S6E4: From Library French Lessons to Global Impact with Maureen Manning.

Dr. Maureen Manning joins Norah Jones for a wide-ranging conversation about language as a life-shaping force—and why the stories we tell about language learning matter as much as the learning itself. From Maureen’s earliest memory of being pulled out of school at age eight for French lessons at the public library, to her work today helping global education organizations communicate with clarity and impact, this episode explores the ripple effect of one advocate, one opportunity, and one well-told story.

You’ll Hear About

Maureen shares the origin story behind her lifelong relationship with language—starting with the moment her mother advocated for her to leave school once a week so she could attend an adult French class at the local library. Together, Norah and Maureen unpack what a single “yes” from an educator can unlock over a lifetime, and how personalized learning begins with honoring a student’s genuine curiosity.

The conversation moves from early language learning (cassette tapes included) to Maureen’s continued language practice in Swedish—through community, conversation, and a weekly fika club. Maureen reflects on how confidence grows when we release perfection, invite correction, and create low-pressure spaces to use language as connection rather than performance.

As a strategist and storyteller, Maureen then pulls back the curtain on what it means to help organizations tell their stories well—especially by centering student voices, not just institutional messaging. She offers a powerful example of crisis communication and reflection during a study abroad experience, underscoring the role of language in processing complex moments and supporting learners long after a program ends.

Finally, Maureen shares what she’s most excited about next: a forthcoming edited book on work-integrated learning and global experiential education—and why cross-sector collaboration may be one of the most important strategies for protecting and strengthe

Contact Norah :
fluencyconsulting@gmail.com

Website: https://fluency.consulting
Your journey to discover the richness of language starts here. Join us on the website and embark on a learning adventure like never before!

Social Media Platforms :
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FluencyConsultingLLC
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fluency_consulting/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NorahLulicJones
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fluency-norah-jones

Transcript

Introduction  (00:02)

In this podcast conversation with my guest, Dr. Maureen Manning, I think you're going to see some elements that I would like to challenge you on. Specifically, Maureen talks about the stories that changed her life. She even in the podcast shows the objects that were part of that story. What kind of stories are you telling those around you, your family, your friends?

your colleagues about what the way we speak about ourselves and the way we speak to others, that is language, how language changes everything, the power of that, the joy of that, the opportunities in that. In addition, Maureen tells a story about a library that stayed open for a young child to come and take a

very special class and a school that supported her. I'd like you to reflect in your life and experience, what opportunities have you made for people that clearly show an interest in something that takes them beyond themselves, that opens doors, that opens opportunities?

Take a moment to reflect on your own life as you listen to the wonderful stories that Dr. Maureen Manning tells in this podcast about opening doors.

Norah Jones ( 01:27)

I would like to just say that I am delighted to begin this conversation with Dr. Maureen Manning and welcome, welcome Dr. Maureen Manning. And would you please, please tell our listeners who you are, why we're talking today on It's About Language.

Maureen Manning (01:57)

Well, thanks so much, Nora. And I'm absolutely delighted to be here. Longtime listener, first time guest. You you and I have known each other for many years and I'm always delighted to have a chat with you. Be that in a more formal setting, like a podcast or on a panel together or somewhere in a conference expo somewhere. And we always talk about the power of language as well as the different initiatives that we're engaged in at the time. So I own a

a consulting company called the Global Nexus Collective. And it's a global education strategic marketing and strategic communications PR firm where we work with folks in the language sector and in the global education sector at large on storytelling communications. The stories that folks have to tell and you and I know this well having been in this industry for decades are compelling. They're the stories, the stories that we've heard our own stories, but

More importantly, the stories that we've heard, the stories that we have heard from our colleagues, from students, from stakeholders in the field, are the type of stories that really have power, that have impact, but even more impact when those stories are shared with the world, with policymakers, with outside stakeholders. How do we get those stories out in the world? Well, you do a brilliant job at that by having this podcast.

I'm thrilled to be here to have this conversation with you about language, about why language matters, and it's all about language. So let's go. Let's dive in.

Norah Jones (03:29)

Absolutely

right. What a beautiful introduction to the whole concept of how much we have enjoyed our conversations and indeed what kind of power this conversation will have for our listeners. What is it that has brought you to appreciate language in this way, to have dedicated your life in this way, to this focus on language and the power of language in human life?

Maureen Manning (03:48)

Thanks, Maura. Well, I will tell you, I did come to our conversation with a couple of props. And I want to show you, you we talked about the deep impact of language and the fact that it can be career-defining, life-defining, can impact one's life or career trajectory and the intersection of both. And I bring with me this book, this little, I mean, it's a little worse for wear, but this book I received on my eighth birthday. So many decades ago.

My parents gave me this book. I'd always wanted, since I could talk for whatever reason, wanted to learn French and go to Paris. They couldn't bring me to Paris, but they did supply me with all sorts of books about Paris, about France, about French speaking countries other than France, as well as signing me up for free French lessons at our local public library in Brockton, Massachusetts. the day, I was eight years old.

During the day, my mom walked up to the school and met with the teacher, met with the principal, indicated that since French was not, or languages were not something they offered at this local public school in Brockton, and that her daughter wanted to learn French, yet it was during the day, once a week at the local library, could she pull me out, walk up to the school, pull me out, walk me to the library, have this French class, and then walk me back. And they said, why not?

Wow. I mean, it was a powerful understanding, granted a limited understanding at the time at eight years old. And I certainly wouldn't have used the word advocacy at that time. But what it was, in fact, was my mother, a caregiver, person, you know, speaking with a person in power and someone advocating for me for the importance of language learning. That was my entree into the language, the advocacy piece of language learning. And what a

powerful lesson that was and being able to reflect on it decades later, gains for me, it gains more and more strength. And it feels to me, it just highlights that importance of why I need to make sure that I am advocating for language learning for those who can't or to sort of throw my voice into the mix, even with others who are doing that similar type of advocacy work. So I bring this.

just as a reminder and I keep it nearby. I mean, I didn't have to look for it. I keep it nearby as a visual reminder of why I do what I

Norah Jones (06:19)

Here's this beautiful book with Montmartre on the front and it is still part of what the prompt is for your life work. Maureen, I'm going to for a moment ask you, you went appropriately so to the power that that advocacy that your mother provided for opening that door, the kind of astonishment frankly it looked like almost that that would have been

part of what she would have asked and what would have been granted. So I'd like to follow up on, you have no doubt pondered over this much. The administrator in a school that heard something about one person's desire to do, in this case, language, and what was it that that administrator understood about that request? Was it because you, who you were, who your mother?

is what was being asked for because it was language. When we advocate, what is the message that helps to bring the heart to agreement with what we ask on behalf of language?

Maureen Manning (07:29)

really a lot to think about there at Nora and a lot to unpack. And certainly at eight years old, I wasn't part of that conversation. I don't know what it is that moved that administrator enough to say, sure, go ahead, by all means. As a matter of fact, what I did here was they thought it was great, like good idea. Well done. Would someone in 2026 approve that? That I don't know. But this principle

and this teacher did. What their motives were for doing that, I don't know, but I can only speculate. And what I would wonder is if it was about student stories, student interest in that honoring of student interest. I mean, it really is indicative of a personalized education that so many of us in education advocate for or promote is that individual tracks of learning.

Norah Jones (08:15)

Hmm.

Maureen Manning (08:27)

How can educators better individualize the student learning experience? Even when you are in a public school with 20 or 25 or 30 or more students in one classroom, how do you make sure that each one of those students has a personalized experience that speaks to them and that's going to impact their learning? This administrator, this teacher certainly did that. And the way that that

early language experience at eight years old when I began my formal language learning, the way that that impacted the rest of my life as a global educator, someone who's devoted her entire 30 plus year career to global education was tremendous. And it started with someone taking an interest in my interest, which was my parents initially, and then advocating for that interest at the school administrator level and then okaying that.

Let me also add to this story, Rarian also had to okay this because this was for adults, because people were, I mean, there were no children in this class. This was an adult class. So a lot of things had to happen. A lot of people had to say, yes, any one of those people could have shut it down. So really looking back at it now, when you see the layers sometimes of what you have to go through to get things accomplished, I think it's a nice little micro.

Norah Jones (09:24)

Okay.

Maureen Manning (09:50)

I wouldn't call it a case study, but a nice little micro story about the levels that sometimes you have to go through and keep pushing through and the impact that one decision can make on not just one life, because it wasn't just my life that was changed by that yes. It was the lives of the students who I have had in class, in contact with, even when I no longer was a classroom educator, but in other positions, in leadership positions where I

The decisions that I made could impact lives. I think it's just a great story about how one decision, one yes, one acknowledgement of student and individual student's interest can have the capacity to change many lives. I think it's beautiful example and I'm very grateful to this day to that principal and that teacher and most certainly my parents.

Norah Jones (10:44)

Absolutely beautiful. And you're right, the impact of yes, the impact of listening to the heart and the desire with a worthy request and giving, in this case, an eight-year-old child, it can be any age, right? That we ourselves may not have thought of, but they have thought of and had requested or had advocated for them in this particular case, especially powerfully. You got started then, you went to the library.

It obviously was what you had desired. It was fulfilling something, even though you were a child in an adult class library. What happened then? How did that story unfold? What else then began to work in your life?

Maureen Manning (11:28)

Well, it was something that I kept up with long after the class was over. And back in those days, it was via cassette tapes. So my parents made sure that in between these weekly one hour classes in person, that that learning continued at home. So.

You know, there's a lot of self-work that needs to be done too with language learning as we well know. But you have to have the resources. And what those resources look like were books and cassette tapes. But then what happened from there, I think, is your larger question as far as my own personal journey in language learning ended up being, you know, a French minor, was a French educator in the early days of my education career. In an elementary school, interestingly, in a school that did not offer French, but I then advocated for

French to be taught. I was already working in this school as an educator. I said, well, what if we offered one period of French and I'm willing to teach it? So again, now I became the advocate for those students. you know, this is many, many years later, but language learning has certainly not stopped for me. It's something that I'm continually engaged in now, not with French, but with my ⁓ other language, which is Swedish. And being a Swedish American, I had

just always been drawn to that language as well and wanted to formalize my learning of Swedish and I didn't do that until my adult life and it was when, again, classroom, elementary teacher back in those early days in my career and I had a Swedish American student in my class and it it sparked that desire again to to formalize that learning some of which was was back here but it just wasn't formulated yet and looking for

Norah Jones (13:05)

So.

Maureen Manning (13:09)

a language learning class in Swedish in Massachusetts. And I found one. You found one. It's me, my very first Swedish book from that class. And it was at a store that no longer exists, but it was ⁓ a ⁓ Scandinavian goods store. I all sorts of items and foods and clothing and such from different Nordic countries. When the store closed at night, they had a Swedish class for adults. I took that.

class and have been speaking Swedish ever since. I'm still in a fika club then, which meets every week when we just bring our coffee and we have a chat. It's all non-native Swedish speakers and it's facilitated by a Swedish teacher. And we just gather it's Swedish speakers. It's to keep up our language and also just to enjoy the speaking of the language for those of us who don't get to speak it every day. So it's been instrumental for me in keeping up.

that language as well. have participated in short-term study abroad programs as an adult in Sweden. You know, a number of times, they do a lot of work in Sweden in global education and in study abroad. I've done for years, I've worked in Sweden. So going to these short-term programs as an adult, being someone who works in the study abroad sector in global education, does a lot of work in that arm of the global education sector.

what a joy it is. And I highly recommend if you can do it, if you can find a short-term program and do that as an adult, it's one of the greatest things that I've done with my language in my life. It's a full circle moment here.

Norah Jones (14:47)

That is a

Isn't that interesting? Indeed it is. And you showed a book. What does the book cover say on it? What's the image there?

Maureen Manning (14:58)

in Swedish.

Norah Jones (15:00)

in Swedish and a beautiful picture of the globe there. You know, I think it's absolutely wonderful you brought the props and that they're where you can continue to ground yourself, to continue to tell yourself your own personal pathway story whenever and keeps informing your work as well. That's fabulous. indeed, tell our listeners what kinds of work you have done then with these skill sets of language.

and with the insights that you have had about learning, using, and finding meaning with them.

Maureen Manning (15:35)

Yeah, well, particularly with the French, being a French teacher, advocating for that inclusion of a French class within the school day and then facilitating that for those students. then, you know, later in my career, not later in my career, but after that experience, but still early in my career. my recruiting days, I used to go on a lot of student fairs and meet with students and parents for

study abroad programs where students would come to the United States to do their, a portion of their studies, non-degree seeking programs. So more study abroad. And so much of the work that I did was in Sweden and I was in there. And so to be able to give some of those presentations in Swedish as a non-native speaker and be able to have conversations with parents and students in their native language. And it wasn't perfect then, and it's certainly not perfect now.

but enough to get by, enough to have conversation. was a really, it was a beautiful thing. It honored my own heritage and it was felt, I felt very much connected to my own identity as a Swedish American. So it meant more to me than just speaking the actual words. You know, a communication tool, yes. That being said, many, if not most everyone I spoke with was a fluent English speaker. So I could have very well given all of my presentations in English.

and been just fine, but I didn't, I purposely didn't. I wanted to engage in the Swedish language when I was in Sweden. And there was a lot of relationship building that happened because of coming from a place of curiosity, know, being, having cultural humility and saying like, I'm not, you know, starting with, am not, this is not going to be perfect. I'm going to do the best I can here. I enjoy speaking it. It's really a way to foster connections, that human connection.

And to this day, I have many friends in Sweden who I am regularly in touch with from those early days as a recruiter and working in schools in Sweden. So for me, it really was a way not to go about my business because that well could have been done in English, but it was really, it fostered that human connection for me. And it still does to this day in my FICA afternoon that I have on a weekly basis.

Spell connections.

Norah Jones (18:02)

What have you seen, Maureen, with regard to the attitude towards connection over these years, through the vehicle of language in particular? What is it that fosters confidence and curiosity in people to make connections? What is it that potentially brings blockage? And how do you personally address those areas?

Maureen Manning (18:27)

think one big way to build confidence is to lean into that curiosity part and just say, I'm curious about this. I want to learn more about this and I'm okay not being the expert in this. I'm not. And that's fine. That's okay. I'm a beginner. I'm a learner. And I love learning. So I'm going to embrace that and lean into that and work with the experts who in this case are my Swedish peers, are my Swedish teachers in the past, are my colleagues who are Swedish speakers.

coming from a place of curiosity, coming from a place of vulnerability and knowing that I'm going to make mistakes. And that's fine because I'm learning each time and I want to be corrected. And I encourage in conversations that if I'm saying something wrong or please do correct me if there's something that's off that is going to help me improve, please do. I'm here to learn, I'm here to get better and not having someone always be in that role of teacher, but I'm vulnerable and accept.

of constructive criticism. That's how we learn. That's how we improve. That. What gets in the way, you ask, what impedes that progress, I think, is letting perfection be the enemy of good. Just start somewhere. Be okay with mistakes. Embrace them as a learning tool, as a way of improving your language. I think one strategy that's worked well for me is finding not just a formal class, but those informal times to have conversations with folks who are

both ⁓ above my level of fluency, as well as some folks who are less fluent. So having conversations with a wide range of folks, I think, has been very helpful in a very informal way, where we can just sit around with our coffee and just have a chat.

Norah Jones (20:11)

That's great. Thank you very much for explaining that. It's really neat. What kind of talking about the you have as your title, as a matter of fact, on your LinkedIn profile, but being a strategist and storyteller and the storytelling part, either one, if you can start with either one is fine, but I'm just fascinated by what is it? How is it that you are telling stories? To whom do you tell stories? What are you accomplishing when you tell stories?

Maureen Manning (20:39)

Yeah, I mean, all fantastic questions, Nora. And of course, I'm not just going to answer it with one answer. need to, I'm going to dissect it a little bit because I want to, to really highlight is that it's not just my story. I love telling stories and I'll tell you a story about how I got this, you know, how this love of language blossomed across my career, what that career trajectory looked like, different experiences in my life, different study abroad in particular, different study abroad experiences in different countries, countries where I spoke the language.

countries where I did not speak the language, different work opportunities, all of those things make up my chapters, my stories, and I love to share them. And I love to share them in a way that's hopefully going to resonate with other folks where they can see themselves in this story or that inspires them to take a chance on a program to go to a place where they haven't been to say yes to some sort of adventure, be it personal or professional.

There's that, there's my personal stories and why and how I share those. But more importantly, our working with others, working with leaders of organizations to help them better tell their story of their own personal stories, certainly, but also the stories of their organizations in order to move the needle. And a lot of, not just their stories as leadership within the organization or their team stories, all of those are important. But I think the key

piece in this entire puzzle is student stories and letting students be authors and the tellers of their own stories. And I think often, you know, in leadership, we're tasked to tell those stories, to share those stories. We have the platform and we should, and that should continue telling the stories of the sector. But how can we as leaders in global education sector, and I mean this in the language sector and study broad in any aspect of the global education sector,

How can we empower students or recent alums to tell their story? We have platforms, many of us have platforms in which we can do that. We can empower those students by offering that platform, by amplifying the stories that they tell. a student is empowered to author and share their own story that is far more impactful than me sharing it.

or you sharing or anyone else doing that sharing. it's working with organizations to help them build platforms to share the story of the great work that their organizations are doing. But then also how can they incorporate students in that storytelling? If you're running a conference, how can you incorporate students in that conference? So we're all there to talk about the student experience. How can we better incorporate the student experience? Well, let's have some students there. Let's hear from those students.

students on a panel, making sure that they are in the room when we're talking about them and their experience. So for me, that's the biggest piece of all of the storytelling. And that's where the strategy comes in is looking at what their current, how they're currently telling their story. What do their columns look like right now? How are they getting their message? How are they talking about their mission? What does that look like from all aspects of the organization? And to what extent are students involved in that?

Can we help amplify that to a greater extent?

Norah Jones (24:02)

Powerful, powerful, that makes such a difference. Hi, Nora Jones here. Please connect up with me on my website fluency.consulting to learn more about my guests, subscribe to know when podcasts, videos and blogs are released, to let me know if you'd like to be a guest, to get team humanity gifts for yourself and others.

and, if you can, to support my work with a donation. That's Fluency.consulting. I deeply appreciate your listening and sharing. I would love it if you could provide an illustration, an anecdotal, whether it's named or not named, depending on what you know as far as discretion in your work, but there are

One story in particular that you can share, we were like, here's what happened, here's a transformation, here was the aha for an organization when we did just that.

Maureen Manning (25:08)

Yeah. The first one that comes to mind was probably, I may be getting the year wrong, Nora, but it might have been about 2017. And I was doing, I was on a site visit for a program, for a short-term study abroad program. And we were crossing the border, crossing the Greek border. And we were on buses and there was a crisis at the border.

at that time. It was really jarring for all of the folks involved, certainly for the folks who were in the crisis itself. They weren't folks on our tour by any means. We were just on buses. But the students who were involved and the educators who were involved, the administration, everyone on these coaches witnessed. We had an experience together where we witnessed this crisis. And I'll just, leave that where it is. But the experience was shocking for all.

⁓ and needed processing. What it didn't need was being shoved under the rug once it was over and we were able to cross and like, let's just now go through the rest of our tour and our program. And you know, we have these exciting things for you and let's go to dinner. It was a moment that knew needed to be addressed in the moment while simultaneously all processing it together. And I think that that

crisis comms piece of it, the crisis communication, how you talk through a situation with stakeholders. In this case, it was students who were enrolled on a short-term study abroad program and the educators. So having those, moments of reflection, knowing that everyone's going to interpret it a different way. Everyone on that bus is going to feel differently about this. There's going to be some outrage. There's going to be fear. There's going to be anger. All, you know, so many emotions and knowing that

Even after we offer these opportunities to process it and being very respectful of different ways of processing, it didn't end that day or the next day when we were done with these formal debriefs or like, and if you have anything more, please feel free to come to us. We knew that this was something that would likely stay with those students. I have heard from those students years later, after they've graduated from college and say, that moment still sticks with me and here's why.

I've had students liken it to other things that are happening in the world and saying, I think differently now because what I saw with my own eyes in that moment, that's powerful. But I think he pieced to all of that. So that's a story. I think the key piece to all of that is reflection and offering again, offering a platform, offering an opportunity to process and being mindful of the fact that that looks different for each one of us.

I'm still here for you if you want to process this all these years later. And I've heard recently from students on that, on that program.

Norah Jones (28:02)

later.

That story encapsulates much that we don't always bring out, I think, I'll say it boldly at least about me, in that we have the language that we speak inside of ourselves when we experience something. The way based on our own life background and our exposure to the kind of vocabulary to use to talk about our life background, we are speaking inside ourselves.

So we have this individualized language that's going on. We have then that corporate language where you as guide, your organization as guide, spoke then language that could be used for everyone's use. Everyone could hear these same words. They may be hearing them differently in a sense because of their own background, but they're having this common language spoken. And that

Both of those, the way you told that story, Maureen, helps us to understand that both of those types of language are happening simultaneously. Both are needed, both have impact. And then on top of it, that connection that's made because it wasn't just good luck thinking about this, guys, we're going to ignore it and let you do your own thinking, which is one way of doing it. And not just this is how you must think about it, the corporate one.

but engaging both and the doors that were left open for ongoing life understanding because you did just that. I think that's an important thing to meditate on, the combination of those types of language and what kind of positive and necessary impact those make. Would you say that that, what I've just described, is a valid way of thinking about some of the ways that not only you have experienced things in York,

career with language, but also some of the ways that you may very well have been strategically working with others and helping them with their thinking.

Maureen Manning (30:07)

Absolutely, Nora. And I think that the key piece to all of this is the reflection piece and offering opportunities for reflection. And I just think one term throughout my academic life, particularly, that is often used is being a reflective scholar practitioner. Right. That's something that we all, well, I should say we all, many of us say, indeed we are.

I think that reflective piece of the scholar practitioners, reflective scholar practitioner, I think the reflection piece is often the most difficult to carve out time for and to make sure that you are addressing. You know, our scholarly work, we write, we blog, we contribute to the knowledge base, the body of knowledge in the sector through our writing, through the podcast, through all of the ways that we contribute our thought leadership. And we're practitioners, we're out there, we're in the field, we're doing this work.

It's the reflection piece that I think needs to, you need to be very intentional about setting aside time to have that reflection. And I think that across many sectors, not just our own, but are we given the time, are we allowing ourselves the time, are allowing our teams the time, are we allowing our students the time to reflect on the experience that they just had, to reflect on the learning that they just experienced or helped facilitate.

And so I think having a variety of ways to engage people through that, through a reflective process, whether it is through journaling, whether it is through talking with guided prompts, guided facilitation, meditation, et cetera, there's so many different ways that you can engage in that, knowing that your audience, your stakeholders, your teams, your students are going to have different ways that they reflect. So I think that's a piece that we could do more.

in that reflection isn't offering that opportunity, knowing that reflection doesn't happen in a finite amount of time. In this example that I give, this is a prime example because it didn't happen of like tonight we're going to talk about this after dinner and then we're going to close the chapter on it, maybe tomorrow morning before breakfast too, but then that's it. And this is something that's still, I I still think about it. Students on that program still think about it. I've heard from educators years later on that program say,

Yeah, remember that. Remember that time. This is how it's impacting me now. This made me think of that time when. So knowing that this is an ongoing process and our understanding evolves with it. So, you know, not putting a time stamp on like this is our time that we're allotting for reflection in this. Yes, maybe today it is, but knowing and acknowledging and speaking that.

This is, it's an ongoing, it's an ongoing lifelong process of reflection and seeing how moments in time, stories in time, whether it is that French class at the library or.

you know, or coffee chat as an adult in another country or experience that was impacted you in an adverse way. All of these pieces, they're going to pop up. They're going to come up into your lives at different time and into your memory at different time. You're going to reprocess those. So do you have the tools? Do you have the skillsets to reflect on them? And as importantly, I would say like, how do you then use that as inspiration in some way to impact change in your own life?

or in the lives of others.

Norah Jones (33:34)

beautifully said, thank you. When, speaking of inspiration, when you look to your immediate future, to what's coming down the pike for you, the work, what you are already engaged in and what you may be engaged in, however you wish to interpret this, what are you most looking forward to, most excited about, most want everyone to hear, this is what's coming down the pike. Attention, please.

Maureen Manning (33:59)

Well, thanks for this opportunity. I can't say too much about it because it's still in the works, but I am very excited that this year I will be collaborating with a colleague on editing a book on work-integrated learning, internships, practicums, experiential learning abroad, COIL.

different models of work integrated learning, what that looks like internationally and best practices around work integrated learning. I'm really excited about that. hope that it will be published at the end of 2026, early 2027. More on that to come very soon. But that's a project that I'm really excited about. In the sector, in the global education sector, a large part of the conversation, I'm thrilled about this, is lately has been around

the impact that international experiences has on one's career trajectory. That's part of what we're talking about today, in fact. But Forum on Education Abroad, for example, has done a large-scale study, and their results are compelling when stakeholders who have had international experiences talk about how that directly impacted their career.

What that looks like financially as well and that financial impact is significant. What it looks like for employers when they are considering who they are hiring for different positions in a highly competitive job market. What are those skill sets that they are seeking? What are the top 10 skill sets that they're seeking in their next hire? And when you look at the skill sets that are inherent in international experiences, including internships and study abroad programs, language,

programs, et cetera. There are many on that top 10 list. I think it's eight out of 10 on this list, depending on what list you look at that are the same. So really telling that story loudly to the world through these different studies, like the one that the forum is doing and other groups are doing, I hope that this text.

will contribute to that body of knowledge around specifically these work integrated components and how students can set themselves up for success in their university years that will impact their career for the rest of their career. So I'm excited about that. The call for chapters will be coming out very soon. So watch this space.

Norah Jones (36:33)

I watched this space indeed, I'm so excited ahead of time. There's so much about that, just in itself, just a wonderful, wonderful expression of possibilities through the language, culture, travel, interaction situation. It's just wonderful. I also think about it, it's such a beautiful answer and more to the very simple, but nevertheless early question, you what can I do with this anyway?

to our need in right now in the United States to have almost a proof text of applicability in order to be considered to be of real value. I speak here of whether languages are an integral part of the educational experience or not. So thank you for in anticipation for this delivery of this wonderful resource.

Maureen Manning (37:25)

Thanks so much, Nora. Yeah, really excited alongside my co-editor and we're looking forward to getting some great submissions. Hopefully that also include the importance of language in that experience. So what does work in language module look like when there is language module involved and that when you're operating and working in learning in a country where ⁓ the national language or one of the national languages is not your first language. So excited to...

excited to compile these chapters and really dig our teeth into some interesting and timely and important material because this career readiness piece, think, again, being talked about widely, studies being done, and I think there's more and more emphasis on it lately in a time where languages are sort of even more under a spotlight. Higher education is

or the value of higher education is being is under question more now more than ever and recent polls indicate that. How can we better translate the value of languages? How can we better articulate the value of higher education? And if emphasizing the career outcomes, student outcomes that that might be something that turns the tide north.

Norah Jones (38:41)

I hope so. And the thing is, thank you for making sure that we repeat back that this is a large picture that you are addressing, that languages form part of it. But that whole sense of an integration into a ⁓ larger experience of life, a larger exposure to all of the possibilities out there in the world, that's a very exciting, very encouraging opportunity coming up.

for us to be able to experience that with your wonderful creation and your wonderful shepherding of this particular concept. Thank you very much for that. It's gonna be exciting. We'll be staying tuned. It's great. Maureen, I also would like to ask you, when you look at what you especially feel is a struggle right now in what is happening in the field in which you're working, strategic storytelling, languages,

international connections and so forth. What is it that you are saying, this is important for our listeners to know that these are the kinds of things that we watch out for, we can begin to address, we need to address, and the rationale for addressing them. If that question makes sense to you, my friend.

Maureen Manning (40:00)

But what are some of the hot topics and how are we addressing them?

Norah Jones (40:04)

I would say that. Especially what do you find that you think is probably going to be some of the biggest challenge to what it is that you know you want to accomplish if there is such a challenge?

Maureen Manning (40:15)

I mean, I'll go back to that piece around the value of higher education. It just is one. I mean, there are many, many barriers that we are facing, not the least of which are geopolitical issues that we're seeing unfold. But I want to specifically highlight that question around the value of higher education as one. And how do we combat that? And I would argue that there are a couple of ways that are really emerging as

Norah Jones (40:36)

Please.

Maureen Manning (40:43)

extremely powerful ways and one is cross-sector collaboration. So if we think of global education as one sector and then think of all of the different arms within that sector, all of the different niches within that global education sector, like language, K-12, higher education, FinTech, EdTech, international enrollment, study abroad. I mean, the list goes on and on. So when I say cross-sector collaboration, I mean within the sector itself, within global education, we're going to use that as an umbrella term.

cross-sector collaboration as well as intersector collaboration where we're partnering with businesses who have often have chains of power and ways that they can advocate for what's happening and resources that can help make things happen that individual organizations or individual schools or institutions may not be able to do. But when we partner, when we have a common goal and we

put our resources together and we put our minds together and we put our efforts together and we advocate for programs, for students, for initiatives, whatever it is that we're advocating for. We are more powerful in that way. Things can happen often more easily when we are partnering. And so what I've seen over the past couple of years in particular that's incredibly heartening is

some cross-sector collaboration that you might not have seen years ago. So less of an emphasis on competition and more of an emphasis on collaboration. Like even though you and I may operate organizations or lead organizations that are very, that do very similar things, how might we partner together? Because we are doing similar things.

So instead of that coming to a conversation in a competitive way, we're coming to this conversation now in a collaborative way because we're going to need to collaborate now more than ever. the value of the work that we do in language education, in higher education, in different niches in the sector is the biggest barrier I see. What's the biggest way folks are mitigating those barriers? Collaboration. And sometimes

unlikely collaboration. I think we're going to see more of that in 2026.

Norah Jones (42:55)

And is that part of the story that you're telling then in this publication that you are working with, that that is part of the stories within that material that you'll be releasing? Am I hearing that correctly?

Maureen Manning (43:10)

Absolutely, Nora. And what we're hoping is that some of these chapters will come from a wide variety of places from within the sector and outside of the sector, outside of the sector traditionally. So very important to have business weigh in, to have government weigh in, have educators weigh in, to have providers weigh in. in order to have a work that's very representative of the topic, we need all of these different voices.

from the sector sharing, well, this is what it looks like from a business perspective. So we're hoping that this text addresses the topic from different angles, but all with the same goals in mind.

Norah Jones (43:53)

And I know with your focus and skill set, it sure will. I'm excited about having a chance to take a look at it when it is in fact released. And my continued best wishes to you on that then. Maureen, when you look at individuals that you have come across, been with in your life, I'd like you to, if you have a story about an individual that comes to your mind whose life

has indeed been changed, enriched, opened in ways that that person didn't expect because of the opportunities that came through language, travel, cultural studies, however you would like to zero in on it. Have anyone in your mind, you yourself, I would like to point out, is certainly in my mind now based on your opening story. Thank you so much.

Do you have someone in your mind's eye?

Maureen Manning (44:52)

We I mean, the first person that comes to mind is a linguist who I have worked with and collaborate, I should say collaborated with for many, many years. Would you like me to share a bit?

Norah Jones (45:02)

Certainly, please.

Maureen Manning (45:04)

⁓ So my colleague, Johan Sherston, who you've met, who is EO and founder of Lingo Tours, he tells a story and I will not do it justice at all because the way he tells the story is ⁓ far more engaging and of course just goes back to that point of sharing one's own story. But I will just give you a brief snippet just because it does address this question that you've asked.

He, you know, is often asked, he speaks eight languages and is often asked why? What got you inspired to do so? What was your first language outside of your native language, which is Swedish? And what made you continue? And then what made you open up a tour company called Lingo Tours? And he traces it back to his inspirational Italian teacher in high school. And Nora, so often that is the case. It is an educator.

a language educator often, who is that person who makes that change in your life or who inspires you or who plants that seed for you. And I'm sure running your podcast, you hear that a lot. that is the case. And he talks about this very dramatic and fun and engaging and dynamic Italian teacher who would come with props, who would come in costume, who would just reenact all these lively scenes and

Norah Jones (46:12)

Yeah.

Maureen Manning (46:29)

And it was the drama and the theater, if you will, of this learning experience that really engaged him and thought, is fantastic. I want to do well in this course. I want to learn Italian. And then inspired him to study at uni, do study abroad there, learn other languages as well. And then because, as is again, the case, when you have been touched by language, when you have these rich life experiences that have

been afforded to you because of language learning. Many of us are just so inclined to want to share or want to help others have a similar experience with language. opening a company that focused initially on language tours was how Lingo Tours was born. It has since evolved and now have all sorts of different offering. But again, I mention that because it is a story of a linguist and how is that built a career around languages.

And how was that person first inspired? A language educator.

Norah Jones (47:32)

One classroom at a time.

Maureen Manning (47:37)

All those students who have gone on those programs, who are now impacted by the beauty and the joy and the wonder of language and culture and identity and all those pieces that go with it. So it is that, again, it's that ripple effect that happens in our field. And it is such a joy. And so many of those stories we will never hear, but it doesn't mean they don't exist. They're there. And it's exciting to know that they will continue by all of the people.

whose lives those students touch. then those, I mean, it's just, it's never ending. And that's really powerful. And I think when we have the position, when we're in those positions and have those roles where we can help facilitate them, I mean, what an honor, what a responsibility, but what a blessing.

Norah Jones (48:21)

What an honor, what a blessing, yes indeed. And the energy that comes from people here today, you, there are others, know, conversations clearly demonstrate the energy of joy, of knowing the changes that have been made, that multiplier effect, and over generations, that also is such a wonderful thing to know, not just guess, but to know.

Fascinating, isn't it? What question, what information have I failed to ask or ask for in this time? Or in the minutes that are left, you say, what I would really like to make sure that our listeners hear today, either again or because I haven't said it yet, is sex. What would that be?

Maureen Manning (49:14)

You did ask it, Nora. You asked brilliant questions, as always. I think what it would be, just a reiteration of what listeners might be able to take away, is thinking about how can I create an opportunity for someone else to help platform that person. I'm thinking particularly of students, but it may not just be students. Maybe it's someone on your team or a colleague. How can I, you know, they've got a message, they've got a story to share. Is there any way that I can help?

facilitate that, to help amplify that. Let's get these stories out there into the world. More people need to know about the dramatic and dynamic and impactful effects of language learning and how it's changed people's lives. Is there any way that we can help share that story in a different way? Maybe it's resharing on LinkedIn. You know, people will say, well, I don't have, you know, I'm not in a leadership position in my organization or in my school. That's fine.

We all have the capacity to help share stories, our own and others. Maybe it's a simple share on a LinkedIn post, et cetera, but thinking about ways where we can help amplify, not just to our sector, more importantly beyond our sector, let's start telling more stories about the deep impact of language education.

Norah Jones (50:33)

Thank you, Maureen. Thank you for sharing these stories. Thank you for sharing your joy and your commitment. So clear, so beautiful, so touching. Thank you so much for everything.

Maureen Manning (50:46)

Thank you so much, Nora, and I am looking forward to seeing you again soon, hopefully in person at a conference somewhere, and until then, online.

Norah Jones (50:56)

Thank you for listening to this podcast with my guest, Dr. Maureen Manning. I hope you had a chance to think about the kinds of doors that you have opened or could open, the kind of opportunities you've given or now you might think about giving. Also the story about what's been done for you. ⁓

language and culture to open your mind, open your heart, and open the world. I look forward to you joining me for the next conversation and connect with me on fluency.consulting to be in my conversation and share your story.