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January 11, 2011

Learn A Language With The Help Of Word Puzzles

One of my favorite exercises for practicing my recollection of a language are word puzzles.  I like all varieties, from crosswords to word searches to pictograms.   To me, having them makes the banal task of memorizing and vocabulary building a lot more entertaining.

You can find word puzzles to help learn a language online.  In my searches, I’ve found interactive online varieties, as well as old-school word puzzles that you can print out and do by hand. Of course, these pre-made exercises can vary up and down the scale when it comes to level of difficulty and focus, so you might have a bit of a hard time finding one that suits your existing skill level.

A better option would be to check if one is available in your learn a language software.   After seeing many of these foreign language training programs, I know a lot of titles that do offer those, with some containing better exercises than others.

So far, my favorite has been those learn a language software that generates crosswords and other word exercises on the fly, using the lessons on the sections you’ve already finished.  With these, I can literally do word puzzles over and over.  Since they’re dynamically produced, no two sessions are exactly alike, making for a good amount of variety.


October 28, 2009

Using Games To Learn A Language

I’ve seen people use educational games to learn a lot of things, from Math to Science to History.  But can it be used to help in the pursuit of language learning?

As far as the area of vocabulary building goes, I think games are one of the most effective learning tools. Compared to using various mnemonic and memory techniques, I find this medium to be one of particular note, because playing games is fun.  Provided that the game is well-made and engaging (apart from actually being educational), this is one particular method you should look to pursue.

Beyond vocabulary building, I’ve found some games that help develop grammar and composition skills, provided you’ve already had the background lessons necessary for them.   What I haven’t seen is a full game implementation that teaches all the basic aspects of a language, allowing you to acquire working skills.  For what it’s worth, I don’t think it’s an ideal platform for that kind of learning either.

If you find the accompanying practice exercises in your language learning software less than exciting, you can occasionally use games as a substitute.  Some of the better ones I’ve seen online look to help reinforce certain aspects of the language and you may be able to use them as additional practice.



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