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In This Episode

Welcome to Fluent•ish, the Podcast for language learners, teachers, and parents raising bilingual or multilingual kids. In our debut episode, we introduce ourselves and share what inspired this podcast to break down how each episode will help you tackle language-learning challenges with actionable solutions, then explain what you can expect in terms of structure in each subsequent episode.

Season 1 of Fluent•ish, the Podcast is entitled "The Bilingual Blueprint: From Hesitation to Conversation." If you've ever felt stuck, self-conscious, or unsure where to start, this podcast is for you!

Meet your hosts

Rebecca is the founder and lead author at Little Crab Educational Press. She's been a CELTA certified ESL/EAL classroom teacher and tutor, and has learning Mandarin for over twenty years. Also, she can touch her nose with her tongue.

Lisa is the Graphic Designer for Little Crab Educational Press, a French language learner, Rebecca’s little sister, and very much a hand-talker.

"We firmly believe that language learning is for everyone, so you won’t find any language snobbery here. Whether you want to be fluent, or are happy being fluent-ish, just come as you are, whatever your level... We’re here to cheer you on."

The inspiration

Little Crab started out creating high-quality Mandarin learning resources, but we wanted to expand our mission and go deeper on our core company values:

• perseverance
• variety
• motivation
• inclusivity
• and joyfulness

Inspired by the idea that monolingualism can be cured, Fluent•ish is here to promote language learning for all—whether you're learning Mandarin, French, ASL, Indigenous languages, or even endangered languages.

What you’ll learn this season

• How to choose and start learning your first (or next) new language
• Mindset shifts to overcome self-doubt and language-learning shyness
• A philosophy to stay motivated and make language learning a lifelong journey

The structure

Each episode, we tackle one major language-learning challenge which can also be identified by the episode title. We call this segment “the Barrier”: Lisa sets up the Barrier and calls on Rebecca, our resident language teacher and life-long language learner, to present us with practical feedback to address the question.

Rebecca draws on her expertise to provide a solution, mindset reset, inquiry method, etc. as needed on the barrier question in a segment we call “the Blueprint.”

We wrap the show up with two quick segments:

• Ooh La La or 不不不! – Celebrating wins and calling out language-learning myths or trends that we deem unhelpful for learners
• Your Joy Builder – A key takeaway to boost confidence, patience, perseverance, or whatever the main theme of the Blueprint happens to be for that episode

If this resonates with you and you’re ready to break new ground in your language learning, we invite you to keep listening and building language learning joy along with us.

Links

• Episode 1 is brought to you by Flodesk
• Theme music is provided by Milk Fangs
• Share your thoughts and language-learning journey with us on social media: continue the conversation by connecting on LinkedIn, BlueSky, Instagram, or Pinterest
• Watch the vlog on YouTube
• Sign up for materials and resources we've created just for you!

Reminders and acknowledgements

If you're found value in this episode and you haven't already subscribed make sure you tap that button to keep on breaking new ground in your language learning. Please take a moment to review the show on your podcast app, or to send this episode to someone you think could use it: It all helps us continue to build a safe-space for the fluent and Fluent•ish that is free of snobbery and filled with joy!

Fluent•ish the Podcast is brought to you by Little Crab Educational Press. Thank you to the language learning communities on BlueSky, Reddit, and Instagram for sharing openly about the struggles that people have to overcome to persevere in the pursuit of becoming fluent (or fluentish) in an additional language. Remember to Subscribe, Rate, Review, and Share from wherever you get this podcast.

Fluent•ish the Podcast is recorded remotely (most of the time) between Victoria and Vancouver which sit in the unceded traditional territories of several Coast Salish nations, across which we are grateful to live and work.