Language & Travel Hacking

For this episode, Benny shares his opinions and experience of the Duolingo app. Getting points and maintaining a streak may be great motivators, but does it really work if you want to speak the language? Benny explains how gamified apps can be a valuable part of your language learning, but to be successful, there is another important element that should be central to your practise.

To ask Benny a question, leave a comment on Instagram (@languagehacking) or Twitter (@fi3m), or you can email [email protected]

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Can anyone join the active polyglot community?

If you’re hesitant to join the active polyglot community, polyglot and language mentor Miguel, also founder of the blog The Multilingual Bronxite, shares about what he’s discovered from taking part in these communities.

In this interview with Benny, Miguel shares his perspective on the usefulness of the polyglot community. As a regular participant and speaker himself at international polyglot events such as Polyglotar, Miguel explains how the community is less intimidating than what would seem from the outside. As he puts forward, everyone is learning, so everyone is very open and like-minded!

Miguel also discusses how studying on your own can prove more valuable than learning languages the academic way as well as his opinion regarding immersion. Does it really help you learn a language, or does that depend on your skill level?

Mentioned in this Episode

• The Multilingual Bronxite
• The Assimil Method
• Fluent in 3 Months Blog
• Poliglotar Conference Website
• italki

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Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

What’s it like attending an in-person language exchange event?

Victoria Galmarini, Lead Manager for MundoLingo, an in-person language exchange organization, shares how to run a language exchange event, ways exchanges differ in different countries, and what a successful language exchange event looks like.

(PS: Learn a little about Benny’s experience at language exchange events by listening to this episode!)

Mentioned in this Episode

• Mundo Lingo
• Apply to be a Mundo Lingo Manager

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Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Creator and proprietor of The Grammar Table, Ellen Jovin, joins Benny Lewis and Shannon Kennedy to talk about traveling the country to discuss grammar, learning the languages of New York, and finding joy in learning grammar.

Featured Resources

• Rebel with a Clause

Patreon Extended Episode

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to extended episodes and loads more content. Here’s what you’ll hear in the long-form episode:

• The most common grammar questions Ellen encountered on the road with The Grammar Table
• How knowing more grammar frees you from the confines of grammar
• Ellen’s ideal day with languages
• Ellen’s advice for someone who dreads learning grammar
• Ways to make learning grammar easier and how to remember it better
• Ellen’s grammar pet peeves

Learn more and access this bonus content on Patreon.

Mentioned in this Episode

• Rebel with a Clause
• Essential Grammar for Business
• Ellen’s Twitter
• Ellen’s Instagram
• Ellen’s Facebook
• Ellen’s website
• Pimsleur
• Vocabulearn
• Michel Thomas

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Words and Worlds of New York and learning the languages of the city
• Why many people hate grammar and why Ellen doesn’t
• The positives of getting outside and pairing language learning with walking
• The story behind “The Grammar Table”
• Setting boundaries around grammar and common misconceptions
• Ways grammar rules are actually somewhat arbitrary
• Regional uses of languages and loving our linguistic diversity
• How The Grammar Table has also been an opportunity for Ellen to learn about other languages
• The power of humility in all things
• Playing with language and loving grammar and how things are put together

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Elizabeth Bruckner failed ten times to learn French. It wasn’t until she began exploring the online language community that she finally learned French... in her 40s. She’s since gone on to successfully learn German and Spanish and is now one of the coaches of the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

In this episode, we chat with Elizabeth about her experiences learning a language in her 40s, the brain and language learning, how to overcome our inner gremlins and Elizabeth gives you a taste of what it’s like to get coached in the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

We actually guarantee that anyone who completes the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge will have a 15-minute conversation in their new language after 90 days of learning. You can find out more here.

Featured Resources

• Speak in a Week
• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• italki

Mentioned in this Episode

• Elizabeth’s failed attempts at learning languages
• Benny’s Rosetta Stone review
• Speak in a Week
• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• italki
• Assimil
• Anki
• Michel Thomas
• Goldlist Method
• Elizabeth’s Instagram
• Elizabeth’s acupuncture practice

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Learning languages later in life
• Finding the desire to learn languages
• Using neuroscience to help with learning
• How to stop making emotional excuses and finally learn a language
• The biggest language learning gremlins to overcome
• The importance of community in language learning
• Creating systems and paths to push you towards your language learning
• An inside look at coaching in the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• Advice for the most common stumbling blocks for language learners
• Finding language giants
• Why there’s no one path to learning a language

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Join Our Patreon

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus content and monthly exclusives.