Slovakia Today, English Language Current Affairs Programme from Slovak Radio

While the kinds of problems faced by large cities are often very similar, the approaches to solving them can vary widely. Thus in recent years has the concept of 'innovation' been increasingly applied within the circles of European city bureaucracies, with Bratislava recently creating a new position in its bureaucracy with the title of "Chief Innovation Officer." Jonathan McCormick recently spoke with the very first bearer of that title here in Slovakia's capital, Petra Dzurovčinová, to find out just what it is that a Chief Innovation Officer actually does. Lydia Machova is a language teacher and language-learning expert who speaks nine languages, but was frustrated when she saw that her students were not achieving the results she expected. Thus she decided to rethink the way people actually learn second languages, including the methods used by 'polyglots'. The result, many claim, is a very effective approach to learning any language whatsoever. Jonathan McCormick recently had the chance to speak with her about it.