Games For Language

http://www.gamesforlanguage.com

 

 

I found this course a while back, but it wasn't really complete when I found it. Now that it is, I want to review it for you. Okay, actually I'm addicted to it.

 

It's super fun.

 

First off, they treat learning languages entirely as a game.

 

 

There are five or six different games that teach you selected vocabulary and phrases. Oh, and these aren't random either. All of the vocabulary being taught is going to be used in a story that you get to read after you are finished with the lesson. There is no rote repetition at all. Just fun games that test you on your listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. The collection of games covers all the important bases of language learning.

 

You can also record yourself speaking which is a huge bonus and benefits you. Oh, and this another site that's completely free. You just need to register. So go sign up!

 

 

Hope you enjoy it,

 

Love Destiny

 

 

 

Languages: English (for Spanish speakers), Italian, German, French, and Spanish.



Fluencia

There are things I like about Fluencia. It has a nice layout and is pretty easy to use. You learn vocabulary by listening to a conversation. Then you are quizzed on it. I was having fun even though I was mostly practicing stuff I already knew.

The environment is sort of like a game or quiz. This is a big plus.

But here is the con. Fluencia is not free. Much like Babbel, Fluencia gets you hooked and THEN throws you their pitch. I'm moving through the course, enjoying myself, when suddenly a box  pops up  and informs me I only have a few more lessons until I will have to pay.

What? Yep, a hundred dollars a year. It's less expensive than Rosetta Stone, but I'm not crazy about the fact that they tried to trick me either. Are these courses afraid that if they don't state that they cost money up front we won't bite?

Maybe it's because free language courses are the wave of the future with courses like Duolingo leading the way. Even ad based courses and courses that offer a basic account tend to do better than totally paid courses.

If you are learning Spanish go ahead and try Fluencia. You can at least take the first fifteen lessons. If you like the style and can afford the subscription, it's totally worth it.

Nulu

Nulu  is a site that is still in development. You read articles while listening to the words being spoken by a native Spanish speaker (or English speaker) with a pleasant voice. You can discuss the articles in the comments and you can review what you have learned.

Pick an article that you like and then click on it. You can hover over any phrase to see its translation.

You can try to read the article on your own while listening to the speaker. If you don't understand a word all you have to do is over the area. It's great practice.

I don't recommend this course for the total beginner who has never learned any Spanish before. It's more for people who have been learning Spanish (or English) for a while and need to practice it and use it. It's good for reading and listening comprehension skills. Go check it out!

Love,

Destiny

Languages: English, Spanish, (French rumored to be on the way)

123 Teach Me

123 Teach Me is a site with resources, games, and a kid's section for learning Spanish for free online. This site has A LOT of stuff.

MUSIC

Los Elefantes - A Spanish Song For Children

The site has some popular children's songs and nursery rhymes. My favourite is Arroz Con Leche but Olive (one of my little sisters) loves Los Elefantes. We listen to all the songs.

GAMES

Destination Death: Find Your Missing Sister (Spanish, German, French)

One of my favourite games on the site is Destination Death even though it's not for kids. (So don't tell Faith because she'll tell on me, shhh!) The game is not as scary as they make you think (by saying it isn't for kids). Although, it is a little dark and you are looking for a missing person. So, if those kind of things give you the heebie jeebies you might want to pass.

You just have to be able to read some Spanish (or German or French since the game has those options.) and you'll be able to solve the mystery and find your missing sister in the airport. They give you a multiple choice list of responses which makes the game easier.

PLACEMENT TEST!

A Placement Test Question

 This one is important because you can see how much Spanish you know. I like to take them once a month to see how far I have progressed in my Spanish learning. This is one of my favourite features on 123 Teach Me.

One of my own scores from a placement test. My Spanish isn't perfect!?

There are a lot of other features on the site. You can sort sentences, listen to dialogues, take quizzes. You might want to make sure you have enough spare time when you check it out because you are going to want to spend a while on this one!

Languages: Spanish

Duolingo: Destiny's Review

Today, the language course I want to talk about is called Duolingo. 

Duolingo looks like it is going to be a big hit! When learning a language Duolingo gives you community in the truest sense of the word.

You get a profile page and a stream where you share your thoughts (that is very similar to Twitter, so if you are Twitter fan who has always wanted to learn a language this may just be the course for you.)

Show off your Spanish learning skills, earn points, share with your followers!

In each lesson, under the phrase is a place that says comment where you can talk about the word or phrase you've learned and ask questions. No matter how silly they are, someone may answer them and then you'll feel a lot smarter! The developers often lurk in the forums and one of them may even help you with your question!

Have a question? Duolingo members don't mind helping you out!

Duolingo's motto is "Learn A Language While Translating The Web."

Why is this their motto? Because on Duolingo they give you documents and you help to translate them using your newfound knowledge of the language.

Duolingo currently offers Spanish, French, Italian (beta), and Portuguese (beta) so if one of these is the language you want to learn you should go sign up. I almost forgot to mention, they offer English lessons for those of you who speak English as a second language and need to brush up.

One of the reasons why I like Duolingo is that it works like a virtual textbook and starts off with a really easy lesson. Every lesson builds on the things you learned in the previous lesson.

How easy is that?

It's also sort of like a game. You earn points, go up in level, and get to unlock new things making Duolingo a big winner