  • Lindsay's and Kerstin's recent language learning updates - we've been learning Semaphore and Welsh!
  • How do you use Memrise for language learning?
  • Lindsay's exact process for learning a new way of communicating with online resources
  • Should you speak early? Is there any reason to hold back?

Article of the Week

Can you really learn a language using mobile apps? on Languages around the Globe

Tips of the Week

Summer is my favourite season, so you won't have to guess hard to work out which tip I chose as the big tip of the week!

1) Get outside and away from all your screens for a summer's learning session

2) Make Language Study your first task of the day with Early Morning Study Sessions

3) Watch your foreign movie...but watch the commentary!

Tips and Links from this Podcast

Question of the Week

Are you in an international relationship? Maybe a bilingual one? Tell us your story of living across borders in the comments or over on Facebook!

Podcast Episode 18: World Views and Polyglots with Lindsay Dow

Episode 18 is packed full of language learning news and chat with Lindsay from Lindsay does Languages, my trusty and lovely co-host. I hope you'll join us for all the debate and learning!

creative language learning podcast 18

We discussed

  • A truly useful and helpful definition of Polyglot by Richard Simcott
  • What the Polyglot Gathering is and how it went down in Berlin in 2015
  • If a language you learn really makes you think differently, and
  • Whether Kerstin should make herself study more Russian or allow herself the fun of exploring a bit of Welsh

In Episode 16, I'm introducing our new co-host: Lindsay Dow from Lindsay Does Languages I’m bringing Lindsay in for more Creative Language Learning Podcast because she's just been so much fun for you to listen to.

Article of the Week

"How the Language you Speak Changes your View of the World" in the Independent

closely related Does your Language Shape how you Think? in the NY Times

Tips of the Week

Lindsay's tip of the week was tip number 1, of course because she is completely involved in the awesome Script Challenge this year. Unplug your computer, get a book from the library and write down those words.

1) Go Old Skool with handwriting

2) Use your internal thesaurus when you get stuck

3) Play video games in another language (here's a relevant article from Learn out Live)

Links for Episode 18 of the Creative Language Learning Podcast

This episode is brought to you by FlashSticks, the printed language learning post-its. Use code KERSTIN10 for 10% off.