With new developments in online learning, people now have many new tools at their disposal for assistance in learning foreign languages. It was once thought that learning foreign languages was a tedious process of rote memory learning that simply involved endless amounts of repetition.
These days, though, language learning has been made more enjoyable, interesting, and dynamic thanks to the development of many different online programs that you can choose from. Let’s take a look at how some of these programs are changing the way we learn languages.
Find A Teacher Online
Of course, any tools that you use on your own should be complemented by conversations with a real human, whether online or in person. If you are interested in studying French, for example, you should both look for French teachers online and also look into additional tools to help you while you’re studying.
Studying online can actually have several advantages over in-person classes. You can record lessons, teachers can use on-screen text or add audio or video sources, and you can review any part of a lesson that you might need to go over again easily, without having to scramble to write things down.
Build Your Vocabulary With The Help Of Ai-Driven Tools
There are now quite a few interactive methods available for helping language learners build their vocabulary. For example, Memrise is an online program that uses AI to generate vocabulary lessons based on keywords entered by learners. Learners can build lessons around topics of interest, and the program generates vocabulary lessons around these topics. Lessons can either be very general or very specific, depending on students’ levels and interest areas.
Another program that uses AI to track learning progress is Anki. With its advanced technology, Anki assesses student progress in learning vocabulary, and it offers new lessons based on where a student stands at any given time. If a student is learning particularly quickly, the program ramps up vocabulary lessons to a high level. If a student appears to be struggling, the program slows down accordingly.
Consider The Use Of Music
It’s a well-known fact that music can be very useful in the process of language learning. For whatever neurological reasons, our brains tend to remember words set to tunes more easily than plain speech. As you go about your language learning process, consider adding in one or more music programs to help you along the way.
Music can provide other language-related benefits, as well:
- It can give you insight into the cultures of the languages you hear
- You can pull it up in any given place and review it without having to pull out a book or device
- The repetition of lyrics can be a great way to reinforce new vocabulary
- You can improve your pronunciation by listening to native speakers repeat the same words
Check out LyricsTraining, which offers a karaoke-style approach to learning. Educators can create cloze-style exercises to test students’ ability to put together whole sentences.
Another online tool involving the use of music is 8Tracks. With it, you’ll get a wide range of music options, depending on genre, and a variety of language styles to choose from.
Check Out Forums For Developing Writing Proficiency
Writing is arguably the most dreaded aspect of learning a foreign language. While it can be comparatively easier to understand, regurgitate, and eventually compose a foreign language in speech, writing skills often come much later.
Fortunately, there are online resources available to help with this, too. Lang-8 is a forum for language learners that provides feedback on writing, and it allows you to contribute with language skills that you have, as well. Points earned can be used to gain feedback from others.
Find A Conversation Partner
You should also think about finding others who speak your target language who could be your conversation partner. The ultimate combination of learning tools should involve personalized instruction, effective study tools, and exposure to a real-world environment. There is no better way to simulate a real-world environment than to find additional conversation partners.
While these conversations might not allow for the focused, aspect-specific atmosphere that you will get with a teacher, they will push you to use your language in a setting that is more demanding, faster-paced, and potentially more confusing than that of your lessons. You might need to obtain a certain level of basic proficiency before you look into finding partners, but by a certain point it will become an essential part of your learning process.
Remember That Language Learning Is A Multi-Part Process
As mentioned above, there are many different aspects to the language learning process, so you shouldn’t put too much faith in any one tool to help you develop. Both human and digital interaction can be extremely helpful in different ways. These days, you can combine the best of all these features to make your language learning journey fun, easier, and more dynamic than ever before.
