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In this episode,  we're revisiting a topic that I feel we'll be talking about until the end of time.  The sun's going to expand to engulf the Earth and we're all going to be frazzled up like sausages and I'll be there until the end talking about this topic, which is flashcards.

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

Link mentioned in this episode:

What Really Matters in Vocabulary Acquisition?: https://gianfrancoconti.com/2025/04/26/what-really-matters-in-vocabulary-acquisition-a-ranked-analysis-of-key-influencing-factors/

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In this episode of the StoryLearning podcast I chat to my good friend and fellow language enthusiast John Fotheringham, creator of Anywhere Immersion.

John has been blogging and podcasting about language learning since 2009 and his podcast (formerly the Language Mastery Podcast) was the first one I ever went on!

Now he's returning the favour by coming on this refreshed video version of my podcast to talk about language immersion, how he's using AI to learn languages and more.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Anywhere Immersion: https://www.anywhereimmersion.com

Teacher AI: https://l.storylearning.com/teacherAI

Olly’s interview on John’s podcast in 2020: https://www.anywhereimmersion.com/blog/olly-richards-returns

More about today's guest:

John Fotheringham is a linguist, teacher, and author of Master Japanese and Master Mandarin.

Want to learn a language without moving abroad? His Anywhere Immersion Method (A.I.M.) teaches you how to create a full language immersion environment right where you live. From beginner basics to advanced fluency, he provides the roadmap you need to master a new language right at home.

Download his free Quickstart Immersion Guide at AnywhereImmersion.com to learn how to immerse yourself in any language, anywhere, anytime.

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

#storylearning #learnthroughstories

👉 Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/test_goals

Should you bother taking language proficiency tests like IELTS ( International English Language Testing System) or the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test)? Two listeners asked me the similar questions about exams. As a former IELTS examiner and as someone who took the JLPT, I’ve got thoughts on the matter!

👉 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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#storylearning #learnthroughstories

👉 Grab your FREE Grammar and Vocabulary Study Sheet: https://l.storylearning.com/vocab_sheet 

Today we've got a question that is going to strike to the heart of every single language learner listening to this podcast: why can’t I remember the words I know when I’m speaking? It’s something we all struggle with and it’s perfectly normal. In this video, I share 3 techniques to help you overcome 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

👉Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/reading-goals

Want to pick up vocabulary naturally while exploring topics that interest you? I've got the perfect the solution and I lay it all out in this episode, including how I used this habit myself to expand my Japanese vocab about a rather specialised topic.

👉 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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👉 Grab your FREE Language Goal Planner: https://l.storylearning.com/free-goals

I don't aim for C2 in the languages I'm learning and I don't think you should either. But it is possible to get there with a lot, and I mean a lot, of time and effort. So, the real question is, is it worth it?

👉 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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Can you really perfect your accent to the point where no-one knows you're not a native speaker? You can get close, even as an adult, but the real question is - is it actually worth the time and effort?

Link mentioned in this episode: Speaking Accent-Free in L2 Beyond the Critical Period: The Compensatory Role of Individual Abilities and Opportunity Structures (Applied Linguistics, Volume 41, Issue 5, October 2020, Pages 787–809, https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amz029)

👉 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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#storylearning #learnthroughstories

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Success in language learning almost always comes down to a very small number of things done well. Successful language learners understand what those few things are, and they do them very consistently and very well. And thanks to this episode, you're going to join them.

👉 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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t#storylearning #learnthroughstories

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Struggling to bridge the gap between understanding and speaking? You’re not alone. I’ve been there too, specifically when I learned Japanese. Discover the exact steps I took to go from silent to confident Japanese speaker.

Links mentioned in this episode:

🗣️ LanguaTalk: https://l.storylearning.com/LanguaTalk

💬 Langua: https://l.storylearning.com/langua

📢 TeacherAI: https://l.storylearning.com/teacherAI

❓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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#storylearning #learnthroughstories

👉 Grab your FREE Tips for Learning a Language with AI (inside the Bonus section of my FREE StoryLearning Kit): https://l.storylearning.com/fluency_AI 

The Black Friday offer mentioned in this video is no longer available.

If you’ve learned languages in the last week or two, have you used AI? AI has landed like a rock in a pond in the last couple of years and is upending the way we learn. I'm finding that AI is more and more part of my language routine. But can AI replace real people? That’s the question I’m answering in this episode.

Links mentioned in the episode:

🗣️ LanguaTalk: https://l.storylearning.com/LanguaTalk

📖 LingQ: https://www.storylearning.com/lingq

💬 Langua: https://l.storylearning.com/langua

📢 TeacherAI: https://l.storylearning.com/teacherAI

❓ Got a question you want Olly to answer? 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

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Can you really learn a language in 12 months? Definitely, with the right mindset, approach and effort. To give you inspiration for and insight into fast language learning, I look back on two of my wildest language learning challenges: Thai in 2 weeks and Italian in 3 months.

👉 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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Videos mentioned in this episode:

🇹🇭 Thai project playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqoRsDX67Qg&list=PLQJscr8iS4eEA0CRSgEhNJ6sM0p-Y2Im2

🇹🇭 Olly speaking Thai after 2 weeks: https://youtu.be/K4tAwFRzAWc?si=YeR-NLpXOl5uZ3VS

🇮🇹 Italian project playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9F81zlDaaE&list=PLQJscr8iS4eEuHPHQerHMBxZ68O8jiq12

🇮🇹 Italian project finale in Venice: https://youtu.be/irHzPRySKU0?si=SqLbs7bJBzBQ-0Kg

#storylearning #learnthroughstories