I really want to say "this goes without saying" about many of the things I'm saying to you today. But maybe it does not.

Racism is not welcome here.

Thank you for listening to today's episode.

And as maker of the Fluent Show, I can also tell you that every person who works on the team stands behind this message. Please read Lindsay's very well-written perspective here.

Please read more about them and how impressive they are. There are TWO bilingual interviews in here:

👍🏾 https://www.fluent.show/guests/nicole - Nicole Miles

I'm proud that they came and spent time with me on the show. I know my work isn't done and I'll continue to make it a priority to invite guests from ALL backgrounds.

Links:

• Rachel Elizabeth Cargle (@rachel.cargle) • Instagram photos and videos

You're probably taking your fair share of online lessons in your target languages these days. Add to that a few Zoom hangouts, maybe some extra business meetings...and soon they add up to 10-15 hours of online meetings per week.

For many online language teachers, this kind of online meeting schedule is part of a standard working week. It really is exhausting!

In this week's episode, I'm helping an online teacher who has experienced this for herself and sent a call for help to the Fluent Show.

Here is the question:

I'm an english tutor and have started teaching online because of the pandemic..you see, I notice that the "video conference" situation drains so much energy from me. I wonder if that happens with other students not used to the online class. Did you ever feel that with online lessons? Do you have tips to avoid that burn out from virtual meetings? Thank you!!

Listen to the episode to hear more about how to improve your focus, your environment, and your future prospects as an online teacher.

If you want to send your own Teacher Chat Question to the show, email it to [email protected]

Thank you to Estephania from Panama for this week's Listener Intro

Sponsored By:

• Teach & Thrive: Online teachers, join the Waiting List for our 2-day event filled with inspiring conversations and practical tutorials.

Links:

• Teach & Thrive Summit

Every 6 months or so, the Fluent Show brings you a new set of top tools. These are our recommendations for language learning tools you might have missed. It's a LONG episode so follow along with our full list of top tools on the blog if you like.

Intro: Lindsay's Language Marathon and our italki Language Challenge progress

Top Tools has now been running since 2016, with a total of 42 tools recommended. It's easy to lose track so it was time to declutter the list. In this episode, you'll hear about the best, the ultimate, the unmissable Top Tools Hall of Fame from 2016 to 2020.

We revisit EVERY SINGLE tool recommendation in the podcast so you can hear how they work and which ones we still love. Then we hand out awards. Here are the headline winners:

ALL of these top tools have web and app based versions and lots of languages available for you to pick from.

The Beginners Badge for people who want good beginner materials goes to 50 Languages.

The Minority Medal for a tool that is best if you are interested in learning a minority language goes to the LiveLingua Project.

The Goblet of Recognition for a tool that we brought back again and again goes to VOCAB NOTEBOOKS like these. In America, Gregg or Pitman ruled notebooks might do this job for you.

Click here to see the full list of top tools from 2016-2020

Thank you for listening to the Fluent Show! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting the show by leaving a review in your podcast app or becoming a member of our Patreon community.

Sponsored By:

• Yabla: Stream authentic shows you enjoy and learn at the same time. Give Yabla a try with a free trial for Fluent Show listeners

Links:

• italki Language Challenge

This week on the show, I answer a cry for help from a frustrated listener in Denmark.

Imagine you can speak your target language beautifully. But when it comes to the person you love most, suddenly you clam up and worry and you realise you can't speak to her at all!

Why does this happen? What's going on? Listen to hear more about these three problems and how anyone can solve them and get things moving again:

Thank you to Camille for this episode introduction.

Thank you for listening to the Fluent Show! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting the show by leaving a review in your podcast app or becoming a member of our Patreon community!

Sponsored By:

• Yabla: Stream authentic shows you enjoy and learn at the same time. Give Yabla a try with a free trial for Fluent Show listeners

Links:

• My Partner Speaks English - How Can I Help Them Learn My Language? by Fluent Language

Do you dream of travelling the world and living in other countries?

In today's episode, you'll meet someone who knows how to do all that! Sara Maria Hasbun is a language-loving entrepreneur who loves to travel the world. And she's as awesome as all of that sounds! In today's episode, Sara shares her story and experiences, including recent lockdown life under Coronavirus in Beijing. It's a motivating conversation with so many facets.

Here's what you'll learn in this interview:

Thank you for listening to the Fluent Show! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting the show by leaving a review in your podcast app or becoming a member of our Patreon community.

Special Guest: Sara Maria Hasbun.

Sponsored By:

• Yabla: Stream authentic shows you enjoy and learn at the same time. Give Yabla a try with a free trial for Fluent Show listeners

Links:

• Sara Maria's Company: Meridian Linguistics

Welcome back! I start by sharing my love for 爱情公寓 (iPartment) on Yabla, and answer Sara's question:

What’s the best tool you use for making sure you get some language learning in every day?

To answer this question, I talk you through the Language Habit Toolkit method which brings together psychology, motivation, and a lot of handy templates that get you started immediately.

Here's the system in a nutshell:

It comes with my newsletter and a whole library full of language learning guides. You can get this right on the homepage at www.fluentlanguage.co.uk

Thank you to Leah for this episode introduction.

Sponsored By:

• Yabla: Stream authentic shows you enjoy and learn at the same time. Give Yabla a try with a free trial for Fluent Show listeners

Links:

• TickTick: Todo list, checklist and task manager app for Android, iPhone and Web

Lindsay is back on the Fluent Show today and we're talking about the best books about languages and linguistics.

*NOTE: The Fluent Show is now on a podcast break until 6 May, but you can catch up with mini episodes of "Fluent in Isolation" at Patreon.com

We discussed the following books - all linked below on amazon.com and on hive.co.uk.

Click here to discover our other book-themed episode about the best language learning textbooks.

Thank you for listening to the Fluent Show! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting the show by leaving a review in your podcast app or becoming a member of our Patreon community

Sponsored By:

• Yabla: Stream authentic shows you enjoy and learn at the same time. Give Yabla a try with a free trial for Fluent Show listeners

Links:

• David Crystal - Wikipedia

Learn about the true pronunciation of this language's name, and why it's important to get it right.

It’s a great time to start offering online lessons because

In fact, any time is a great time because working as an online language teacher

If all that sounds like your kind of party, then listen to this week's episode in detail for 5 killer questions that will help you think about online teaching in a professional way.

Want further support as you build an online teaching income? Book me for a mentoring day!

Thank you to Gosia for this episode's introduction in Polish.

Sponsored By:

• Yabla: Stream authentic shows you enjoy and learn at the same time. Give Yabla a try with a free trial for Fluent Show listeners

Links:

• Lindsay's Online Teaching Starter Kit

"In languages, when you want to learn, you learn."

Steve Kaufmann is a language learner from Canada who has studied over 17 languages so far. He is an advocate of reading in other languages, even from the start...and turns out this is something he did even back in the 60s.

I've met Steve in person a few times at events like the Polyglot Gathering and Langfest, and he is ALWAYS full of energy and excitement about the opportunity of learning another language.

"It's all about getting your brain used to reading and hearing the new language."

What I loved most about this interview is the sheer enthusiasm that Steve brings to the topic of language learning. It's evident that he loves to learn and enjoys access to every single new word that he can get.

Steve's attitude is something that I have heard from polyglots and language lovers very often: He approaches languages fearlessly, saying that it doesn't worry about whether he can do it. Anything that he can't figure out, he'll get there eventually.

"Some people wanna learn it NOW, but they can't learn it now."

This level of trust and self-confidence was so much fun to witness in the interview -- listen out to how Steve discusses mistakes and slow learning, emphasizing that immediate progress is not part of language learning. His advice? Have a positive attitude and be grateful about what you can do now.

Steve is the co-founder of language learning app LingQ, and they're currently sponsoring this show. So if you enjoy his attitude, check it out today and learn a language with LingQ for free at www.fluentlanguage.co.uk/readmore.

Thank you for listening to the Fluent Show! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting the show by leaving a review in your podcast app or becoming a member of our Patreon community.

Special Guest: Steve Kaufmann.

Sponsored By:

• LingQ: Enjoy reading books, watching films and listening to podcasts in any language. LingQ offers over 24 languages. Get 35% off selected plans with this link.

Links:

• Polyglot Judith Meyer erzählt vom Bundeswettbewerb Fremds...

Word of the day: Hamsterkaufen - to hoard or panic buy. 🐹

Listener Elizabeth asks for advice about what to do when she remembers words in her target language on one day, but finds that they've disappeared the next day. It's a dilemma: Should she review and get the information perfect before moving on? Or just stick with the programme and hope that things will stick eventually?

This show contains plenty of great ideas and tips about digital flashcard systems, vocabulary learning, and how memory works when it comes to vocabulary learning and boosting your memory for keeping vocabulary in your mind longer.

If you want to take your vocab further and build yourself this effective system for getting better at remembering vocabulary using the three steps I’ve described in this podcast, check out my course Your Solid Vocab Memory.

Thank you to Kris Broholm for this episode introduction. Kris is the host of the Actual Fluency podcast.

Thank you for listening to the Fluent Show! If you enjoyed this episode, please consider supporting the show by leaving a review in your podcast app or becoming a member of our Patreon community

Sponsored By:

• LingQ: Enjoy reading books, watching films and listening to podcasts in any language. LingQ offers over 24 languages. Get 35% off selected plans with this link.

Links:

• Solid Vocab Memory | Fluent Language