Language & Travel Hacking

Halima Salim, founder of Blackboard English and the Fearless English Podcast, discusses empowering women language learners, overcoming negative self-talk and changing ideologies in the ESL community with Shannon Kennedy and Benny Lewis.

Featured Resources

• Blackboard English

Mentioned in this Episode

• Blackboard English
• Fearless English Podcast
• Fearless English Course
• Blackboard English Facebook
• Blackboard English Youtube
• Blackboard English Instagram

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Living in Saudi Arabia as an illegal immigrant and its impact on education
• Moving to the UK and learning English
• Becoming a fearless language learner
• Shutting down negative self-talk
• Facing your greatest fears
• Learning to read and write at a later age
• Creating opportunities for women through English
• Changing ideologies in the ESL community
• Supporting your children learning another language
• Creating a supportive Instagram community
• Gaining confidence “being yourself”

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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Benny answers the question of how to start speaking a language before you know any words. He shares a couple of language hacks - like becoming familiar with cognates - that you can use ahead of your first conversation. His advice will help you feel prepared enough to dive in and speak from day one.

To ask Benny a question, please email [email protected]

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This episode features Marissa Blaszko who joins Benny and Elizabeth to discuss their language learning journey as a polyglot and keen heritage language learner! Marissa is the creator of Relearn a Language, a website that aims to popularize understandings of heritage language while sharing fun language learning resources.

Featured Resources

• Relearn A Language YouTube Channel
• Who are Language Learners - 2021 study of dabblers, polyglots, hyperglots

Mentioned in this Episode

• Relearn A Language YouTube Channel
• Who are Language Learners - 2021 study of dabblers, polyglots, hyperglots
• Marissa’s Instagram

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Creating viral memes around language learning
• Celebrating diversity and inclusion in the language learning community
• Analysing data across the online language learning community
• How to identify in the language learning community
• Self care, therapy, and shame
• Learning their heritage language and speaking with their grandparents

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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This episode features Svenja, who learned conversational Russian and Arabic in just 90 days with 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.

Benny and Shannon have a conversation with Svenja about her experience of learning several languages as a part of the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge.

Featured Resources

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• italki

Mentioned in this Episode

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• italki
• Mimic Method

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• How the Challenge helped Svenja make a breakthrough with her Arabic studies
• Differences between learning a language in school versus on your own
• Building language islands
• Language learning struggles with grammar, pronunciation, and time management
• Maintaining multiple languages
• What a polyglot’s daily learning routine looks like
• How to gain confidence as a language learner
• Why it’s difficult to learn a language alone

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

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Benny discusses languages with different writing systems, and when he starts learning to read and write. Depending on the language and writing system, it can be a few weeks or sometimes several months into the process before he tackles the writing system of a new language.

To ask Benny a question, please email [email protected]

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This episode features Katie Pascoe, editor of the Language Hacking podcast. Katie also co-founded VR Languages and helped create Dynamic Spanish.

Dynamic Spanish gets you speaking Spanish confidently in VR with the Starter Pack for beginners. More advanced learners can explore Spain in 360 guided tours with Dynamic Spanish Trips.

Katie also discusses her recent experience with 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

• Dynamic Spanish
• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge

Mentioned in this Episode

• Dynamic Spanish
• Dynamic Spanish Instagram
• Dynamic Spanish Facebook
• VR Languages Youtube
• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Getting an ear for languages by eavesdropping on family conversations in Punjabi
• Living in, and learning languages in Korea, Brazil and Spain
• The dynamic of learning languages as a couple
• Creating VR Languages and a virtual reality Spanish course, Dynamic Spanish, for beginners and more advanced speakers
• The immersion and experiential learning of language courses in virtual reality
• How to use VR with a phone or an Oculus Quest
• How Katie improved her past tense and subjunctive with the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge

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.

Poet, artist and polyglot Maria Ortega Garcia talks to Benny Lewis and Shannon Kennedy about mindfulness, language learning as an introvert, and the power of using art and poetry as language learning tools.

Mentioned in this Episode

• Maria Ortega Garcia
• Maria’s Instagram
• Maria’s Facebook
• Maria’s Youtube

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Learning languages as an introvert
• Mindfulness in language learning
• Using poetry as a tool for languages
• The biggest struggles students face trying to learn languages with poems
• How artistic expression and creativity fit into language learning
• Exploring identity through languages
• Using art as an inspiration for language learning

Podcast theme: “A New Beginning” by Shannon Kennedy

Join Our Patreon

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Language teacher and expat Janina Klimas shares how to create compelling language lessons for students, how acting is like language learning, and why recording yourself speaking your target language is so important.

Featured Resources

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• Real Life Language

Mentioned in this Episode

• Fluent in 3 Months Challenge
• Netflix
• Yabla
• Real Life Language
• Real Life Language Podcast

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Language acquisition vs language learning
• How acting can boost your language learning and teaching
• Building excitement around languages for your students as a teacher
• What being a “reading specialist” means
• Teaching and studying abroad
• Figuring out your proficiency and levels in a language
• Why recording yourself speaking is so important
• Independent vs academic language learning success
• Games you can play to learn languages
• Language, culture, racism, and bias

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.

Benny and Elizabeth speak with French YouTube superstar Géraldine Lepère about the importance of understanding culture when learning a language.

Featured Resources

• Comme une Française
• MY STORY: How Culture Shock Inspired Me To Create Comme une Française

Mentioned in this Episode

• Comme une Française
• MY STORY: How Culture Shock Inspired Me To Create Comme une Française
• Géraldine Lepère Facebook
• Géraldine Lepère Instagram
• Géraldine Lepère YouTube
• Géraldine Lepère Twitter

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• What to say to sound more French
• Differences between French and Mexican culture
• Adjusting to French culture
• How to connect with French people
• Reading French literature

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.

Benny and Shannon dive deep with Netflix star, YouTube influencer and polyglot Jo Franco about growing up bilingual, developing a love of travel and language learning, and building connection through language.

Featured Resources

• JoClub
• The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals

Mentioned in this Episode

• JoClub
• The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals
• The Circle
• Shut Up and Go Travel Show
• Jo Franco Twitter
• Jo Franco Instagram
• Jo Franco YouTube
• How Jo Franco Bought a House in Cash
• Jo Franco Reveals She Was Shot in Brazil

Episode Overview

Some of the topics brought up during the interview are:

• Immigrating to the US and learning English in an ESL camp
• Living between cultures and finding your identity
• The language learning “spark”
• Overcoming the fear of making mistakes
• Jo’s travel show on Netflix
• Building connections through language
• Negative travel experiences and why they don’t stop Jo from traveling
• Finding joy in challenges
• Journaling as a language learning tool
• Why the Circle is the best show for language learners
• The importance of mindset in language learning

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.