Languages Pedagogy Podcast

Mike Llerena
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  • EDUCATION
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Welcome to the Languages & Pedagogy Podcast, your go-to resource for language educators and enthusiasts. Join us as we explore innovative teaching methods, share valuable tips for mastering new languages, and discuss the latest trends in language education. Whether you're an experienced teacher looking to enhance your classroom techniques or a language learner eager to deepen your understanding, our podcast offers insightful conversations with experts, practical advice, and inspiring stories from educators around the world.

  1. 19H AGO

    Ep188. ft. Esther Vazquez - The Brain, the heart and the system (Part 2)

    What happens when education ignores how the brain actually learns? In Part 2, Mike and Esther Vazquez go deeper into the ethical responsibility of teaching in a system that often prioritizes standardization over humanity. They explore: • Why emotional safety directly affects cognitive performance• The hidden damage caused by unsafe learning environments• How teachers can adapt even inside restrictive systems• Why continuous professional development is essential• And how education can evolve to serve every learner This episode is a wake-up call. Because education doesn’t just shape knowledge. It shapes identity. If this episode moved you, share it with someone who believes education must change. Follow the Languages Pedagogy Podcast and be part of the movement shaping the future of learning. #languagespedagogypodcast #educationrevolution #teachercommunity #educationleaders #futureofeducation #educationinnovation #teachertraining #brainbasededucation #learningrevolution #educationmatters

    31 min

  2. 2D AGO

    Ep187. ft. Esther Vazquez - The Brain, the heart and the system (Part 1)

    What if the biggest obstacle to learning… isn’t the student but the system itself? In Part 1 of this powerful conversation, Mike sits down with renowned educator and teacher trainer Esther Vazquez to confront one of the most uncomfortable truths in modern education: our classrooms were never designed for every brain. Drawing from neuroscience, classroom experience, and years of teacher training, Esther exposes the deep mismatch between how the brain actually learns and how schools still teach. They explore: • Why neurodiversity is not the exception — but the norm• The dangerous myth of one-size-fits-all teaching• Why emotional safety is the true foundation of learning• How standardized education leaves countless learners behind• And the ethical responsibility educators carry in shaping minds and identities This episode will challenge what you believe about intelligence, teaching, and the true purpose of education. Because when the brain doesn’t feel safe… it doesn’t learn. If this episode challenged your thinking, share it with a teacher, school leader, or parent. Follow the Languages Pedagogy Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and watch the full video episode on YouTube. And if you believe education must evolve, this conversation is where that evolution begins. #languagespedagogypodcast #educationrevolution #teachercommunity #educationleaders #futureofeducation #educationinnovation #teachertraining #brainbasededucation #learningrevolution #educationmatters

    30 min

  3. FEB 19

    Ep186. ft. Jose V Torres - The Ethics of Language Teaching: Power, Access, and Responsibility(Part2)

    Can ethical teaching survive inside unequal systems? In Part 2, we confront the tension between standardized frameworks and human dignity. They discuss the decline in literacy rates, the ethical risks of prioritizing communicative fluency over deep literacy, and the growing concern that digital learning and AI may exclude the most vulnerable learners. Jose shares how he strategically integrates phonics and literacy within restrictive systems, proving that ethical teaching can be a form of resistance. If education is to be humane before transformative, something must change. Loved this episode?Follow The Languages Pedagogy Podcast for more courageous conversations about language, power, and education.Share it with a colleague, leave a review, or tag us online — your engagement amplifies these necessary dialogues. Together, we’re not just teaching — we’re transforming. #ethicaleducation #literacyfirst #aiineducation #teacherresistance #educationequity #multilingualeducation #pedagogyleadership #educationtruth

    33 min

  4. FEB 17

    Ep185. ft. Jose Torres - The Ethics of Language Teaching: Power, Access, and Responsibility (Part1)

    Language teaching is often framed as neutral, helpful, even benevolent but what if it isn’t? In this episode, we explore the uncomfortable ethical realities behind language education: how English operates as both empowerment and gatekeeper, how access is often superficial, and how power quietly shapes learners’ futures. This conversation challenges the idea that good intentions are enough and asks educators to confront the systems they work within. If teaching is never neutral, then ethics is not optional—it’s foundational. This episode invites you to reflect, rethink, and sit with the discomfort that real responsibility demands. Loved this episode? Follow The Languages Pedagogy Podcast for more honest, powerful conversations at the intersection of language, education, and humanity. Share it with a fellow educator, leave a review, or tag us on social media—your voice helps elevate ours. Together, we’re not just teaching — we’re transforming. #languageethics #teacherresponsibility #powerineducation #multilinguallearners #educationjustice #pedagogyleadership

    29 min

  5. FEB 12

    Ep184. ft. James Perucca - Embracing Cognitive Load: Optimizing Your Brain for New Languages (Part 2)

    In Episode 184 (Part 2), the conversation deepens and gets uncomfortable in the best possible way. We examine how cognitive load, anxiety, culture, and exams intersect, and why many learners fail not because of ability, but because of systems that overload, rush, and ignore human limits. We discuss: the “anxiety zone” vs productive struggle why learners don’t always recognize overload how educators must intervene ethically cultural pressure in Chinese education IELTS and TOEFL stress mechanics relevance and frequency vs memorization why more content often equals less learning This episode is a reality check for teachers who care — and a relief for learners who’ve been blaming themselves for structural problems. This is pedagogy with a spine. If you believe education should be humane before it’s transformative, help this message travel.Subscribe, rate the podcast, and send this episode to someone navigating exam pressure or teaching burnout. Learning is not supposed to feel like survival. #cognitiveloadtheory #languageanxiety #ethicalteaching #ielts #toefl #teacherlife #languageeducation #exampressure #learningdesign #educationpsychology #humanelearning #secondlanguagelearning

    38 min

  6. FEB 10

    Ep183. ft. James Perucca - Embracing Cognitive Load: Optimizing Your Brain for New Languages (Part 1)

    What if the frustration you feel while learning a language isn’t failure but evidence that learning is actually happening? In Episode 183 (Part 1) of the Languages Pedagogy Podcast, We talk with James Perucca to unpack one of the most misunderstood concepts in education: cognitive load. This conversation goes far beyond buzzwords. Together, we explore how cognitive load operates in real classrooms, why learners often feel overwhelmed right before consolidation happens, and how poor task design, accent exposure, test formats, and unrealistic expectations can sabotage learning even for advanced students. You’ll hear real stories from teaching in China, exam pressure in IELTS and Cambridge contexts, and the psychological cost of constant overload. We also challenge popular myths around “struggle,” “comfort zones,” and why more difficulty does not always mean better learning. This episode is for: language teachers exam coaches adult learners anyone tired of confusing stress with progress If you care about learning that is humane, effective, and sustainable, this episode is for you. If this episode made you rethink how learning should feel, share it with a teacher or learner who needs to hear this.Follow the podcast, leave a review, and join the conversation because learning shouldn’t break people before it builds them. Your brain isn’t weak. Bad systems are. #languagelearning #cognitiveload #educationpodcast #languageteachers #ieltstraining #toeflprep #teacherburnout #learningpsychology #examstress #pedagogy #secondlanguageacquisition #educationreform #learnsmarter

    38 min

  7. FEB 5

    Ep182. ft. Valentina Gallina -Beyond the Score: IELTS, Pressure and the Skills No One Trains(Part 2)

    In Part 2, we go deeper into the mechanics of IELTS success—especially listening and academic writing—and why different age groups struggle in different ways. Valentina Gallina breaks down multitasking in the listening test, recovering from mistakes in real time, and why confidence matters more than perfection. We also explore how screen culture has reshaped attention spans, why younger learners struggle with reading, why older learners battle fatigue and time, and how IELTS ultimately rewards discipline over fluency. This episode challenges the idea that exams reflect real communication—and offers a more honest path forward. If this conversation resonated with you, follow The Languages Pedagogy Podcast for more unfiltered discussions on exams, education, and language learning realities. Share this episode with a friend preparing for IELTS, leave a review, or join the conversation online. Together, we’re not just teaching — we’re transforming. #ieltslistening #ieltswriting #examstrategy #languagelearning #beyondenglish #teachervoices #pedagogypodcast

    38 min

  8. FEB 3

    Ep181. ft. Valentina Gallina -Beyond the Score: IELTS, Pressure and the Skills No One Trains(Part 1)

    In this first part of a powerful two-episode conversation, we sit down with Valentina Galina, founder of WA IELTS Academy, to unpack what IELTS really measures—and what it quietly ignores. This episode goes beyond band scores and test tricks, exploring the emotional pressure faced by skilled migrants, the hidden role of focus, patience, and confidence, and why exam success has less to do with “perfect English” than most people think. We dive into individualized coaching, realistic timelines, and the mental load of preparing for IELTS while working, raising families, and planning a future abroad. If IELTS feels overwhelming, this conversation will reframe the exam—and yourself. Loved this episode? Follow The Languages Pedagogy Podcast for honest, real conversations about language learning, exams, and the human side of education. Share this episode with someone preparing for IELTS, leave a review, or tag us on social media—your support helps these conversations reach the people who need them most. Together, we’re not just teaching — we’re transforming. #ieltsprep #beyondthescore #languageteachers #migrationenglish #exampressure #languageeducation #teachervoices #pedagogypodcast

    35 min
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Welcome to the Languages & Pedagogy Podcast, your go-to resource for language educators and enthusiasts. Join us as we explore innovative teaching methods, share valuable tips for mastering new languages, and discuss the latest trends in language education. Whether you're an experienced teacher looking to enhance your classroom techniques or a language learner eager to deepen your understanding, our podcast offers insightful conversations with experts, practical advice, and inspiring stories from educators around the world.

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