Recently, I came across a report by Inc.com, entitled: “5 Innovative Language-Learning Tools.”
So far, I've learned five languages either through immersion, or with traditional methods (grammar-translation, audio-lingual) and materials (textbooks, classroom, CDs).
Now I was curious to see what new technologies were available for my next language learning project: Spanish.Here are some of the innovative features listed in the Inc.com report for five language programs:
For Pronunciation Practice
- audio clips - speech recognition technology - function to record your own voice and play back to compare
For Vocabulary Acquisition and Practice
- flashcards, vocabulary games - feature to build your own vocabulary lists - community page for sharing word lists - review manager (for managing vocabulary practice)
For Improving Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing Skills
- online audio, tv, radio programs, interactive video - spoken and written exercises - visual text - chat feature
For Social Interaction
- spoken and written exercises which can be submitted for peer review - a community platform to find language partners - crowdsourced content
Language Learning with Social Interaction Online
For me, communicating with others is the goal of my language learning. If that is also true for you, then from day one, you’ll want to focus on learning the language of communication.
It means that the vocabulary you practice should relate to your interests, and the topics you cover should be ones you enjoy conversing about. The well-known Australian linguist David Nunan calls this: “learning real language for use in the real world.”
To that end, the features mentioned in the Inc.com report that provide social interaction seem the most interesting and most innovative to me. (Voice recognition systems to help with pronunciation hold great promise, but the ones I have tried were more frustrating than helpful.) Engaging online with native speakers anywhere in the world is a great way to practice. But you have to push yourself to take a few risks.
Yes, it's stressful to speak in a foreign language in a real situation. But just think: Your language partner is in the same situation as you.
Learning Italian?When you get into a conversation with Italians, you have little time to think about the many particularities of the language: noun gender, different types of articles, prepositions, etc.
Here are ten easy rules that you can become aware of when reading, listening, or writing Italian. With time, you'll start recognizing items or patterns that follow these rules and they'll become automatic even when you speak.
These rules cover just a few Italian grammar points, but they're a start and easy to remember. You can used them to build on.
1. Nouns ending in -o are normally masculine.
• il ragazzo (the boy) • il libro (the book) • l'albero (the tree) Notable Exceptions: Feminine nouns ending in -o: • la mano (the hand) • la foto (the photo) • la radio (the radio), l’auto
2. Regular masculine nouns that end in -o change their ending to -i in the plural.
• i ragazzi (the boys) • i libri (the books) • i cavalli (the horses)
3. Nouns ending in -a are normally feminine.
• la ragazza (the girl) • la scuola (the school) • la casa (the house)
Notable Exceptions: Masculine nouns ending in -a: • il problema (the problem) • il cinema (the movie theater) • il programma (the program)
4. Regular feminine nouns that end in -a change their ending to -e in the plural.
• le ragazze (the girls) • le scuole (the schools) • le idee (the ideas)
5. Instead of il, the definite article lo (the) goes before masculine singular nouns beginning with z, s+consonant, ps, gn.
• lo zio (the uncle) • lo studio (the study) • lo psicologo (the psychologist)
Note: Feminine nouns starting with z, s+consonant, ps, gn, have the definite article "la". • la zia (the aunt) • la strada (the street) • la psicologa (the psychologist, f)
6. The definite article gli is the plural form of lo, instead of the masculine plural i.
• gli zii - the uncles • gli studi - the studies • gli psicologi - the psychologists
7. The definite article is used with possessive adjectives, except with singular nouns denoting family members.
• il mio libro (my book) • la tua amica (your friend, f) • i miei amici (my friends) • le tue case (your houses)
But: • mio padre (my father) • tua madre (your mother) • mio zio (my uncle)
Note: With plural family members, you use the definite article: • i miei parenti (my parents) • le tue zie (your aunts)
8. To make a sentence negative, put non before the verbal expression (incl. object pronouns).
• Non voglio mangiare. (I don’t want to eat.) • Non ho finito. (I haven’t finished.) • Non lo conosco. (I don’t know him.)
9. The preposition in (to/in) is normally used with continents, countries, regions, and large islands.
• in Africa (to Africa/in Africa) • in Francia (to France/in France) • in Toscana (to Tuscany/in Tuscany) • in Sardegna (to Sardinia/in Sardinia)
10. The preposition a (to/in) is normally used with cities and small islands.
• a Roma (to Rome/in Rome) • a Capri (to Capri/in Capri)
Recently, I came across a report by Inc.com, entitled: “5 Innovative Language-Learning Tools.” 