Three Tips to Find the Best Language Learning Software

It can be quite frustrating trying to differentiate between all of the different language learning software programs on the Internet today! The majority of these programs provide their users with the bare basics on learning a new language. To determine which software program has the muscle to take you from zero to fluency you need to do a little bit of research!

Targeting Specific Keywords

If you want to get quality search engine results for your research then you have to take a moment and think about which keywords will provide you with the most accurate results. These keywords are keyword specific. Here's a good example of what specific keywords should be like.

Imagine that you just moved across the country a week ago to Jacksonville, Florida. It's a Monday afternoon and your kids are in the backyard playing catch and all of a sudden one of your kids comes running in the house screaming because he just got hit in the mouth with a baseball. There is blood running everywhere and you can see that his lip is busted up pretty bad. In addition, you see that one of his central incisors is chipped. What do you do? Where do you go to get help? To get the help for your child as quickly as possible, you will need to do a specific search for dentists in your nearby community. This would be a specific keyword search. A non-specific keyword search would be similar to "Dentists in Florida." By using specific keywords, you can put yourself on the right direction to find the best language learning software.

Identify How the Language Learning Software Teaches

After you have found several language learning software programs, start picking these programs apart so that you can identify how each software program teaches. This is important because each software program teaches its students differently. You also need to identify how you learn and then pick a software program that teaches in the same manner that you learn best. By doing this, your overall learning experience will be better and you will be much more likely to become fluent in the language you choose to learn. A great language learning software should also cover the basic teaching fundamentals and provide its students with great customer support!

Teaching Fundamentals and Testing Out the Customer Support

If you want to reach fluency in the language you are interested in learning then you need to make sure that the language learning software teaches all of the basic language fundamentals. These are grammar, reading, writing, vocabulary, and listening comprehension. If a software program excludes teaching you one of these fundamentals then your percentage at becoming fluent in the language significantly decreases.

Fluenz Languages - The Best Language Learning Software Program

Fluenz Languages is a relatively new program compared to its competitors. Its developers decided to create the program after realizing that most of the language learning software programs on the market did not effectively teach its students a new language. It was apparent to Fluenz founder that the other language software programs did not work because they lacked common sense. They either indulged on vocabulary or used other methods to completely avoid the English comparisons. People needed to be able to create associations with words they already knew and use those associations to build a foundation for words in another language. Fluenz focuses on this and many other techniques to help its users learn a new language.

What Fluenz Offers it's Users

Fluenz understands that learning a language is not easy and that it's going to take time and hard work. To start each lesson, Fluenz's audio tutor (Sonia Gil) gives a detailed explanation of what you will learn in the upcoming lesson. She uses this short tutorial to help you understand how the new material will help you get one step closer to fluency.

In the lessons you will usd useful, everyday language. Basically, allowing you to learn how to communicate with another person. Following the introduction by the tutor, each lesson will allow you to listen in on a common conversation that you will hear while speaking that language. Immediately following the conversation, the tutor will give you a detailed overview of the conversation and explain what every word means in English and why it was used in its specific context during the conversation. After the one-on-one tutorial, you will go through a workout, that focuses on what you just learned, which will help you develop your reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills.

The best thing about Fluenz Languages is that they provide you with an audio tutor to guide you through the lessons and better help you understand the materials. Just like Tell Me More, Fluenz offers its students a variety of tools to help them learn with: speech recognition tools, personalized learning paths, and progress tracking tools. You can also get audio CDs for your car or iPod. Better yet, you can download Fluenz Podcasts to learn where ever you go. A unique tool that Fluenz offers is "The Fluenz Navigator". The navigator is a book that allows you to keep track of various phrases that you have learned and use phrases as needed to reinforce your memory.

Japanese Language Learning Materials

If truly motivated, self-study is a great way to learn a new language. It needs a lot of determination and patience to start to become fluent in Japanese so it's essential to have the ideal set of Japanese language learning tools and materials to hand.

Home study is helped with a multitude of free sources to learn a foreign language. Search online for a series of courses that aim to help teach the fundamentals. Begin with the basics, such as learning common words and phrases, alphabet, and to how to tell time. Listening to Japanese on radio stations can help, or find some reading material - in the early stages it might be an advantage to read books designed for children. A textbook that features an audio course on CD is a necessity as it's often impossible to learn a language if the words aren't actually heard.

A complete language-learning package is often found in the shape of the downloadable software packages. These programs aim to improve on the pronunciation and vocabulary skills with the assistance of the innovative multi-media lessons, quizzes and games. These software applications are a fun, and an easy method to help learn a new language. And aim to fast-track a student to learn and speak Japanese more effortlessly from home.

An alternative to those options is classes, but that can be slow going, especially if lessons are scheduled once or twice a week. Or find a native Japanese teacher for one-on-one lessons. Although, these options aren't open to all, as not everyone will have the free time or money to accommodate the more expensive teaching methods.

Online Resources for Spanish Language Learning - For Slow and Fast Learners

What is the fastest way to learn Spanish for free? Do you know any online resources for Spanish language learning?Why does anyone need to learn Spanish anyway? Is it that you'll be able to communicate with over 500 million other people in the world? Maybe, get high paying jobs in the U.S. or other countries. It could be just to be a better rounded individual and experience a different culture than your own. The reasons could be endless if you really think well about it. We could give you more and more statistics of the benefits of learning Spanish. But we assume that you could think of even better reasons for learning a new language on your own.

You may ask as well, what is the benefit of using online resources for Spanish language learning?Why can't I just go attend a regular class?...well you can do that as well. There are pros and cons to both methods of learning, but we can think of more advantages to learning online. Sure, in a regular classroom setting you will definitely have the advantage of being taught by a native Spanish speaker, or anyone who has had an impressive Spanish fluency. With a bit of luck, you will also have the benefit of interacting with your fellow classmates and your instructor as well.

But what about if you don't have the luck to fit your current schedule or even lifestyle to these classes then that could be a very big problem. And mind you, these classes could become very expensive. Time is money and these teachers are paid with their time, so if you are not a fast learner this could definitely cost you a lot in the long run. Online resources for Spanish language learning can be the answer to those problems.

Since, you will have all your lessons through either Audio CDs or with the more economic downloadable (mp3) format, you will benefit from all the savings. You can study with your own schedules, whether you want something more intensive or just learning the basic Spanish words, phrases or pronunciations.

You don't have to feel the pressure to learn at the same speed as your classmate, just study at your own pace and not be pressured as well about how much it will cost a very slow learner. You'll be a proficient learner at no time, and be confident in your language skills.

When you've learned to be a basic Spanish speaker or a more fluent Spanish conversationalist, you will join the many people out there raking in the benefits of being a bilingual speaker. Don't think twice about learning Spanish, you already know there are countless of opportunities that could open for you, all you have to do is to decide when you want to start and use the online resources for Spanish language learning.

Free Online Language Learning

Online Spanish and English language learning represent two major markets for online language courses. Many of these courses are pricey, but they can also be a highly motivating experience for online language study. However, there are a number of free language learning software that can also answer your language learning needs especially if you are on a tight budget.

Contrary to what people might think about online language learning in general, it can be highly interactive and can help you build confidence in order to eventually speak the language.

Online Language Software for Learning Spanish

SpanishSense allows you to experiment with their language learning software for a 30 day period. Subscribing to the free podcast is the most convenient way to go about online Spanish learning. The online Spanish lessons are built using specific language structures around specific scenarios.

You first hear the dialogues, then the speakers isolate the grammatical forms emphasizing the special tenses and the target vocabulary. For the visual learner, there is a PDF file for each corresponding online Spanish lesson and you can browse through the archive of lessons and add them to your custom feed allowing for easier accessibility.

Navigating from the site to the content material is relatively simple but be prepared for some language adjustments especially, if you have not learned Spanish in quite a while. However no online language learning software is perfect and there are adjustments to be made:

    in explanations and accents and pace
    in instructions for reading and writing assignments

Since the focus is production and making yourself effectively understood, the lessons appeal to a general language threshold of understanding.

Online Language Software for Learning English

For students interested in online English learning, Dave's ESL Café is maintained by the one and only Dave Sperling whose love for teaching and technology comes across in one awe impressive website of forums, discussions, links, teacher resources,and an undated photo gallery for learning English. But, many ESL websites have this... so what is so special about Dave's ESL Cafe?

Since its establishment back in 1995, Dave's ESL Cafe has become the one stop for English language learners and teaching professionals. You can find information on how to learn English along with interactive grammar and vocabulary exercises. Some of his teaching reflects the pre-Internet mode of teaching. Students of online English learning like this approach because it keeps to teaching points within a conservativist methodology yet surprisingly is quite interactive.

This site was built with the educator in mind. Pop-up windows effectively facilitate information on types of idioms and definitions of idioms. Other websites do not go as far as to provide these explanations.

There are quizzes that range from topics such as geography, grammar. Since Dave adopts a grammar approach, you will find a lot of isolated grammar points that are taught in isolated ways, which at first, do not always appear meaningful.

7 Language Learning Tips

Learning a foreign language can be a daunting task. But when we break it down, it's really a numbers game. How much time you are putting into it and how many words do you know? In most cases, you will require a few hundred hours of study time and overall 2000-3000 words of active vocabulary to be conversational with any hope of one day being actually fluent.
Once you learn it to that point, it pretty much becomes self-sustaining, if you maintain it and continue to use it.

This sounds like too difficult a task for someone who casually says "hey i'd like to learn spanish!" but the reality is, you can learn to speak a language at a daily conversation level much more quickly if you apply a few additional techniques to
supplement your language method or class. You can be functional with a lot fewer words and you can significantly reduce the number of hours necessary to learn the foundation of the language.

Flashcards Pound for pound the single best and most efficient use of your time when learning a language. Ten
seconds of free time becomes a quick quiz - whip card number one out of your pocket "what is the spanish word for ... food? comida? flip the card over ... correct!" Two minutes is a major review session. Look at it this way - if you spent ten seconds on one word, for two minutes - that's twelve words in two minutes. Twelve words a day for five days a week is 3000 words in one year. All the words you need to be conversational in just two minutes a day. That doesn't account for grammar and pronunciation, but still - one year to learn all the vocabulary you need. Don't say you don't have time to learn a language. Remember this the next time you are on line at the bank or the grocery store, doctors office, waiting at a red light etc.

Read Once you have some basic understanding of the language, get some reading material. Here's the important part - something you are interested in. If you're into gardening then get a magazine or print out an online article on gardening in your target language. You'll be learning vocabulary and phrases that really interest you, and that will help you pick it up that much quicker.

Audio If your language method doesn't have an audio component then get one. If it does then get another one
anyway. Hearing the language is the most important aspect of learning if you intend to speak it. Give yourself opportunities
to use it during otherwise non-productive times like while driving or just relaxing.

Internet Radio Following the above advice, give yourself more (and free!) opportunities to hear your new language. Radio can expose you to new vocabulary and fresh content daily. Don't overdo it with your one audio cd. Mix up your audio with other sources, and constantly changing ones like music and internet news broadcasts from other countries. The more sources you have to hear from, the better.

Daily Contact This is probably the cardinal rule when it comes to learning languages. You must expose yourself to the language every day if possible. Studying ten minutes a day is better than cramming for an hour once or twice a week. Frequent review, even if only a few minutes, is essential. This is true for maintaining a language after you have learned it too. Long periods off are deadly.

Penpals Use the power of the internet to hook up with other people around the world who speak the language you are learning. They can help you immeasurably. You can help them with English and they can help you with your target language. There are plenty of free sites and forums to find people who will be happy to work with you.

Study With Others Studying and practicing with other people can give you instant feedback and interactivity that
you just can't get from a book or even audio or software. Even if you only know very little, you will absorb it quicker and with more enjoyment than just studying alone. Ultimately, that's the purpose of learning a foreign language anyway - to
communicate with other people.

So, try applying some different techniques to your language learning regimen. You will probably find that you can add a few
techniques without requiring any more time from your already overtaxed schedule. You may find that you can actually use
less time studying as you streamline your learning process. Learn to learn more effectively and remember to keep your eye
on the goal whether you put a number on it or not.

Myths Of Language Learning

By breaking down communication barriers, the language learning industry has indeed changed the lives of people significantly. Careers advanced, relationships improved, and businesses doubled their revenues through the help of this growing business. Sadly, however, there are still those who think that learning a new language can be done in other ways. Language learning got enshrouded by myths because many people believe that in this fast-paced world everything can be acquired without exerting much effort. Learning a new language may be a gratifying experience, but it takes time and dedication. Listed below are some of the common notions misguided people have on language learning.

Myth 1: Language learning is quick and easy.

Those who believe that they can learn Spanish or French in two to eight weeks are about to get the biggest disappointment of their lives. No school or university has met a student who can learn something that would normally take years to master. Language learning is not also an easy task, as what many perceive it to be. It requires a great amount of discipline, time and effort. The only time learning a new language becomes easy is when one visits a different country and learns a few foreign key words or phrases just so he can find his way around the city.

Myth 2: Going to foreign countries is the best way to learn a foreign language.

If one is in a foreign country, it doesn't necessarily mean he or she will automatically become an expert of the country's language. Individuals who are forced to speak a foreign country's language will often end up saying incorrect sentences that eventually becomes a galling habit. And when the habit becomes full blown, it becomes almost impossible to correct. Institutions and universities specializing in language learning is still the best place to develop a foreign tongue.

Myth 3: Kids learn languages more easily.

This is a popular belief commonly affirmed by linguists because of the belief that children begin learning a language at birth. The problem, however, happens when the child enters puberty (about 12 years old). A study done recently suggests that one's first language must be acquired by that age, because after puberty, neurological changes in the brain make it impossible to fully learn a language.

Myth 4: Pronunciation is not important.

Many fail to correct their pronunciation either because their professors didn't consider it important or they just assume that their pronunciation is already good enough. A long-time resident in the US who suddenly migrates to England will be surprised to find out that most British will not understand a word he'll utter simply because the way English is pronounced in both countries are different. Genuine language learning considers the importance of proper accent and pronunciation in making conversations smoother and more pleasant. Furthermore, if one takes time to learn a foreign country's natural way of speaking, he or she will look more secure and learned, becoming more easily accepted by others.