Computerized foreign language learning
Alexander Arguelles presents a series of video reviews and demonstrations of those foreign language learning series that he has found most useful in his own studies. For further information about the series, please refer to www.foreignlanguageexpertise.com
I don’t have a skype set up, but if you write to me via the “contact” page on my website, we can get in touch that way.
Note that the internet is a good source of audio methods. You can download podcasts, for example. Google “Latinum”.
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It’s encouraging to see two masters in conversation. I will one day be where you two are. I just wanted to mention Livemocha and ask whether or not you know of it and what you think. Muchas gracias.
Professor Arguelles,
Thank you so much for your very informative videos! Looking forward to seeing more in the future.
I can’t agree with you enough in your questioning the implied “intrinsic” value of using computers. This is one reason I have very little respect for educators in general. I remember when I was in highschool they bragged on and on how they had gotten funding to “put a computer in every classroom”. By time I left the school the “new” computers had all gathered dust and were obsolete to worthlessness and never once were used to facilitate any sort of learning.
I can’t agree with you enough in your questioning the implied “intrinsic” value of using computers. This is one reason I have very little respect for educators in general. I remember when I was in highschool they bragged on and on how they had gotten funding to “put a computer in every classroom”. By time I left the school the “new” computers had all gathered dust and were obsolete to worthlessness and never once were used to facilitate any sort of learning.
ProfASAr, it is indeed amazing how online courses can be dependent on the learner. I did try Rosetta Stone (trial version) and Before You Know It. I made some initial progress but my progress had taken off in June 2008 when I stumbled upon LingQ after watching a few videos from Steve’s youtube channel.
O hiphop tuga nao adormeceu, simplesmente nao é divulgado, na ‘rua’ continua evoluir e a existir novos sons.
I do agree with you on many points. A lot of these language learning sites mostly cover very basic language and limited grammar. I learn best from a good selection of books/textbooks. However, internet is good for interaction (say with natives on skype etc) for listening and oral development.
To echo zocurtis, I’ve enjoyed Livemocha quite a bit. It helps. Also great for meeting natives.
Internet usage and online tools require teacher creativity to make them effective . Youtube is such an example. Webcams enable” virtual classrooms” where people from all over the world can interact in real time. It does not, by any means, replace “in the flesh” interaction but it does provide a tool to learn and practice a new language with native speakers. Plane tickets are expensive. Creativity is needed for profitable technology use in any kind of learning. “Computers” don’t teach.
have you ever used rosetta stone?
Thaiguysbu,
I’ve heard students of mine speak highly of Rosetta Stone and have myself written brief reviews on it. As Prof. Arguelles mentions, it’s suitability depends upon how the individual learner responds to it. Personally, I commend it as a CALL (computer-aided language learning) item which strongly interlinks an audio component, allowing linguistic proficiency to be developed, with abundant and well-tailored visual imagery available, to represent word categories, e.g. nouns, verbs.
Quite right. The strengths of any material depend on their linguistic content, the focus of the strategy / methodology, and how any learner interacts with them. Of course, CALL exercises come in many forms (audio CDs, pronunciation recognition graphs, self-check grammar exercises, etc), and some will evidently yield better results than others. My company, Lingua Genesis, has offered long-distance MSN and Skype tuition since 2004 – arguably one of the most beneficial methods I have used.
It’s interesting that you mention Skype (see my other comment). I often find, as a means of tuition, that it allows for swift interaction on a one-to-one and small group basis, whereby realistic forms of language can be practised, and errors can be rectified, both on the basis of written mistakes and errors in oral sentence construction. There is also an opportunity to closely integrate the spoken language with its written forms and exploit a wide range of learning exercises in the process.
It’s an extremely valid comment. We all respond to means of language learning in a variety of different ways, regardless of how effective the creator of any given exercise deems it to be. You mention LingQ and while I am acquainted with its founder, Steve Kaufmann who, from the age of 62, is fluent in ten languages, how you have found the site. Also, have you tried Michel Thomas? I have done a review of this methodology here on YouTube.
Surprising. I can only think of one reason, even though it does not justify the reality. That is that there are still many people resorting to older and more traditional means of learning, such as textbooks, pen and paper, OHPs, white boards, and more recently, the Smart Board. It’s as if giving thought to a brand new computer suite is a way of keeping up with modern times, yet, with not everyone being fully appreciative of their versatility as learning mechanisms, they are half-abandoned.
The computerized programs by Fluenz have been a godsend for me. As someone with a very short attention span a multi-dimensional approach is the most effective and keeps my attention. The variety of different activities both help me recall the material and keep boredom at bay. The downside: only 4 languages are currently offered and levels 3+4 have yet to come out (although they are working on them) so now that I have a renewed interest in languages I need other methods for other languages.
Google Books FTW! If you’re an aspiring linguist, you might also probably want to safecopy your favourite online stuff found on a GeoCities site. GeoCities will be closing all their free websites in October 2009.
LOL I’ve noticed books in Russian on your shelf
So Dr. Arguelles your are Mexican and German?
IMO, Rosetta Stone is garbage.
Pimsleur + Anki w/ sound (ripped from Pimsleur) gets my vote.
I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on the Linguaphone Pro series (the $550.00 U.S. one with the books) as well.
no. you’re wrong. rosetta stone is great. have you even tried it?
I agree about rosetta stone being garbage. It’s based on the idea of learning like children do so you can retain the information. The problem is that the program implies that children learn visually & Auditory which is false. Babies & young kids’ brains are sponges that take in EVERYTHING “visual, tactile, auditory and even the 6th sense of Energy. The adult can no longer do this to that extent. Fluenz is a much better program with much better reviews than Rosetta. I tried them both.
For all of you commenting about rosetta stone, let me tell you how it really is, since i own it for two different languages. Rosetta stone works very well and is very effective. Although it will not make you fluent. It stops too early and doesn’t teach near enough to become fluent. But from what it DOES teach, it does a very good job doing it. I would recommend it very well.