Language Chats

Language Chats

Penny Wilson

Tune in as Penny and Bec share their experiences of language learning with you, as well as the stories of other Australians (and a few international guests!) who love learning, working with, and communicating using other languages. Subscribe for your fortnightly dose of language love, from an Australian perspective. Find out more: www.languagelovers.com.au

Helping migrants in Australia to improve their English: A chat with Dory Wang from SBS Learn English

Helping migrants in Australia to improve their English: A chat with Dory Wang from SBS Learn English

Moving to a new country is never easy (did someone say culture shock?), but it can be especially challenging if you need to learn how to live your life in a different language when you get there. How will you buy groceries or make a doctor’s appointment? How do you get a job and then, once you have one, navigate the workplace? Our guest for this episode of Language Chats, Dory Wang, understands this all too well from her own first-hand experience of moving to Australia. However this also makes h

May 27, 2024 • 55:25

Researching language to make society better: A chat with Dr Howie Manns

Researching language to make society better: A chat with Dr Howie Manns

In this episode, we’re chatting with Dr Howard (Howie) Manns, Senior Lecturer in Linguistics and Applied Linguistics at Monash University. We were so excited to have the chance to speak with Howie, because we are fascinated by his language story and his academic work - from growing up in a monolingual environment and then (unexpectedly) becoming a linguist through joining the US Navy, to working as a researcher who now studies Australian English, Indonesian, tactile (deafblind) Auslan and interc

Apr 22, 2024 • 51:23

When passions for language, tourism & Asia combine: A chat with Andrea Plawutsky

When passions for language, tourism & Asia combine: A chat with Andrea Plawutsky

About this Language Chat In this episode, we’re chatting with Canadian-Australian Andrea Plawutsky - currently based in NSW - who has brought her interest in tourism, China and Asia together across her career. From teaching English in north-eastern China, living and working in Thailand and then working in the travel & tourism industry in Australia, we loved hearing about Andrea’s experiences with learning and enjoying language around the world, in both professional and personal contexts. Hav

Apr 8, 2024 • 37:10

More meaningful travel experiences through culture & language

More meaningful travel experiences through culture & language

Penny is a long-time travel lover and in this episode, she tells us about her most recent international trip which was actually a bit of a reconnaissance mission… As she will soon be helping others to discover new cultures, languages and adventures through her new venture, Pip & Co Travel. We chat about Penny’s history of embracing language and culture through travel, how we can all enrich our travel experiences with even the most basic openness and interest in the language and culture of yo

Mar 25, 2024 • 27:32

Our favourite Language Chats so far

Our favourite Language Chats so far

100 EPISODES of Language Chats have now made it out into the world! To celebrate this exciting occasion (and the start of a new year, hello 2024), we’re going back through our archive to reminisce about some of our favourite episodes. We’ve had so many great chats over the last five years, it wasn’t easy narrowing down our top eps! But it has given us an opportunity to think about some of the great discussions we’ve had between the two of us and with many others across the last 99 episodes. If y

Feb 19, 2024 • 31:23

Working as a Community Linguist in the Northern Territory: A chat with Karla Zuluaga

Working as a Community Linguist in the Northern Territory: A chat with Karla Zuluaga

In this episode, we're welcoming linguist Karla Zuluaga back to Language Chats to hear more about the interesting work she is involved in as a Community Linguist on Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory. Born in the Philippines and having grown up in NSW, a couple of years ago Karla made the big move to the Northern Territory to work with the Groote Eylandt Language Centre. She tells us more about her role as a Community Linguist, the work the centre does to promote, maintain and preserve the langu

Nov 20, 2023 • 31:05

Hit the nail on the head: A chat with Rune Pedersen, host of The Idiom podcast

Hit the nail on the head: A chat with Rune Pedersen, host of The Idiom podcast

Feeling a bit ‘under the weather’ because it’s been ‘raining cats and dogs’? Maybe you’ve found yourself ‘in a pickle’! But if a Danish person said to you that ‘there’s no cow on the ice’ (det er ingen ko på isen), would you know what they mean? Idiomatic expressions are a really interesting part of language and in this episode, we’re chatting with Rune Pedersen, host of The Idiom, a podcast co-produced Think HQ CultureVerse and SBS Audio which explores culture through weird and wonderful idioms

Oct 23, 2023 • 45:28

Penny’s Epic Trip Around Australia!

Penny’s Epic Trip Around Australia!

In this episode, we’re chatting with our intrepid traveller Penny, who is on the trip of a lifetime around Australia with her family! After setting off in August 2023 for a 5-month road trip around the country, Penny and her family are discovering parts of Australia that they’ve never been to before, encountering different languages and cultures, and experiencing all the fun, challenges and practical considerations of travelling with a camper trailer in tow. Have a question for Penny about he

Oct 2, 2023 • 34:03

A chat with Language Lovers AU Community members, Han-Yu Ong & Ingrid Botha

A chat with Language Lovers AU Community members, Han-Yu Ong & Ingrid Botha

In this episode, we’re again chatting with two members of the Language Lovers AU Community based in Australia - Han-Yu Ong and Ingrid Botha - who both kindly took the time to tell us (and you!) about their respective experiences of learning other languages, the part that language plays in their lives, and what has motivated and inspired them. Have a question for Han-Yu, Ingrid or us? Get in touch or join our Facebook group, Language Lovers AU Community, to connect with other like-minded language

Sep 4, 2023 • 28:23

A chat with Language Lovers AU Community members, Lily Cerôn-Fernández & Deb McLeod

A chat with Language Lovers AU Community members, Lily Cerôn-Fernández & Deb McLeod

In this episode, we’re chatting with two Melbourne-based members of the Language Lovers AU Community - Lily Cerôn-Fernández and Deb McLeod - who both kindly took the time to tell us (and you!) about their respective experiences of learning other languages, what has motivated and inspired them, and where languages have taken them in their lives. Have a question for Lily, Deb or us? Get in touch or join our Facebook group, Language Lovers AU Community, to connect with other like-minded language lo

Aug 22, 2023 • 39:19

Teaching AI to speak: A chat with Conversation Designer, Grace Frances

Teaching AI to speak: A chat with Conversation Designer, Grace Frances

AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a hot topic at the moment, and in this episode of Language Chats we’re speaking with Melbourne-based conversation designer Grace Frances, whose work involves training AI assistants to interact with people and the creative aspect of conversational AI. We chat with Grace about what conversation design is and what it entails, how she found herself working in this exciting new field from a background in linguistics and copywriting, the ethics of working in this space,

Aug 7, 2023 • 31:16

Informing and entertaining Australians in over 60 languages: A chat with David Hua from SBS Australia

Informing and entertaining Australians in over 60 languages: A chat with David Hua from SBS Australia

In this episode, we’re speaking with David Hua, Director of Audio and Language Content at SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) Australia, Australia’s multilingual, multicultural and Indigenous media organisation. We speak with David about his own cultural and linguistic background, what inspired him to get into the media industry, the role that SBS has in modern Australia, what he is most proud of in the work that SBS does, and representation of culturally and linguistically diverse people in Aust

Jul 24, 2023 • 37:44

Extending the classroom beyond four walls: A chat with Tom Shugg from Meg Languages

Extending the classroom beyond four walls: A chat with Tom Shugg from Meg Languages

In this episode, we’re chatting with Tom Shugg, VIC-based co-founder of Meg Languages. Meg Languages focuses on creating global citizens and getting students excited about learning a language by providing live Mandarin & Spanish language instruction in classrooms across Australia and around the world. Tom tells us about how he was inspired by a school trip to China in Year 9, studying Chinese at university and abroad, how Meg Languages came to be, the challenges of finding language teachers

Jul 10, 2023 • 38:27

A choc top and a movie with subtitles, please: What Bec has seen at the cinema in 2023

A choc top and a movie with subtitles, please: What Bec has seen at the cinema in 2023

Love watching movies from around the world? It turns out that Bec goes to the cinema quite a lot and always has a recommendation for a film up her sleeve! Most of the movies she goes to see are in languages other English - surprise, surprise! - so in this episode, Bec is sharing a few of the international films that she’s watched over the last year or so which might also interest other language- and film-loving folk. Have a question or want to share your film recommendations with us too? Get in

Jun 26, 2023 • 32:53

Raising multilingual and multiliterate children: A chat with Yoshito Darmon-Shimamori

Raising multilingual and multiliterate children: A chat with Yoshito Darmon-Shimamori

In this episode, we’re speaking with Yoshito Darmon-Shimamori, a London-based languages teacher and author, writing specifically for multilingual children. Yoshito grew up in France, bilingual in French and Japanese, and learnt English and Spanish at school. His wife is Korean and they are now bringing up their children to be multilingual and multiliterate in their three home languages: Korean, French and English. We speak with him about his language-filled home environment, his work promoting m

Jun 12, 2023 • 30:47

Connecting language learners through TV: A chat with Lauren Williams from Polyglot Station

Connecting language learners through TV: A chat with Lauren Williams from Polyglot Station

In this episode, we’re speaking with US-based Lauren Williams, a speech language pathologist and founder of Polyglot Station and Language TV Club. As well as working with language day-to-day, Lauren is also a long-time language enthusiast who has studied French, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese (and dabbled in others!). We chat with her about her work as a speech language pathologist, her language learning experiences, how Polyglot Station and Language TV Club began and how they have grown. We hope

May 29, 2023 • 32:45

Passion for languages, learning and podcasts: A chat with Michelle Parkin

Passion for languages, learning and podcasts: A chat with Michelle Parkin

In this episode, we’re speaking with Michelle Parkin, a member of the Language Lovers AU Community! Michelle is a passionate teacher and language enthusiast, who has studied German, French, Italian and Portuguese, and LOVES listening to podcasts! Michelle tells us about her language learning journey over the years, from learning at school, independent language learning, returning to study languages at university level and her teaching experiences as well. We talk about the many (and varied) reso

May 15, 2023 • 37:42

Inspiring kids to enjoy Indonesian: A chat with Damian Bolton

Inspiring kids to enjoy Indonesian: A chat with Damian Bolton

In this episode, we’re chatting with Damian Bolton, an Indonesian language teacher based in Canberra who brings his passion and fascination for languages into the primary school classroom. Damian tells us about how he came to learn Indonesian after growing up in regional NSW with very little exposure to languages other than English, how an exchange program after high school changed his life, his love for his work as an Indonesian language teacher and what he thinks about the perception that Indo

May 1, 2023 • 46:17

Motivation, inspiration and regrets: Where language has taken us in life

Motivation, inspiration and regrets: Where language has taken us in life

In this episode, Penny & Bec are chatting about where our interest in language has taken us in life, both literally and figuratively. We talk about what learning other languages has inspired us to do and how it’s allowed us to have some pretty cool experiences over the years - which have influenced our studies, careers and personal lives - as well as the things that we perhaps wish we had (or hadn’t!) done along the way. What has language given you the opportunity to do? How has learning another

Apr 17, 2023 • 27:57

Creating Australia’s first comprehensive language policy: A chat with Prof Joseph Lo Bianco

Creating Australia’s first comprehensive language policy: A chat with Prof Joseph Lo Bianco

Our guest for this episode is Joseph Lo Bianco, Professor Emeritus of Language and Literacy Education at the Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne. We were delighted to have the opportunity to speak with Joe about his career and work on language, culture and literacy education in Australia and around the world. Among many other interesting research projects and advisory roles, in the late 1980s he wrote The National Policy on Languages, Australia’s first explicit and co

Apr 3, 2023 • 34:43

From doctor, to priest, to language app CEO: A chat with John Jang

From doctor, to priest, to language app CEO: A chat with John Jang

In this episode, we’re chatting with John Jang, a Korean-born Australian who has already had many interesting and varied experiences in his life so far… Many of which have involved learning other languages! John’s first language is Korean and he learnt English as his second language after migrating to Australia as a kid, but he has also studied Japanese, Italian, German, Tunisian Arabic, and French. John is the Co-Founder and CEO of Pengguin, a videoconferencing app which helps make online langu

Mar 20, 2023 • 40:25

Being bold and brave in language learning: A chat with Natalie King

Being bold and brave in language learning: A chat with Natalie King

About this Language Chat In this episode, we’re chatting with Natalie King, a member of the Language Lovers AU Community who shows us that you can learn and continue to learn other languages no matter what stage of life you find yourself at. We’re so inspired by her story! Natalie has studied Latin, German, Japanese, French, Italian, Mandarin Chinese and Turkish at different times in her life, and we loved speaking with her about her experiences of learning languages through various method

Mar 6, 2023 • 39:19

Bec & Penny Catch-Up: Language in practice and plans for 2023

Bec & Penny Catch-Up: Language in practice and plans for 2023

A fresh year, a fresh start! In this episode of Language Chats, we speak about Bec’s attempts at speaking other languages during her Christmas travels, Penny’s plan to re-start a language this year, a different strategy for learning grammar structures, as well as how the chat in our last episode is encouraging us to be fine with feeling like an idiot (thanks to our guest Benny Lewis for the sound advice!). What are your language plans for 2023? Join our Facebook group Language Lovers AU Communit

Feb 20, 2023 • 25:06

Embrace feeling like an idiot: A chat with Benny Lewis from Fluent in 3 Months

Embrace feeling like an idiot: A chat with Benny Lewis from Fluent in 3 Months

Full-time traveller, polyglot, author and founder of Fluent in 3 Months, Benny Lewis is our first guest on Language Chats for the new year! Benny is well known in the language learning world for his ‘speak from day one’ attitude and his popular blog, YouTube videos and books (Fluent in 3 Months and the Language Hacking series), through which he shares his experiences, strategies and tips for other people wanting to learn a language in a faster, smarter way. Tune into this episode to hear from Be

Feb 6, 2023 • 50:49

Inspiration Station: Gift Ideas for Language Lovers in 2022

Inspiration Station: Gift Ideas for Language Lovers in 2022

It’s our last episode for 2022 and now that the festive season is here, we’re chatting about gift ideas for language lovers (whether the language lover in question is you or someone else)! From books and games to things that you may be able to gift to a language-loving friends or family members who live further away, we hope this episode helps provide you with some ideas and thought-starters for useful, fun and inspiring presents, no matter how you celebrate at this time of year! This episode is

Dec 5, 2022 • 30:31

Foreign Language TV Series & Film - What We’ve Been Watching in 2022 (with Lamont from Days of French ‘n’ Swedish)

Foreign Language TV Series & Film - What We’ve Been Watching in 2022 (with Lamont from Days of French ‘n’ Swedish)

If you need a recommendation for a new TV series or film to watch, look no further - our annual ‘What We’ve Been Watching’ episode is back for 2022! We have always loved chatting about what we’ve been watching in other languages and, this time, we have a special guest to join us! We invited Lamont from Days of French ‘n’ Swedish back to join us for a second time on Language Chats in 2022 to hear about what he’s been watching as well (those who follow Lamont’s YouTube channel may know that he als

Nov 21, 2022 • 1:10:44

Ditch the insecurity: Embracing a beginner’s mindset for language learning

Ditch the insecurity: Embracing a beginner’s mindset for language learning

Does learning a new skill (e.g. a new language!) make you feel energised and excited, or frustrated and anxious? Or perhaps you’ve felt a combination of both? In this episode of Language Chats, Penny & Bec are chatting about the earliest stages in language learning and all the feelings that come with it - good and bad! - after Penny saw this article in The Guardian which talks about how to embrace being a beginner. We discuss our own experiences of being beginners in different languages, temperi

Nov 7, 2022 • 29:43

A fresh approach to PD for languages teachers: A chat with Kelly Harrison from Languages Roadshow

A fresh approach to PD for languages teachers: A chat with Kelly Harrison from Languages Roadshow

In this episode, we’re chatting with NSW-based Japanese & English teacher Kelly Harrison, the founder & director of Languages Roadshow. Languages Roadshow offers face to face events, online courses, creative resources and individualised support for teachers and schools, to empower educators to implement innovative teaching methods. Kelly tells us all about her journey and experience of learning Japanese and becoming a teacher, why she decided to start Languages Roadshow, the challenges that lang

Oct 24, 2022 • 35:14

Help! I’m not a beginner anymore: Navigating the intermediate language learning stage

Help! I’m not a beginner anymore: Navigating the intermediate language learning stage

So… You’re not a beginner anymore in the language that you’re learning, but you’re still a long way from considering yourself fluent. How do we deal with this hazy - and sometimes, seemingly endless - period of being kind of intermediate? In this episode, Penny & Bec speak about their experiences of this tricky but also empowering learning stage that comes after beginner, whether you like to describe it as intermediate, post-beginner, conversational or otherwise. We chat about the challenges of

Oct 10, 2022 • 25:23

All the places a language can take you: A chat with Jenna Lo Bianco

All the places a language can take you: A chat with Jenna Lo Bianco

In this episode of Language Chats, we speak with Jenna Lo Bianco, a Melbourne-based educator, author, PhD candidate and mum of two, who lives and breathes all things Italian. Jenna is one of the most enthusiastic and passionate language educators we know (we challenge you to not feel motivated to support language education in Australia after listening to this episode!) and we were thrilled to have her on the podcast to tell us about all the doors that language has opened in her life and career.

Sep 26, 2022 • 42:39

Independent but not alone: Self-managed language learning

Independent but not alone: Self-managed language learning

When you think of self-study or independent language learning, do you picture yourself studying alone, at a desk, perhaps with a few books and a laptop? Maybe some headphones too? There’s nothing wrong with this image at all, of course! But learning a language in a way that is entirely self-directed, in a way that suits your needs, motivations and available time, doesn’t necessarily mean learning alone and without any support, resources or recommendations on where to go to next. In this episode

Sep 12, 2022 • 28:43

From Linguistics to Speech Pathology: A chat with Erin Tibbitts

From Linguistics to Speech Pathology: A chat with Erin Tibbitts

If you think that speech pathologists only work with stutters and lisps, then listen in - the world of speech pathology is much wider than you might realise! In this episode of Language Chats, we speak with Melbourne-based speech pathologist (or ‘speechie’) Erin Tibbitts who has long had an interest in languages and linguistics. Born in New Zealand and having lived in a range of places around the world before studying and settling in Melbourne about 20 years ago, we speak with Erin about her lan

Aug 29, 2022 • 44:48

Re-tuning your ears: Practising listening skills in another language

Re-tuning your ears: Practising listening skills in another language

How do you like to practise your listening skills in another language? Does listening form a greater (or smaller) part of your language learning routine than reading, speaking or writing? In this episode, Penny & Bec chat about different ways they like to work on their listening in other languages and some of their experiences with this developing this skill in different languages over the years. We speak about our favourite ways to get listening practice, how listening doesn’t have to be passiv

Aug 16, 2022 • 31:07

An Aussie language learner on YouTube: A chat with Lamont from Days of French ‘n’ Swedish

An Aussie language learner on YouTube: A chat with Lamont from Days of French ‘n’ Swedish

YouTube can be a real treasure trove of information and inspiration for language learners, especially when it comes to hearing about other people’s experiences and how it might be able to help you in your own language learning journey. If you’re like us, we love hearing tips and recommendations from others! In this episode of Language Chats, we speak with NSW-based Lamont, the creator behind the Days of French ‘n’ Swedish YouTube channel. Lamont has been learning languages for over five years no

Aug 1, 2022 • 45:43

Normalising multilingualism in Australian families: A chat with Sheila Ngọc Phạm

Normalising multilingualism in Australian families: A chat with Sheila Ngọc Phạm

Our guest in this episode of Language Chats is Sydney-based writer, editor, producer and scholar Sheila Ngọc Phạm who has worked across radio, print, online and film. Languages are a big part of Sheila’s life, as a bilingual English/Vietnamese Australian whose interest in language led her to study linguistics and learn a number of other languages through her travels and experiences in life so far. We chat about her linguistic background as the child of Vietnamese parents growing up in Sydney, he

Jul 11, 2022 • 1:02:47

What gives you that ‘buzz’: Incentives & rewards in language learning

What gives you that ‘buzz’: Incentives & rewards in language learning

Do incentives or rewards play a part in how you stay motivated in your language learning? In this episode of Language Chats, we speak about how we incentivise or reward ourselves for our language learning efforts (if at all!) and the range of things and feelings that can serve us in this way as learners. Rewards don’t always come in physical, tangible forms - they can be something very internal, like a feeling of pride at having stepped outside of your comfort zone or having been understood in y

Jun 28, 2022 • 30:57

Living and loving a language-filled life and career: A chat with Katerina Forrester

Living and loving a language-filled life and career: A chat with Katerina Forrester

Have you ever wondered what the most challenging and rewarding things about being a high school language teacher in Australia would be, when English is everywhere? It’s a task that teachers like Kat take on everyday and honestly - we’re in awe! In this Language Chat, we speak with Kat Forrester, a Melbourne-based French language teacher, language enthusiast and self-confessed syntax geek who lives and breathes a love of language everyday. Kat tells us about her experiences of learning, studying

Jun 13, 2022 • 36:15

An Aussie in Switzerland: A chat with Julie Eggleton

An Aussie in Switzerland: A chat with Julie Eggleton

In this episode of Language Chats, we’re chatting with one of our Language Lovers AU Community members, Julie Eggleton. Julie is originally from the Gold Coast but now lives with her family in Switzerland (and we are very jealous of the beautiful view of the mountains which she has from her desk at home!). We speak about her experiences of learning French and German over the years, living overseas and learning a language once you’re in a country where the language is spoken (hint: immersion isn’

May 30, 2022 • 39:49

Make language learning fun again

Make language learning fun again

Have you lost the fun from your learning? What comes to mind when you think of fun + language learning?    In this episode of Language Chats, together with some members of Language Lovers AU, we discuss the best tips to get the fun back into your languages.   From journaling to tracking your motivations, making real-life connections, gamifying your learning, and going to a cafe, we talk about what makes it fun for others and for us.   We love hearing from you. What’s your best tip for making you

May 2, 2022 • 37:00

Keeping a mother tongue alive through community radio: A chat with Kathy Ismail

Keeping a mother tongue alive through community radio: A chat with Kathy Ismail

In this episode of Language Chats, we’re chatting with one of our Language Lovers AU Community members, Kathy Ismail. Malaysian-born and now based in Melbourne, Kathy is an enthusiastic language lover who grew up in a very multilingual environment in Kuala Lumpur and an interest in language has stayed with her ever since! Kathy is an architect by trade but also hosts a Malay language program on Melbourne community radio station 3ZZZ.   We speak with Kathy about her language learning story and th

Apr 18, 2022 • 37:50

Page-turners for language lovers: our favourite books about language & travel

Page-turners for language lovers: our favourite books about language & travel

Need a recommendation for something new to read? In this episode, we chat about our favourite books about language, travel or both (and a few books that we’re planning to read soon)! From novels that whisk you away to another place where you find yourself surrounded by new sounds and experiences, to non-fiction reads about how language is changing and where it has come from, let us tell you a bit about the language- and travel-related reads that have inspired, enlightened and delighted us over t

Apr 4, 2022 • 36:23

Embracing passion for language as self-care: A chat with Elfin from @allaboutitalian

Embracing passion for language as self-care: A chat with Elfin from @allaboutitalian

What place does a passion for languages have in your life? How can we better experience a language and a culture more fully as learners, especially if we don’t live in a place where the language is spoken? In this episode, we speak with Elfin Waters from All About Italian, who is an Italian language coach based in Cremona, Italy. Elfin helps people who are passionate about Italy to nurture their connection to the country and the language through TV shows and language immersion retreats. With her

Mar 21, 2022 • 40:34

Learning, living and working in Asia: A chat with Jess from @aussieinasia

Learning, living and working in Asia: A chat with Jess from @aussieinasia

We love hearing about the experiences of Australians who are living abroad and have the opportunity to use other languages day to day! In this episode, we chat with Jess (you might know her as @aussieinasia on Instagram or Mindful Lang on YouTube) who is currently teaching English in South Korea. She tells us about her experiences of learning Chinese, Korean, Spanish and Arabic, her path to living, studying and working in Asia, her goals for this year and some of her learning tips. Have any ques

Mar 7, 2022 • 29:21

Connection & Community through Women In Language: A chat with Lindsay Williams

Connection & Community through Women In Language: A chat with Lindsay Williams

t’s a pretty great feeling when you discover and meet other people who share the same interests as you, right? Women in Language is the virtual place where we first got in touch with each other and realised that, yes - there are other people just like us, who love languages too! Now coming up to its fifth edition, Women in Language is an online event created to champion, celebrate and amplify female and non-binary voices in language learning, organised by Kerstin Cable (Fluent Language), Lindsa

Feb 26, 2022 • 26:13

Ep #060 - Low pressure, low commitment: Let’s dabble together in March!

Ep #060 - Low pressure, low commitment: Let’s dabble together in March!

Happy New Year, language lovers! We’re back for 2022 and looking forward to another great year of Language Chats! To get things started on an exciting note, in this episode we’re announcing something fun for our community - a low-pressure, low-commitment language challenge which was suggested by one of our members (and past Language Chats guest), Evan, which will be focused on having a dabble in a new language. Why dabble alone when you could dabble at the same time as others and share the exper

Feb 7, 2022 • 22:53

Reflections: Looking back on our language learning in 2021

Reflections: Looking back on our language learning in 2021

How do you feel about your language learning in 2021? Did you reach the goals that you set out to achieve, or did this crazy year throw you just as many curveballs as 2020? In this episode of Language Chats, we’re reflecting on our language learning this year and how this might impact our plans for 2022. We chat about how we feel about the year as a whole, what worked for us and what didn’t, as well as what we are thinking of aiming towards for next year. This is our last episode for 2021, so w

Dec 16, 2021 • 31:09

Unwrapped! Christmas Gift Ideas for Language Lovers

Unwrapped! Christmas Gift Ideas for Language Lovers

It’s getting to that time of year… It’s almost Christmas! Are you thinking about what language-related goodies you’d like to find (or put) under the Christmas tree, or which ones you can gift to a language lover who lives further away? In this episode of Language Chats, we’re talking about what we’d like Santa to bring us (*hint hint* friends/family/significant others) as well as gift ideas for language lovers like us, whether they are near or far. What language-themed gifts would you like to gi

Nov 29, 2021 • 35:02

Foreign Language TV Series - What We’re Watching in 2021

Foreign Language TV Series - What We’re Watching in 2021

Need something new to watch? Despite those childhood warnings about getting square eyes, we still both watch an almighty amount of TV and we particularly love watching series in other languages (so it’s educational, right?). In what has become an annual tradition for Language Chats, we’re chatting about what we’ve been watching this year - from light-hearted Scandinavian series to French reality TV, drama to documentaries, we’ve covered some serious multilingual viewing in 2021! What have you

Nov 15, 2021 • 38:53

Not just textbooks: Structure in language learning

Not just textbooks: Structure in language learning

How does the word ‘structure’ make you feel in the context of learning a language? The idea of structured learning might conjure images in your mind of textbooks or classrooms, but structure can come in many forms - some more or less effective for different people in a different stages of their learning. In this episode of Language Chats, we’re chatting about our experiences of learning languages in both structured and less structured environments, and the kinds of structure that have worked (a

Nov 1, 2021 • 36:02

Leading a bilingual school: A chat with Stanley Wang, Principal of Abbotsford Primary School

Leading a bilingual school: A chat with Stanley Wang, Principal of Abbotsford Primary School

Bilingual education is being embraced by more schools, educators and communities in Australia, as its benefits become more established and accepted. Although still a niche part of the Australian educational landscape, there are a number of bilingual schools around the country, which allow students to learn through another language in addition to English. In this episode of Language Chats, we speak with Stanley Wang, Principal of Abbotsford Primary School in Melbourne, the home of Australia’s lon

Oct 4, 2021 • 49:15

Bringing Filipino cuisine, culture & community to Australians: A chat with Fides Mae Santos-Arguelles from The Entree.Pinays

Bringing Filipino cuisine, culture & community to Australians: A chat with Fides Mae Santos-Arguelles from The Entree.Pinays

How much do you know about Filipino food, culture and language? Did you know that Australians of Filipino heritage make up the fifth largest group of Australians born overseas*? In this Language Chat, we speak with Fides Mae Santos-Arguelles, independent business consultant and co-founder of The Entree.Pinays, a food-loving entrepreneurial group of Filipinas working together to bring Filipino cuisine, culture and community to the hearts, minds and tastebuds of Australians on Wurundjeri country.

Sep 20, 2021 • 48:13

Teaching Australians another language: A chat with Margaux Josse

Teaching Australians another language: A chat with Margaux Josse

Australians aren’t well known for their language skills (unfortunately)… But is this just a stereotype? Do we really struggle at learning languages, or are we just expecting too much, too soon, when we set out on a language learning journey? In this episode of Language Chats, we speak with Margaux Josse, a Melbourne-based French language teacher who has been teaching French to Australians of different ages, backgrounds and motivations across a range of professional contexts for over six years. W

Sep 6, 2021 • 45:43

The ’F’ word: Fluency in French with Bec Howie

The ’F’ word: Fluency in French with Bec Howie

In this episode of Language Chats, we’re talking the ‘F’ word! Maybe not the F word you are thinking about…. but FLUENCY. Our very own Language Chats co-host Bec talks about her French language learning experience from a beginner 5-year-old kid to becoming ‘fluent’. What does fluent mean to you? Is it a goal of yours? Can you be fluent in a particular context and not in others? What about all the pressures of admitting you are fluent? Does it take confidence to talk about your language skills

Aug 16, 2021 • 35:42

Combining what you learn with what you love: A chat with Ermy from The Language Rose

Combining what you learn with what you love: A chat with Ermy from The Language Rose

In this episode of Language Chats, we speak with Italian teacher and artist Ermy Pedata of The Language Rose. Ermy is passionate and enthusiastic teacher (her positivity is infectious!), who loves to help her students learn Italian through their interests and passions. We chat with her about her own language learning journey and how art led her back to languages, her tips to help people connect their language learning with what they love, and how she has applied this approach to her own language

Aug 2, 2021 • 37:22

It’s language trivia time! Celebrating our 50th episode

It’s language trivia time! Celebrating our 50th episode

50 episodes of Language Chats! We can hardly believe it! It’s been a little over two years since we started recording this podcast and we’re still here… But so are you! We have a lot of fun chatting language between ourselves and with others, but it’s extra special that there are other language lovers out there who enjoy listening to these language chats too. So, thank you for tuning in and engaging with us on our favourite topics! To celebrate this little milestone, we’re putting each other to

Jul 19, 2021 • 1:03:43

Connecting to indigenous culture through language: A chat with Yaaran from @wiradyuri

Connecting to indigenous culture through language: A chat with Yaaran from @wiradyuri

Wiradjuri is the Australian indigenous language of Wiradjuri country, in central-southern New South Wales. As a revival language, it is experiencing growth and provides an important connection to the local indigenous culture; however it also faces significant challenges to keep it alive and active. In this episode, we speak with Wiradjuri man Yaaran (Aaron) Ellis who currently teaches the Wiradjuri language in Young, New South Wales. We chat about his experience of learning and teaching the lang

Jul 5, 2021 • 38:41

Learning Farsi: A chat with Candace Powell

Learning Farsi: A chat with Candace Powell

Farsi (Persian) may not be a language that you hear about people learning often in Australia; however the official language of Iran has an estimated 70 million native speakers and 110 million speakers worldwide, and it’s the language that has captured Sydney-based Candace Powell’s language-loving heart for the last several years. In this episode of Language Chats, we speak with Candace about how she became interested in learning Farsi, how she has been learning the language and finding resources

Jun 21, 2021 • 38:00

The power of podcasts for language learning: A chat with Pete from Aussie English

The power of podcasts for language learning: A chat with Pete from Aussie English

How important are podcasts to you for learning a language? Being so accessible, podcasts are a great way to practice your listening skills for any language! But it’s not always just about the language itself. Listening to podcasts can also be a way to learn more about another culture and about other more subtle aspects of communicating in another language too. In this episode, we speak with Pete Smissen, creator of Aussie English, a podcast and learning platform that helps advanced English stud

Jun 7, 2021 • 36:03

Languages at work and at home: A chat with Andrew & Xuran

Languages at work and at home: A chat with Andrew & Xuran

In this episode, we speak with two members of our Language Lovers AU Community - Andrew & Xuran (Sharon), who are both currently language teachers of Chinese at schools in Geelong, Victoria. We chat with them both about their respective journeys with language learning and how they became interested in languages, teaching Chinese in Victorian high schools and how they bring many languages into their home with their two young sons. Can you relate to their experiences? Do you have any questions fo

May 24, 2021 • 39:34

More than A to Z: Learning languages with another script or alphabet

More than A to Z: Learning languages with another script or alphabet

Have you learned (or would you like to learn) a language that uses another script or alphabet? Or does the idea of learning a language that is written in a *completely* different way scare you? In this episode of Language Chats, we chat about Penny’s experience of learning Japanese and Mandarin, the excitement of learning to ‘crack the code’, the visual nature of learning other scripts and alphabets, whether it would be possible to skip learning a script (#controversial), and which scripts we’d

May 10, 2021 • 23:57

Making language learning accessible & exciting: A chat with Philippa Kruger from Education Perfect

Making language learning accessible & exciting: A chat with Philippa Kruger from Education Perfect

The world of EdTech is growing and dynamic, offering greater access to exciting and diverse learning materials to students around the world. In this episode of Language Chats, we had the pleasure of speaking with Philippa Kruger, Global Head of Languages at Education Perfect. We chat about Philippa’s background as a French teacher and how she progressed into the exciting world of EdTech, what EP is, how it came to be what it is today (hint: it started with languages!) and how it can help studen

Apr 26, 2021 • 34:40

Introduction to Australian indigenous languages: A chat with Karla Zuluaga (Part 2)

Introduction to Australian indigenous languages: A chat with Karla Zuluaga (Part 2)

If you haven’t already listened to Part 1 of this conversation, you can listen to it here. This is Part 2 of our chat with linguist Karla Zuluaga, who gives us an introduction to Australian indigenous languages and their current context, based on her studies, knowledge and experience to date. In this second half of our conversation, we chat about bringing indigenous languages into education in indigenous and non-indigenous communities, as well as how we can better inform ourselves on indigenous

Apr 12, 2021 • 30:23

Introduction to Australian indigenous languages: A chat with Karla Zuluaga (Part 1)

Introduction to Australian indigenous languages: A chat with Karla Zuluaga (Part 1)

There are over 250 indigenous languages in Australia, but most Australians know very little (if anything at all) about them. There is important work being done around the country to document, revitalise, revive and share the languages which have existed in Australia since long before colonisation, but if you’re like us and you want to know more - where does one even begin? In this episode of Language Chats, we speak with linguist Karla Zuluaga who gives us an introduction to Australian indigenou

Mar 29, 2021 • 30:24

Finding support & solidarity in language challenges: A chat with Debs Bensaul

Finding support & solidarity in language challenges: A chat with Debs Bensaul

Have you ever taken part in an online language challenge to keep yourself on track and stay motivated in your learning? Debs Bensaul (@franklyfrancophone | @essentiallyitalian | @towardsfluency ) is a long-time Language Chats listener and member of our Language Lovers AU Community. Based in Sydney, Debs is a committed learner of French and Italian who regularly takes part in the Fluent in 3 Months Challenge as a learner and volunteer community coach. We talk about her experiences of learning lan

Mar 15, 2021 • 26:56

Native or Non-Native Teachers/Tutors: The Pros & Cons

Native or Non-Native Teachers/Tutors: The Pros & Cons

What’s been your experience with tutors and teachers? Have you had mostly native teachers or a mix of non-native and native teachers? In this episode of Language Chats, Bec and Penny chat about their experiences over the years, and the pros and cons of both. Plus are you going to be at the Women in Language online conference? It's from 4-7 March 2021 - you can get your ticket here! Italki Get your Women In Language ticket here! 4-7 March 2021 Language Lovers AU Community on Facebook Bec @bec.

Mar 1, 2021 • 26:21

Enthusiastic about linguistics: A chat with Gretchen & Lauren from Lingthusiasm

Enthusiastic about linguistics: A chat with Gretchen & Lauren from Lingthusiasm

You might not know it yet, but you’re about to get very enthusiastic about linguistics. Yes, that’s right! The science of language and communication is fascinating and we recently had the pleasure of chatting with Gretchen McCulloch and Lauren Gawne, hosts of Lingthusiasm, a podcast that’s enthusiastic about linguistics. We talk about what linguistics is, why it is so interesting and relevant (especially to those who love learning other languages!), whether we should all learn the International

Feb 15, 2021 • 46:54

Looking back to look ahead - our language plans for 2021

Looking back to look ahead - our language plans for 2021

Was 2020 a year you needed a break from language learning? Did you step back and change your direction and plans? In this episode of Language Chats, Bec and Penny reflect on the past year and think about the learnings they will take with them into 2021. Consistency, not being hard on ourselves, getting back to what we love doing, not wanting to lose our sense of self and discovering what really works for us are just some of the learnings we talk about! Are you taking on something new this year?

Feb 1, 2021 • 30:16

Embarrassing mistakes: Short-term pain, long-term gain

Embarrassing mistakes: Short-term pain, long-term gain

Mistakes are a natural part of the learning process but that doesn't mean that they are always pleasant! In this episode of Language Chats, we chat all about embarrassing mistakes we’ve made in our language learning, how we recovered and what we learned. From tonal mishaps to pronunciation blunders, we’ve made a few! What funny/embarrassing experiences have you had when trying to speak another language? Let us know! We love hearing from you. And don’t forget you can join our Facebook group to b

Dec 14, 2020 • 26:36

Fascinated by sound: A chat with opera singer and speech pathologist, Sarah Lobegeiger de Rodriguez

Fascinated by sound: A chat with opera singer and speech pathologist, Sarah Lobegeiger de Rodriguez

How does a love of music and a love of language come together? In this episode of Language Chats, we speak with Melbourne-based speech pathologist and opera singer, Sarah Lobegeiger de Rodriguez, who describes herself as “a person with a complete and utter fascination with sound”. We chat about her love for music, words and sound, how this impacts her experience of learning other languages, fighting for empathy with respect to accents, and the complex way that our voice and language can influenc

Nov 23, 2020 • 39:41

What to do when it all goes to and you lose your language learning mojo!

What to do when it all goes to and you lose your language learning mojo!

This year has been a test for us all! When life intervenes (and this is not just during pandemics, but other life changes can throw up big changes in how we approach language learning), it’s important to have a few reasons at your disposal to keep you going in language learning. In this episode, we chat about our different motivations for language learning and what has kept us on track this year during the pandemic and why even when we have lots of time we still find we get tripped up and find s

Nov 8, 2020 • 36:35

Language apps that we’re loving, loathing or that have lost our interest!

Language apps that we’re loving, loathing or that have lost our interest!

Some language apps are really gamified, some have video, animations or audio, and some use spaced repetition. There have been some fad apps that have come in and been replaced by others – there sure is lots going on in this app world! In this episode of Language Chats, Bec and Penny reveal their favourite apps and others that aren’t near the top of the go-to list. What apps do you love or loathe? Let us know! And don’t forget to join our Facebook group to be part of future discussions just li

Oct 26, 2020 • 28:14

Language and personal identity: A chat with polyglot Lina Vasquez

Language and personal identity: A chat with polyglot Lina Vasquez

Lina Vasquez is a Latvian-Australian personal development coach, polyglot, YouTuber, speaker and entrepreneur. Having been immersed in a multicultural environment from a young age, she studied law and languages in Australia and Germany and now speaks a total of eight at various levels. Lina has always been curious and a free soul and her experiences of other countries as a teenager, led her to create this global life for herself. Penny and Bec got to “meet” Lina at the recent 2020 Women in Langu

Oct 12, 2020 • 37:31

Accents and language learning - is there a ’right’ one? And does it even matter?

Accents and language learning - is there a ’right’ one? And does it even matter?

From the Quebecois accent to the Southern Vietnamese accent, we've both had experiences of struggling with accents or feeling proud of their accent in their second language. In this episode, we ask if accents matter, or is the main goal actually just comprehension? In this episode, we’ve done something a bit different and put some questions out to our Language Lovers AU Community Facebook group about accents and language learning and got some amazing responses back. What are your experiences of

Sep 28, 2020 • 32:00

When is the right time to introduce a new language into the mix?

When is the right time to introduce a new language into the mix?

Is there such a thing as a right time to introduce a new language? Do we need to be at a certain level such as B1 or equivalent before adding in a new language? Or does it all come down to your motivation and goals and it when it just feels right? In this episode, Penny and Bec talk about if there is a right time to introduce a new language into your language learning mix. What's been your experience with adding a new language? Let us know here, in our Facebook Group or Instagram! @languagel

Sep 8, 2020 • 26:31

Foreign Language TV Series - What We’re Watching in 2020

Foreign Language TV Series - What We’re Watching in 2020

What we’re watching!We love watching foreign language TV and in this episode we round up our latest discoveries. From German fantasy thrillers to Danish political drams and Spanish food documentaries to Indian love stories, we cover all kinds of genres and languages in this episode! What have you been watching? Let us know here, in our Facebook Group or Instagram! Head to our website for the shownotes and links for this episode.

Aug 25, 2020 • 29:32

Sharing the voices of Women In Language: A chat with Kerstin from The Fluent Show

Sharing the voices of Women In Language: A chat with Kerstin from The Fluent Show

Excuse us while we have a little fangirl moment on the podcast because, in this episode, we chat with someone who has been a massive inspiration to us both - Kerstin Cable from fluentlanguage.co.uk and The Fluent Show! Kerstin tells us about where Fluent Language started, how her podcast grew out of a series of interviews on her blog, a bit about her personal experience of learning languages and about Women In Language, an online conference that she organises with Lindsay Williams and Shannon Ke

Aug 10, 2020 • 46:05

From being the only student at school studying Chinese to certified translator: A chat with Maddy Norris

From being the only student at school studying Chinese to certified translator: A chat with Maddy Norris

In this episode, we chat with Maddy Norris - a fellow language lover here in Australia and long-time Language Chats listener! Maddy is a NAATI-certified Mandarin Chinese to English translator and has also spent time learning a number of other languages including Japanese, Korean and French. She tells us a bit about her experience of studying languages in Australia at school and university, working as a translator and her language learning ambitions that lie ahead. Can you relate to some of Maddy

Jul 27, 2020 • 30:47

Is it really a choice? Formal language learning as a school-aged kid in Australia

Is it really a choice? Formal language learning as a school-aged kid in Australia

If we had our time again, would we choose the languages we studied? Languages are often chosen for us, rather than us choosing them when we’re kids. If Bec had her time again, would she choose French? Is it really a choice? Penny chose to learn Japanese after school in year 7, but what drew her in? In this episode of Language Chats, we talk about language learning as children in school. How difficult is it for kids to develop an emotional connection to the language if it’s thrust upon them? How

Jul 13, 2020 • 27:02

Enriching your travel experiences with language: A chat with Michele Frolla (The Intrepid Guide)

Enriching your travel experiences with language: A chat with Michele Frolla (The Intrepid Guide)

In this episode, we’re chatting with a fellow Melbournian and Australian language lover - Michele Frolla from The Intrepid Guide. Now based in the UK, Michele tells us about how she became interested in languages, how her blog and website The Intrepid Guide came about and, most recently, how she has started sharing her own love of ltalian through her new online course! Do you love to learn even just a little bit of a language before you travel? Like Michele, have you seen the impact of having a

Jun 29, 2020 • 30:07

The Language Learning Landscape in Australia: how it’s changed for adults and independent learners

The Language Learning Landscape in Australia: how it’s changed for adults and independent learners

Technology, access to resources, and motivations to learn a new language have completely changed in the three decades since Australia’s National Policy of Languages was written. In this episode, we chat about what these changes mean for adult independent learners today, plus the power of online communities for support, motivation and inspiration. We also lament the lack of public profile people celebrating their bilingualism - and mention a few names you might not even know speak a second langu

Jun 16, 2020 • 27:34

The Language Learning Landscape in Australia: our observations

The Language Learning Landscape in Australia: our observations

In this episode, we share with you some of our general observations about what we like to call ‘the language learning landscape’ in Australia. For as long as we’ve known each other, we’ve been talking about elements of this in bits and pieces - our experiences of learning languages at school and uni, which languages were perceived as being ‘useful’ or ‘good for your career’ while others were seen to be an ‘unusual choice’ (!), the power and prominence of English despite the many languages used i

Jun 1, 2020 • 24:18

Russian, French and long-term goals in mind: A chat with Evan Walters

Russian, French and long-term goals in mind: A chat with Evan Walters

In this episode, we’re chatting with another language lover living in Australia - Brisbane-based Evan Walters studied French at school and has been learning Russian for the last five years. We chat about his language learning story, his different motivations for learning French and Russian, the role of long-term goals and routine, and the place of travel in his language learning. Are you an Australian language lover who would like to share your story? We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch wit

May 18, 2020 • 33:15

Goals, progress and the unexpected: language learning in 2020 so far

Goals, progress and the unexpected: language learning in 2020 so far

There’s been a lot of changes to life in 2020. Bec and Penny chat about their language goals and progress so far this year and the impact of Covid-19. Bec has discovered she enjoys her ‘blended learning’ approach for German and Penny is intent on not being too hard on her self and celebrating her weekly French class. More: www.languagelovers.com.au/podcast

May 4, 2020 • 29:32

Online Language Lessons (Part 2): Getting the preparation right

Online Language Lessons (Part 2): Getting the preparation right

Just a couple of episodes ago, in Episode #019, we chatted about whether online lessons could be a good option for you as a language learner. In the meantime, COVID-19 has impacted the world in a huge way - many of us are spending a lot more time than usual at home, travel is out of the question and online learning for young people as well as adults has become more than just an interesting option, but a fact of life. As Bec gets ready for her first experience of finding and booking some one-on-o

Apr 20, 2020 • 23:13

Bite-sized language podcasts for busy people: A chat with Mark from Coffee Break Languages

Bite-sized language podcasts for busy people: A chat with Mark from Coffee Break Languages

While Bec was in Scotland recently, she had the opportunity to meet and speak with Mark, the founder of Coffee Break Languages (also known as the Radio Lingua Network). Bec got to chat with Mark about his own story as a language lover and how Coffee Break Languages came to be, as well as the podcasts and other products that Coffee Break Languages offers to language learners all around the world. Have you listened to any of the Coffee Break Languages podcasts? Which one would you like to start wi

Mar 26, 2020 • 26:00

Online language lessons (Part 1): Is this right for me?

Online language lessons (Part 1): Is this right for me?

In this episode of Language Chats, Penny and Bec chat about how online language lessons work, the pros and cons of learning online and some tips on how to choose your teacher or tutor. Penny is a long-time convert to online language lessons and challenges Bec to give it a go! Do you take language lessons online? Let us know how you find it!

Mar 9, 2020 • 22:24

Putting your language skills to work: Using another language for your job

Putting your language skills to work: Using another language for your job

Have you dreamed about using your language skills in your job? In this Language Chats episode, Bec shares her experience of using French in the workplace. Bec shares how a bilingual office operates in Australia as well as some tips about how to make the leap and work in an environment using your second language. Do you use your language skills in your job? Get in touch and let us know! We love hearing from you.

Feb 24, 2020 • 26:13

Discovering languages around the world with Language Stories: A chat with Lindsay Williams

Discovering languages around the world with Language Stories: A chat with Lindsay Williams

Lindsay Williams is a polyglot from the UK and learns, teaches, blogs, vlogs, eats, sleeps, and breathes everything language. Languages were never really a thing for Lindsay until she decided to take Spanish at GCSE because she wanted to translate Shakira songs. Since then, it’s been a growing passion that has led to her making languages her business. Lindsay Does Languages was born in 2012 as a local company in the heart of little old England offering private language tuition. Since then, Linds

Feb 10, 2020 • 33:19

Language Travel - What is it and how to get the most from it

Language Travel - What is it and how to get the most from it

Penny and Bec chat about language travel in this episode - what it is and how to get the most from it! Penny is a long-term fan of language travel and has been on language trips to to Vietnam, China and Taiwan as part of her Vietnamese and Chinese learning. With an upcoming French language trip planned for New Caledonia, Bec asks Penny why she loves language travel so much. Penny loves the face-to-face connections that language travel allows you to have, the opportunity to use phrases, words and

Jan 27, 2020 • 23:39

Does Grammar Scare You?

Does Grammar Scare You?

How do you feel about grammar? Does it scare you like it does Penny? Or are you grammar-lover like Bec? In this episode we chat about the technical terms that can be off-putting and ways to overcome our fear of learning grammar. What’s your experience been with learning grammar? Are you a grammar lover or a grammar phobe?

Jan 12, 2020 • 27:35

A first-timer at the Polyglot Conference - the event for everyone who loves languages

A first-timer at the Polyglot Conference - the event for everyone who loves languages

Bec has just come back to Australia from Japan, where she went to attend the 2019 Polyglot Conference in Fukuoka! This was Bec’s first time at this special event for everyone who loves language, so in this Language Chat we talk all about what it was like and how it works, the kinds of presentations and workshops there were to see, and the experience of being in the same place as 400 other language lovers from all over the world! Have you attended the Polyglot Conference (or an event like this) b

Nov 11, 2019 • 25:33

What’s a tonal language, anyway? (And what it’s like to learn one)

What’s a tonal language, anyway? (And what it’s like to learn one)

In this episode of Language Chats, Bec asks Penny about learning tonal languages. In particular, the two tonal languages Penny has learned - Vietnamese and Mandarin Chinese. Penny talks about the process of learning a tonal language as a beginner (lots of drills and repetition!), the importance of trying to mimic the sounds you hear, going back to basics and losing your inhibitions. Are you learning a tonal language? Let us know what works for you and what your challenges have been! Lingo Mama

Oct 14, 2019 • 26:39

A Weekend For Language Lovers: The Language Event - Melbourne

A Weekend For Language Lovers: The Language Event - Melbourne

In this Language Chat episode we chat about our experience of taking part in the inaugural Language Event - Melbourne held on 21-22 September 2019. It was a weekend filled with presentations on a range of language-related topics like raising a multilingual family (Richard Simcott), language reclamation and revival (Professor Ghil'ad Zuckermann), how the voice works and using it in different languages (Sarah Lobegeiger de Rodriguez, Voice Science), and how to have immersion language experiences l

Sep 30, 2019 • 30:56

Looking for Language Learning Inspiration? Our Favourite Language Bloggers To Follow

Looking for Language Learning Inspiration? Our Favourite Language Bloggers To Follow

Learning a language takes time – it can be both fun and fulfilling, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not hard work! Outwardly, it can seem like it happens overnight for polyglots, but we have to remind ourselves that this isn’t the reality. So it’s always refreshing (and comforting!) to read and hear from other language learners who have had the same struggles and challenges as us! In this episode of Language Chats, Bec and Penny discuss their favourite language bloggers to follow for inspiration

Sep 16, 2019 • 31:49

Finding Your Language Learning Sweet Spot

Finding Your Language Learning Sweet Spot

We all learn differently, but how do we find our ‘sweet spot’ for language learning? What methods and tools do you find work most effectively for you? It’s pretty easy to get distracted by the bright and shiny new tools out there… But do you prefer ‘old-school’, more traditional methods, like being guided by a textbook and making flashcards? Or do apps and online lessons take up the majority of your study time? Maybe you use a combination of both? In this episode, Penny and Bec talk about what t

Aug 19, 2019 • 28:33

The Backstory: Our Focus Languages and Why We Studied Them at Uni

The Backstory: Our Focus Languages and Why We Studied Them at Uni

This episode of Language Chats is two listener questions combined. Jess from Melbourne wrote in to ask about how important it was to undertake formal qualifications in a language, and Jo also from Melbourne asked how we both ended up studying European (Bec) languages and Asian (Penny) languages predominantly. We chat about our experiences studying at uni and how we developed our love of the languages we’ve chosen to study.

Aug 5, 2019 • 27:50

Language Learning with Netflix: A Game Changer for TV Lovers

Language Learning with Netflix: A Game Changer for TV Lovers

If you’re into watching foreign language TV shows on Netflix as much as we are, you’ll love the Language Learning With Netflix Chrome Extension. In this episode of Language Chats, we talk about what this Chrome extension is, how to set it up (it’s free!), which languages it supports, and some of our thoughts on making the most of it for language learning. We chat some of this tool’s features and how we’ve been using it, including: Having two sets of subtitles (both the original language and a la

Jul 22, 2019 • 25:33

Dabbling: Why It’s Ok To Not Commit

Dabbling: Why It’s Ok To Not Commit

About this Language Chat In this episode of Language Chats, we talk about dabbling in a language and why there’s nothing wrong with just learning a few words without committing to larger, long-term goals. Penny is dabbling in French at the moment and, by not fully committing to learning the language, she admits that it’s taken the pressure off - she can just enjoy just having fun and mucking around with the language without thinking about whether or not she’s making enough progress. We chat abou

Jul 8, 2019 • 22:59

From Third Culture Kid in France, to teaching French in Australia: Interview with Devy Baseley

From Third Culture Kid in France, to teaching French in Australia: Interview with Devy Baseley

For the first time, we have a guest with us on Language Chats! Devy Baseley is a language lover in Brisbane, who grew up in France with an Irish Mum and a Cambodian Dad. We chat to Devy about speaking more than one language as a child and now, as an adult, her experiences of teaching (and learning) languages here in Australia. Devy is the founder of French Speak, a French language school in Brisbane. Tune in to also hear Devy’s top tips for French beginners (and don’t worry if you’re not learnin

Jun 24, 2019 • 25:18

Maintaining One Language While Learning Another

Maintaining One Language While Learning Another

This episode is a listener Question from Deborah in Sydney.Deborah’s question - “I have been learning French for a number of years. I struggled with various means until I finally hit upon a combination of styles that worked for me. The class room environment just didn't suit me. I was one of those people who sat at the back and didn't answer, and there was always that one person who would constantly interrupt the lesson to argue a grammar point with the teacher. Once I discovered Italki things g

Jun 10, 2019 • 26:39

Language Events Worldwide (that we’d love to go to)

Language Events Worldwide (that we’d love to go to)

Bec and Penny chat about all the language events happening around the world and dream about the events they want to attend. We speak about how its often the social aspects of language events and conferences, especially for independent language learners that are the drawcard. Have you been to a language related event, tell us how it was – what was your experience like?

May 26, 2019 • 24:23

Foreign Language TV Series - What We’re Watching

Foreign Language TV Series - What We’re Watching

Watching TV series in another language can be a great listening exercise, but we’ve also both found ourselves inspired (or at least tempted) to learn new languages that we’ve heard - sometimes for the first time - through a TV show. Penny and Bec chat about some of the foreign language TV series that they are enjoying at the moment (and the languages that they are enjoying through these shows!), many of which are available online through streaming services such as SBS On Demand and Netflix in A

May 12, 2019 • 27:47

Independent vs Class Learning - The Pros and Cons

Independent vs Class Learning - The Pros and Cons

Do we have this mentality that in order to learn a language we have to attend a class? Penny is considering returning to uni to do a Diploma of Chinese language. Bec and Penny debate the pros and cons of class/group learning versus independent learning and how technology has changed how we approach language learning.

Apr 27, 2019 • 23:42

Welcome to Language Chats

Welcome to Language Chats

Language Chats is a podcast for Language Lovers in Australia (and beyond). Join Bec and Penny as they chat all things language learning! We can’t tell you how to get fluent in fifteen days… But we can tell you about the small wins, the mental blanks, and all the things that inspire us to keep learning languages as adults while living in Australia (which can generally feel pretty far away from almost everywhere).

Apr 12, 2019 • 18:03

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