StoryLearning Podcast

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A listener wrote to me frustrated that, although he’s at B2 level, he keeps using the same vocabulary over and over again when he speaks. This is a common problem - even in our native language, we understand twice as many words as we actually use.  Extraordinarily articulate people, with a wide vocabulary, stand out because most of us just use the same words all the time. So what is it that those people do differently and how can we apply that to language learning?

Mentioned in this episode: 👉 Olly demonstrating reverse translation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VXmDiBfzwA

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I released a video  on how I would learn Spanish again in 2026 if I was going to start over.  When I first learned it, I was immersed - I was living in London and had Spanish friends. Someone left a comment saying - people with lives don't have two years to immerse themselves, how are people supposed to replicate that with one hour a day? The truth is, although it would be ideal, you don't need full immersion to learn a language. In this episode, I'm going to show you how can replicate my immersion experience in one hour a day of focused study.

👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question

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In this episode, I’m delighted to be joined for a second time by Lamont McLeod from the Days and Words YouTube channel.

We talk about getting over hurdles in language learning, our appreciation of language as an art-form, the Australian Military Linguist Test, accountability practices, Lamont’s take on AI and more.

In just under an hour, we pretty much solve language learning!

More from today’s guest:

💬 Our first interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaeMO_Xyby4

📺 Lamont’s YouTube Channel, Days and Words: https://www.youtube.com/@daysandwords

🗣️ Lamont’s Spanish accountability channel: https://www.youtube.com/@lamontespanol/

👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question

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How fluent do you have to be in a second language before moving on to a third language? How do you know when is the right time? Do you risk forgetting the language you are currently learning or not?

This is the most common question I've ever received on the podcast - Can I learn two languages at once? And if not, when's the right time to learn another language?

👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question

👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses

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Struggling to understand TV in your new language? Today’s questioner, Lisa, has the same problem. She speaks French and Italian at a decent level but still finds TV tricky. She told me that sometimes she just wants to collapse in front of the telly.

And this is what trips people up when they're trying to learn a foreign language by watching TV. Most of us associate TV with just zoning out. But in order to get good at anything, you have to be able to focus and concentrate.

There are a couple of parts to this dilemma. First is understanding what type of TV you're watching. And then second is actual techniques for getting better and for learning. So let’s get into it.

👉 Got a question you want Olly to answer on the podcast? Submit it here: https://storylearning.com/ask_Olly_your_question

👉 Get a 7-day FREE trial to one of my story-based language courses: https://storylearning.com/Language_Courses

👉 Check out my all-inclusive VIP language programme with guaranteed results: https://storylearning.com/StoryLearning_VIP_Info

#storylearning #learnthroughstories