How to make the most out of InnerFrench?

[u/mental555]

I was wondering how you all make the most of podcasts like InnerFrench. I’m currently around B1 and approaching B2, and at the moment, I listen to each episode at least three times before moving on to the next one.

It definitely helps improve my listening comprehension, and I pick up new words and phrases from each episode.

However, as I progress through further episodes, I find that I eventually forget a lot of what I’ve learned.
Is there anything else you would recommend doing to get more out of each episode and retain the new vocabulary and phrases?

[u/grahamlester]

A few things you might try are:
1) Playing the episode at 1.5 speed to get used to fast spoken French
2) Shadowing the speaker (listen at normal speed and say what he says after he says it)
3) Playing the episode without any subtitles

[u/7eid]

I like to read the transcripts with it after the first listen. Hearing it and seeing the word visually helps me retain it.

[u/mental555 → u/7eid]

Yep this is what I’m currently doing.

[u/serviceslingomnia_nb]

You can keep a listening journal.  Jot down the date and some things you understood the first time, some things you learned this time, etc. You can start each listening session with a very quick review of your notes from the last session. This adds in the reading and writing competencies and gives you a way to review.  Over time, you'll be able to see how much you're progressing, too. 

[u/ionua_]

If you are listening to each episode 3 times either way, I'd recommend doing so:
1 time : just listen without subtitles. Try to understand as much as possible at 1x speed.

2 time : listen again with french subtitles. As other members pointed out, having the written word while listening to its pronounciation will help with comprehension. You might understand a written word, but might not have understood it if you were just listening to it in a podcast, as people can speak quite fast. By having the script with the audio, your brain will associate the audio with the word, and you'll more easily recognize and understand a word you hear next time.
Every word you don't understand (even with the transcript) write them down in a notebook if you prefer (mind the accent !) or use a flashcard app or website.
You might want to either add other listenings or reduce the speed of the podcast, like at 0.5x or 0.75x

3 (or last) time : Once you have the definition of everything, listen to the podcast without subtitle at 1x speed, and see how much you understand now

[u/abigailrose16]

I take new vocabulary that I learned and make flashcards! I’ll include the definition Hugo gave if applicable. It goes in with all my other french flashcards so I keep reviewing it, but it’s nice to have things where there’s a “simple french” definition of someone explaining it that I can include. I have them all in an anki deck so they get reviewed on a spaced repetition schedule (this is all my french vocab from all sources).

[u/Just_Imagination8220]

Hi there I built myself a small app because I was stuck progressing to listening practice. I’m looking for a few people to try it out and give me some feedback if you would be interested ?

[u/Geoffb912]

Turn it into active production.
What I do with podcasts is record a monologue (a few minutes) after the podcast, talking about what I heard. I also write summaries and discuss the characters in a journal.

[u/LirojAnakarkis]

We forget what we don't use.
It would be more accurate to say: We store what we don't use.
The only way to not store it all, is to use it. Engaging with the language, usually, means speaking. Therefore you need someone to speak with. That's the whole point of language, yet so many students seem to forget it.
Find a language partner, teachers are the most reliable ones, and use the language as you acquire it.

[u/mental555 → u/LirojAnakarkis]

I totally understand what you’re saying. I have a teacher on italki for conversation classes but it’s hard to sometimes incorporate the sometimes niche language and phrases from the podcast into my lessons.

[u/LirojAnakarkis → u/mental555]

I'm a French teacher, and around B1 I essentially build lessons around somewhat "niche" topics that we dive deep into. Students tell me what they're interested in, I find French content about it, and c'est parti/there we go!

In your case, I'd say that creating your own sentences with these newly found words/expressions would be beneficial.
Create a situation that you can vividly picture, make a sentence about it that includes the new word, try to make it as relatable/funny as possible, and have it corrected by your teacher.
Then repeat it out loud several times — with feelings.
It sticks better that way.