The great advantage of an online language program such as GamesforLanguage.com, as compared to language textbooks or CDs, is our ability to immediately and constantly improve our program. Early users will have noticed a number of changes over the last few months:
Implemented Changes
We've moved "The Story": In the easy first Scene - where the flight attendant asks our "hero" what he would like to drink - the dialog of "The Story" appears right at the beginning. However, for some users, listening to “The Story” without knowing the vocabulary, was frustrating. It therefore now follows the vocabulary games for the next 17 Scenes. Users will have acquired a vocabulary of around 350 words by the end of Level 3 (after 18 Scenes), and will now be able to guess the meaning of the next dialog. "The Story" will therefore appear again at the beginning of each Scene with Level 4.
Verb Picks: Following the suggestion of some users, we've added a simple conjugation game.
We've expanded the Memory Game: The initial Memory game now includes all new vocabulary (not just 8 key items). We were at first reluctant to overload the learner, but as we ourselves learned Spanish (see this blog and others that follow), we felt that each and every new word should be practiced.
We've added Word Hero: This recall game practices the vocabulary of the previous Scene.
We've added Recall and Record: In this game, the user recalls the vocabulary of a Scene of one (1) Level (i.e. 6 Scenes) earlier, and practices their pronunciation again in phrases and sentences.
Changes in the works
Downloadable grammar sheets: Not all users are interested in more detailed grammar instructions relating to the phrases and sentences of "The Story." However, for those who do, we're planning to offer downloadable, targeted "grammar sheets."
Personalized vocabulary list/game: We're working on a game that will allow users to create (then add/delete) and practice a personal vocabulary list.
Story audios: We'll shortly have mp3 audios of all scenes available for download. This way users can also listen to "The Story" on the road.
We’ve changed our mind!
Although apps have been the hot item for a while now and we already had a prototype in the works, we've changed our mind. We were growing weary of the many issues with apps, including having to wait 14 days for Apple to approve any changes and needing separate applications for Apple and Android.
We are working on a “responsive” website that tailors its display for optimal viewing on your device, whether mobile or desktop. “Responsive” design is quite new, but we are fortunate enough to have a “crack” developer on our team – our son Pascal – who just implemented such a “responsive” website for another start-up, www.Fundraise.com. Look for a new design and website for gamesforlanguage.com, which will work on all devices, in the coming months!
We’ve now been here in Barcelona for a couple of weeks. OurSpanish is improving by leaps and bounds, and we are having great fun exploring the city. (see Gaudi's Casa Mila on your right.) We prepared for our stay with our Spanish 1 course and are pleased at how many words, phrases, and expressions from our course we see, hear, and read every day. During our walks around town, we practice with shop keepers, waiters, and anybody else we can talk to. We read the local El Periódico every morning, and watch some Spanish television at night. Our list of new words, which we review often, keeps growing.
Research for Spanish 2
We have started to take pictures of the advertised daily lunch or evening menus, asked for them in restaurants, and are compiling a list of the most common names of Spanish foods and dishes. These terms, together with other words and phrases that we encounter, will then become part of Spanish 2. (They’ll also be available as downloads on our site for those who are interested.)
A Watertown couple has launched an online program to help people learn a foreign language and they want to share it with town residents.
Peter and Ulrike Rettig have desks facing each other in the second floor of their Watertown home, overlooking the Oakley Country Club. That is where they work onGamesforLanguage.com, a website where people can learn French, Spanish, German or Italian....
In January 2012 we began experimenting with a new pricing offer: We will reimburse anybody who completes one of our 36 lesson courses in 40 days his/her full purchase price, as long as they achieve a 95% score in each lesson. In fact, we will even reimburse anyone $.88 (or whatever the per lesson cost may be) for each lesson with a 95% score within the 40 days window. (As an added incentive we will also count any referrals to our site the same way.) The only obvious caveat is that the total reimbursement cannot exceed the original purchase price. The offered ended March 31st, 2012, but users who signed up before that date are still getting the benefit of the offer. We have started to reimburse all players for the scenes they completed with at least a 95% score.
We have launched our full courses on GamesforLanguage.com program with four (4) initial languages: French 1, Italian 1, Spanish 1, and German 1. These courses are designed specifically for Teens and Adults. Each course has 36 lessons consisting of a conversation and games that help you learn the language of everyday life, or propel you to refresh your dormant language skills. Each language is available to play online for $29.95 per course, and you'll have full access from any computer, anywhere in the world. We are planning intermediate and advanced courses for each of the current four languages, as well as English for speakers of these languages. We have tested and improved our language games over the last eight months during our Beta phase with hundreds of players. Our program will appeal to teens and adults who want:
AN AFFORDABLE BUT EFFECTIVE PROGRAM TO LEARN LANGUAGES WITH GAMES
We've now completed all 36 lessons of our Italian 1 course, which is designed specifically for Teens and Adults. This course consists of a conversation and games that help you learn the language of everyday life, or propel you to refresh your dormant language skills. It's available to play online for $19.95, and you'll have full access from any computer, anywhere in the world.
We've now completed all 36 lessons of our Spanish 1 course, which is designed specifically for Teens and Adults. This course consists of a conversation and games that help you learn the language of everyday life, or propel you to refresh your dormant language skills. It's available to play online for $19.95, and you'll have full access from any computer, anywhere in the world.
We've now completed all 36 lessons of our French 1 course, which is designed specifically for Teens and Adults. This course consists of a conversation and games that help you learn the language of everyday life, or propel you to refresh your dormant language skills. It's available to play online for $19.95, and you'll have full access from any computer, anywhere in the world.
We've now completed all 36 lessons of our German 1 course, which is designed specifically for Teens and Adults. This course consists of a conversation and games that help you learn the language of everyday life, or propel you to refresh your dormant language skills. It's available to play online for $19.95, and you'll have full access from any computer, anywhere in the world.
We have started to take pictures of the advertised daily lunch or evening menus, asked for them in restaurants, and are compiling a list of the most common names of Spanish foods and dishes. These terms, together with other words and phrases that we encounter, will then become part of Spanish 2. (They’ll also be available as downloads on our site for those who are interested.)