Language Educators Assemble » Awesome Language Education Resources » Awesome Blogs for Language Educators: A Must-Follow List

BLOGS FOR LANGUAGE EDUCATORS

Top BLOGS

for LANGUAGE EDUCATORS
Always on the lookout for novel ideas on language learning strategies? Want to stay up-to-date on the latest teaching methods and resources? This page provides a list of top blogs for language educators to make them accessible.
This is a live page that is updated frequently. Do bookmark it and come back often for new entries.
Do also drop me a note if you have any suggestions or feedback.

Language Learning

These are blogs of polyglots who have found success with language learning where they share tips and resources. While not all may be empirically proven, we can still look for inspiration within to encourage our learners to formulate their own strategies. For a more comprehensive list, you can also read this.
polyglots

1. The Mezzofanti Guild

This blog has been founded on a passion for language learning, with Giuseppe Gasparo Mezzofanti as the idealised model. The founder of the site, Donovan Nagel, is trained in Applied Linguistics and has been managing the site “for over 12 years”.

The blog is mainly built and maintained by the founder, Donovan, there are also many contributors writing on different target languages and from different perspectives on language learning in general. The blog is thus very comprehensive and cover a wider range of topics. There are more than 500 articles on the blog, with the earliest article written in 2011. Most of the articles are of moderate length, making them a good read with sufficient details to keep us thinking and reflecting.

2. How To Get Fluent

This is the language learning blog of Dr Gareth Popkins, who proclaimed not having a gift for languages but has come to speak four foreign languages and converse in five more. The whole list of articles published on the blog are displayed in the archive page, and has reached over 240 at point of publication.

Dr Popkins’ articles are a joy to read, as they are usually packed with some humour and figurative exaggeration. For language educators and learners seeking a light-hearted approach to knowledge, Dr Popkins’ blog can a joy to revisit from time to time.

3. Glossika

This is fundamentally a website for the company’s language learning app which facilitates learning through the use of “smart technology, adaptive learning algorithm and structured content”.

As with most business blogs, the blog articles include business-related content. However, such content is minimised and there are many articles which genuinely focus on “Language Learning Hacks & Tips”. The “hacks and tips” are not completely novel or groundbreaking, but are generally useful for the regular learners. As with other language learning blogs mentioned in this post, their articles are usually centred around specific target languages. Supported by their content creators, most of the posts are well-updated.

4. Luca Lampariello

This blog is managed by Luca Lampariello (obvious!), who is a renowned Italian polyglot. The blog articles are mainly written by Luca himself, with also quite a number written by guest contributors. Content coverage includes areas like grammar strategies, mindsets and habits, and tips on pronunciation and vocabulary expansion.

Many of his articles come with his own videos which thus also make the content multi-modal. Luca also has a unique flair for staying earnest despite his achievements.

5. StoryLearning

This is a specific language learning method that was created by Olly Richards that focuses on using stories to learn languages, in opposition to methods which foregrounds rote learning and grammar rules. With the method, courses were formulated and marketed through the website. Alongside the courses, blog articles and podcasts are also offered as complimentary resources to eager language learners.

The blog has amassed an impressive repository of over 1k articles on a wide range of topics. Some articles are relatively short and can be easily digestible and useful as bite-sized content for those yearning for a quick read, while there are some others which are considered long but less structured. One upside I like is that navigation in the blog is made very convenient with the available functions (e.g. search) in the right positions.

Linguistics

These are blogs managed by linguists who provide research-informed content on theoretical and applied linguistics. Though not targeted at language education, such content can be useful in empowering us in enhancing our literacy in accessing professional knowledge pertaining to our craft.
linguistics

1. All Things Linguistic

A blog about all things linguistic by a Canadian linguist Gretchen McCulloch. This blog is a gem for anyone who wants to dive into the wonderful world of linguistics. It’s written for a general audience, so don’t worry if you’re not an expert (no pre-requisite knowledge required). The blog covers a variety of linguistic topics and offers resources for learning linguistics. There are categories such as ‘Internet Language’ and ‘Linguist humour’ which covers contemporary content that is interesting and will probably pique your interest (your learners too if they are mature teenagers or adults). On a sidenote, if you’re looking for advice on various topics, such as grad school and writing pop linguistics articles, you will enjoy reading this blog.

2. Language Log

The premier blog of language and linguistics issues, written by Mark Liberman, Geoff Pullum, and several other well known linguists. I have to conceive that some of the topics explored in this blog is very niche, such as recent articles commenting on the use of apostrophes in Hanyu Pinyin, analysis of text messages from the most recent Trump indictment, and post on the logical form of the word ‘that’. However, with the quality assured by the backgrounds of the content creators here, we can be assured what we are dealing with. If you are interested to explore and be enlightened in very specialised areas, this is a blog that you have to bookmark.

3. Superlinguo

A blog about language and linguistics by Lauren Gawne from La Trobe University (Melbourne, Australia). Superlinguo’s research covers different areas of linguistics, including constructed languages and the role of data in linguistic research. Some of the content on the blog may be a reblog, but all of it offers insight and analysis that is sure to captivate language enthusiasts like us. With engaging content and a commitment to open access through adoption of a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, Superlinguo offers many valuable resources for anyone interested in the intricacies of language and linguistics, especially for teachers who wish to reuse the content from the website taking note of the licensing requirements.

4. Oxford University Press Blog on Linguistics

I doubt I need to introduce the Oxford University Press. This is a comprehensive academic blog (with a range of content on arts and humanities, law, science and medicine) managed by OUP, where I am inviting us to follow the section on language and linguistics. While the content may not cover as wide on the different areas of linguistics as we would have hoped, they do provide intriguing perspectives and insights into content that we may use in our classrooms (e.g. word origins, language professions). If we are looking for lesson ideas centred around language and its applications, this is definitely a blog that we can revisit from time to time.

5. Blog on Linguistics

It is not very clear who is the owner of this blog. However, it does host content on linguistics that cover a range of categories that include specific discourse analysis fields, language variation, intercultural communication and even language education. Unfortunately, it seems not to be updated since 2022 possibly due to the war in Ukraine. The blog provides many short posts on concise knowledge about topics we are concerned with, thus making it a useful repository of such knowledge. We hope that the blog receives updates soon while we continue to lend its wisdom from published posts.

Bilingualism & Multilingualism

incidental learning

(Coming soon!)

Education

These are blogs that are most alike LEA, although their mission can be slightly different. Some blogs are more focused on education in general, while some others take a more particular look at applied linguistics and language education.
language classrooms

1. Language Teacher Helpmate

This blog is supported by the Deakin University (Australia), and aims primarily to serve as a comprehensive resource hub for new language teachers in Australia. It provides various tools and materials to support early language educators in their teaching journey. The blog includes a collection of curriculum documents, teaching ideas, links to professional organisations, as well as suggestions for further reading. In addition, it offers resources specifically designed for early childhood/primary levels and multilingual pedagogies. The blog not only covers general language teaching practices but also includes language-specific resources for various languages including Auslan, Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English as an Additional Language, French, German, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Turkish, and Vietnamese. So, if you are teaching on of these languages, some of the articles will be helpful to you. The content on the Language Teacher Helpmate blog is generally contributed by trained or experienced language educators, which I believe may be more relevant for direct translation into our classrooms.

2. Achilleas Kostoulas’ Blog

Achilleas Kostoulas is a Greek applied linguist specialising in language education and (second language) teacher development. His blog is thus focused on Applied Linguistics & Language Teacher Education. It covers a variety of topics (e.g. English as a Lingua Franca, Teaching English to Young Learners, Content and Language Integrated Learning, Language policies and the role of languages in higher education) within these fields which features his personal experiences, research, projects, resources for language teachers, and more. Beyond blog articles, Kostoulas also offers a podcast (in Greek) on these topics.

3. Seidlitz Education Blog

Seidlitz Education is a company which offers various trainings and resources, including online opportunities during COVID-19, to support language development for all students. The blog is less explicit in marketing their products or services. Furthermore, it does offer a variety of content focused on language development and teaching strategies in the classroom (e.g. use of talking chips, oral corrective feedback, collaborating across departments). Contributors at the blog are usually experienced language educators affiliated to the organisation. Overall, the blog provides valuable insights and resources for educators looking to improve their teaching practices and support language development in their students.

Technology

These are blogs that explore the affordances of technology in language education, as well as the transformative practices that come along with it. These blogs are typically managed by well-resourced academic and corporate institutions, featuring either in-house articles or crowdsourced contributions from experts or practitioners. As such, they benefit from regular updates, ensuring a steady stream of fresh and relevant content.
edtech tools

1. The FLTMag

The FLTMAG is a free, open access, quarterly online magazine focused on educational technologies for language teaching and learning, published by the International Association for Language Learning Technology (IALLT). It provides practical information about technology integration in language classrooms, and insights into the latest trends and best practices in language technology. The magazine features a variety of content that includes theoretical articles, interviews, tech highlights, book reviews, tips and practices, and conference reports. As submissions are peer-reviewed, the quality of content is assured. The FLTMag welcomes submissions on related topics (you are welcome to do so too!). In a nutshell, those among us who are keen to explore innovative ways to transform learning through EdTech, this blog is a must-follow.

2. Sanako

Sanako is a Finnish Education Technology company that aims to provide a comprehensive range of language teaching and learning solutions, from traditional classroom installations to remote teaching solutions and AI-assisted virtual language teaching platforms (I am not affiliate here; those among us who are keen to explore EdTech solutions can contact them directly). The Sanako blog is primarily purposed to build brand awareness. However, it also serves as a central platform for educators seeking valuable insights into language teaching strategies, educational technology updates, and available resources tagged to specific language teaching approaches (e.g. in-depth explanations of effective language teaching methods). What I do like particularly is that the blog offers some coverage of the Finnish education system, language education, and language learning research. Despite the commercial nature, I do still recommend the blog as it provides practical tips and valuable perspectives on teaching methodologies and instructional tools.

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