Excellent OPI session with @Shane Brenner. Practicing the 'martial art' of Conversational Language Learning. OPI is the gold standard of speaking ability (used by the military). It's harsh, but if you can't answer questions in Spanish, you don't speak Spanish.

Hey Tony, Just wanted to introduce myself, give you a shoutout, and ask you a few questions. My name is Shane, and I live out in Utah. I started this language journey about 10 years ago with Spanish, and like many who get bit by the language bug, I’ve become a full-blown addict—delving into Portuguese, French, and bits and pieces of many others. I teach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and noticed you often use martial arts analogies in your videos. Funny enough, I've been writing a book about my experience, and I’ve used similar ones—especially the idea that studying a language through apps, books, or videos is like hitting the bag or skipping rope. It's helpful, but it’s only when you step into the ring and actually spar that you develop true fluency. In the book, I also talk about how speaking a second language can lead to flow states. A lot of what you say resonates deeply with me, and I truly believe your message should be more widespread. The methods you share in your course offer people a path to fluency that’s far more achievable—and fun—than they might think. I had a few questions for you: 1. I’d love to learn more about the Premium program on Skool.I’ve already gone through your How to Learn Any Language course and binge-watched most of your videos online. I’d really like to work with you and the community, but there aren’t many details about what the Premium membership includes. Could you elaborate on that? 2. I also noticed you’ve done relatively few videos on listening comprehension and pronunciation.I’d love to hear more from you on both of these topics. I’ve taken courses with Idahosa Ness from The Mimic Method on YouTube, and his approach goes extremely deep into how to perceive and produce the sounds of a new language. I’ve found those two elements—perception and production—crucial for developing true comprehension and being understood by others. 3. Lastly, regarding listening comprehension:I really appreciate your emphasis on question-and-answer formats—they're perfect for holding context and aiding comprehension. That structure acts like a set of guardrails, keeping us oriented in the conversation. But I’ve noticed a challenge arises when we’re listening to someone monologuing. Without those Q&A cues to anchor us, it can become much harder to track the message, especially if our comprehension is still developing. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how to train for those situations where we don’t have the built-in scaffolding of back-and-forth dialogue.