Elisa Polese: Teaching Multiple Languages at Once

Welcome to the actual Fluency Podcast. Each week you'll find inspirational, motivational interviews with some of the world's best language learners, industry experts, all trying to help you to learn foreign languages better, faster, and more efficiently. And here we go. This episode is brought to you by Italki, the world's best tutoring platform. So if you've been struggling to find a tutor online, or if you just want to enhance your language learning, I highly recommend checking out Italki. You can get a $10 free credit after purchasing your first lesson on Italki by going to actualfluency.com/italki. That's I T A L K I.

Uh, sure. Thank you very much for inviting me. Um, so my name is Elisa. I I come from Italy. I started learning languages when I was 8, but actually just French. Um, because I went to France and I just uh uh loved the language and uh I decided I would learn French. And this is what I did. At school I had French, and I noticed that I just loved languages, and I went abroad with my parents and I um, I loved the idea to be able to communicate with people.

It's difficult without a method. And I'm sure we'll we'll talk about about your method later that that you've come to now. Did you, what languages did you study at university?

At university? So I I um I I studied to be an interpreter. So I studied English and French. And uh but during my university studies I also studied um uh Spanish, Arabic, uh um, Hungarian. And um yeah.

Wow, how how was that in classes or in uh just what how did you study all these languages? Did university offer all of them?

Uh yes. So the ones I mentioned, yes. So I, yeah, I was studying to be an interpreter and there were languages. So I had to pick some languages and other languages were more like a bonus if I wanted to, and of course I wanted to.

You just picked everything everything possible.

Uh I would, no, no, unfortunately no, I I haven't. But yes I also had to study for my for my exam so I didn't have the time to pick everything, but yes my dream would be uh yeah, to go back and study all the languages which were offered.

Yeah, I can understand. So so your dream was going into university to be to be an interpreter.

Yes.

Right. And did you ever did you ever do that?

Yes, yes. I I worked as an interpreter and a translator and I still work partially um as an interpreter and translator. But I love teaching. So it's uh my with the time I understood that I love interpreting and my I like so I'm so happy when I can interpret, but at the same time I love uh helping people and when I interpret, I don't get this feeling, and when I teach, I do. So, it's what I I understood that I just uh um yeah, that I just like it so much.

Yeah, I understand. And uh yeah, interpreting is one of those careers that a lot of people listening to the show are interested in uh it's a very a popular topic. Do you have any tips or advice for people who are say younger and and maybe looking to university and want to do uh interpreting as a full-time career? Is there anything they need to know that's not maybe super obvious if you don't know?

Um, so what I learned afterwards was on one end, uh it would be it really helps if you are someone who can keep calm at any time if you want to to be a simultaneous interpreter, because there would be times where you cannot really control what is going to happen. I mean, uh what I mean is uh uh you don't know what people are going to say and uh yeah you you have to go with the flow and sometimes it can happen that they say things you are not really so you can prepare as much as you want, but you cannot control what kind of words people are going to use. So, um keep calm and uh um this is one thing.

Right. I've seen some of the conference interpreters they're stuck in these little booths and and they're just by themselves, so that can be lonely I guess as as well if that's your main focus.

Mhm.

Yeah. But it's interesting it for me it sounds very difficult obviously. Uh it's it's uh a very tricky position. You need to be very good at both languages or I guess even more languages in some cases. Uh so for me it's I was I don't think I could ever do it honestly in any language. It's too too scary.

Uh I don't think it's so sorry. It's true that you have to be very good at both languages or more languages, but it's uh what I think it's uh it's not just knowing a language, but be able to um to yeah, to to translate it in uh in the in the right way um according to so many criteria and rules when, yeah. So this is more difficult. It's not enough to know a language. You really need to learn a bit of a technique or um yeah it's. But anyway, so I cannot say that it is not a challenging job, but I I think it's a very very interesting job. So, anyway, it requires a bit of effort but so many professions do that.

Yeah, of course. It wouldn't be it would be interesting if it was too easy I would say. So so that's good. What what what did you do uh did you do that right after university or did you uh did you have some other language projects in in between and and how is it looking for your language project projects after that? Did you go back and have some projects that you studied uh just for for for the sake of it on your own or did you follow any other like pro programs after that?

Um, so uh my path at university is quite long because I started I have more than one degree because I love studying, I love learning. So I first studied interpreting and translating and then I went I I went to work and I used my languages, but I really wanted to improve other languages. So I went back to university. I studied, so and then um I did another type of interpreting. I did simultaneous interpreting, liaison interpreting and consecutive interpreting plus translation.

Yeah, that's a a big package to have uh lots of languages and then IT, law, and economics. I mean those are the the big topics. So that's a a good package to to choose. And um what what happened next?

Um I uh apart from working, uh so since I was 20, I um so when I was 20, I started teaching and I loved it and I always done it um until now, because I just like it very much. And then what I decided then I I worked and studied again. Um I worked in companies in different roles, let's say. But I also worked um as a teacher, of course, in different countries. And um, um, I decided to study again to and I got a master in teaching and also CELTA, uh so the certificate of Cambridge University to teach English. And uh, yeah.

Right. So those are some good starting points for for teaching and and and is that what you do mainly today?

Uh yes. So I translate, but I also but I mainly teach. I um I teach several languages and um I also teach several languages at the same time according to what students need. Uh so, for example, um what I really liked in these years is that, for example, uh I, I don't know, I I taught Italian in French and French in Russian and Russian in Spanish and German in uh uh in uh uh yeah, so in so many combinations and it was very interesting to be able to talk to so many people from different uh countries. Um and uh yeah.

Yeah, definitely that's the triangulation in a way where you use some a third language to learn a second language or a second language to learn a third language or teach a third language. And what kind of students do you find so so for let's say you're teaching in German, you'd find people would native German as I mean German speakers or would they be like L2, like people who have actually learned German to a high level, who now wants to learn French and you do that or or how does it work?

I'm quite open. I think uh that in uh when you teach adults, you cannot, I don't think it's uh uh so I've I've met teachers who say, okay, this is my method and we only use that. Or I only work in this way. I think you can do maybe, so I don't want to discuss whether it's right or wrong, but you can do it maybe with children. If you're really sure it really works, so you have to teach in a certain way. I don't know. But I think with adults, it doesn't work, because since we are in most cases, we are not obliged to learn languages, we want to, either because it helps can help our career, or because we want to move somewhere or because our partner is coming from another country or because we we want to go on holiday, or we need it for the company. Then I think students have a say in that.

Wow, so I can I can become a student of yours and I can say I want to learn French and Italian. And you will you will you have a program or you'll make a program for me and the other students. Yes. That has this built in sort of.

Yes.

That's amazing. Why why don't more people do this? That that sounds really fantastic.

I'm also writing material, so it will be published soon. Uh for example, the first thing which will be published is a self-study material to learn at the same time French, Italian, Spanish and German.

Wow.

And with uh videos uh or um uh lots of uh audio material and uh uh a bit as if I was teaching you directly. It's not only it's not really it's not an audio course, uh or a video course. It's uh everything together. There is an interactive PDF where embedded you can have audio and uh quizzes where you click and see the answer and then you can also watch videos and so on. So, and uh it has also uh multilingual tips, multilingual units, so that you can also learn how to switch from one language to another.

Wow. And I guess the obvious question on on that is there's there's a lot debate online about how do you learn multiple languages. And some people say that it's very it's not advisable because you mix them up. And some people are saying, no, no, you can do it as long as you set some guidelines and and you do it in a structured way. Um, what what kind of things can people do to themselves? I mean you mentioned before that interpreters have special skills that or or they're taught how to not mix things up. But can you give any examples of of any tips that people can use right now to not mix languages up?

Yes. Sure. Sure. So, um, I think um, so I I think that in general humans human beings do many many different things and they they don't mix them up. Uh the the key is actually to um so maybe it seems obvious, but I don't in my experience, not so many people do it. So, when you want to speak a language, many people say, okay, I'm going to read. Okay, that's great. It really helps you with vocabulary, maybe you feel comfortable and you're not, but if you don't speak, of course, you're not going to be able to speak. Like if I wanted to learn how to drive and then I just read the theory, which is great, but I also need to apply it. And the same thing happens with languages.

Yeah, it sounds simple, but I don't think a lot of people do this at all, if any. Like you're the first teacher I've heard. I know other people who are who speak a lot of languages who also do teaching, but I haven't even heard them say something like this. So, it might be kind of obvious, but if nobody does it, I would still say it's quite quite amazing actually. Um I definitely want to try this uh when I so in

In uh last last November, I was in Berlin and I at Exponeva. I don't know whether you know it. And I gave a workshop where I I taught at the same time Hindi, Greek and Italian. And I chose on purpose languages that I knew that not many people would speak, because I wanted people to see first that they can speak from day one, actually after one minute, because they can really repeat things, they don't need to know everything to be able to speak. And uh uh and then they can switch and everyone, so almost everyone, I mean, it was like 40 minutes. They can they they could they could switch from one language to another and everyone did that.

That's crazy. It's amazing. And and so just differentiating a little bit from uh the teacher to the student, because I assume you're still busy learning languages yourself. I guess you can't keep you away. Um, what what kind of what kind of strategies do you use yourself as a like how's it different from? Do you try and make your own study in mind the same as your students in your teaching or do you have some other different parts of your method when when it's your own? Like what do you do when you have study time, for instance? What do you work on?

Mhm. So, uh this is a good question. The thing is that I do use uh some of the techniques I use with my students. Actually, many of them. Of course, the only thing is that I don't know many uh I don't multilingual teachers. So, I would be so happy to have a multilingual teachers so that I can practice the languages I really want to practice the ones that I don't speak so much or not so often.

Right. Make it clear a clear distinction.

Mhm.

We have to take a quick break but we'll be right back. When I started learning Russian four or five years ago, I couldn't really say much, even though I'd learned quite a big vocabulary. I had spent a lot of time on books and flashcards and apps, because I didn't really know what else to do. I thought that language evening classes was were quite inconvenient and they were quite expensive as well. And I didn't really have anyone to talk to in my little town in Denmark. So I was really lacking speaking practice. I don't know why I hesitated for so long to get on board the tutoring wagon, as it were, and start to get regular online tutoring, because obviously the internet has enabled a connectivity that we've never had before.

Yeah, post post post okay in uh verb okay word order, but actually in Hungarian what is uh quite peculiar but also in Turkish is postposition. So, you have so many things added at the end of a word. Exactly. Then, yeah, you don't even you cannot even recognize the word anymore if you don't know that the language does that.

Exactly. That's that's why I found Hungarian really hard because when you're doing let's say just doing flashcards or you're trying to learn vocabulary, sometimes it's hard to see if you is this a new word or is it some kind of, you know, uh conjugated version of a an already existing word? And what forms do you learn anyway when you have 50 different endings you can add to a word, it's very tricky. I I how did you find it? Did you study it at university as well? How did they attack it in the in the curriculum there?

Uh, so I would say more than in in so if you want to understand the I can answer the question about the university. But uh what I think in general that languages where grammar is very difficult or more complicated or just different from your mother tongue, what I think is that what I always do is to learn structures, because structures uh are like things that you can um use um change in a couple of words and still be able to say so much. For example, I don't know. Um so, my suggestion in general, actually, may I talk about Russian for a second because it's also quite a complicated language for.

Yeah, and it's context, isn't it? Uh with the grammar heavy uh languages, if you can learn their context of each ending or how conjugation, then you're not really bothering so much about the rule itself, you're more seeing it in in practice and applying it. You don't necessarily need to know why it is like that if you just have that pattern or or um experience in your in your head.

Yeah, so, uh maybe in some cases it's important to understand, so, at some point in languages like uh Russian or German, it's important to understand about cases. But of course, it's it's much more interesting to understand it in practice instead of just in theory. So, if you say many sentences using, let's say, accusative, at some point you understand why you use it and how you use it. Much better than just um than just reading a book. So, this is why I think speaking is so important, because your brain uh so there are two ways there is passive and active learning. And uh active is by speaking or so by producing. So, either speaking or writing. And uh since most people don't like writing anyway, then it's much better to speak and then you have fun, you can talk to people, you can see that you can actually communicate and they can talk to you. I think it's uh it's a very nice way to apply grammar.

Right. And that's kind of the old-fashioned way of of teaching where you're building this foundation that will some day be useful once you've learned a lot. Yes. Which is so it's it's so strange that we now school system have this opposite focus or at least, I mean, I know I've heard stories of some good teachers out there and some maybe it's different from country to country as well, but most of the people I know had just, you know, just basically vocabulary learning and just maybe reading, but no actual conversation or very limited anyway. Yes. Um so you end up with this, I mean, I guess it's better than nothing, but you end up with this level where you can you can probably read and understand a lot, but when it comes to actual production, you're just absolutely hopeless because you've never done it. And that goes back to what you said in the beginning of, how do you how do you learn multiple languages? You said, well, you just need to practice them together or, you know, in a context of each other. Because if you learn Spanish for one day and then Italian for one day, you're not really teaching the brain how to do it at the same time. So, of course, you get confused and it seems simple, but I haven't heard it before either. So, that's quite that's quite nice.

Mhm.

Um. What languages do you uh are you are you studying languages at the moment?

Yes, so well, uh always, I would say, but that's a very weak uh term. What I what I have is I've uh English, Spanish and German pretty well. My my spoken German and my German grammar is still terrible. Uh I just guess many of the endings, but I guess it's kind of a flexible language in that the the endings aren't 100% critical for understanding. So, I've reached a level where I'm happy with the what I can do with it.

Yeah, it's it's fun and uh I definitely want to my focus is uh is more of improving what I've already started. I I could go do more French or Spanish or Italian even or even an Asian language, which is something I always been thinking about as well, but for now I think with everything else that's going on, I would just like to improve the languages that I know and for me that's just speaking more and practicing more for my maybe even starting to do some writing. I know you said people never write and I'm definitely no exception. So, I would like to write more just to maybe practice some of those concepts and get better at it, because that's the only way, right? We we practice to get better.

Yes. So, I yeah, I think I I think it's more because when you want to if you want to talk to friends, you want to be quick and you want to make jokes. So, you're not going to use if your level is not good enough, you're going to switch maybe to English. And if you want to write, you don't yeah, you want to be able to express yourself. I think adults are used to be able to express themselves and when they cannot, they get frustrated, of course. And then, yeah, I think we forgot that in order to learn something, we have to go through a phase where we feel stupid. Yeah. Yeah, and it's just a phase. It's just like don't give up, keep trying and at some point you say, oh, but I can speak the language. Actually, as I said, I think you can already speak from the beginning, but I mean, of course, it takes time. But I mean, as adults we forgot that I think most people forgot that that in order to learn something, so it's a process. You do it and then you get a bit better and then a bit better and at some point you're very happy about what you know. So yeah.

Yeah, hopefully. And um uh obviously going to the the conferences and and meetups is is a good way to find multilinguals uh who can where you can practice in multiple languages. Is is that your primary ambition for for going to the conferences? I I've seen you a couple of times at at the events and and you've also spoken, had some interesting talks there. But um, but that's maybe a tip for people who if they can't find, you know, somebody who speaks three or four languages to practice with, because obviously that's a good way to practice the mixing up as well is to just mix them mix them up in the same conversation. Um, so yeah, that's uh that's a good place to go I feel like for for that kind. You can definitely find some interesting people to talk to in in many languages at these events.

Yeah. So, yeah. So, normally I don't go to conferences because I want to speak the languages. I go there because I'm so happy that I can find other people who love languages. Then the consequence of it is that then we end up speaking different languages. But for me, the main focus of why I learn languages or why I go there is the connection with people and I love so I I like so much that I can find other people who are um in love with languages as I am. It's the very nice uh thing that where you can share your passion with other people. And uh yeah, you can also uh find other people who want to practice the same languages as you want and then uh yeah, you can uh yeah, I think it's a good place. So for sure there, if you want to, so no one obliged you to speak in another language, but if you want to, it's a very good place where you can switch from one language to another.

Yeah, it's there's no pressure for sure. that that's a good point to emphasize. Because some people do feel when they read about the event, it's like, oh, I only know English and Spanish. People are going to make fun of me or say say I'm stupid or something. No, that that's so far from the truth. I I think I've gone some of these conferences speaking only English because there's so many of my friends that I've gotten to know over the years that I only see at these events. And so for us it's more important to catch up and what's been going on instead of speaking in our, let's say, third or fourth language. Even though that happens, of course, as well. Um, and I would say I'm probably more happy when people come to me and speak in Danish, because that's kind of unusual that people learn this language. So, when people come up to me and and speak Danish, that's that's always good fun. And I'll always try to be patient and and listen to people as they try their difficult pronunciation that we have, you know, with the

I know, I know.

Yeah, you you you've looked into it as well.

Yes, I I looked into so many languages. I love to understand how languages work and uh um and also helps me to understand, for example, what could be difficult for people. For example, I don't know. Even if I don't know a language so well, uh I already if I studied it for a while, I already know it, for example, let's say that uh yeah, I know what kind of difficulties could a person of native speaker of that language have learning a different language. And I think it really helps. I can understand where, yeah, where problems could arise and I can help in advance or, yeah. So, it's

Can you give some examples of maybe for different languages what people generally struggle with or maybe what native speakers of certain languages maybe struggle with in general? Just some ideas, uh

Mhm. For example, the usage of the verb to travel in Italian is different from the way you would use it in English. So, you can have a one-to-one translation, like to travel "viaggiare." But we don't know we never say uh I travel I travel to, I don't know, the UK. Or I travel to. Normally, when we say "viaggiare," we use it as a general thing, like I like traveling. "Mi piace viaggiare." Or, for example, um I travel a lot. "Viaggio molto," "viaggio spesso," something like that. So, we don't use it with a specific reference to a place. I already know that I have to uh to talk about that because normally, when we say, I I went somewhere or I traveled to a certain place, we normally use either the verb to go, "andare," or uh "partire." But then we need a different preposition. "Partire per l'Italia," "partire per la Spagna," or uh just very, very often, we just say, "Sono andata in Italia," "sono andata in Spagna." And uh this is so, if I know it in advance, I already know that it's something that I can already automatically explain so that people know that there is a different uh difference, for example.

Yeah, it's better to speak and have a a fluid conversation that just goes on as long as the understanding is not lost, then you can correct it if it comes up again and again. For for teachers out there, that's probably a good point to to write down uh that I definitely feel like if somebody corrects everything every mistake I make, that, you know, I can't really have a conversation like that, so that doesn't work. But but if there are really serious mistakes that actually mean that, okay, I don't understand what you're saying even, then then maybe just say, uh, can you say that in another way? Or what do you mean when you say this? Or something like that.

Or, uh, so, I, yeah, I normally I think it's very important to correct the communicative mistakes. Like maybe the the sentence is completely normal. But, for example, let's say, another, another example, something that actually I always say is that, in Italy, normally, when you say, ah, sorry, I uh, so, do you want to come to my party tomorrow? In Italy, uh, we never say just, no.

Right.

Sorry, I can't and that's it. We always give a reason. So, it's not really just a language, but it's also the culture. Uh, if you want to be invited again, you should give a reason. It doesn't matter how, uh, I don't know, how you don't, yeah, like, sorry, I had to work, sorry, I'm not free today. But, uh, really not say anything, it's culturally not so nice. It's just like, I can't and I don't care. This is the message, actually. So, and, um, and then this thing is much more important than, uh, a couple of gram grammatical mistakes. Uh, grammar mistake. And the mistakes. And the other, yes, and the other thing is that I think many people forget, uh, that there is a difference between accuracy and fluency.

Yeah, there's too much just to get started. It's better to focus on the big wins and just keeping that fluency or attempting to be more fluent conversation and just encourage, which I think is also something that goes missing sometimes. Yes, very important. Yes. If you speak from day one or that's kind of like the Michel Thomas approach as well. Just get people speaking from minute one and actually get them it sounds like what you're doing as well, you get them almost you almost impress the students with how quickly they can actually form a useful sentence. And then they're really excited and they're like, whoa, of course, they they might hit that a bit of a plateau quite quick and then it's a little bit harder, of course, but getting them excited to begin with must be a big priority for for a teacher, right?

Yes. I think it's very important. Uh for example, myself, I get motivated by my progress. If I don't see any progress, I will stop. So, of course, you have to see that you can do it. The thing is that many people think, uh, I wasn't good at school, so I cannot, I'm not good at languages. I don't believe that it's that people are not good at languages. I think either the method was not right or the moment was not right. But anyone can learn languages. Languages are not like, uh, the the example that I like to make, because I don't understand anything about it is like, it's not a quantum physics. Right. So, I don't understand and in order to to to to study, I uh, to study quantum physics, I have to study so many other things that by the time I can study that, then I will have studied math and many other basic, in a sense of easy, but basic things. And, uh, language with languages, you can start straight away. You don't need to uh, to, uh, there are even ways to to to learn certain things which are already advanced, but taught in a certain way that you can already use them from the very beginning.

Yeah, and I would say also the what I realized about that particular challenge of let's say you have something you'd like to say, if you use your native language or whatever, then it can be a really good exercise to try and uh really simplify it. Because, um this is why I actually, I would encourage people to spend a weekend or something on Toki Pona, because the language itself, I would find mostly useless. I mean, there's no real practical use. But in terms of helping you learn languages, I think it's a great use of time because what it does it it it really helps you to believe to understand that everything we say is an is is a translation of our thoughts. So, when I say something in English, what I'm really doing is I'm taking a thought I have and I'm putting words to it. So, I'm not really it's not a direct, you know, thought to word because you can't speak that fast anyway.

And then smile. Maybe smile. If you don't know "please," you can still smile or try to to make you understand that you are grateful for an answer. So, it's

Exactly, you can use body language, non-verbal communication and and for for Russian as well, I think that I use a lot of, I try to speak around it in a way and I ask what is that mean? How do you say that? And even if I have to put in the English word, like how do you say English word? I would still say that's a big improvement over not speaking at all. So, so I'm okay with that and that's goes back to what you said about we have to be stupid for a phase, because obviously you can't learn a language in a week or overnight. So, accepting that we'll be sounding a little bit silly for a while is also important.

Mhm. Yeah, I so I never met uh like uh we feel stupid, but we don't understand that other people will not think the same. So, it's not an exam. We feel we feel it as if it was an exam. But uh normally in real life, what people want to do when they talk to each other is understand each other or to achieve a common goal, which is which can be also understand understand each other. So, and there are certain things which are much more important than just getting everything right. So, if you um, let's say that I was talking to someone and who's language was a bit like broken, and for me, if the person shows interest in talking, like, to me or about a certain topic, or if the person seems motivated, is much more important than getting everything correctly. Yeah, right.

Yeah, definitely. I I've uh I've recorded some of my first Russian tutoring lessons in the first year and I'm I'm thinking about that that's quite a long time ago now, it feels kind of uh time flies. Uh and for me it's just natural to do that. So, even if I didn't speak that very well, I would still make try to make some some jokes or something just to make it fun. I mean they're very simple, right? But for me, that's important as well that you you carry on your personality into what you're trying to do in the new language, even though you don't you maybe you don't have a sophisticated way of of of doing it. There are ways that you can uh I would say infer it, you know, uh Like when uh when people ask me in Russian if I speak Russian, I say, I certainly try to. You know? It's a very simple one to do. or they ask me how many languages do you speak? And I'm like, I don't know if I speak any of them. Because it's it's always hard to define, uh especially as we mentioned with the Swedish and Norwegian. Can I say that I speak Swedish just because I know some words, but I can understand everything that's being said. I would not say so. So, it's quite it's quite complicated anyway.

Uh sure. So, first of all, thank you very much for inviting me. It has been a pleasure talking to you. Thank you so much. And people can find me on my website, uh which is uh www. uh speakfromdayone with Elisa.com. And uh uh you can also find me on Facebook and Instagram. Uh with the same name. Uh and uh um yeah. So, and there you can also find soon, like I said, in the next month, you will you are going to find lots of multilingual material if you want to more on something like either to study on your own or a video course or something like that. So, podcast and so on.

Fantastic. I'm looking forward to it. I think we're really you're really uh helping to make a big development in the in the polyglot world, because I think people are waking up to the idea of learning multiple languages at once and the and the power of it. And this is just kind of the beginning of the whole movement. You know, it's what is it? 10, 15 years ago since uh since we heard about uh maybe not even, probably less. So, uh so it's really exciting to see all this stuff coming out now and I think it's going to be a game changer really, so I'll definitely be looking out for that personally.

Mhm.

Thank you very much. Thank you very much for your time. And uh look forward to seeing you around the world. We'll be in Bratislava for for the gathering next time.

Of course. Yeah. See you there then.

See you there then. Definitely. good evening.

You too. Bye. Bye.

Bye. Thank you. Bye bye. Thank you so much for listening to this episode of the actual Fluency Podcast. I really appreciate having you here today. Just before you leave, I just want to give a quick shout out to today's sponsor, which is Italki. Italki is the tutoring platform where you can find affordable tutors for every language in the world, pretty much. So, get started today and get a free $10 credit when you book your first lesson. If you go to actualfluency.com/italki. That's spelled I T A L K I. So, give it a go and feel how tutoring can really boost and enhance your language learning.