Now that we’ve surveyed some of the basics of learning a foreign language and practical ideas, let’s take a look at some learning tools I’ve found to be a huge help in learning a new language.
Frequency Dictionaries
Wiktionary has some very useful frequency dictionaries. Of course in a different context the list changes, but there is usually a lot of overlap.
Podcasts
Podcasts are a great way to get exposure to natural language as well as some which “teach” the language.
The BBC website
The BBC website has some articles in different languages and free tools to learn the languages as well.
Verbling
Verbling is an interesting site where free language lessons occur, you can watch classes and sign up to take some. Some are free, others cost, but all are with qualified teachers.
Google Plus
There are some amazing features of Google plus that make it perfect for learning a language. Circles: You can have different circles with different languages, that way you interact in English with those who speak English, and the language you want to learn with those that speak that language. Communities: There are also communities for learning Different languages. Hangouts: Why not find a community who are trying to learn the language you want to speak and host a hangout, no first language allowed, only the language you are learning. Maybe you can even find a host who speaks the language better.
140 characters is a great little dose of a language and often includes some handy little phrases that you can learn. The downside is that people sometimes shorten words and abandon traditional grammar structures that you would expect to read. However, this usually means that it takes on a more spoken form of interaction in both grammatical features and vocabulary. It is also less intimidating to start writing (when all you have to say is 140 characters long) so Twitter can be a great resource when used with caution.
Evernote WebClipper/Clearly
I am a big Evernote fan, but Evernote Clearly maybe the greatest tool for language learning ever. (I prefer clearly as it get’s rid of all the ads) If you find an interesting article online you can take it off the site and then work with the language on the page. You can Highlight certain phrases or words you don’t know. If you have a partner to work with you can create tasks for each other using the text (I use it for my teaching). These are some tools I’ve found to be helpful when learning a new language.
What tools have you found to be helpful?
Tomorrow, we’ll review some apps!
[Image via taylorsloan via Compfight cc]
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