Language & Travel Hacking

Gabby Wallace, creator of Go Natural English, joins Benny Lewis and Shannon Kennedy to talk about teaching English online, how renovating houses is like learning languages, and what it was like to live in a favela in Brazil.

Featured Resources

• italki

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:

• Building a language teaching business online
• Learning languages to travel - how to prepare and what to do with the language after travel is over
• Shannon and Benny’s tips for avoiding language interference with similar languages
• Gabby’s ideal day of language learning

Learn more and access this bonus content on Patreon.

Mentioned in this Episode

• TuneIn Radio
• Go Natural English Website
• Go Natural English on Youtube
• Go Natural English on Twitter
• Go Natural English on Instagram
• Go Natural English on Facebook
• Go Natural English Podcast

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• What inspired Gabby to begin teaching English
• How being a language learner makes you a better language teacher
• Ways renovating houses and real estate connects to language learning
• How to balance really diverse projects
• Living in a favela in Brazil
• How to choose topics for online content as a language teacher
• Corporate language training

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

In this Ask Benny episode, Benny gives an update on his current language mission in Jericoacoara, Brazil, and the new hacks and strategies he has worked on and used. If you're looking into vocabulary-learning tips specifically, this episode is for you.

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

Luca Sadurny, co-founder of Mosalingua, talks about how learning French helped him discover that everyone can learn a language when using the right method. A discovery that later led to the foundation of the popular language learning resource Mosalingua.

Featured Resources

• Mosalingua

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Mentioned in this Episode

• Mosalingua
• Luca’s website

Episode Overview

Some of the topics discussed in this episode include:

• Luca’s background and the background and development of Mosalingua
• Ikigai, a concept which motivates you to learn languages in the right way
• How everyone can learn languages if they have the right method
• How to raise trilingual children and the one-parent-one-language approach
• Time management techniques and how to find time for yourself

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Elena Mutonono, former ESL teacher and now coach for language teachers, joins Benny Lewis and Shannon Kennedy to talk about language teaching, the ethics of the online language teaching space, and sustainable language teaching.

Featured Resources

• Online Bound Podcast

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:

• Redefining what a “good” language teacher is
• Things language students should be aware of when choosing a teacher
• Our roles as thought leaders in the language space

Learn more and access this bonus content on Patreon.

Mentioned in this Episode

• Online Bound Podcast
• Elena’s Instagram
• Elena’s Facebook
• Elena’s website
• Language Lessons film

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Going from in-person tutoring in Ukraine to teaching online
• Facing burnout as a language teacher and figuring out how to teach in a sustainable way
• Finding balance by saying no to many things as a language teacher and what to say no to
• Differences between online and offline teaching and setting realistic expectations for both
• How choosing one focus can help you feel more fulfilled in your teaching career

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Fluent in 3 Months Challenge participant and Bosnian learner, Damian, chats with Benny and Shannon about finding connection with friends and family through languages.

We 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

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge

Patreon Extended Episode

Enjoy the podcast? Subscribe to our Patreon to get access to bonus questions and loads more exclusive content.

Learn more and access this bonus content on Patreon.

Mentioned in this Episode

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• uTalk
• italki
• Duolingo
• Memrise

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Why Damian learned Bosnian
• How Damian’s language learning changed when he joined the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• Learning languages and music to set an example for his kids
• How to stay invested and motivated in your languages
• Connections between music and language
• Using scripts to prepare for conversations in another language
• Learning with more than one tutor and balancing the right number of lessons

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

This Ask Benny episode is about flashcards, and how you can use your lessons or conversations with a tutor to create your vocabulary list. Benny explains how his tutor helps him make lists of words and phrases during lessons, and then what he does to turn this into flashcards using Anki. 

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

Steve Kaufmann, renowned polyglot and founder of LingQ rejoins Benny Lewis and Shannon Kennedy to talk about the LingQ language learning app, how intensive your language learning really needs to be and more.

Featured Resources

• LingQ

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 origin story behind LingQ
• Steve’s philosophies and practices in motivation and habits
• Steve’s 3 survival language resources
• Steve’s ideal day of language learning
• Advice to those experiencing the intermediate plateau
• The importance of being active physically and comparisons between sports and language
• Feedback Benny and Shannon have received from language learners

Learn more and access this bonus content on Patreon.

Mentioned in this Episode

• LingQ
• Comprehensible Input
• Steve’s YouTube
• Steve’s Instagram
• Steve’s Twitter
• Steve’s website
• Steve’s first episode on the Language Hacking Podcast

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• LingQ and the journey to creating one of the most popular language learning tools
• How Steve’s son Mark went from hockey player to key player at LingQ
• How people read more than they may realize
• Expanding LingQ from a reading and listening app to a tool integrated with Youtube, Netflix and other platforms
• New features in LingQ
• How Steve’s own learning in LingQ has changed as new features are added
• Parallels between running a business and language learning
• How Steve’s beliefs around the intensity of language learning have changed
• Why language learners need to be okay with uncertainty
• How LingQ has impacted the lives of people all over the world

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Language Hacking Podcast co-hosts, Benny Lewis and Shannon Kennedy, bring on Kittichai, known as “The Duke” to talk about his role at Fluent in 3 Months, learning English and Japanese, and becoming a travel vlogger.

Mentioned in this Episode

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• Kittichai’s Youtube Channel

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Learning Japanese using the Speak from Day 1 approach
• How Kittichai learned English and how it differed from his experience learning Japanese
• Working at an international company and adapting to the cultural differences
• How Fluent in 3 Months has influenced Kittichai’s language journey
• Being inspired by Benny’s travels and becoming a travel vlogger in Thailand
• Kittichai’s perspective on foreigners learning Thai
• The biggest struggles Thai learners face
• Why foreigners in Thailand often don’t learn Thai
• Using video games as a tool for learning languages

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Benny is a big fan of using social media to practise his languages, and in this Ask Benny episode, he shares tips and tricks for getting the most out of each social media platform. From making multiple profiles and choosing who to follow, to training the algorithm, Benny has figured out how to make Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok work for him.

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

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