Intro
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| Becky: Welcome to a special Inner Circle Audio Lesson! I'm Becky and I'll be your host. My co-host today is the founder of InnovativeLanguage.com... Peter Galante! |
| Peter: Hi everyone! Peter here. |
| Becky: In this Inner Circle, we’re talking about Netflix and the best ways.... |
| Peter: ...to enjoy language learning. |
| Becky: You’ll learn why you should add fun, non-intensive learning to your routine |
| Peter: How I applied Netflix to my Spanish learning routines this past month... |
| Becky: ....And how you can actually learn with fun, non-intensive methods as well. |
| Peter: All so you can master your target language and finally reach your goals! |
| Body |
| Becky: Listeners, welcome back to the Inner Circle. |
| Peter: Last time, you learned how to double your speaking time... |
| Becky: ...by adding structure. |
| Peter: In other words, following the structure of our audio and video lessons... |
| Becky: ...so that you have more things to say, know what to talk about next.... |
| Peter: ...and never fall flat, like you would with a free conversation. |
| Becky: And last time, Peter... |
| Peter: Yes? |
| Becky: You hit your yearly goal - 30 minutes of Spanish conversation - way ahead of time. |
| Peter: That’s right. Becky, adding structure was the best thing I ever did to maximize my speaking time. |
| Becky: Yeah. I don’t want to ask about your goals anymore. You’re an overachiever. I already know the answer. |
| Peter: Well, 35 minutes by the end of this month? Yep, I reached it. |
| Becky: See? I knew it. But that’s good. It’s interesting. You’re done... but you keep pushing on. |
| Peter: That’s right. Just because I hit my yearly goal doesn’t mean I should stop. You know, it kind of becomes part of your lifestyle. I keep studying. I watch Spanish TV shows after work. |
| Becky: Ah, yes – I hear you’ve been watching a lot of Netflix lately! |
| Peter: You heard right! And so far, it has been one of the most enjoyable ways to learn. |
| Becky: Really...? Learning by watching TV? That’s uh... |
| Peter: ...I see what you’re trying to imply, It’s not a heavy, intensive, blood-sweat-and-tears type of learning. |
| Becky: Definitely not. You should struggle a bit, you know! |
| Peter: Well, here’s the thing. These fun, non-intensive ways are a very valuable part of your learning process. |
| Becky: And that’s the topic of today’s Inner Circle. |
| Peter: Listeners, today we’re talking about Netflix and the best ways to enjoy language learning. |
| Becky: You’re going to learn... |
| Peter: Number 1) Why you should add fun, non-intensive ways to your learning routine |
| Becky: Number 2) How Peter applied Netflix to his Spanish learning routines |
| Peter: and Number 3) How you can learn effectively with fun, non-intensive methods as well. |
| Becky: So let’s get into the first part, Peter. |
| Peter: Number 1: Why you should add fun, non-intensive learning to your routine. |
| Becky: Before you answer this... what would count as fun and non-intensive? |
| Peter: Well, TV Shows. Movies, and music. Things that you enjoy, but you do in your target language. |
| Becky: Ah, I see. So, it’s pretty much passive learning. |
| Peter: Not quite. There’s a bit more to the process than just listening or watching! |
| Becky: So Peter, why is this valuable for language learners? TV? Music? Not very... hard-hitting. |
| Peter: Great question, Becky. A few reasons. First, language learning is, let’s be honest, tough... |
| Becky: That’s true. |
| Peter: ...and you can’t be “ON” 100% of the time. Imagine drilling grammar rules for 3 hours a day, every day. |
| Becky: That sounds like a really quick way to burn out. |
| Peter: That’s how a lot of learners get overwhelmed and quit. So, that’s the big benefit. You don’t quit on your goal and dream. |
| Becky: Since you can’t be working hard 100% of the time... |
| Peter: ...watching TV in your target language... |
| Becky: ...is a good way to mix up your routine. |
| Peter: Second. You gain exposure to your target language without wasting time. |
| Becky: That makes sense. |
| Peter: Because you can’t study grammar all the time... |
| Becky: ...you can keep going with something lighter, and you’re still making good use of your time. |
| Peter: Third Reason. Because it’s easy, you can easily stick with it. |
| Becky: Right. Easy methods... are easy to stick with. |
| Peter: Becky, think of our Word of the Day. You learn just 1 word a day. |
| Becky: Yeah. That takes a second. |
| Peter: And our users absolutely love it. They email us demanding it if we miss a day. All because it’s so easy to learn with... |
| Becky: ...and it keeps them going. Easy methods are easy to stick with. |
| Peter: You got it. Fourth reason – Because it’s fun. TV shows are fun. Music is fun. |
| Becky: And learning is more enjoyable when you’re having fun. |
| Peter: The final reason is... it’s a nice reward. You’ve worked hard, you’ve studied... |
| Becky: ....so why not reward yourself? |
| Peter: And you should. Rewards boost motivation. |
| Becky: And they give you something to look forward to. |
| Peter: So TV shows are one of my daily rewards... because I do study daily. |
| Becky: Listeners, we also did an Inner Circle Episode on the power of rewards back in December 2014. Be sure to check that out. |
| Peter: So those are some reasons why you should add fun... |
| Becky: ...non-intensive methods to your learning routine. |
| Peter: Remember, it’s very easy to overwhelm yourself.... |
| Becky: ...but this will keep you on track in the long run. |
| Peter: Now, listeners, you’re wondering how I’ve been doing this... |
| Becky: With Netflix, right? |
| Peter: Exactly, Netflix! I recently got a subscription... and I’ll tell you how I use it with my Spanish learning. |
| Becky: Okay, let’s get into the second part. |
| Peter: Number 2: How I applied Netflix to my Spanish learning routines. |
| Becky: Are you watching any Telenovelas, Peter? |
| Peter: Does Narcos count as a Telenovela? Because that’s what I’ve been watching. |
| Becky: Ah, it’s about Pablo Escobar, right? |
| Peter: Right. And what’s perfect, or maybe not so perfect, but what I like about it is... it’s half in Spanish and half in English. |
| Becky: And you just sit back and listen? |
| Peter: There’s a bit more to the process. I turn on the Spanish subtitles. |
| Becky: Oh, that’s smart. So you can read along. |
| Peter: Right. Just like our lessons where you can read along to boost your comprehension... |
| Becky: ...you do that with Netflix. |
| Peter: It’s really nice. I learn a lot of casual Spanish. Maybe too much casual Spanish in this particular case but... in fact, I’m sure my teacher would never want to hear me say some of the things I learn... in this particular telenovela! |
| Becky: But it’s good to hear it anyway. By turning the subtitles on, you get to read along, so you don’t miss a word. |
| Peter: Exactly. Another thing I’ll do is pause the show and jot down the phrases I like. This is useful for when they’re talking in English. I see the Spanish phrases in the subtitles, and if I like it, write them down. |
| Becky: Just not the bad words. |
| Peter: I’m not going to lie. They do have a lot of appeal. But, of course not, Becky! But all the casual Spanish that I learn, all the phrases I write down, I use them with my teacher...except for the very strong slang. Again, this helps me speak more Spanish. |
| Becky: That sounds like a good idea! |
| Peter: And here’s another method. I’ve been watching Orange is the New Black. |
| Becky: But isn’t that in English? |
| Peter: That’s where Spanish subtitles come in, Becky. I listen in English but I have the Spanish subtitles down below. If there’s a line I like, I write down the Spanish subtitles. There’s a ton of casual conversation that I can apply to real life. Well, not the prison conversation so much |
| Becky: Except for the parts about being a woman... in prison... |
| Peter: Well, I pick and choose. |
| Becky: That’s pretty smart, actually. I wouldn’t repeat all of that to your teacher. Yeah, most TV shows use daily conversation. |
| Peter: And Jason Biggs has some important phrases that he says in the show. |
| Becky: Okay! I’m sure the ladies do too! |
| Peter: Exactly. But. I’ve been doing that with my Italian too. Most of the language you learn is easily applicable inside classrooms and daily conversations. And even the bad language... my teachers say that it’s good to know... but not use. You know? |
| Becky: Well, yeah, I guess I know. How do you feel about dubbed shows and movies? |
| Peter: I’m not a big fan of dubbing, but it’s a good way of testing your comprehension. At this point, I understand a lot what I hear. Not 100%, obviously, but I definitely understand a lot more than when I started. But if dubbing, you can put the subtitles on on simultaneously. Both in the target language. I guess that could be very useful too. |
| Becky: Okay, so you’ve been using subtitles on Netflix and taking down a lot of conversations and phrases. |
| Peter: Becky, I have 23 pages of phrases for this past month. Just from shows alone. |
| Becky: Oh, wow! Rewarding yourself a little too much? Okay. So, how can our listeners apply this to their routines? |
| Peter: Yes, that’s the power of doing something that you like. When I get home now, I really like to watch these Spanish telenovelas. So how can our listeners apply this to their routines... let’s get into the third part. |
| Becky: Number 3: How you can learn with fun, non-intensive methods. |
| Peter: Listeners, there are a ton of movies, shows, and songs in your target language... |
| Becky: ...that you can immerse yourself in in your downtime. |
| Peter: If you have Netflix, do as I do. Turn the subtitles in your target language on. If you’re watching a show in Japanese or Spanish, read along as you watch and listen. |
| Becky: This will sharpen your listening and reading skills. |
| Peter: If it’s an English show, turn on the subtitles in your target language. While you’re listening in English, if you hear a phrase you like... like “What would you do” ... and you want to know it in your target language... |
| Becky: ...Write down the target language subtitles. |
| Peter: With a nice collection of these, listener, you’ll greatly improve your range of expression... |
| Becky: ...and speak a ton more. |
| Peter: Additionally, you can turn on the dubbed version. |
| Becky: This works if you want to watch an English show in your target language. |
| Peter: It’s a great way to test your listening and comprehension skills. |
| Becky: And as always, you can read along with subtitles. |
| Peter: The same thing goes for movies. |
| Becky: You know, I think our Japanese and Korean learners can definitely use these methods. A lot of them watch anime and drama. |
| Peter: I think for the Asian languages, DramaFever is a really good site to get a lot of this and I think they have a lot of telenovelas too. But good point, Becky. Remember Listeners, it’s one thing to just watch.... |
| Becky: ...but if you’re writing down phrases that you want or need for daily life... |
| Peter: ...you’ll greatly improve your speaking skills. |
| Becky: I think the same thing goes with songs. You can listen and read the lyrics. |
| Peter: You got it, Becky. |
| Becky: Listeners, you can even do it with our audio and video lessons. |
| Peter: While you CAN intensively study with them to master conversation... |
| Becky: ...you can just as easily play them and just listen. |
| Peter: Becky, you forgot the best part. Listeners, our video lessons will soon have subtitles as well... |
| Becky: Ah, right. How could I forget that. They’re currently live for our SpanishPod101 videos.... |
| Peter: And they’re available in English, Spanish, Korean, and Japanese. |
| Becky: So you can easily follow along in the language of your choice. |
| Peter: Remember, the subtitle function is only up for SpanishPod101 videos... |
| Becky: ...but don’t worry, it’ll be coming to our other sites soon. |
| Peter: So remember listeners – a light, easy approach is really valuable for learners of all levels. |
| Becky: It’s fun, it’s easy to stick with.... |
| Peter: ...you don’t burn out.... |
| Becky: ...it serves as a great reward and is useful for motivation... |
| Peter: And you’re not wasting time. You’re gaining exposure to the language. |
| Becky: And the reason we mention this is that so many learners burn out quickly from studying too hard. |
| Peter: But... if you add some fun, non-intensive methods to your routine.... |
| Becky: ...you can definitely stay on track. |
| Peter: Okay. Listeners, let us know what your favorite, easy routines are. |
| Becky: Oh, and be sure to set your monthly goals. Let us know what they are. |
| Peter: My goal for November is... 40 minutes. |
| Becky: And 45 minutes for December? |
| Peter: Heh, we’ll see about that. |
| Beck: That sounds less than an episode of Narcos. That sounds great. Listeners, be sure to set your monthly goals as well. |
| Peter:... and email us at inner dot circle at innovativelanguage dot com. |
| Becky: We want to know what your favorite methods are. |
Outro
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| Becky: Well, that’s going to do it for this special Inner Circle lesson! |
| Peter: Bye everyone! |
| Becky: Thanks for listening, and we’ll see you next time. |
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