This episode effortlessly covers the full language world, from Sean Paul to the UN Declaration of Human Rights.

via GIPHY

Up to 95% of the world’s languages might be extinct or endangered by the end of the century. And most of them are indigenous, meaning that they spoken by the indigenous people of a region.

In this show, you'll discover

Hint: Because it's a HUMAN RIGHT

And we think you love a quiz as much as we do, so don't miss out the indigenous language quiz in this episode.

Support This Podcast

If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

Sponsored By:

• italki: Get $10 USD in italki Credits with your first lesson purchase - no code required, click here to claim this offer

Links:

• Episode 37: The Secret Languages of Great Britain (with an expert from Omniglot) by Fluent Language
• Language is Everything: Talking Language Activism with Wikitongues
• UN information about indigenous languages
• Language Stories
• LangFest17 - Lindsay Willams - Why + how you should learn a language you've never heard of - YouTube
• Emma Stevens - Blackbird by The Beatles sung in Mi'kmaq - YouTube
• Wikitongues.org
• Linguistic rights - Wikipedia
• 7000 Languages
• Sean Paul: 'Language barrier' a problem for dancehall artists - BBC News
• Jamaica's patois Bible: The word of God in creole - BBC News — A few Jamaican patois rules

How can you keep an older language fresh while starting on a new one?

Do you have to worry about forgetting everything you've learnt within weeks?

This week, head over to the blog for detailed notes and an article on this topic:

Conclusions:

Thank you to Bonnie for this episode introduction.

Support This Podcast

If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

Sponsored By:

• italki: Get $10 USD in italki Credits with your first lesson purchase - no code required, click here to claim this offer

Links:

• Metalinguistic Awareness in Multilinguals: Cognitive Aspects of Third Language Learning: Language Awareness: Vol 8, No 3-4
• What Gets Easier When You Study More Languages? by Fluent Language
• How to Learn Several Languages At The Same Time by Fluent Language
• The Fluent Show: Q&A: How to Re-Learn a Language You’ve Forgotten
• An Introduction to Foreign Language Learning and Teaching (Learning about Language)
• Spanish-English code-switching among low-fluency bilinguals — Study by John M. Lipski
• Language Habit Toolkit - Fluent Every Day

This week, I'm answering a listener question with help from a special guest.

Gareth Popkins is a serial language learner with decades of experience. He's a native English speaker but fluent in Welsh, Russian, German, and currently learning Japanese and Basque. He regularly builds preparation for language exams into his study routines, so today I asked Gareth to come on the show and share his views on the following quesion.

Evan asks:

I see many people who reach advanced C1/C2 level with a few of their languages, but just learned them for the heck of it (or they grew up with it in their homes). These people probably never took an official test to get a certificate proving that they are C1/C2 level or something.

Why might one want to get this certificate, or any other sort of qualification, to prove their language abilities?

Is it worthwhile or not?

You may find yourself wondering why a language exam would be useful for you at all, especially if you’re not studying for work or school. But there are a few excellent reasons to dive into the idea of test prep.

Good question! Between our experiences taking the IELTS, Goethe Institut exams, the TRKI Russian exam, Gareth and I talk. Listen in to hear

Support This Podcast

If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

Special Guest: Gareth Popkins.

Sponsored By:

• italki: Get $10 USD in italki Credits with your first lesson purchase - no code required, click here to claim this offer

Links:

• The Fluent Show: Q&A: Should You Get a Masters Degree in Languages?
• The Welsh Joint Examination Council
• How to pass the TRKI 4 Russian C2 exam ТРКИ-4 сертификат (ТРКИ-IV)
• Unsere Deutschprüfungen - Goethe-Institut
• Mastery and Advanced Level Language Learning — Fluent Language Blog
• The Most Popular Language Exams

How do you feel about your memories of learning languages at school?

Did you leave feeling like you were just not a language person? Got tales of cheating on every exam? Perhaps your teacher even threw things?

Oof! Language lessons can leave scars, and now that you're an independent learner it's time to break free and purge those bad memories.

This week, I'm bringing you real life stories from Canterbury, UK and my best strategies to help you turn the tables and start successfully learning a language as an adult.

Thank you to Anne for this episode introduction.

Support This Podcast

If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

Sponsored By:

• italki: Get $10 USD in italki Credits with your first lesson purchase - no code required, click here to claim this offer

Links:

• The First Annual Polyglot Cruise — Meet me on the Polyglot Cruise from 18-25 April 2020
• How to Learn a Language You Hated In School | Joyoflanguages
• BBC World Service - The Documentary, The Superlinguists, The Superlinguists
• The Language Habit Toolkit [Bonus Edition] | Fluent Language

“If we can produce proficient, correct language, it seems all is great no matter how we feel about it.”

My guest for this week’s podcast is María Ortega Garcia, who you will get to know well during the course of our interview.

Here are some questions we discussed:

This was a fascinating conversation about permission, ownership, and what we think we’re all allowed to do in another language. It helped me understand my role as language coach and language teacher in a whole new way.

“It doesn’t need to have any specific goal or purpose. It’s just pleasure and self-expression.”

“For me, a foreign language has to come along with my own personality and background. I can’t be following someone else’s rules.”

I want to let you know as early as possible that María and I are actually taking this one step further. We have been working on a joint language workshop inviting you to explore how creative writing and performance find your voice and courage to speak and elevate your communication skills.

If you struggle to express your true self in another language, and wish you could find the right words for how you feel, this new workshop is just perfect for you.

You can catch this workshop at Langfest in Montréal (tickets available now, 15% off using code KERSTIN).

Support This Podcast

If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

Special Guest: María Ortega García.

Sponsored By:

• italki: Get $10 USD in italki Credits with your first lesson purchase - no code required, click here to claim this offer

Links:

• How To Create An Amazing Language Journal by Fluent Language
• LangFest 2019 — Get 15% off with promo code KERSTIN
• The Fluent Show: How Can I Inject FUN Into Language Learning (with Olly Richards)
• Savvy Online Teacher Marketing - Facebook Group
• Creative Writing, Performance, and Public Speaking - Workshop Info

I'm continuing the Fluent Show's little business series with a solo episode about online language teaching.

Last week you already heard a little bit about how Lindsay and I got started, what we value in our businesses and our brutally honest views about both the sacrifices and the rewards of doing this work.

So in today's episode:

I've got three fundamentals that I believe made me a better language teacher.

In today's show, I'm also answering a listener question from Chenelle about successful collaborations

How do I go about approaching someone about my project in order to get them to come on board with me?

For us as one-person enterprises, it's often so beneficial to collaborate with others when it comes to creating successful projects like courses, books, and lessons. Look around you and you will see DOZENS of collaboration examples. In the online teaching space, here are a few that are successful:

And of course let's not forget [Teach & Thrive](www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/teach-thrive) by Lindsay and me. And [German Uncovered](www.german2019.com) by Olly and me. You've got me, I love collaborating. It's more social, compensates for weaknesses and creates cool results.

So how do collaborations work best? How do you become a success? Listen in to hear my 5 most important tips - all hard won through experience.

Thank you to Maria for this episode introduction. Sorry about the slightly lower quality sound - next week back to the usual high standards.

The Teach & Thrive workshop series is opening its doors to you this weekend. Sign up at www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/teach-thrive to join our 6 monthly masterclasses on creating and selling product, reaching an audience through marketing, and of course staying sane while becoming more successful.

Support This Podcast

If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

Sponsored By:

• italki: Get $10 USD in italki Credits with your first lesson purchase - no code required, click here to claim this offer

Links:

• Live Lesson Strategies for Online Teachers and Tutors

This week…something completely different. If you ever wondered what it’s like to run an online business in languages, this episode is for you. Lindsay and I offer you one of the most in-depth looks we have ever offered into our businesses, mindsets, and how we work.

Did you enjoy this chat? Then there is MORE!

We have recorded more episodes in this business series, and they can all be yours.

13 Tool Recommendations

✅ Click or tap here to to get a list of recommendations for the essentials we use every single day in our business.

Support This Podcast

If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

Sponsored By:

• italki: Get $10 USD in italki Credits with your first lesson purchase - no code required, click here to claim this offer

Links:

• The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It: Michael E. Gerber: 0099455020992: Amazon.com: Books
• Tim Ferriss and The 4-Hour Workweek
• Teach & Thrive — Lindsay & Kerstin's new workshop series for ambitious online language teachers and creators. Sign up between 28 June and 7 July to join.

This week I'm answering a listener question from Erin who was curious about applying her skills when she cannot attend a language retreat!

The key with a retreat is to step out of learner mode and step into speaker mode, so that you apply what you are learning. But do you have to get away for that?

This question is HUGE - it could really crack how you approach language learning and make a difference to whether you are successful or not. So in today's podcast episode, I'll share one idea that

Do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

And if you DO want to join me at the next language retreat, I'm planning a German one returning to beautiful, majestic, thousand-year old, wine-fuelled Trier in December! I say it's Germany's best Glühwein.

Thank you to Aleksandr Ivanov for this episode introduction .

Support This Podcast

If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

Sponsored By:

• italki: Get $10 USD in italki Credits with your first lesson purchase - no code required, click here to claim this offer

Links:

• Radio Garden
• TuneIn | Free Internet Radio | NFL, Sports, Podcasts, Music & News
• Focus & Fluency — A course for language learners who want to find a stress-free approach to productivity.
• The Fluent Show: What Can You Gain From a Language Retreat?
• My Challenge Results & 17 Tips For Language Learning on Social Media by Fluent Language
• The Fluent Show: Language Immersion On Any Budget — related podcast episode

It's Top Tools time!

In this regular feature, Lindsay and I dedicate the full episode to bringing you our tips for the most exciting language learning tools of the season.

In this episode, get to know

Click or tap here to read full show notes and get all links on www.fluentlanguage.co.uk

Teach & Thrive

Support This Podcast

If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

You can now play the Fluent Show through google home devices (“play the Fluent Show podcast”) and add us to the Alexa flash briefing. The feed URL you need for that is https://www.fluent.show/alexa

Sponsored By:

• italki: Get $10 USD in italki Credits with your first lesson purchase - no code required, click here to claim this offer

Links:

• Not A Year Off: The Story Behind Language Stories
• How to customize your Alexa speaker's Flash Briefing - CNET
• Flowlingo: Learn a Language for Free
• The Best Language Learning Tools for Winter 2017/2018 by Fluent Language
• Evertype
• The Fluent Show: "You assume they don't have chick lit in Polish" — Our in-depth episode about reading in other languages
• ‎LyricsTraining Learn Languages on the App Store
• BBC Radio 3 - Music Planet: Road Trip
• Stars in Their Eyes - Wikipedia
• ROSALÍA - MALAMENTE (Cap.1: Augurio) - YouTube
• ROSALÍA – MALAMENTE (Cap.1: Augurio) Lyrics | Genius Lyrics
• AbSoLuTe WorSt Of GeNiUS🙃 *compilation* - YouTube — Recommended by Lindsay. I (Kerstin) don't get it.
• Kerstin (@kersydysgu) • Instagram photos and videos
• COMEDIANS of the world | Netflix Official Site
• Teach & Thrive

In this episode, I am answering a listener question from Leandro.

I'm going through a really hard time on learning languages. I'm a Portuguese native speaker and I'm learning English and French. Most of time I'm really motivated learning English, because I love British 19th century literature and I fancy reading all the books in English. My level is not that bad, I guess.

I have two questions: how to handle with frutration? And how to get better at pronunciation by myself?

Ready to hear my answers? Then tune in!

Before you set fire to your books and possibly other things, know this: IT IS OKAY TO FEEL UNMOTIVATED. IT IS NORMAL.

The most important question you haven’t answered is why do you feel so unmotivated

Teach & Thrive

Support This Podcast

If you liked this episode, please tell someone about it. Click here to tweet about the show, go to your Podcasts app and leave us a review, or simply text a friend about the Fluent Show. Thank you!

Thank you to listener Bonnie for this episode introduction.

Sponsored By:

• italki: Get $10 USD in italki Credits with your first lesson purchase - no code required, click here to claim this offer

Links:

• The Fluent Show: How to Get The Perfect Accent
• How to Get The Perfect Accent by Fluent Language
• The Language Habit Toolkit
• Resources For French Learners
• Comme une Française - Free French Crash Course - Comme une Française
• Forvo: the pronunciation dictionary. All the words in the world pronounced by native speakers