The 10 Best Songs for Sight Singing Practice

The 10 Best Songs for Sight Singing Practice Suzy S. Sight singing practice is an excellent way to round out your skills as a vocalist. Here, Saint Augustine, FL teacher  Heather L.  shares the 10 best songs to get started with Attending my alma mater, Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, was a lot like going to sight singing boot camp. Every student who attends, despite his or her major or instrument, must sing for four years in the colleges professional choirs. Though many organists and pianists are annoyed at first, they soon realize how invaluable learning how to sight sing can be to their own careers. In a quite militaristic fashion, conductors drilled sight singing four days every week, teaching and directing grand works such as Mahlers Second and Verdis Requiem to choirs only half full of singers. This illustrates the fact that even non-singers can learn how to sight sing on a professional level given the right tools and guidance. Imagine, then, what people who have chosen voice as their primary instrument can achieve. Now, you dont need to attend a conservatory to get the best sight singing training. Different songs hone different aspects of sight singing, because they all contain different intervals and rhythmic patterns. Heres a list of the best 10 songs to get your sight singing chops ready for anything: 1) The Seeds of Love, Old English Song This piece in the Aeolian mode is a real ear trainer. Singing something not in a diatonic scale can be really different for most singers in the postmodern world. Both large and small intervals keep you thinking constantly. 2) America the Beautiful, Bates Patriotic songs are great to learn for their versality in auditions, but theyre also great to improve your sight singing in general. America the Beautiful is perfect for learning wider leaps within the dominant. 3) Old Folks at Home, Foster  Stephen Foster is considered the first American composer. His original works are a major part of the American musical tapestry. Old Folks at Home hones your ability to sing leaps within the subdominant. 4) Long, Long Ago, Bayly Leaps of a seventh can be one of the toughest intervals. Long, Long Ago has enough of them to help you memorize them. 5) A Mighty Fortress is Our God, Luther This German chorale is a staple in the repertoire of church choirs all over the world. Sight singing it will help you with secondary dominants and chromatic passing tones. 6) Amarilli, Mia Bella, Carcini In solfege language, a leap between the tonic and the dominant means do to sol. Youll find plenty in Amarilli, Mia Bella. 7) Hush, My Babe, Rousseau French composer Rousseau wrote Hush, My Babe, which hones your ability to sing a leap of a fifth within the tonic triad. 8) Rain, Rain, Go Away, traditional If whole, half, and quarter notes are what you need help with, then try the childrens tune, Rain, Rain, Go Away. 9) We Three Kings, carol This carol helps you with both three-quarter time and dotted half notes. 10) Tis Me, O Lord, traditional Tis Me, O Lord in Ab is a traditional American song thatll help with reading singing blue notes, which are especially important for those interested in singing jazz and blues. At its core, sight singing is ear training. It is learning relationships between notes and memorizing the intervals we find in music. Variety is so important. The more different kinds of music that we can find to read, the better. With the world becoming smaller in this global age, its easier than ever to find music from around the world, sometimes with sounds and intervals that perhaps weve never heard. I tell each one of my students, when you find a piece of music, read it. If you find yourself sorting through a friends piano bench, then pull an old piece of sheet music out and read together. And remember, perfectionism is found in many musicians and students of music, but it is mostly detrimental and dangerous. It can push us to achieve more than we ever thought that we could. But it can also keep us from moving forward, both on a smaller level, as in a piece of music that were sight singing, and on a larger level, as in our music career as a whole. Do not be discouraged with stumbles in sight singing. That is like a body builder being discouraged with himself for not lifting 400 pounds after two weeks of training. Learning this skill is a long journey, but with the right songs and with sight singing practice, its an essential element of your singing career. What other songs can help you with your technique? Find out in our round-up of  400+ songs to sing here! Heather L. teaches singing, piano, acting, and more in Saint Augustine, FL, as well as through online lessons. She is  a graduate of the prestigious Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey, and has performed with the New York and Royal Philharmonics, the New Jersey and Virginia Symphonies, the American Boy Choir, and the internationally renowned opera star, Andrea Bocelli. Learn more about Heather here! Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

How to Improve Your GMAT Score the Second Time Around

How to Improve Your GMAT Score the Second Time Around Retaking the GMAT is a common practice for business school applicants. Not everyone achieves their target score the first time they take the exam, and many students take the GMAT more than once. You can improve your GMAT score the second time around with a little self-reflection and extra work. Now that you know what to expect on the day of the test, how can you improve your performance the next time you take the GMAT? Here are four steps to help you improve your GMAT score the second time around: 1. Examine your first GMAT score Start by reading your GMAT score report, and decide where you would like to improve. Do you need a higher Analytical Writing Assessment score to display your English abilities? Do you need a higher Quantitative score to bolster the mathematics portion of your application? Learn from your past mistakes to enhance your performance in the future. Additionally, think about your overall testing experience during your previous exam day. Were you feeling sick during your first GMAT? Did you have personal distractions before you arrived at the test center? Were you stressed out from not feeling prepared? This time, avoid anything that agitated you before the previous exam. Give yourself time to prepare for your second GMAT. Also, consider how you can address the areas that are under your control so you can perform to the best of your abilities on your next exam day. 2. Prioritize your GMAT study areas In the time that you have until your next GMAT test day, you should focus on the sections and questions that you can effectively improve uponthis will help you reach your target score. For instance, if you know you can write a better essay, but you want to increase your Quantitative score also, dont spend all of your study sessions solely practicing the Analytical Writing Assessment. Instead, make sure to work through Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency questions as well so you can increase your Quantitative score, too. Then, allot a short period of time to briefly practice your essay. Additionally, determine what question types you struggled with most within each section. For example, in the Verbal section, which questions were most challenging for you? Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, or Sentence Correction? In the Quantitative section, dig deeper than simply comparing Problem Solving questions or Data Sufficiency questions. Did you find probability more difficult than weighted averages? Algebra more challenging than geometry? Identify the issues you faced on the GMAT, and address them directly. 3. Create a detailed GMAT study schedule Decide when, where, and what you will study in the days and weeks before your second GMAT. Plan your GMAT prep schedule using specific blocks of time to focus on certain areas. For example, your schedule could look something like this: Mondays from 7:00pm to 9:00pm: Practice Reading Comprehension Thursdays from 8:00am to 10:00am: Refine writing skills for the Analytical Writing Assessment Saturdays from 1:00pm to 3:00pm: Review Problem Solving Also, time yourself as you work on questions to improve your pacing. To boost your GMAT performance, you will need effective strategies for both tackling the material on the exam and for using your time wisely. 4. Refocus your approach to improve your GMAT score Now that you have spent some time studying again, take an assessment of your updated skills. Sit for GMAT practice tests and examine your results. Have you improved your abilities in your desired areas of the GMAT? If you are not seeing the improvement that you hoped for, consider GMAT tutoring. You dont have to prepare for the exam alone! A professional instructor can help you develop personalized strategies to maximize your GMAT score. Taking the GMAT a second time can give you a better chance of achieving your target score. By using these four steps to prepare for sitting for the exam once again, you can make your GMAT study plan more personalized and focused on how to boost your score. Furthermore, your familiarity with the process can help relieve any stress you may have experienced during the first time around. You are now a seasoned GMAT taker. Stay confident, yet humble, as you enter the test center, and you can expect better results on your GMAT score the second time around. Any topics you want to know more about? Let us know! The Varsity Tutors Blog editors love hearing your feedback and opinions. Feel free to email us at blog@varsitytutors.com.

Fostering an Achievement-Oriented Student in a Common Core Setting

Fostering an Achievement-Oriented Student in a Common Core Setting Fostering an Achievement-Oriented Student in a Common Core Setting The ability and drive to set and achieve goals is a skill that can be applied throughout life, from elementary school to varsity sports to career life and onward. Most parents aim to help their students improve, but need the right tools to help set their sights on measurable achievements. When your student is learning in a school that has implemented Common Core State Standards, it is a great opportunity to begin guiding him or her toward a more achievement-oriented work ethic. It'll help your student to be more successful in the classroom, enabling him or her to apply newly acquired skills to other aspects of life. In order to foster this type of personality, though, parents have a lot of work to do. Getting to Know your Student's Curriculums Almost every teacher hands out a grading rubric and syllabus in the beginning of a school year. Parents need to recognize the value in them they essentially outline what the student will need to achieve in order to effectively absorb the content and receive good marks. Go class by class and think of measurable and achievable goals that your student can set, whether it's getting an A on the end-of-semester research paper or studying for a set number of hours per week.Then, help him or her to take the steps necessary to reach those goals. If the goals aren't reached, try to find out what went wrong. Recognizing Areas that Need Improvement Every student has their strengths and weaknesses. The ability to overcome weaknesses is the ability to recognize them. Communicate with your student and his or her teacher to find out what areas could be improved upon. Then, make it a goal to improve in a measurable way. This can be achieved through studying with friends, hiring a tutor for Common Core help, or seeing a teacher for clarification after class. Praising Areas of Excellence There are very few students who excel in every subject, but every student has their strengths. It's important not to focus entirely on what's lacking in your student's personal skills, as that will give them a negative attitude toward school. Reward him or her for doing well and foster his or her strong suits for example, purchase books for a student who enjoys literature or take a trip to a cool museum if they do well on that difficult science test. Consider using identifiable strengths as a basis for long-term goals, such as college programs or internships. Keep an Eye on the Prize Always encourage your student to look ahead, no matter how far. Maintaining the attitude that your student can achieve big things one, five, or ten years down the line is a form of encouragement.

Portugal fora do Ciência Sem Fronteiras e o jeitinho

Portugal fora do Ciência Sem Fronteiras e o jeitinho Esta semana li uma notícia sobre a retirada de Portugal da lista dos destinos disponibilizados pelo programa Ciência Sem Fronteiras, algo que aconteceu no final do mês passado. O  ministro da Educação, Aloízio Mercadante, retirou Portugal da lista para impulsionar os estudantes a aprender outros idiomas.  â€œQueremos que os estudantes enfrentem a questão da língua, que todos aprendam uma nova língua, disse Mercadante.Embora  esta notícia tenha intrigado,  houve outra medida que me chamou mais a atenção.  Em fevereiro, o governo brasileiro reduziu as exigências, no que diz respeito ao conhecimento de Inglês  para quem deseja fazer intercâmbio, pelo fato de muitos alunos estarem sendo reprovados no TOEFL  e no IELTS  e, por isso, as vagas não estarem sendo preenchidas. O que para muitos pode ser uma ótima novidade, para mim parece o famoso jeitinho entrando em ação.No TOEFL a nota mínima passou de 72 para 47, com obrigatoriedade de 6 meses de curso de Inglês no d estino, caso o estudante consiga 57 tem que cumprir 3 meses de curso de Inglês. Já no IELTS a nota passou de 5.5 para 4.5, com 6 meses de curso de Inglês no país de destino. Tudo isso parece super interessante, mas no fim do curso há a repetição da prova e, se for reprovado, o estudante é recambiado. Assim, o governo vai estar mandando estudantes sem proficiência em  Inglês para fora, esperando que em 6 ou 3 meses eles aprendam tudo o que têm que aprender, para que o investimento não seja jogado fora.  Essa flexibilização da exigência de proficiência parece muito arriscada.O governo pretende obrigar os estudantes a irem para países onde se fala Inglês, mesmo que o seu nível seja fraco (desde que cumpram os outros requisitos exigidos), fazendo com que pessoas que querem progredir academicamente esbarrem com barreiras linguísticas, que não deveriam fazer parte das suas preocupações enquanto estudantes de graduação, pós-graduação e afins. No entanto, não ir á permitir que esses mesmos estudantes, que não têm nível de Inglês satisfatório, façam intercâmbio para um país no qual não enfrentariam essas dificuldades.  No fundo, ou você se sai (mais ou menos) bem na prova e faz intercâmbio ou você não vai, porque em Portugal você não aprenderia outro idioma. Eu entendi bem? Fazer intercâmbio e se especializar só importa se for em outra língua?Tudo bem, a ideia de oferecer cursos de Inglês no país onde o estudante irá fazer o intercâmbio é muito boa. Porém, os cursos deveriam ser oferecidos mesmo que o estudante passasse nas provas, porque, como quem lida com Inglês diariamente sabe, saber um segundo idioma não é ter um papel que o comprove, mas sim estudar e praticar continuamente. Afinal, falar outra língua não é como andar de bicicleta.Daí que eu não entenda a lógica do ministro. Mercadante parece querer corrigir uma falta de investimento no ensino de outros idiomas durante o percurso escolar obrigatório com esta medida. Sem lembrar que, muitas vezes, os estudantes poderão não conseguir passar na prova, mesmo cursando Inglês no país de destino. Além de estar vetando a possibilidade de estudar em Portugal, uma preferência que pode existir  por questões linguísticas, financeiras ou acadêmicas.Talvez, só talvez, se o investimento no ensino de Inglês e outros idiomas fosse maior durante o percurso escolar obrigatório, a diminuição dos níveis de exigência e exclusão de um país, para fazer com que estudantes brasileiros enfrentem a questão da língua, não  fossem medidas necessárias.

How to Stay Focused Throughout the Work Day

How to Stay Focused Throughout the Work Day via Unsplash Get A Good Night’s Sleep It’s time to set a bedtime for yourself, just like when you were younger. It’s crucial that you get enough sleep so you can stay focused throughout your work day. Time your day just right so you get enough sleep to go into work the next day refreshed and motivated, even if that means waiting until tomorrow to watch the next episode in the series you’ve been binge-watching. Organize Your Desk Before you even think about what you have to do today, organize your desk. Clean up anything that may distract you throughout the day. Starting the day with a clean desk will make you feel like you have a clean slate. Declutter your desk by throwing things away, putting them in drawers, or organizing folders so you don’t get distracted. A lot of people will use the excuse of cleaning their desk to procrastinate from doing a task. With a clean desk, you’ll be able to stay focused throughout your work day. Make a To-Do List One of the best things to do so you stay focused all day long is to make a to-do list. Physically write down on a piece of paper all of your goals for the day. When you visualize all that you have to do, sometimes it makes your day less intimidating. It’s a great feeling to realize that you don’t have too much to do when you were feeling overwhelmed. A to-do list will keep you on track and focused. My favorite part of a to-do list is crossing off the things that I have done. It’s one of the most satisfying feelings in the world! Time-Block Now that you’ve created your to-do list, it’s time to time block. Time blocking is making yourself a schedule for what you will do and when you will do it. For example, if you were to time block your entire day it may look like this: 7:30-8 AM: Wake up 8-9 AM: Shower and eat breakfast 9-9:30 AM: Commute to work 9:30-9:45 AM: Organize Desk 9:45-10 AM: Read emails Time blocking can help you stay focused and keep you on track. This will help you to prioritize what needs to be done first and how long it may take to do it. Many successful people, like Gary Vaynerchuk, swear by time blocking. via Unsplash Block Distractions Stay focused at work by blocking distractions. This can be wearing headphones and listening to some calm, mindless music while you work so people don’t stop and talk to you. It can be putting your phone on “Do Not Disturb” so you aren’t distracted by emails, texts, and other notifications. If you’re someone who cannot be trusted to stay off of social media, you may want to download apps that block websites for a certain amount of time. This will be sure to help you stay focused throughout your work day. Take Breaks You aren’t a machine that can work for eight hours straight. It’s important that you take breaks in between tasks. You may think that this would distract you and pull you out of your mindset, but it will actually leave you with a refreshed mind and new thoughts when you come back to your desk. If it’s a nice day out, take a short walk and enjoy the weather. Grab a snack or cup of coffee to keep you from burning out. via Unsplash Exercise in the Morning If you’re ambitious enough, get up early and exercise for 30 to 45 minutes before going into work. When you exercise in the morning you will stay focused throughout the day. Not only will you stay focused, but you will be more conscious of what you eat, have an increased metabolism, and just feel better all around! Stay Focused Throughout the Day It’s easy to be distracted by whatever is going on around us. However, by making a to-do list, time blocking, exercising, and organizing your desk before you being your day will increase your productivity and help you to stay focused. Make sure to take breaks throughout the day and do whatever is necessary to block distractions.

2015 Education Technology Trends for Teachers and Students

2015 Education Technology Trends for Teachers and Students 2015 Education Technology Trends for Teachers and Students This article is a guest post Courtesy of Academy of Learning College, a career and business college.   With over 30 degree programs, 50 locations across Canada and over 25 years of experience, they are considered a leading provider of education. Teddy Roosevelt once said, A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad. An education particularly a good one -makes all the difference in the world. Even earning something as common as a high school diploma means the difference between having a job, and having none. And the better the diploma, certificate, or degree, the better the job obtained. Students, both young and old, need every advantage they can get. If you are a student, or the parent of one, then you know how difficult some subjects can be. Considering that the population of this ever shrinking planet borders on the astronomical number of 8 billion people, making competition for high-paying jobs almost cut-throat, having the best education in all subjects required for ones field of expertise is the simple math behind success. Keeping Up With Modern Education To succeed, students need to keep up. This often presents unique challenges; a student may do exceedingly well in English, but fail miserably when it comes to Algebra. This is not because the student is any less bright than his peers, its because the student thinks differently, and therefore may need to be taught differently, in order for him or her to understand and appreciate the subject material, and the principals behind it, thoroughly. Or, the student may not be able attend class in person, or may even live in a region where there are no schools, which makes obtaining an education almost impossible. This is where online or in-home tutors and technology come in to save the day. Technology Trends in Education Online and In-home Tutoring: One of the wonderful things about the internet, besides videos of dancing and costumed kitties, is the ability to find and hire academic tutors online. There are some great tutoring services available online todaystudents can speak with tutors directly, in real time. A tutor has been, and always shall be, one of the best learning aids available outside the classroom and most busy working parents would have to agree. OERs: Open educational resources (OERs), simply put, are free, openly licensed materials which can be utilized by tutors, students and teachers for learning and teaching purposes. While there are unlimited resources to be tapped from the internet, finding a published paper on a particular subject can be frustrating, but one is certainly available. Fortunately, platforms for obtaining such information are getting better. ILS: An integrated learning system (typically software) is integral to a students success. Designed to deliver, measure, maintain, and monitor subject material, an ILS engages a student directly by providing feedback as to why a student has, or has not, progressed; students interact with the program like they would a tutor. Many colleges already incorporate ILSs for homeworklike Algebraand off-campus courses. Virtual Learning: Virtual learning also utilizes computer software, as well as the internet, to deliver instruction to a student. This can be used to eliminate the need for a student to be in a classroom, and even the teacher, but it can also be used as an aid by a teacher to enhance lessons. Instructor-Led Online Learning: Just as it sounds, instructor-led online learning is a virtual classroom with a real instructor, teaching in real time over the net. This is awesome for students who cannot be in a classroom but want direct engagement with a teacher or professor. Though many career and business colleges have been slow to offer this sort of hybrid learning, large business corporations have used it successfully. Its a foregone conclusion, then, that todays technology which is constantly improving is becoming the backbone of how we are learning. The advantages are undeniable, and students need this edge in order to succeed, let alone just attend a class. Because of these current trends in education, the isolated student, as well as the financially challenged student, can enjoy the same quality of education as their peers in the classroom. In the past, technology tended to leave students, teachers, and educational systems struggling to keep up. But today it is almost the other way around.   Because students and teachers employing current technology trends naturally evaluate them, improving them wherever they can, these platforms can only improve and they are improving.   We just keep getting smarter. Further Reading: Ask a Nerd! What kind of Tech Should I Use to Help Me Study? All blog entries, with the exception of guest bloggers, are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at pr@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal, so feel free to suggest what you would like to see us post about.

The Top 15 Language Podcasts for Curious Multilingual Minds

The Top 15 Language Podcasts for Curious Multilingual Minds The Top 15 Language Podcasts for Curious Multilingual Minds Whats on your mind when youre getting ready for bed each night?Are you thinking about the coming day? Excited or nervous for what lies ahead?Are you making lists and plans to chart out what youll get done?I don’t know about you, but most of the time I go to bed with the best intentions to study my target language the next day.Then tomorrow gets the best of me.Over the course of the day, while spending my time on  work, errands, family and friends, I usually find Im too tired to sit down and read, drill grammar rules or even think about studying.I love the enjoyment of learning a language but have found it  difficult to include in my everyday life without moving to a foreign country.But Ive discovered that  I dont have to carve out a specific time to work on my language homework. After discovering language podcasts, I found that I could simply add my language study to my already full dayâ€"without sacrificing any time or other activities.So, not so long ago I stumbled upon a few rea lly good language learning podcasts, and let me tell you, it changed my world. In the car, on the treadmill, on break at work, in the grocery store, I started taking my multitasking to a whole new level!What I’m getting at is the greatness of utilizing podcasts for learning your target language.  Thanks to places like iTunes, Apple Podcasts  and YouTube, all you need to do is hit the handy subscribe button to further your language studies on the go. Why Should Language Learners Listen to Podcasts?Not all of us learn the same wayâ€"we all have different styles.For some people, writing out sentences and visually reading words is an excellent form of language study. Others learn best with images and pictures. Outgoing learners love to chat it up and learn through conversations. Still others thrive on being thrown into the fire, needing to survive with their language skills while living abroad.That being said, every language learner has something to gain from podcasts. There are pod casts for all kinds.First up, theres the classic type of language podcast: the one that teaches you how to speak and understand your target language.  In terms of content, these often resemble other classroom-based and video-based lessons. A teacher will walk you through vocabulary and grammar, and youll be prompted to listen, repeat and respond. These often come with additional resources like transcripts and vocabulary tools.Next, theres the podcast thats designed to  teach you how to learn.  These focus on learning methodologies and clever strategies. They help you think about your current approach to language learning and how to improve upon it. They equip you with neat tips and tricks, and they strengthen your brain.Theres another class of language podcast thats meant for entertainment, sharing cool factoids and stories for language lovers and linguistics nerds. These introduce you to languages and cultures around the world, including their historical relationships, similarities , differences and points of convergence.Regardless of which type of podcast you run with, there are some unique benefits that they all have for language learners, due to their convenient format. These are:MultitaskingPodcasts go where you go, and theyre hand-free while still being interactive. You can listen without sacrificing any other activities. Go ahead, keep working on that project, driving around town or generally getting stuff done.The simple fact that you can learn and listen around the clock is a great asset. No longer do you have to wait until you sit down in a physical French classâ€"podcasts cater to the busy family person, the employee who always works overtime and the 20-something student whos sprinting between classrooms, libraries and the dining hall.Listening while you  work, on a coffee break or while you work out,  youre actually able to immerse yourself. Who would have thought you could get so much done at once?  Podcasts provide a way for the language to come t o you, to suit your lifestyle.Continued learningThe beauty of learning another language is that it transports you. When you pick up another language it engages your brain and requires you to listen, think and process.What better way to spend free time than continuously learning? If you arent in school  anymore, picking up another language is a great way to keep your brain alert, active and engaged. Continued learning enhances your mood, gives you confidence in yourself  and provides many health benefits to your mind as you age.Cultural knowledgeWith language comes with culture. These podcasts rarely stop at just vocabulary and grammar. Even if they do stick to those traditional language topics, youll learn about cultures and societies just by the way they speak to one another. Are there different conjugations for speaking to different people? How does someone address their mother or father? What kind of imagery is used in the idioms, and why are those images meaningful to a certain culture?That said, youll often be taught about the  countries and cultures that speak your target language.  Its not uncommon for the hosts and guests of language podcasts to dive deep into discussions of culture.PronunciationBy listening to languages, Ive found that my pronunciation of words has improved immensely! I dont know about you, but Ive always felt embarrassed when trying to properly convey a foreign  sentence or word to a friend, only to realize I was saying it all wrong. Thats one of the gains Ive found when immersing yourself in podcastsâ€"you start to pick up all the correct sounds.Listening to podcasts will familiarize you with the native way of pronouncing vocabulary, and over timeâ€"with plenty of extensive listeningâ€"this will become second nature to you.How Can You Track Down the Best Language Podcasts?To help you get off to the right start, Ive recommended  some of the best language podcasts out there. You can find the entirety of the list later on in this artic le. This list will point you towards the official website for each podcast, so youll find how to listen to them once youve clicked over to their sites.With all the good news about language learning podcasts, Im sure youd like to know how to get at them on your own! If youd like to explore the big, wide world of podcasts on your own terms, you just need to know the steps for your device.On iTunes  (Mac or PC)1. Make sure you have iTunes downloaded.2. Click on the iTunes Store Link on the top menu of iTunes.3. Search for the Podcast category and browse whats available, or search for keywords.4. When you find the right podcast, click on the “Subscribe” button.5. Click on the “Podcasts” link in your iTunes Library.6. Right-click the podcast to select Download All and get all the episodes on your computer. Alternatively, right-click the individual episodes that youd like to download.On Your iPhone or iPad1. Launch the Apple Podcasts app.2. In the bottom right-hand corner of the a pp, click the search icon. Then, type in the name of podcast that you want to subscribe to.3. Once youre on the page, youll see a button on the right that says Subscribe. Tap it to subscribe to the podcast.On Your Android1. Download a handy podcast app like Pocket Casts or TuneInâ€"these are known by the trendy folks as podcatchers.2. Search for the word language or linguistics, or search for words in your target language. Filter by your target language if youd like something completely in that language, for more advanced learning.3. Subscribe and listen!After all this, the list of favorite language learning podcasts is coming at you!The Top 15 Language Podcasts for Curious Multilingual MindsThese are the top casts about language learning and linguistics. Feel free to keep exploring, thoughâ€"for your particular target language, there will be infinitely more options. Im staying pretty general here, looking at podcasts that have many different language options, ones that are more abo ut the general process of learning languages and ones on linguistic curiosities in the world at large.Creative Language LearningThis exciting podcast series is everything a language learnerâ€"and language loverâ€"could ever want. They cover a huge range of topics of interest to anyone who cant get enough languages in their life.Youll find tips, tricks and strategies for learning a new language at any stage of the process from newbie to nearly-fluent, like How to Fluently Switch From One Language To Another Language and How to Rock Language Learning for Travel.  Theyve done interviews with some famous internet polyglots including Benny Lewis of Fluent in 3 Months.They review all kinds of useful language tools, and they shake things up every once in a while with a quiz on linguistic trivia  or a fun topic like Top 5 Fictional Languages.This is a great place to start getting into language learning podcasts!The Actual Fluency PodcastSounds like a good podcast for any language learner ju st from the title alone, right? This is a long-running podcast with over one hundred episodesâ€"and counting! Most of the podcast episodes are simply titled with who the guest  du jour  is, so youll have to listen to them all, without knowing the focal topic of each one, to extract all the juicy language learning ideas from them.They explore far and wide with their guests, attending and covering international polyglot eventsâ€"yes, those are a thing!â€"and discussing cool topics like the intersection of programming and language learning, studying entire sentences to become more fluent and setting goals for your study time. Youll also see many recognizable names from the online world of polyglots on these podcasts, which is a nice plus.Oh, and the background music is simple and relaxed, giving off an intellectual yet chill NPR vibe.I Will Teach You a LanguageHeres a fantastic podcast from a big polyglot hero, Olly Richards himself. Hes nothing if not prolific, as there are over 170 p odcasts currently available, each of which picks up a key niche area for language learning and digs deep on it.Are you too busy to learn a language? Having trouble setting goals? Feel awkward Skyping with strangers for language exchanges? Hes got these topics under wraps, along with any other question you might want to ask a seasoned and successful language learner. He includes lots of his own personal experiences along the way, so most of the time it really just feels like youre talking with a close buddy about their life.If you enjoy Ollys podcast, you may also be interested in his Grammar Hero or Conversations courses, which are designed to help you set up workable, step-by-step systems for learning your target language.The Magnetic Memory Method PodcastThe Magnetic Memory Method, or MMM, is  for anyone who wants to improve their memory and learn new thingsâ€"and it just so happens to have incredible applications for language learners.I mean, what language learner doesnt want to  exercise, strengthen and empower their memory? Memory is absolutely the key to learning a new language to fluency. If you cant get your brain to latch onto new words, phrases and grammar patterns, youre sunk.Luckily, the MMM believe that  nobody  has a bad memory. They propose that, if you think you have a bad memory, youve bought into a prevalent lie. According to this method, anyone can have a strong memory if they discover and nurture their memory abilities. As someone who routinely forgets where they left their car keys, I was instantly sold when I saw this line.Stop looking to apps to drill vocabulary into your brain. Stop instantly translating every word you dont understand. Dont hand your memory over to your smartphone or other gadgets. Build your memory until its a superpowered machine that never forgets.The podcast is updated every week and is all about memory building techniques which will be essential as you move forward with language lessons.News in SlowNow heres a comp letely different type of podcast.  The title should give you a hint as to what it does. Offered for learners of Spanish, French, German and Italian, this podcast series takes brief clips of real news broadcasts in the target language and slows them down for you. If youre learning Spanish, you can choose between Latin American and European Spanish, which is an awesome bonus.You can download the podcasts for free along with printable transcripts. When used online, the transcripts highlight important words and phrases, indicating that you can hover your mouse over them (or tap them on a touchscreen) for an instant English translation.On the sidebar of their podcast sites, youll notice that they keep handy catalogs of expressions and grammar  that have been featured in their podcasts, so thats worth exploring as well. With a paid subscription, youll have access to even more useful learning features!Radio LinguaThis sites tagline boasts, learn a language anytime, anywhere. It may sound l ike a tall order, but as weve discussed earlier in the post, any language learning podcast makes this possible. You can put on podcasts while driving, working, showering, doing errands or working out. But the difference with this podcast is that it has made this its primary mission: To create the perfect podcast for on-the-go language learners.Theyre expecting you to be out and about, listening to this podcast whenever you have a spare moment! The two most popular programs they offer are podcasts called  Coffee Break Languages  and  One Minute Languages.  Both of these live up to their names, giving you super-fast language lessons you can fit into a coffee break at work, or even in one spare minute of time during your day. Theres a specific series for many different languages, so whether youre learning Dutch, Arabic or French, these are worth checking out.Visit the Free Lessons tab on their main site to see what you can test out without paying. For many languages and courses, these podcasts come with a small fee, but one that may be worth shelling out for if youre a really busy person with limited time to learn.Innovative LanguageFrom Afrikaans to Vietnamese, Innovative Language has you covered with one of the best free podcast series for language learners on the web.It’s constantly updated, with new lessons coming out for you every week, and the material is worthwhile for language learners at every level, from absolute beginners all the way up to advanced learners nearing fluency.Theres a good chance youve already encountered this podcast series on the internet. The podcasts are broken down into separate sites for each language, and are titled with 101, for example, Portuguesepod101.These are the language-specific sites you’ll be directed to once you enter your email and pick a language. Here’s just a sampling of the many popular foreign languages they currently offer:Spanishpod101Frenchpod101Germanpod101Chineseclass101Russianpod101All of these fun podc asts are written and presented by professional language teachers, and it’s one of the most prolific and consistent language sites in the game.Although they have a paid version of the service, thousands of professionally produced audios and videos are given absolutely free.SurvivalPhrases.comThis podcast series is actually owned by Innovative Language as well, but its quite distinct and merits its own brief shout out here. This is ideal for newbies or travelers who need to quickly build their conversational skills.If youre  heading off for a foreign country tomorrow and dont know a single word in the language, this should be your online destination for learning podcasts. Download them for the flight, and youll be able to talk about basic, essential things quite quickly. Being a podcast for survival language, youll be focused on anything and everything conversational.LingQLingQ is a web-based language-learning system founded by YouTube polyglot sensation, Steve Kaufmann. Theres a co mmunity aspect to the interface that rewards you for helping your peers. LingQ also has a massive database of lessons which are composed of text documents accompanied by audioâ€"similar to podcasts, so its a great way to learn languages for podcast lovers.In addition, they offer a unique podcast series for each individual language that their site teaches. The podcasts just sound like casual, natural conversations between native speakers of the language, which will attune your ear to the sound and rhythm of the language.Of course, these come with features like interactive transcripts and downloads to help you alongâ€"but youll need to have a LingQ account to access all of these.With a Premium plan and points on this site, you’ll have access to all their podcast features, apps, vocabulary tools, one-on-one English conversations, group conversations, writing corrections and a huge variety of learning activities and quizzes.Learn Out LoudThe Learn Out Loud website  is about all things education.  Its not just about languages, but it has plenty to offer on the subject. While they dont produce a language podcast of their own, they serve as a sort of online warehouse for other podcasts. Browse their huge podcast directory to see whats available for the language youre currently learning.Youll spot some of the podcasts on their list in their directory, as its a repository for all kinds of odds and ends. They collect and direct to you any free podcast that theyve found for offer on the net, so youll have to do a little exploring and a little sifting to find what youre looking for.The Other Languages  category is a treasure chest for people learning less popular languages that have limited learning material out there.The World in WordsProduced by  Public Radio International, The World in Words is less for language learners, and more for anyone whos intrigued by languages and cultures around the world. The importance of languages for cultures and societies is stressed t hroughout their topical stories.They do seem to have a strong political bias at times, so if this is bothersome to you, you can navigate around the more politically-charged stories and click on the more laid-back audio segmentsâ€"the topics are teasingly descriptive, so it should be a simple matter of finding what strikes your interest!Talk the TalkForget walking the walk for now, heres where youll focus on talking the talk. The hosts of this podcast aim to figure out what makes languagesâ€"and the people who speak themâ€"tick. Their homepage is a bit scattered (well chalk it up to them being mad scientists) but you can view a full list of their past episodes right here.Count on these guys to ask the important questions that all linguistics nerds are dying to know, such as Are Emoji Words?  When theyre not quibbling over these types of fascinating semantics, they also discuss learning methods, the benefits of multilingualism and the quirks of specific languages, for instance, Is Aus sie Slang Dying Out?  and Irish.The Word NerdsIf youre like me, the title of this podcast alone makes you want to befriend the hostsâ€"they just seem like people youd enjoy spending time with. Who doesnt love a fellow word nerd?Unfortunately, this podcast ended way back in 2007, so its not being updated any longer. Since they produced 120 glorious episodes, youll still have plenty to listen to. It just wont be topical. Thats not such a big deal, because many concepts of language and linguistics are truly timeless. Their main focus was grammar patterns and classes of words, what they are and how theyre used.How much of a word nerd are you? If you find yourself seriously enjoying their 30-minute podcast on modal verbs, well, youre pretty much guaranteed to be a word nerd.A Way with WordsLast night I was debating with friends whether or not sauce and cheese are technically toppings on a pizza, or if theyre  simply the standard components of a pizza which you put toppings on. This is a debate  that this humorous, intellectual podcast would probably love to sink its teeth into. After all, only a couple of weeks ago this podcast was hosting a debate over whether or not a hot dog is considered a sandwich.All in all, this podcast is like a cross between a dictionary and a ridiculous-yet-intense debate that you have with friends for fun. Youll get a chance to analyze (and perhaps over-analyze) the ins and outs of words and their usage, in English and beyond.Slate Presents Lexicon Valley PodcastCompared to the other language podcasts above, this podcast is like their edgy little brother. They explore all the oddities, patterns and inconsistencies of the English language, even going so far as to explore the languages its deeply connected to, like French, German and others.When did English speakers start using sleep as a metaphor for sex and death, and why? Why do some Americans pronounce washed as warshed?  Why did English ditch the word thou and start exclusively using you?This podcast seriously earns an A+ for creative, outside-the-box thinking and topics that make you go, woah, I never thought of that or Ive never heard of that before!So, take a click and have a listen.I hope these language podcasts inspire and challenge you in your language learning. Continue to enhance your memory, boost your comprehension and deepen your cultural immersion as you learn more languages and proceed to become more and more fluent than you ever thought possible. And One More ThingIf you love learning languages with podcasts, youll love learning with FluentU. FluentU makes it possible to learn languages  from music videos, commercials, news and inspiring talks.With FluentU, you learn real languagesâ€"the same way that real people speak them. FluentU has a wide variety of videos, like movie trailers, funny commercials and web series, as you can see here:FluentU App Browse ScreenFluentU has interactive captions that let you tap on any word to see an image, definiti on, audio and useful examples. Now native language content is within reach with interactive transcripts.Didnt catch something? Go back and listen again. Missed a word? Hover over or tap on the subtitles to instantly view definitions.FluentU Interactive TranscriptsYou can learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentUs quiz mode. Swipe left or right to see  more examples for the word you’re learning.FluentU Has Quizzes for Every VideoAnd FluentU always keeps track of vocabulary that you’re learning. It uses that vocab to give you a 100% personalized experience by recommending videos and examples.Maureen Stimola  is a Vermont native and serial expat  with a lifelong passion for travel, science research and languages. Shes thrilled to be working with FluentU and sharing some linguistic love with the rest of the world.Britt Hayward is a 20-something language learner who adores travel and discovery. She calls Canada home and loves to drink coffee. Her personal travel stories can be found here.