{"id":19410,"date":"2018-10-05T14:29:39","date_gmt":"2018-10-05T18:29:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voxy.com\/blog\/2018\/10\/podcast-language-learning-and-the-e-learning-landscape\/"},"modified":"2018-10-05T14:33:26","modified_gmt":"2018-10-05T18:33:26","slug":"podcast-language-learning-and-the-e-learning-landscape","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voxy.com\/es\/blog\/podcast-language-learning-and-the-e-learning-landscape\/","title":{"rendered":"[Podcast] Language Learning and the E-Learning Landscape"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was excited to be interviewed on Kaplan\u2019s <\/span>Trending in Education<\/span><\/a> podcast last week. \u00a0Mike Palmer was an incredibly welcoming host with lots of interesting questions, and I got to talk about many of my favorite things, from using technology to improve learning outcomes to driving a car with a manual transmission. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of my favorite parts of the conversation was when Mike asked me how my own personal experience traveling and working outside the U.S. has informed Voxy\u2019s pedagogical approach. \u00a0It\u2019s funny, because as a scientist, I am always quick to point out that Voxy\u2019s approach is informed by peer-reviewed, scientific research on how people learn languages. And that\u2019s true. \u00a0But it\u2019s also true that my experience living and working in countries where I can\u2019t use my first language has made me empathetic to the struggles of non-native speakers.<\/span><\/p>\n

In general, adults don\u2019t like to make mistakes, and we definitely don\u2019t like to sound like we don\u2019t know what we are talking about. \u00a0The problem with learning a new language is that there\u2019s really no way around it. There are going to be times, no matter how carefully you try to avoid them, when you say the wrong thing or use a word incorrectly. \u00a0When, for example, your pronunciation of the Portuguese word for \u201cbread\u201d makes it sound like you are using a vulgar euphemism for a male reproductive organ. Or when the man behind the counter simply has no idea what you\u2019ve ordered, and you choke down a milky tea because you don\u2019t know what to say to get a coffee. <\/span><\/p>\n

When we make sure our learners understand that this is part of the language learning process, then things go better for them. \u00a0Understanding expectations is half the battle. If you know that there\u2019s no way around sounding like an idiot, then you don\u2019t feel so bad when it happens, and you put yourself in situations that push you to practice the way that you need to in order to succeed. \u00a0After the podcast, I came across <\/span>this blog post<\/span><\/a> by author Austin Kleon about how in order to learn do hard things, you need to be willing to be bad at them. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As it turns out, learning a language is a hard thing, and if we teach our learners to be willing to make mistakes so that they can persevere despite occasionally sounding like an idiot, then we are setting them up for success. \u00a0If you\u2019d like, you can listen to the entire podcast episode here<\/a> or listen below.<\/span><\/p>\n