So you've signed up for the course and
now regularly go to classes. Maybe you use our language laboratory.
And you not only follow the computer program, but also go to some of
the offered workshops. And yet, you still feel your progress is not
fast enough. Why? You ask yourself desperately looking for other ways
to improve. Well, learning languages is not easy. You need time and
patience. And you need to practice regularly. There is no way around
it. Twice a week classes are the most typical model offered by the
academies, but if you can dedicate a moment each day, it would be
much much better. Sometimes just five minutes can make a difference.
Of course, no one expects you to go to
your classes every single day. That's why I will try to summarize
here 5 useful and easy apps you can use daily to stay in touch with
any language that you are learning.
- Duolingo - free
It's an app that you can use on all
your devices: smartphone, tablet, computer – it doesn't matter, it
works on all of them. Easy to follow, it offers you 21 languages to
choose from on the menu panel. For each menu language, there is a
different number of language courses offered and it's constantly
growing. At the moment English speakers (English menu panel) can
learn 27 languages.
To see that you are progressing, it is
done to remind you of a game: you earn points and level up for
completing the activities. All of them are short, so it's very
practical. You're waiting in a line? Just take out your phone and
play a game or two, learn vocabulary and grammar structures, revise.
Personally, I would recommend it for lower levels or as a revision
tool. It includes level testing, so you don't have to start from the
very beginning.
- Busuu – basic free, premium $
The basic version has different levels
that start with vocabulary and follow, depending on the topic with
dialogs, memorize (repeating vocabulary), writing tasks, videos and
regular exercises. Audios for vocabulary and dialogs are included.
The premium version includes also tests
and possibility to download the materials in pdf.
The good side of basuu is that it's not
only a web with ready materials, kind of an online course, but the
whole platform where you can interact with other users, chat and
exchange writings. I believe it to be useful up to upper intermediate
level. It also includes travelling and a business course.
- Babbel – free
Very similar to Duolingo, available
both on the Android and on the web. Why on the 3rd place
then? I have an impression the levels are slightly lower than what
they should be, but it's just my personal impression. Who knows,
maybe you'll enjoy it more than Duolingo? You should try it on your
own!
- Memrise – free
Probably the most complex when it comes
to the quantity of offered languages: 188, includes other topics like
arts, literature, maths and many others! It may be a bit
overwhelming, when choosing the course, and the menu and web are not
as clear as the other programs, but the offer is impressive! Creates
the possibility to join online groups and use all the learned
material in practice.
- Reverso - free
An online spelling and grammar checker (only English!).
Something that not only students might be interested in. We always
write in a hurry, often miss something, sometimes change the idea
mid-phrase. That tool will hep you to detect your mistakes. Some of
them might make you blush...
The text shouldn't have more than 600
characters, but if it does just divide and introduce it in parts.
That easy!
Have you used any of the apps described
above? Or maybe you have a better one in mind? Please comment!
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