Advanced Online Learning of Foreign Languages

Buon giorno di nuovo!

Last week I began to tell you how I have been learning Italian online for the past three years. My Go-To programs beginners learning any foreign language are Duolingo with its partner program Tiny Cards, and Rosetta Stone (check your library to see if it is available online on your library’s site for free).

I have also used other online sites and apps to enhance my learning. Several of those options should become more and more helpful as I gain fluency. I still plan on using Duolingo and Rosetta Stone to maintain the vocabulary I have and gain more fluent grammar skills but will increasingly supplement this review with the other options.

BABBEL

Babbel has a number of ways to improve fluency. Each lesson introduces vocabulary words then immediately uses those words in sentences and conversation. It generally also covers some lesson in grammar in each lesson also. 

I find the explanations of grammar very useful in increasing fluency. (BTW, in Duolingo to get clearer explanations of grammar, click on Discuss at the bottom of the page when you make an error. A new window will appear with users providing excellent explanations to many others asking the same questions you have.)

At first, as a Beginner with limited vocabulary, I found Babbel overwhelming. The program seems to expect you to have some foundation of vocabulary to rely upon. You can move through the lessons as a Beginner but the lessons did not stick with me as well until I built up my vocabulary through Duolingo and Tiny Cards.

Now that I have a larger vocabulary and knowledge of basic grammar, I find the Babbel lessons to be interesting and allow me to practice some conversation. The lessons introduce vocabulary, teach a grammar skill, allow you to translate from written and spoken language, and ultimately fill in the blanks on a conversation in Italian. (This all at the Beginner level. I do not know what awaits me at the more advanced levels!)

I plan on decreasing my time on Duolingo now and increasing my time with Babbel.

FREE

MEMRISE

Memrise has recently updated their App and online program. It is easy to use and amusing. There a number of ways to learn and review the vocabulary. Some are freeAdAAS while others are only available when you subscribe to the site. As a Beginner, I have found the Free service to be sufficient. I am becoming more fluent thus I am considering a subscription to make available the other options for learning and review.

The Classic Review allows you to translate words from English to Italian, to listen to an Italian speaker and choose the translation of the word, and to choose the correct written translation from English to Italian or vice versa.

Speed Review forces you to think fast to select the correct translation in a short period of time. Each review contains a number of prompts to keep you on your toes.

FREE or Subscription

Next Time…

Next time, I will tell you how I am using online options to increase my ability to understand native speakers. (Do you have any idea how fast native speakers talk! One of the first words I learned to use was Lentamente! (Slowly!)