Language Learning Insights

How can you make real progress in a language while working full-time? Nate Alger, co-founder of Spanishland School and co-host of the Españolistos podcast, shares how he went from beginner-level Spanish to lower-intermediate in about a year.

Nate explains how he created an immersive Spanish environment in Austin, Texas, by changing everyday habits, listening to Spanish, working with tutors, and finding language exchange partners. He also shares what he learned about making mistakes, accepting corrections, and why you should start speaking from day one.

In this episode:

• How to build immersion into your everyday routine
• Finding time for language learning when you're busy
• The benefits and challenges of language exchanges
• Why making mistakes can help you connect with other learners
• Why speaking early helps bring what you learn together

Learn more about Nate and Andrea's work at Spanishland School: https://spanishlandschool.com/

For more language-learning insights, visit Language Learning Insights.

What if the best way to learn a language isn't the method that works for everyone else—but the one that works for your brain?

In this second conversation with Dr. Esther Gutierrez Eugenio, also known as Dr. Languages, we explore how understanding your individual cognitive strengths and learning history can help you become a more effective language learner.

Esther explains why some approaches feel natural to certain learners but frustrating to others, why popular learning styles can be misleading, and how the way you learned other skills can reveal useful clues about how you should approach a new language.

You'll discover how to:

• Reflect on your own learning history to identify what helps you learn.
• Recognize when a course or method doesn't suit your needs.
• Use visual input, grammar explanations, and other strategies that support your brain.
• Question universal language-learning advice and experiment with approaches that work for you.

The goal isn't to put yourself in a box. It's to understand your strengths, work on your weaker areas, and find a more effective way forward.

This is our second conversation with Esther. In our first episode, we discussed why hearing words in your head matters and why many popular language-learning methods fall short.

Find Esther on YouTube at @doctor_languages for more science-informed language-learning insights.

Learn more about MiVoca, the personal vocabulary system that helps you capture, organize, and practice the words you want to remember and use: https://mivoca.app

Happy learning!

How can you become a more confident speaker, remember the vocabulary you learn, and get past the intermediate plateau?

In this episode of Language Learning Insights, I speak with Lindsay McMahon, co-founder of All Ears English, about practical ways to make better progress in a language.

We discuss why connection matters more than perfection, how to practice thinking in your target language with Lindsay's “Inner 10” technique, and how to turn passive vocabulary into words and phrases you can actually use. Lindsay also shares a three-step approach to getting more from conversations with tutors and language partners: prepare beforehand, focus on connecting during the conversation, and practice afterward.

In this episode:

• Speak with greater confidence, even when you make mistakes.
• Use the “Inner 10” for 10 minutes of daily mental immersion.
• Turn vocabulary from passive knowledge into active language.
• Prepare for conversations instead of leaving your practice to chance.
• Build a routine to help overcome the intermediate plateau.

Find Lindsay at All Ears English, the Business English Podcast, and the IELTS Energy Podcast.

Learn more about the Language Learning Insights podcast at languagelearninginsights.com.

What does it really take to learn a language well—and why do some learners struggle even after years of study?

In this episode of Language Learning Insights, Rick Moore speaks with Tim Keeley, a polyglot professor and author of A Life in 30 Languages, about the psychological, cultural, and practical sides of language learning.

Tim shares advice on how to:

• Overcome speaking anxiety by preparing phrases you'll actually use
• Improve pronunciation and develop a more native-like accent
• Learn vocabulary through personally relevant content and stories
• Decide when to focus on useful phrases and when to study grammar
• Maintain languages without turning learning into a chore
• Practice conversations—even when you don't have someone to speak with

Tim also explains why language and culture are inseparable, how speaking another language can change the way you express yourself, and why curiosity and meaningful engagement matter so much.

Whether you're learning your first foreign language or juggling several, this conversation offers ideas to help you learn more effectively and enjoy the process.

Find Tim and his resources:
Polyglot Dreams: https://polygotdreams.com

Hosted by Rick Moore, creator of MiVoca and Language Learning Insights.

You can save hundreds of words in your language-learning journey—but how many actually become part of your vocabulary?

In this solo episode, Rick Moore shares lessons from his own experience learning Spanish and Portuguese, including why saving words isn't enough, how to decide which vocabulary deserves your attention, and how to turn saved words into words you can actually use.

Rick explores four elements of effective vocabulary practice: relevance, repetition, context, and recall. He also explains why the words you choose should reflect your own life, conversations, and goals—and why encountering words in different contexts can help you understand and remember them.

Rick is the host of Language Learning Insights and creator of MiVoca, a personal vocabulary system for capturing, organizing, and practicing the words that matter to you.

MiVoca Starter is free forever, with no credit card required: mivoca.app

Language Learning Insights is available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen to podcasts.

How do you build a language learning routine that works for you—and keep going when progress feels slow?

Language coach Kerstin Cable, founder of Fluent Language and co-founder of AI Language Club, joins Rick Moore to discuss setting realistic goals, choosing enjoyable practice, and taking more ownership of your learning.

Kerstin shares how to turn a big ambition into manageable steps, balance your practice across different skills, and decide which vocabulary deserves your attention. We also explore why high achievers can struggle with language learning, how curiosity can sustain motivation, and why being kinder to yourself doesn’t mean lowering your ambitions.

Find Kerstin’s courses, blog, and resources at fluentlanguage.co.uk

Explore more interviews and short clips at languagelearninginsights.com

Rick is also the creator of MiVoca, a Personal Vocabulary System that helps you capture, organize, and practice the words that matter to you. MiVoca Starter is free forever, with no credit card required. Try it at mivoca.app

You know Spanish vocabulary and grammar—but when it’s time to speak, the words don’t come. How do you bridge that gap?

In this episode of Language Learning Insights, Colombian Spanish teacher Diana Hernandez, creator of Spanish with Diana, shares her approach to making Spanish practical and easier to use in everyday conversations.

We discuss learning complete phrases for real situations, training your ear through listening and repetition, and getting comfortable speaking before everything comes out perfectly. Diana also explains why lessons alone aren’t enough: the practice you do between sessions matters.

Along the way, we explore how a supportive learning community and experiences with local people can connect language learning with friendships and culture.

Explore Diana’s courses and community: https://www.instagram.com/spanishwithdiana_/

More Language Learning Insights: https://languagelearninginsights.com

Hosted by Rick Moore, creator of MiVoca, the Personal Vocabulary System that helps you save, organize, and practice the words that matter to you: https://mivoca.app

Waiting until you know enough to speak? Hoping a course will make you fluent in 21 days? Multilingual educator Toluwanimi “Tolfak” Fakeye challenges five common language-learning myths—and shares practical ways to move forward.

We discuss finding time in a busy schedule, why cramming falls short, speaking before you feel ready, exaggerated fluency promises, and getting started when motivation is missing. Tolfak shares how she fits listening into everyday activities, practices speaking alone, and uses small tasks to build momentum.

Plus, discover her approach to finding content you actually want to read: search for your interests in your target language and subscribe to newsletters on those topics.

Connect with Tolfak:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/linguatolfak/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toluwanimi-fakeye-b2b017170/

Language Learning Insights is hosted by Rick Moore, creator of MiVoca, a Personal Vocabulary System that helps you save and practice the words that matter to you.

Explore the podcast: https://languagelearninginsights.com
Discover MiVoca: https://mivoca.app

French teacher and language learner Alizée, founder of French That Works, explains why memorizing isolated vocabulary often leaves learners unable to form sentences—and how learning reusable sentence chunks can help them communicate sooner.

We discuss how to build vocabulary in manageable amounts, strengthen it through repetition, create more effective flashcards and sentence builders, and develop speaking confidence by accepting mistakes.

Alizée also shares practical ways to bridge the gap between textbook French and the language people actually use through songs, films, and authentic conversations.

Explore María’s work: Español con María

You understand more than you can say—but what should you actually practice to close that gap?

María Monsalve, Colombian language educator and founder of Español con María, joins Rick Moore on the Language Learning Insights podcast to discuss choosing useful vocabulary, connecting listening and reading to speaking, and identifying what keeps learners stuck.

María explains her input–process–output approach: work with something you’ve watched or read before discussing or writing about it. She also shares why an easy word isn’t necessarily a useful word, how small goals make progress more visible, and why your study methods may need to change as you advance.

From learning “quiero eso” to recognizing gaps in the words that connect your ideas, this conversation offers practical starting points for Spanish learners and anyone working toward greater confidence in another language.

Hosted by Rick Moore, creator of MiVoca, a personal vocabulary system for capturing, organizing, and practicing the words that matter to you.