May, 2012 Language Learning Tricks

Interactivity And Language Software

Fans of language software always cite its flexibility as one of its main advantages over other learning materials. With language software, you can, literally, break up and schedule your lessons in whatever way fits your busy life. If you only have 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at night available, you can tailor your lessons to accommodate that. Same if your only available time is during the one-hour lunch break at work. Simply put, you’ll be hard pressed to find other learning resources that can accommodate you this well, while providing the same amount of effectiveness and efficiency.

On the flipside, detractors of the medium as a primary learning material cite the lack of personal feedback. As in, you can literally play through an entire language course without actually learning anything, same with books, audio and video instruction. Contrast to a personal tutor or a class where the instructor can regularly test you to track your progress.

The good news is, most modern language software have taken heed of this frequent criticism. As a result, a lot of the top language software currently in the market integrate some form of interactivity. Fact is, that criticism really isn’t valid anymore for a lot of the titles you can find today.

Interactive Practice

Unlike traditional software instruction where you sit through a lesson the same way you listen to a classroom instructor, some of the modern titles actually structure the lessons as interactive practice. As in, you are taught a phrase and you get drilled on it. Then, onto another phrase. And another and so on.

Other implementations of this use the practice as a separate item from the lessons, so you can sit through your lessons like a regular class (if you prefer learning that way). At the end of each module, you can then proceed to the practice, where the software will interactively drill you with the previous module’s content.

Both of the above implementations work much the same way, simulating work with an actual speaker and forcing you to use what’s been learned in an interactive setting. Based on feedback from many students, this approach is one of the most effective, especially for students who prefer workshop-style teaching methods, compared to lecture-type ones.

Heavy Engagement

Modern software is heavy on engaging the senses. Most of the successful titles I’ve seen these days integrate audio, video, text and interactive exercises, encouraging users to be more immersed in the lessons, compared with more traditional types of approaches.

This type of instruction doesn’t work for everyone, of course. Some people prefer a minimal amount of input, compared to the multiple layers this approach brings, which could prove overwhelming. If you prefer learning using a setup like this, though, the heavy engagement provided by some software titles could prove to be particularly effective for your language learning efforts.

Word of warning: heavy engagement will usually demand your full attention, apart requiring from a good chunk of time. Chances are, you’ll need to sit through it in straight chunks of time. So far, most of the modules I’ve seen range from 15 to 30 minutes, so you’ll need to devote your time sequentially.

Games

Not a lot of language programs use games as a primary mode of instruction, although I’ve seen plenty that integrate them as accessory learning tools. Language learning games are particularly useful as a tool for practice, allowing you to review your lessons using a dynamic, interactive module.

Games can be especially useful for non-linear thinkers, who should be able to appreciate the entertaining and unorthodox nature of this type of learning material. If you get bored with traditional lessons easily, this is definitely one type of interactive technique that could prove a lot less prone to doldrums.

Do note that most game-based language software we’ve seen are aimed at kids. There are some for adults, but you’ll probably have to seek them out. Difficulty will usually depend on the specific language you’re looking to learn. Naturally, it will prove a bit easier if you’re studying popular languages, like Spanish and French. For the most part, you’ll find plenty of software that integrate more adult games, like crossword puzzles, word association and phrase-to-picture matching.

Speech Recognition

Some of the newer software titles integrate software recognition, allowing the program to evaluate your speaking and offer feedback in areas where you can improve. I’m especially impressed with this feature, as it really goes a long way towards pointing learners the right way, especially with regards to tone, pace and pronunciation. As you probably know, it’s easy to incur speaking errors early in the learning process that could end up being ingrained in your skillset. An interactive feature like this helps you avoid it.

Many language learning software that tout “dynamic language immersion” or “simulated immersion” will use this feature extensively. That’s how they engage in conversations that feel like a real tutoring exchange, instead of feeling like you’re just talking to a microphone with nobody sitting on the other end.

Advantages of Interactivity

Why opt for interactive language learning software? Truth be told, they’re just more effective than a lot of traditional language programs. That’s especially true for students who find the old approaches dull and uninteresting.

Interactive tools are usually more engaging, allowing you to sink your teeth deeper into each lesson. If you have problems focusing and fixing your attention on the lessons, you’ll probably find an interactive program’s heavier dose of stimulation a lot more useful to your language learning efforts.

Learn Your Language Software

Always put in the time to learn about a language software before putting down money for it. Find out about the different features and how much interactivity is built into it. That way, you can gauge whether it’s something that will work to your advantage or whether it’s something that could end up making your language learning efforts just a little bit harder.

Remember: even if two language software titles are both billed as “interactive,” they could be approaching it in two ways that are extremely different. And what works for another user may not necessarily prove to be what’s also best for you.

10 Things That Will Make Your Language Learning Efforts Fail

You’re studying a second language, but aren’t really feeling it. But you don’t want to quit. At the least, you want to go through the motions and fake like you’re trying. You know, so you can tell people “language learning is so hard — I know, I tried.” Well, here are ten things you can do to make sure your efforts fail.

1. Set unreasonable goals

This is too easy, it’s practically impossible to get wrong. You can aim for fluency in three months. Or study 4 hours a day. Or attain native-level skills in six months. Then, when you don’t get what you’re aiming for, throw a fit. Like, a serious fit. Burn all your books and curse at your language software. If you do nothing else from the list, do this — it will frustrate you as much as that lion trying to eat that kid in a zebra costume on YouTube.

2. Choose a crappy primary resource

Why buy a multi-awarded software that’s been tried and tested by many language learners? Why invest in a tool that people attribute serious positive results to? Look for free stuff, instead. Especially those materials that came from books or classroom courses, then adapted online without any serious testing or study. Yeah, that ought to fail you big time. Even better, compile your own mish-mash of material, combining random stuff you find on forums, YouTube and open-source repositories into your own unique structure. Oh, and if you’re going to pay for something, choose software that get negative reviews and lots of hate from previous users.

3. Blame the product you use for any problems

Not learning fast enough? It’s the software’s fault. Can’t grasp the concepts. It’s the software’s fault. None of the words you memorized comes out when you tried using the language while out? It’s the software’s fault. Replace it with a new one. Then restart the cycle of blame.

4. Have unusually high expectations

Expect the software to turn you into the best second-language speaker of all time, conversing like a native speaker who has every element of the language available on tap. Expect to reach that level while having an absolutely easy time with your language software. Hey, all them people are grinning like they’re living charmed lives in the promo pages for language products, so expect to be the same. Only fair, right? Right?

5. Train sporadically

The reason you got a software instead of enrolling in a language class is so you can bend the lessons to your schedule. So, don’t just bend it, make a mess of it. Study for 4 hours the first week, 15 minutes the next, 40 minutes the one after that, and so on. Don’t find a regular, steady schedule — that’s for squares who can’t work out their lessons without the shackles of structure. You’re beyond that, so just open your software whenever you feel like it. Will you consistently build up skills this way? Of course not. But, lest you forget, this is all about finding ways to make your language learning fail.

6. Don’t practice

Forget about practice — it’s overrated. You already spend enough time sitting through lessons. Adding another 30 minutes to do monologue or doing practice conversations is too much. Didn’t that website say language learning is supposed to be easy? Practice is for hard things.

7. Ignore the exercises

Were you the type to skip the exercises in your school textbooks? If yes, then you’re probably the type to skip the exercises in your language software, too. Do that. Sit through the lessons and ignore the exercises. Just move on to the next lesson. Only nerds do that whole “practice what you learn” thing anyway. Put faith in yourself that you’ll magically remember all those things included in the lesson when you need them. You won’t, of course, but it’s a nice thought anyway.

8. Drop out in the middle of a course

First week of language lessons, you’re usually pumped. You’re dedicated, sticking to your schedule and following through every step of the way. But as the weeks pass, the whole thing gets boring. You skip a day. Then skip another. Then move the schedule back a week. Then drop out entirely. Follow that script and you’ll be just like majority of the people who’ve tried language learning, showing enthusiasm at the start and falling off the cliff shortly after that.

9. Don’t let yourself fail

You know how they say you have to fail before tasting success? Yeah, don’t let yourself fail. Failure hurts. Don’t go trying out any of the new phrases you learn without being sure you run it a million times in your head first, so you never crash and burn out in the field. Don’t take risks finding people to practice with — that could be embarrassing. Just sit in your room doing your lessons with the language software until it all clicks. Doesn’t matter if it takes 100 years until it does.

10. Let frustration get the best of you

There are many ways language learning can frustrate you. You forget half the words you were using fluently last week? Your lessons going slower than you anticipated? Your tongue keeps twisting every time you try the phrases in the field? Allow the frustration to take over and stress you out. The more stressed you are, the poorer your results will be and the stronger your desire will be to quit.

Let’s Get Serious

Hopefully, you realized the above was more sarcastic than anything. If you’re studying a language, you’re looking for success and results. Avoiding the behaviors and attitudes listed above will help you get closer to realizing that.

Successful language learning often comes down to a combination of good materials, adequate time, right attitude and dedicated work. Stripping one or more of that is going to make your journey unnecessarily harder. Nobody comes into an activity like language learning wanting to fail, so stack the odds in your favor and get rid of the things that can lead you astray.

Comparisons

Reviews

About

Resources