Doug ❤️ News In Slow Spanish

On this episode of Pod, Actually, Doug, a social studies teacher in San Francisco, talks about learning Spanish, not through textbooks, but through podcasts.

His current favorite? News in Slow Spanish: a gentle, bite-sized way to stay connected to the world while building language skills.

What emerges is something deeper: a conversation about learning, identity, and the quiet ways podcasts shape how we move through the world.

Doug listens on his short commute, not to chase headlines, but to absorb language, rhythm, and culture—finding in the process a softer, more manageable way to engage with the news. 

🎙 Doug’s Top 5 Podcasts:

1. Throughline

2. The Daily

3. Radiolab

4. Radio Ambulante

5. Freakonomics Radio

🔗 Links

• Read the companion piece on Substack: https://podactually.substack.com
• Support Pod, Actually on Patreon: https://patreon.com/PodActually
• Follow Pod, Actually on Instagram: www.instagram.com/podactuallypodcast

📩 Tell us about the podcast you love: podactuallypodcast@gmail.com

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Hello, I'm Catherine and welcome to Pod Actually, a podcast about people's favorite podcasts. On today's program, I'm speaking with Doug. Doug is a social studies teacher based in San Francisco, California. Let's jump in. Doug, what is your favorite podcast?

SPEAKER_00 0:24

My favorite podcast at the moment is called News in Slow Spanish. And that is because I am learning Spanish slowly. So it's kind of perfect for me. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 0:43

And why are you interested to learn Spanish?

SPEAKER_00 0:47

Well, I'm first off, I'm a teacher and I teach in public schools in San Francisco. And many, many, many of my students are Spanish speakers. Some are first generation, most speak great English. Some speak with uh little difficulty, but it's just another way to connect with my students. Perhaps the next step might be to learn Chinese because I have many Chinese-speaking students too, but we're going to start with Spanish.

SPEAKER_01 1:12

And can you please describe the podcast for me?

SPEAKER_00 1:16

Yeah, so it's a very brief podcast, certainly for people who are not subscribing for a paid program, because I think it's also an educational tool. They start with news and they kind of give you the background of kind of worldwide news, really. And I'm pretty sure it's based in Spain because they have that pH sound, which we don't always have in uh Latin American Spanish, but they do about 10 minutes or less of the news and then kind of move into some grammar and Spanish lessons. And some of that is paid content, which I haven't done, but I think it's available for those who want to go that next step.

SPEAKER_01 1:53

And is it a daily podcast?

SPEAKER_00 1:56

I think it's weekly. I don't think it's not daily. It's not daily. Certainly, I don't have the opportunity to listen to it daily. So when I check in, it's usually about once a week or so.

SPEAKER_01 2:06

And so that describes the way that you listen to it. You just when you have time, you check in and see if it's dropped. You're not aware of the date that it dropped.

SPEAKER_00 2:15

That's right. I mean, honestly, I used to be a much bigger podcast person when I had a longer commute. I'm kind of blessed with a shorter 15, 20 minute commute. So I'll throw it on there when I'm driving if I'm not navigating nutty traffic. So it's it's really uh, you know, is it am I going to hear the news news and then kind of get super depressed? Or should I listen to news in Spanish and kind of learn a bit from that, and certainly language-wise?

SPEAKER_01 2:42

And is it literally as it sounds that they speak more slowly?

SPEAKER_00 2:46

It is 100%, literally more slowly. And I would imagine for a Spanish speaker, for a native speaker, it sounds kind of funny. But for me, you know, where I am often trying to, as I'm learning, trying to stop and start, either, you know, I learned also listen to a lot of things on Instagram, a lot of Instagram folks. But definitely slow, and that's that's important because the you know, I can get my news from so many sources, but here the the key really is to learn some new words and get my Spanish going.

SPEAKER_01 3:13

How long have you been listening?

SPEAKER_00 3:15

About a year or so, off and on. Again, truly, I used to be a big, big newsie, I have to say, and the news of the world is is not always super happy these days, and so I kind of backed off a bit. But I've been off and on for about a year.

SPEAKER_01 3:31

Why is this more palatable than a regular news program?

SPEAKER_00 3:36

I guess because it's not as up to date. Really, my focus is on learning the language, and so for me, it's less important exactly what they're saying or what they're talking about. As I said, I can get my news content from so many places. For me, this is just another avenue to learn more mid-level, intermediate level Spanish and beyond. And just it's really for me the focus is on learning Spanish than the news.

SPEAKER_01 3:58

So But is that because what they're saying is not topical, or is it just that you're not focusing on the content of what they're saying?

SPEAKER_00 4:04

No, it's pretty it's pretty topical. They'll talk about anything from environmental issues to the US's latest dalliances or incursions, whatever you might want to call them, around the world. So it's it's pretty topical. But it's not as topical, for example, as the daily or a news program like that.

SPEAKER_01 4:22

And do you feel that in a way it allows you some relief because it provides that distance? Like because you're listening to learn a language, the content is a little more peripheral. It just allows you to sidle up to it, perhaps, as you're focused on the technical aspects of the Peter.

SPEAKER_00 4:40

I think so. I think so. I mean, I I can take a I can be a little bit more removed. I mean, also the fact that it is topical, it means, you know, I'm also I listen to Duolingo, but Duolingo is saying my my owl drives the car to the movie theater. So it doesn't always talk about real stuff. So this is real stuff, and I can theoretically use that those words and and phrases again in the future.

unknown 5:04

Right.

SPEAKER_01 5:04

So it feels like a relevant way to learn a language.

SPEAKER_00 5:07

100%. I mean, just before chatting with you, I was also watching some random show on TV, you know, in Spanish. So I'm just trying to ingest in different different ways. It doesn't really matter. The show is kind of telenovela-like, and you know, that it's it's less important to me the content than the language itself.

SPEAKER_01 5:26

Have you shared with some of your students that you are actively learning Spanish?

SPEAKER_00 5:32

I mean, shared simple the fact that I can, you know, I can say, hey, that's not appropriate. I have to say part of my motivation is to learn some of those non-textbook phrases that I can make sure that the class is running smoothly and everyone's being respectful. But also, yeah, I'll I'll try to drop it a lot and I play a lot of Latin music. Our Valentine's Day dance was pretty impressive because not just the Spanish-speaking kids, pretty much everybody is dancing to uh Mr. Benito, Bad Bunny. So whether, you know, maybe Spanish is having a moment, but my moment has been decades in the coming because I've, as I said, I've kind of wanted to learn for a long time.

SPEAKER_01 6:09

Are the students aware that you are starting to understand them more? I think so, sure.

SPEAKER_00 6:14

Yeah. They'll come up, they'll come up and chat with me, and I'll do my best to chat back, and then you know, it'll be my mix of Spanish-English. But yeah, they're definitely aware of it. And I think they appreciate it, right? I absolutely do.

SPEAKER_01 6:26

How many people host the program?

SPEAKER_00 6:29

It sounds like it's a conversation between two people.

SPEAKER_01 6:32

The same two people?

SPEAKER_00 6:33

Largely the same two people. It sounds like one woman has been there for quite some time and she'll have a partner and maybe even another sort of what they would call maybe a native speaker to throw out some uh expressions, which would make sense. Just kind of that's such a part of the line of language learning, right? Is that what's the secret stuff that people say that doesn't always translate literally. So they they have probably two or three people.

SPEAKER_01 6:58

And do you like them?

SPEAKER_00 7:00

Yeah, yeah. I mean, they they're they're engaging and nice, but again, what people are speaking in a strange, moderated, slow way, it's not like they're cracking crazy jokes. I mean, they're they're sort of fun. It doesn't have that zing to it like a lot of podcasts have, but again, it's useful. I think it's part of that arsenal you have for language acquisition.

SPEAKER_01 7:20

And has listening to the podcast changed the way you think about anything or changed your perspective on something?

SPEAKER_00 7:29

It's a good question. I mean, just the fact I think more of the fact that I'm listening to podcasts oriented around Spanish or in the language itself. Yeah, I think I've always been kind of having had an international vent and broader worldview, but it just adds that little bit of flavor every day. As I said, as I go to my to my school and then maybe throw in some, you know, the latest Paso Pluma songs or other Latin you know songs from Spanish speaking countries. So it just kind of adds that extra flavor. I don't know if this particular podcast has changed my life, but it's it's part of that that whole movement, I think.

SPEAKER_01 8:03

Is it a podcast that you'd recommend to somebody who wanted to learn Spanish?

SPEAKER_00 8:07

Yeah, I think so. I mean, among others too, right? There's it's just one of many. But again, it's a it's a bite-sized thing, and you can kind of just take a chunk and then move on. And like many my teams fans, sadly, it's has been reduced dramatically as our digital world takes hold. But yeah, it's a bite-size and easy, easy to throw in, you know, some time during during your day.

SPEAKER_01 8:27

And do you ever discuss the podcast with other people aside from your students?

SPEAKER_00 8:33

This particular podcast? I think you might be the first one, Captain, that I'm chatting with about it. But again, as I said, I I think, you know, for l learning language, you have to sort of jump all around the internet. Right. So this particular podcast is not introducing me to brand new thoughts necessarily. It's truly more about language learning. I'm sure there are many others in which they really dig deeper into Latin American life or Hispanic life in America and things like that.

SPEAKER_01 9:00

And you primarily listen to the show when you're commuting.

SPEAKER_00 9:03

That's right. Usually there's that it actually kind of fits in that quick commute that I have, kind of that little little chunk.

SPEAKER_01 9:09

So you're in the car and roughly how long?

SPEAKER_00 9:13

Roughly 10-ish minutes, because then it cuts you off, and then I think that there is there may be a portion of it available for subscribers, which I I haven't subscribed.

SPEAKER_01 9:25

Do you feel guilty that you haven't subscribed?

SPEAKER_00 9:27

I no, not really, because I did try, and I think I I think it wasn't super easy to do that.

SPEAKER_01 9:32

So it's their fault.

SPEAKER_00 9:34

So I can blame others, but you know, uh, you know, I do my best. I do other things, other things that I know. Take I take a class actually at City College here in San Francisco and do other things for for language. So I don't feel a ton of guilt, no. But I appreciate what all they're doing for sure.

SPEAKER_01 9:51

If you're listening to this show on a commute and you get to school before the program is over, will you sit in the car until the episode is over or will you just stop? And if you stop, will you go back and finish it later?

SPEAKER_00 10:06

That's a great question. I mean, given the amount of time that I leave to myself to get from the car to my class, which is about to start, I don't really have a lot of time to do that. But it truly is, I know the question where you're saying, it truly is the sign of a great podcast in which you you stay in your car and finish it, right? But it it's so short and you can kind of jump back into it anytime. I haven't. But it's it's a it's a it's worthy, it's worthy podcast for sure. But no, is it a serial? I don't know if it's a serial, right? In terms of that great podcast from a few years ago that had people just I would sit my car and perhaps miss class for that, but it's definitely useful.

SPEAKER_01 10:43

But if you haven't finished an episode, will you finish it later?

SPEAKER_00 10:46

Yeah, I'll finish it. I'll finish it. Yeah. So I'll just jump back in the car and sometimes the car will help me by playing automatically, right? So that's nice. But yeah, I'll go, I'll I'll definitely go back into it. I'll listen to it.

SPEAKER_01 10:58

Final question. Uh-huh. Do you think liking this podcast says something about you? And if so, what is that?

SPEAKER_00 11:07

Oh, so deep. Does this podcast defy me in some way and say something about me? I mean, I like to think of myself as a lifelong learner, a person who wants to keep learning all the time and in different modes and beyond my own culture. So I think it might say about that. But I don't want to read too much into it, right? I mean, I I don't know if it's a huge pat on the back to give myself 10 minutes a week on this. But yeah, I mean, I'm I'm proud of myself for kind of pulling through and finally getting the job done on Spanish, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 11:36

Doug, thank you so much for talking with me today.

SPEAKER_00 11:39

Thank you. It's been fun. Appreciate it.

SPEAKER_01 11:42

And that's the show. Podactually is produced and hosted by me, Katherine Harris. If you like the program, please tell a friend. And you can also support us over at Patreon at Pod Actually or on Substack. Thanks for listening. See you soon.

SPEAKER_00 12:21

Have you done that on your podcast yet?

SPEAKER_01 12:23

Not yet.

SPEAKER_00 12:23

It's really good. If you want, I mean, it's that's sort of as a history guy and as people who really respect like digging deep into truly the through line between things, that's a great one. So that might be the one that I sit in the car and and mix my class for.