The Language Lab Podcast

One Lesson a Week — and yet somehow, real progress still has to happen.
In this episode of The Language Lab Podcast, Will Marks is joined by Clare Seccombe, founder of Lightbulb Languages and one of the most influential voices in UK primary languages. Together, they dig into what effective language teaching actually looks like when time is tight, expectations are high, and you’re often the only language specialist in the building.
They explore why listening and phonics have to come first, how oracy builds literacy, and why writing works best when it earns its place rather than being forced in every lesson. Clare shares practical insights from over 30 years in education, including how she plans for progression with just one hour a week, why activities like trapdoor work so well, and what primary languages get right that secondary sometimes forgets.
The conversation also tackles bigger questions around transition from KS2 to KS3, assessment, GCSE, curriculum pressure, and why collaboration between language teachers isn’t optional — it’s essential.
Thoughtful, practical, and refreshingly honest, this episode is essential listening for anyone teaching languages in the real world.
👉 Find transcripts, show notes, and send in a voice note at
www.languagelabpodcast.co.uk
☕ Support the show and keep it going:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/languagelabpodcast

In this episode of The Language Lab Podcast, I’m joined by Vincent Everett to explore The Language Snowball — a simple but powerful way of thinking about how language learning actually sticks, grows, or quietly melts away over time.
We talk about curriculum design, communication, spontaneity, GCSE reform, and why learning to use language matters far more than simply learning more of it. Vincent unpacks what happens when pupils don’t have the chance to practise language meaningfully, and what teachers can do to build momentum that lasts beyond the lesson — and beyond the exam.
This is a thoughtful, practical conversation about memory, trust, and what it really means to teach for communication in a system that doesn’t always make that easy.
🎧 Get involved
You can now leave a short voice note via the Language Lab Podcast website — a question, a reflection, something that worked this week, or something you’re still wrestling with. It only takes a couple of minutes and can be completely anonymous.
🔗 Episode links, full transcripts, and voice notes:
www.languagelabpodcast.co.uk
☕ If you’d like to support the podcast:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/languagelabpodcast

Teaching abroad gets talked about a lot — but what does it actually change about the way you teach languages?
In this episode, I’m joined by Megan Crean, who began her career teaching in Belper before moving to the Cayman Islands and is now teaching IB French in Bogotá. Together, we talk honestly about what teaching abroad really looks like beyond the Instagram version: the paperwork, the uncertainty, the culture shock, and the professional growth that comes with stepping outside the UK system.
We explore the differences between GCSE, IGCSE and IB, why culture and geography aren’t optional extras in language teaching, and what international education can offer teachers who feel ready for something different. Megan also shares practical advice for anyone considering a move abroad, from recruitment agencies to mindset shifts, and reflects on how teaching in different contexts has reshaped her classroom practice.
If you’ve ever wondered whether teaching abroad is for you, or what languages education looks like beyond UK borders, this conversation offers a grounded, thoughtful starting point.
You can find all episodes, transcripts, show notes and submit a listener voice note to join the conversation at www.languagelabpodcast.co.uk
If you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing and leaving a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. You can also support the podcast via Buy Me a Coffee at buymeacoffee.com/languagelabpodcast.

In this episode of The Language Lab Podcast, Will Marks is joined by Dr Liam Printer (International School of Lausanne, Switzerland) — French and Spanish teacher, instructional coach, researcher, and host of The Motivated Classroom podcast.
Liam unpacks why story, narrative and co-creation are far more than “fun activities” and how, through the lens of Self-Determination Theory (autonomy, competence, relatedness), they can dramatically shift motivation, classroom culture and even behaviour. We talk about how he discovered TPRS / comprehensible input approaches in an international school setting, what his doctorate revealed (including a surprising turnaround in a famously demotivated IB class), and why he’d happily wave a magic wand and bin testing for grammatical accuracy (at least in the early years).
You’ll also get loads of practical, teacher-realistic takeaways: low-prep routines, brain breaks vs body breaks, choral response, and quick retrieval ideas that don’t require laminating your life away.
We finish with what’s next for Liam: a children’s book project (Captain Super Sleep) and his upcoming Hachette Learning book Motivation Matters: Practical Solutions for the Languages Teacher (expected around summer 2026).
Links
The Language Lab Podcast website (episodes, transcripts, resources): https://www.languagelabpodcast.co.uk

In this season premiere, Will Marks is joined by Dr Andy Goldhawk — lecturer at the University of the West of England, teacher educator, and author of The Language Teacher Toolkit — for a grounded conversation about what really makes learning stick.
Together, they explore:
why so much CPD fails to change classroom practice

the gap between learning theory and day-to-day teaching

time pressure in language classrooms

rehearsal, retrieval, and practice

and why enjoyment isn’t a soft extra, but a serious part of learning

As Andy puts it:
“Fun and enjoyment aren’t trivial – they’re part of how learning works.”
A thoughtful, practical episode for language teachers, teacher educators, and anyone interested in professional learning that actually makes a difference.
Links and extras:
Website, transcripts, and more: www.languagelabpodcast.co.uk
Support the podcast: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/languagelabpodcast

Andy's Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/learning.theories.shared

The Language Teaching Toolkit:
https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/the-language-teaching-toolkit