With seven languages under his linguistic belt and an academic background in Applied Linguistics, Olly Richards of IWillTeachYouaLanguage.com has proven that he can both talk the talk and walk the walk. His infectious passion for all things language is a breath of fresh air in the increasingly cynical language learning blogosphere. In the interview, we discuss:
- The under-appreciated importance of psychology in language learning.
- How he has had to alter his approach to language learning now that he is learning a language in country where it isn’t widely spoken (Cantonese in Qatar of all places!).
- His experience participating in Brian Kwong’s +1 Challenge (an approach he lovingly refers to as “crowdsourced motivation”).
- The role of teachers in language education.
- The power of “negotiated syllabi.”
More Info
- Olly’s Website: I Will Teach You a Language
- Olly’s Podcast: I Will Teach You a Language Podcast
- Olly’s Resources: I Will Teach You a Language Learning Centre
- Olly’s Books: Short Stories for French, Spanish, Italian, German, and Russian
- Olly’s Follow-Up Interview with Me: The Ultimate How To Learn Mandarin Chinese Interview
Transcript
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This chat was a lot of fun John!
Really enjoyed talking with you, Olly, and appreciate you reaching out for the follow up interview about Mandarin. Keep up the great work on your blog.
This interview was full of great info for language learners. Consistency is more important than motivation- couldn’t agree more! that is with everything you want to pursue in life, in my opinion.
Exercise and healthy eating and sleeping habits are key too- I’m glad you mentioned that because most people don’t see the connection between learning and creating the conditions in your body and brain for them to function well and perform at a high level.
Thanks to both of you! ¡Muchas gracias!
Great stuff in here. Great interview
Nice interview. Thanks