Canguro English

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this episode we talk about linguistic relativity: the idea that the language we speak can change the way we think.

In the world of language there are few people as experienced, or as respected, as Patsy Lightbown, Distinguished Professor Emerita at Concordia University in Canada. She has been working in the field of language teaching and language learning for more than 40 years as a researcher, writer, editor, and consultant and she literally wrote the book on how languages are learned. In this interview we talk about language acquisition, language learning, language teaching and what life has taught her about the way education works. I hope you enjoy it!

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this episode we talk about culture: we discuss exactly what it is, how it exists on a macro and micro level, how it affects our language and our cognition, and how without it, we would die.

Do you want to really succeed at learning English in 2020? It doesn't matter if this is the first or the tenth time you have tried to get fluency in English, these 9 simple steps will help you to succeed at your English learning goals.

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. In this episode we talk about the Piraha language, and what it tells us about the intersection of language and culture. We also talk about the practice of the science of linguistics, animal vs human communication, universal translation, and what unites and what divides us as humans.

Welcome to The Story of Language: an original podcast series about language, linguistics, cognition, and culture. My name is Christian Saunders and I am an English teacher, and throughout this series I will be in discussion with Dan Everett: linguist, anthropologist, philosopher, and author. In this episode you will meet Dan, and we will talk about the story of his life, including his upbringing near the Mexican border, his research stays with hunter-gatherers in the Amazon jungle, hunting giant anacondas, his famous disagreement with Noam Chomsky, and what his lifetime of work can tell us about language, thought, and being human.

In the world of English language teaching there are few people as controversial and divisive as Geoff Jordan. He is not afraid of promoting what he calls a radical approach to the problems in the ELT industry, how to fix them, and how to improve student learning outcomes in the classroom. And that’s why I had to talk to him, and in this interview we talk about all that, and more. I hope you enjoy it.

Today's daily digest answers a question I get asked every day: How can I get fluent in English? To answer this question we have to travel back in time to 1931, learn about chimpanzees and Klingons, and what that tells us about the secret to fluency in English.

Recently I had the pleasure of talking to Angelica Galante from McGill University in Canada. Originally from Brazil, Angelica’s work focuses on social justice, inclusive education, and critical sociolinguistics. In this interview we talk about plurilingualism, language and culture, and how teachers and students can take advantage of their existing language resources to learn new languages better. I hope you enjoy it.

Today's daily digest is a rant about why you might be part of the problem, and not the solution to good language learning (and teaching).

In this podcast I talk to Pete from Aussie English about how to improve your English IMMEDIATELY, without learning anything new. We also talk about our personal experiences learning languages, and the history and evolution of swearing. CONTAINS EXPLICIT LANGUAGE.

Today's daily digest explains why you are afraid of speaking English, and having conversations, and how you can overcome your fear and use your English in public confidently. I use evidence from clinical psychology and computer science to show you what really works, and why clowns are great role models.

Recently I had the pleasure of speaking to cognitive neuroscientist Ev Fedorenko. She is head of EvLab, her own language lab at MIT, and their mission is to discover how minds and brains create language. In this interview we speak about the language architecture of the brain, adult language learning, and the difference between thought and language. I hope you enjoy it!

Today's daily digest shows why having a low level of English, and a foreign accent, and only knowing a few key concepts, are all advantages when you first start learning a language. I hope you feel super motivated to get out there are USE your English after this!

Today's daily digest shows what Hindustani music, cave drawings, and Japanese psychology can teach us about linguistic universals, learning a language from zero, and what it means to be human.

Today's daily digest talks about gendered languages, sexism, culture, and some common myths and misconceptions about the effect that language has on the way we think.

In the world of linguistics, there are very few people with a resume as impressive as Adele Goldberg. She has had a major influence on the way we understand and study language. In this very special interview we talk about vocabulary learning, input vs output, and her language acquisition research.

Today's daily digest shows how your brain is only interested in content, not language, and why it's so important to have something to say. It also shows how your culture can affect the way you think, and why you need to learn culture to get fluent in English.

Today's daily digest is a philosophical journey into the meaning of language, what it means to be human, how we could understand and speak alien languages, how we can talk to animals, and what all of that tells us about how to get fluent in English.

I always talk about how important patience is when you’re learning a language, because it’s really hard, and it takes a really long time, and recently I spoke to someone who knows that better than anyone: cognitive scientist Josh Hartshorne. In this interview we talk about the critical period, language acquisition, and the importance of immersion

In the world of English language learning and teaching there is an obsession with the native speaker. Recently I spoke to someone who explains exactly why that has to end: Marek Kiczkowiak from TEFL Equity Advocates. This class is essential viewing for anyone learning English, but especially non-native English teachers.

Today's daily digest shows how you can learn and especially teach language not with grammar and textbooks, but with ideas, concepts, discussion, and deep knowledge. And flying penises.

Today's daily digest is all about fluency. What is fluency? How can you test your fluency? How can you get fluency? You might be surprised at the answers to some of these questions.

Unfortunately, most people view language as grammar, and rules, and concrete concepts. But we need to think about language differently. In this interview I speak to Peter Gärdenfors, professor of cognitive science at Lund University in Sweden. His interest in language spans human cognition, philosophy, evolution, and conceptual spaces. We talk about some of the more abstract elements of language and language learning and I hope it changes the way you see language.

Today's daily digest shows how things are hidden in language, and how your hidden native language structures interfere with your ability to be like a native speaker in English.

Today's daily digest starts with a joke about politicians and then explains how they make us believe lies, what it tells us about the way our brains work, and the truth about language learning.

In this interview I talk to David Crystal: a legend in the world of the English language. He is a linguist, lecturer, and broadcaster, and he has written or edited over 100 books about language including the Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English language. We talk about language change, the myth of the native speaker, and why learning languages is part of being human. I hope you enjoy it!

Today's daily digest shows the magic of eye contact and how a trick from the internet might help you to understand native speakers quickly and easily.

Today's daily digest explains why people from some languages appear to speak faster than others, and why syllables are not the same as information.

Today's daily digest talks about the science of vocabulary learning and why you are more likely to remember magicians and dogs, than newspapers and belts.

Recently I had the pleasure of talking to Scott Thornbury, a giant in the world of English language teaching. He is a teacher, teacher trainer, award-winning author, and speaker, and he has been pushing for change in the way we teach languages for more than 20 years. We spoke about many different aspects of language teaching and learning, especially what teachers can do differently in the classroom and the importance of social learning. I hope you enjoy it.

Today's daily digest talks about the real meaning of patience, where patience comes from, how to get patience, and why you need it if you want to get fluent in English.

Today's daily digest talks about how motivation is a quality, not a quantity, and the important effect that can have on your language learning.

Today's daily digest starts with a joke about an Englishman and then explains why language is as deeply human as food, water, and shelter.

In this interview I speak to Steve Kaufmann, a well-known polyglot who at the age of 73 has learnt 20 different languages. We talk about language learning, making mistakes, and why you should do the hard work to learn English.

Today's daily digest tells the story of a prison debate team and what it shows us about the power of education to change lives, and why it should motivate you to learn English.

Today's daily digest continues with a joke about janitors and some pronunciation practice activities for Russian and Greek speakers.

In the world of language teaching there are people who teach, and then there are others who go beyond simply teaching, and into real learning, and today I am talking to one of those people: Mihalis Eleftheriou, the creator of Language Transfer. Since 2011 he has been creating language courses in an incredible array of languages, including English, Greek, Arabic, and Swahili, and they are all completely FREE. In this video we talk about various topics including free education, teaching philosophy, activism, and saving the planet. I hope you enjoy this interview.

Today's daily digest moves from pronunciation theory to practice. I am going to show you how Arabic, German, and Spanish speakers can improve their English pronunciation with some simple physical changes.

Today's daily digest show the amazing accent abilities of 11-month-old babies, and what that tells us about the difference between accent and pronunciation.

Today's daily digest explains why most people practice pronunciation in the wrong way, how our human instruments are not perfect, and how Spanish meatballs and Polish faces tell us why we need to practice sounds together, not in isolation.

Today's daily digest shows what Thai and Arabic can teach us about the English alphabet, and why consonants are the only things that matter in pronunciation.

Today's daily digest shows how some strange science involving gasoline, hydrogen, and lettuce might explain why we learn some words better than others.

In this interview I speak to Steven Piantadosi, assistant professor of the computation and language lab at UC Berkeley. We talk about language acquisition, how children learn vocabulary, and the future of translation tools. See you in class!

Today's daily digest answers the question of whether you should watch English films and series with subtitles or no subtitles. And the answer might surprise you.

Today's daily digest answers a question that I get asked every day: "How do I learn English?". The answer involves elephants, bees, and children playing with toys.

Today's daily digest explains what audio and video illusions can tell us about how our brains work, and the best way to prepare ourselves for fluent English. You can become my patron here: https://www.patreon.com/canguroenglish

Today's daily digest talks about why I seem to contradict myself, how children remember everything they hear, and what it tells about how adults might learn a language better.

Today's daily digest talks about what sign language can tell us about spoken language: why children are more successful at learning than adults, and how we can learn by doing nothing. You can become my patron here: https://www.patreon.com/canguroenglish

Today's daily digest talks about how sound symbolism can work in two directions, why you should change your name to pass that English exam, and how to describe a room full of tropical birds.ç You can become my patron here: https://www.patreon.com/canguroenglish

Today's daily digest talks about how to learn how to write in English, and why you really have no excuses in 2019. You can become my patron here: https://www.patreon.com/canguroenglish

Today's daily digest is about a group of rich and irritating Greek philosophers, and why children DO NOT learn languages better than adults.

Today's daily digest talks about the myth of beautiful and ugly language, and why the critics are wrong about non-native English.

In this interview I talk to one of the most important and influential people working in the field of language today about the origins of language, language learning, and communication. He shares tips and techniques he has learnt from over 30 years working as a linguist, author, and philosopher. See you in class!