There are many ways to learn a new language: you can live in a country where they speak this language, attend a formal language class, get a private language tutor, or use books and written materials. Other ways of learning a foreign language are listening to CDs or audio tapes, watching TV, movies and video programs, memorizing phrasal books, using the Internet, or using a combination of all of the above.
But not everyone can agree on how to live in a foreign country. Native speakers may not be available. Written or registered commercial materials may not be available in the language that interests you (Cochimi, Cibemba or Kukapa, anyone?) However, many of the main languages, such as Spanish, French, German, Italian and Portuguese television programs via cable. Even Korean, Catalan, Arabic, and Japanese are available in cosmopolitan areas around the world; but the vast majority of thousands of thousands of spoken languages are simply not located outside their local areas. So what is a promising polyglot?
Of course, one of them is the Internet. Connect “foreign language courses” to a search engine on the Internet, such as Google or Yahoo, and more than 62 million hits appear instantly. From Afrikaans to Punjabi and Hebrew to Zulu, thousands of sheets lie before you with just a click of the mouse. How accurate, can the Internet be used to learn a foreign language? Begin effectively using these six ways:
1. Make an initial assessment
The first thing you might want to know is where you are in the language learning scheme. The initial assessment of language skills is in order; Are you new? False newcomer? Intermediate level? Higher? As an example, take English as a second or foreign language. English proficiency tests are available online at:
• General English test with instant results
http://nll.co.uk/test/english.shtml
• Parlo http://parlo.com/
(diagnostic tests in English, Spanish and French)
• Upper intermediate test
http://www.wordskills.com/level/caeform.html
If you score more than 80% in this test, you must take the next one and also show the teacher or rehearse a copy of the results.
2. Get familiar with language strategies.
How do you study? Knowing this can make the difficult task of learning a foreign language less like learning and more like a game. Are you a visual-spatial student who likes drawings, drawings, graphics and intensive use of color? A musical and rhythmic type that will benefit from having your lessons and materials tuned to music, rhythm or rhyme? Perhaps you are a sporty type that gains more success in learning movement, movement, facial expressions, or even dance? It was shown that playing Mozart in the background while studying improves learning in a number of areas. To learn more about your way of learning, visit these sites for beginners:
• Explanation of learning styles [http://www2.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/ILSdir/styles.htm]
• Index of the training style questionnaire [http://www2.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/ILSdir/ilsweb.html]
• Success Style Style Indicator [http://www.ttuhsc.edu/SOM/Success/LSTIntro.htm]
3. Practical reading skills
Literacy is one of the most invaluable composite skills of the 21st century. After all, you are reading IT right now, aren't you? Few would like to highlight in their new foreign language, so the practice of reading skills is of paramount importance. Internet newspapers, magazines, newsletters and blogs can provide relevant practice and educational materials. Check out these skills:
• How to read a tutorial
[http://www.utexas.edu/student/utlc/lrnres/handouts/1422.html]
• Self-study lessons in reading http://www.english-to-go.com/
• Read the article at the following address:
[http://www.pacificnet.net/~sperling/quiz/read1a.html]
In the following address, do the quiz to confirm your
reading comprehension:
[http://www.pacificnet.net/~sperling/quiz/read1b.html]
4. Assistance in developing listening skills
It is believed that this is the most difficult of developmental language skills, listening cannot be taught. Rather, you should practice, practice, practice, and then practice something else. Every week, twice a week, I went to a street vendor in the same place, completely unaware of what he said. I knew what he was selling - I just looked at his goods. But his prayers on the streets of the Spaniard fell on my ears full of tongue for months. But one evening, without warning, it happened. Just two days before that, his screams were as incomprehensible as they had been for several months. But one evening, when he launched his hairpin, I suddenly understood every word. I got speech perception skills. Why? No one knows. Especially not me, and I am a specialist in language education, who received a higher education!
Practice your listening skills with radio programs in your target language to change to http://www.live365.com, which has live global channels 24 hours a day in several languages.
Foreign language Internet radio and foreign radio in 27 European, 4 Middle Eastern countries, 9 Asian languages and audio channels from 19 African countries are broadcast at: http://www.multilingualbooks.com/online-radio.html
5. Playing games and entertainment
The dictionary is often called the building blocks of the language. Knowledge of vocabulary is one aspect that separates language learning levels. The more vocabulary you know, the more sociable you are. Here are some unique linguistic sites that help you build your language when you are “playing”:
• The site http://www.manythings.org/ offers “interesting things for ESL students”, such as songs, jokes, quizzes, games, puzzles, slang and even podcasts that help stimulate the acquisition of English.
• Course of learning foreign languages:
http://www.foreignlanguagehome.com/topics/courses/index.htm
has activities in 27 languages, including Finnish, Mandarin and Kechui.
• On the Transparent Language website, you can play games in any of more than 100 languages, from Afrikaans to Farsi or Guarani to Yoruba. And yes, they also have Zulu. See all of their ads here: http://www.transparent.com/games/
6. So, what language tickles your imagination?
Although the choice of language courses, textbooks, news feeds, music and other audiovisual materials on the Internet is extensive, all the languages of the world are simply not available. Sorry. But many of them are here, how to find them if they are online.
• 108 free online foreign language courses are available at: http://www.word2word.com/coursead.html
• The language site PARLO offers courses in English, Spanish and French at: [http://www.parlo.com/parlo21/home/courselist/courselist_en.asp]
• The EL Easton Language Institute offers 14 online languages from Albanian to Japanese, Latin to Croatian to Russian and Spanish. The site is available at: http://eleaston.com/languages.html.
• A variety of online language learning activities on the World Wide Web for practical classes at the University of Hawaii here: [http://polyglot.lss.isc.edu/lss/lang/nflrc.html]
Although the Internet may not be the complete answer to all your needs in learning a foreign language, it can nevertheless become a huge resource in your efforts to habla español, parlez francaise or sprechenze Deutcsh. Prestige, financial benefits, personal satisfaction, envy and opportunities that often follow the knowledge of a foreign language are unmatched. Why don't you start today today with some of these effective ways to use the Internet to learn a language. Be sure to read the “Six Quick Tricks for Learning Language” article at: http://EzineArticles.com/?id=72718 By the way, if you find Kochimi, Sibembu or Kukapu, please let me know - I Still Look
