3 Easy Tips for Accelerating Your Language Learning
You started learning a foreign language some time ago, maybe in high school or college; or, maybe, you took a course at a language institute.
This was a few years ago and you haven’t really kept up with the language.
But recently, you got interested again.
Maybe a friend suggested an online course and you even subscribed to it for several months; or you signed up for a course at a local community college; or someone gave you a some language CDs; or maybe you even joined a language community on Facebook.
Whatever the tools or methods you’re using to start again, remember these tips:
You can read more about LingoHut where you’ll find free language lessons, activities and articles on how to make language learning easier, or visit LingoHut’s Facebook page.
In 2016 GamesforLanguage.com is partnering with language learning companies that have a unique method or a game and context approach similar to Gamesforlanguage's.
To date we have established links with the following partners:
“Fluent in 3 Months” and other products – offer learning methods that will accelerate your learning immensely. Benny Lewis himself is the best proof that his methods work!
Lingualia – The gamified lessons for Spanish and Inglés adapt to your skill level and let you connect with a social network for corrections and interaction.
Lingohutoffers a variety of languages and an extensive vocabulary list to practice with.
LanguageZen - offers Spanish for English Speakers with an algorithm that keeps track of what you've learned. Also let's you learn with Spanish songs.
Italki - let's you become fluent with 1-on-1 online lessons with native teachers and connect to people around the world.
Mosalingua lets you learn languages with your smartphone apps.
We recently published this Guest Post on Lingohut.com :
Six Popular Approaches to Foreign Vocabulary Learning
We’re huge fans of using multiple resources for learning a language! We’ve found that different programs and approaches work well together and tend to fill in each others gaps.
From learning individual words and phrases with spaced-repetition, to learning a language in larger contexts, here’s a sampling of programs.
Many online language learning sites (and apps) we’re familiar with, start out with teaching basic vocabulary and/or grammar topics. Others provide a larger context and give you tools to master the details. However, there’s a huge diversity in presentation, which is made possible by the Internet and the various technologies that have become available – audio, text-interactive, visual, etc.
Learning Vocabulary with Spaced-Repetition Flashcard Programs
Memrise is a community-driven site with courses that are based on an elaborate flashcard system. Many of the words have mnemonics (which some find very useful) and there’s spaced repetition... (read on)...
You can read more about LingoHut where you’ll find free language lessons, activities and articles on how to make language learning easier, or visit LingoHut’s Facebook page.
In May 2015, Speaklikethem mentioned Gamesforlanguage courses as a fun way to get started with learning a foreign language:
Where to begin when learning a new language?
As you know, Speaklikethem.com is a platform to improve language skills, not to start learning a language. Beyond the well-known e-learning sites, there is a site we’ve just discovered for those who want to learn the basics fast and in a fun way: on www.gamesforlanguage.com you’ll dive right into language learning with its effective play-and-learn method.
Why do we like GamesforLanguage? First of all, it’s a smart set of games to feed the learn-by-playing methodology. Maybe we like above all the creativity behind the games. Maybe you’ll start with one of the Quick Games or Tests. And then, when you play one of the courses (currently French, German, Italian, Spanish, and Inglés) you’ll look forward to the next Scene of “The Story” or the next level of the game!But beyond the games, you’ll also discover other surprises. If you surf the site, you’ll soon bump into podcasts, dictionary databases, and blogs with learning tips, travel experiences, or cultural topics. Moreover, GamesForLanguage offers 100% of their services for free, with no up-sell or limited time functionalities!!
Developing one’s own practice path
Obviously, practice is essential for improving your foreign language skills. It is also one of the founding ideas of Speaklikethem. Read on...
GamesforLanguage is adding Vocabulary Quizzes for each of its language courses: French, German, Italian, Spanish and Inglés.
(Inglés para hablantes de español, con 24 lecciones, se encuentra actualmente en desarrollo y no está completo.)
Each Vocabulary Quizz uses the vocabulary of each level and can be played in the "Quick Games" without log-in or registration. They use the quick moving and fun games of the courses, such as Snap Clouds, Shootout, Word Heroes, Writing Clowns, etc.
Links to each Level's pod-casts also allow users to practice their listening skills and refresh their memory.
You can test your skills by clicking Here and selecting your language.
GamesforLanguage.com has now placed “The Story” of its young traveler as six (6) podcasts for each of its four languages, French, German, Italian and Spanish, on its site. “The Story” describes in dialogue and narration the experiences of a young man as he travels through France, Germany, Italy and Spain respectively.
The useful and everyday language of “The Story” is also the basis for the vocabulary and various games in each of the courses.
Listen to the Level 1 podcast (6 Scenes) of your target language HERE, if you already have started to learn, and find out how much you understand.
Or just start a FREE course and surprise yourself how fast you'll learn by following the young man on his travels.
GamesforLanguage has started to upload the vocabulary for its German, French, Italian, and Spanish courses to Quizlet.com. You'll find all words, phrases, and sentences of each Scene and can even add your own to learn and practice.
Quizlet's FREE flashcards, tests, and study games make learning fun and engaging for students of all ages. Use Quizlet on your computer at home or school using Quizlet's mobile apps for iOS and Android and practice our Gamesforlanguage vocabs on the go!
Join one of our GamesforLanguage Quizlet classes of German, French, Italian and Spanish. Play and practice with our travel story online, and accelerate your learning even more with Quizlet/Gamesforlanguage.
Gamesforlanguage.com continues to add Quick Games for German. These short games - which can be played without registering or logging in - are a fun way to learn and practice small chunks of German. Brief explanations accompany the games.
These games use all our various interactive games and help you learn and practice vocabulary and phrases, understand grammar rules, often without realizing it.
A rudimentary knowledge of German is helpful, as our courses and games are most suited for high or mid beginners.
But even someone without prior knowledge will quickly enjoy the fun games and learn!
We are now cycling through our over 90 Quick German Language Games on the Facebook page every weekday.
The Serious Games Directory is published by the Serious Games Association, an international trade organization open to all professionals engaged in the serious games industry.
The GamesforLanguage team believes that games can make language learning fun. More and more adults discover that games are not just for children. Adults enjoy them as well.
Gamesforlanguage.com offers FREE language courses for French, German, Italian and Spanish. The 36 lessons of each course tell a travel story, in which the learner follows a young traveler on his trip. Importantly, with the story, you'll not only remember the new content words, but also the phrases and sentences in which they are used. This is more effective than other programs, which often teach unrelated words out of context! Users can also download the vocabulary list of each Scene as well as the mp3 audio of each level and play Quick Games.
Since adding Quick Games for German, French, Italian and Spanish in February 2014, many players have found these games a quick and fun way to practice or test their knowledge.
There are now over 60 games that can be played in 2-3 minutes without even registering.
Players click on Quick Games, select their language and game, and start playing.
Game topics range from Trivia Quizzes to Survival Verbs, Days of the Week, Asking for Directions, Basic Numbers, etc.
We are using all of our games, including the Shootout game, shown on the picture above, and a favorite of many users.
These games also allow you to learn and practice grammar rules - often without realizing it.
On our German Facebook page, we are posting a different German Quick Game every weekday.
Gamesforlanguage.com is now adding new games every few weeks.
Using games for language learning is both effective and fun!
