Episode 38: The Best Tools for Language Learning in Spring/Summer 2016

Episode 38 is brought to you with friendly support from italki. Do visit their site and check out the awesome Buy 1 Get 1 Free offer to learn from native speakers today.

Kerstin and Lindsay bring you the ultimate Spring/Summer collection of language learning tools. We each nominated three things we regularly use for learning languages and discussed how to make them teach you a language.

"I'm not as good as I think I am - but that's a good thing because it motivates me to work harder." - Lindsay

And if that's not enough, we then went ahead and created our own language learning chart for you.

Listen to the show to find out our absolute top recommendation.

Here's a quick run-down of the charts:

1) Forvo

Forvo

This is the place you can go if you want to know how to pronounce a word in any language. It's even useful for finding out how to say a word (or a name) in your own language. Forvo's top pronounced words of March 2016 were Cruyff, Slaínte and Leicester.

This one is absolutely perfect for people who are curious and excited about language and how it works. In other words, language geeks like us. If you don't know it, forvo it.

2) Spotify

spotifylogo

Do you like one artist in your target language and want to explore more? Then Spotify is your best tool.

Here is our podcast's own Spotify Language Chart, created for the European Day of Languages 2015 live show.

3) Workflow and Evernote (IOS devices)

workflow

The app Workflow is a way for you to connect different apps on your IOS device to each other. Use it to save audio from anywhere on the internet and save it, so that you can access it offline no matter where you are.

We recommend Workflow for anyone who loves to tinker and build their own little systems for language learning.

Workflow also talks to the Apple watch - have you used it with the watch for flashcards or uploads? I'd love to hear your stories.

3) Snapchat

snapchat

Snapchat is a social network that allows you to use your phone's camera and create your day's story with videos and photos. Use it to practice speaking or snap new words in your target language.

This one is perfect if you're embarrassed to speak, because whatever you upload into Snapchat will disappear after 24 hours. We recommend Snapchat for younger learners, and anyone who loves using the camera on their smartphone.

4) Readlang

readlang

Readlang is an extension for your browser or an app for your mobile device, and it translates any website. With Readlang you can just tap on any word and it will translate it for you - and then you can save it for later or add to your flashcard system.

It makes language learning so much more interesting because you can look at anything that's relevant to YOUR life. We recommend this one for learners who are intermediate to advanced and want to maintain their language levels.

If you're a Welsh learner, there's a similar system built into the BBC Cymru website ("Vocab" button in the top right).

5) Google Sheets Translate

This is the best for anyone wanting to build word lists in several languages. Google Translate has now been added to Google Sheets, so what you can do is build a simple vocab list in a spreadsheet, then set all those words to auto-translate into another language.

Here's the detailed Google article explaining how to use this function.

If you have a csv file, you can even export from your favourite flashcard app and add it back in to google. It's perfect for polyglot learners who are working on several languages.

Honorary Mentions

Welsh-specific:

Everlasting Classics

italki, Memrise (Anki/Quizlet), HelloTalk

Do You Agree With Our Language Chart?

You can get in touch with us and tell us what you thought by

1) leaving us an iTunes review by visiting our itunes page and clicking "Ratings and Reviews"

2) using hashtag #cllp (or #kerstinyouold) on Twitter (I am @kerstinhammes and Lindsay is @ldlanguages).

And once again, thanks so much to our sponsors Italki - please support our show by visiting them today.

Podcast Episode 31: Watching TV in a Foreign Language

 

Welcome to Episode 31, where Lindsay and I took a deep dive into revealing our TV watching habits and how they aid our language learning. Plus: Listener feedback and over 20 show recommendations.

language learning with tv

We are sponsored today by Savvy Brand Academy, a mastermind & brand course for onlinte teachers, as part of our "podcasters are doin' it for themselves month".

1) What type of TV do you watch?

  • Listener Colin likes to watch with the whole family
  • Chris Stewart who likes watching reality tv like “Come dine with me”
  • For me: Serials
  • For Lindsay: youtube as part of a routine
  • My student Randy: Tagesschau

2) HOW do you watch?

  • Is there such a thing as guilty learning vs. not-guilty learning?

  • Should you watch with subtitles or without? Subtitles in your own language or the other language? Immersion or full understand mode?

  • Big debate: How can TV count as "deliberate study time"?

  • Where can you find shows that are appropriate for your level?

  • What makes TV for kids a good choice?

3) Where can you find cool things to watch? (Big Link Collection)

YouTube and Yabla:

TV Apps and Websites Where You Can Find International TV

Shows Kerstin Loves (75% contains crime)

I've added links for UK and US audiences - comment if you need a link for another region.

  • Welsh Language: 
  • French Language:
  • French and Flemish Language:
    • Salamander (Netflix, DVD in the UK and USA)
  • German Language:
    • Deutschland 83 (live on Channel 4 UK, iTunes, DVD in the UK and USA)
    • Films: Good Bye Lenin! (DVD in the UK and USA), The Edukators (DVD in the UK and USA)
  • Danish and Swedish Language
    • The Bridge (Cable by Xfinity, Hulu Plus, streaming on Amazon UK, DVD in the UK and USA)
  • Danish Language
    • The Killing (streaming on VUDU, DVD in the UK)
    • Borgen (DVD in the UK and USA)
  • Korean Language
    • Boys Over Flowers (streaming on Viki, Hulu, DVD in the UK and in the USA)

THE TAKEAWAY

If you have not done this already, catch an episode of 1980s German spy show Deutschland 83 - here it is on Amazon.comand here it is on All 4 in the UK

How To Use A Dictionary Like The Most Succesful Language Learners

dictionary for language

No language learner should be far from a dictionary, ever. These days it's very tempting to look everything up in Google Translate, but with a few of the following choices you'll be way ahead.

What Makes a Great Dictionary?

Dictionaries come in all shapes and sizes. You can buy a tiny pocket book like the one I took to Sweden this summer. Or if you've got a big shelf, you'll find a 3 volume leather-bound edition to fill it. Some come with grammar guides, others come with phrasebooks.

And of course, paper is pretty 20th century these days so there's no way to ignore apps. Most likely you've got one or two on your smartphone right now.

For me, a good dictionary will have the following things available:

1. Grammar Details

I want to know what I am looking at. Is this word feminine? Irregular? Is there something else I need to know before I use it? Good dictionaries provide all that information in a few short letters. For example, popular choice Wordreference tells you lots of extras when you look up a word.

2. Examples in Use

After over 20 years of language learning, I have trained myself never to trust the first word that comes up. Remember that looking up a word is never guaranteed to mean finding the perfect word at first sight, so you should check how to use it and whether there aren't several meanings.

3. The Other Language

I like reverse-checking my words, so monolingual dictionaries aren't my thing. This is the quickest check you can find for making sure you are using the right word. Look up your dictionary result the other way round, if it doesn't deliver the one you were looking for then you are not done with your search.

online dictionary example

My Recommendations: These Dictionaries Are Fantastic

Originally a project from a Munich University (in 1995!), LEO has grown itself to be the go-to dictionary for any German speaker. Its core language is German, so all language pairs are based on it. The strength of LEO lies in two-way search and the great forum articles that can point you in the right direction when the original dictionary answer doesn't seem right.

This is another German heavyweight - wiki-based babla has it all: 37 online dictionaries, games, tests, a fantastic community...and usage examples! Oh yeah. Bookmark now.

This offering from the TU Chemnitz in Germany is particularly good with collocations, telling you the most common ways that the word you found connects with others. So search for "cats" and you'll also find "it's raining cats and dogs". It's just been improved as well with a full supply of DGT Multilingual Translation Memory from the EU.

  • The printed dictionary

You underestimate this big boy at your own risk, because a printed bilingual dictionary offers two aspects that the online world can't deliver on. It is portable and works without electricity or roaming charges. These Language Maps are even waterproof. Secondly, the printed dictionary will usually supply you with just a little bit more linguistic oomph and show pronunciation, every conceivable example, colour codes and a friendly paper smell too!

This is not just a dictionary, but also a translation search engine. Put in new vocab, and you'll see the many real uses in language materials.

The Best Dictionary for Any Language

You definitely can use Google Translate and get through any conversation in a foreign language just fine. Or you can go deep and start to make your dictionary the ultimate resource in your language learning arsenal.

When learning a foreign language, I believe that vocabulary is one of the absolute keys to helping you feel confident and stay on top of any conversation. You can learn all that grammar, but without knowing what to say you'll always feel stuck.

I've given a few hints above that will help you work with your dictionary and start making the most of it.

The Best Apps for Travelling the World

top travel apps

There is a German saying that sums up all that is annoying and all that is important about travelling:

Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter. Es gibt nur schlechte Kleidung.

This means "there's no bad weather, there's just bad clothing". While single-handedly giving you and explanation for all those German tourists dressed in pro-level hiking gear, the saying also talks about attitude and preparation. Without good prep, travel won't be fun, so today I thought I'll share a few tools that I use every single time I travel abroad. And no, it hasn't stopped me from doing some remarkably stupid things such as forgetting my passport at home (ouch) and turning up at the airport a whole 24 hours too late. But imagine how much less organised I could be!

Be Smart about App Usage on the Road

It's important to watch your smartphone's data consumption when you travel. The EU roaming fee law that we all waited for has now been pushed back until 2018, so even from the UK to Germany it's important to ensure you've researched before you go.

I'm UK-based and have found the best deals for using my smartphone abroad with Three and o2. More information for UK-based users is available on the always excellent Money Saving Expert website.

No matter where you are, here are my top phone tips before you go travelling:

  • Get your phone unlocked and research buying a local SIM if you stay longer than a week, you travel to another country regularly or you're planning to use a lot of data.
  • If in doubt, switch off international roaming.
  • Research where you can get free Wi-Fi access.

The List of Apps and Services

This is the list of travel apps that I am never without on my phone. Most offer app options for iOS and Android. I'll be linking to their websites so you can select your download option. None of the links in this article are affiliate links, but I've used my "Refer a Friend" where I've got it.

1. tripit

Oh my god, I'd be lost without this site. TripIt creates a master travel itinerary. You can forward most train, car hire, hotel and flight confirmations to their plans@tripit.com email address and it reads them automatically and puts them into the calendar. The service also integrates with online calendars, so your diary is up to date.

The best thing about TripIt is that I can share my itinerary and allow others to post things to it. It's completely stopped that irritating "What time is our flight again? Which terminal?" conversation I used to have with my partner on every single trip. Instead, we just say "it's in the TripIt".

2.airbnb

The above link gets you free travel credit, feel free to use it!

I started using Airbnb in 2011 and it's become one of my go-to travel tools since then. Airbnb has been a big success story. It allows people with a little extra room, from a spare couch to a tree house, to rent out that space to travellers and visitors. I know that Couchsurfing runs this for free, but after years of business travel I just became a little spoilt and I'd rather set up a transaction with my host and have guaranteed safety and comfort in return.

I've now used Airbnb on trips to Cardiff, Kendal, San Francisco, Portland and London and have never had a bad experience. One of my friends has also started hosting on there, so if you're ever going to Edinburgh, email me for more details.

3.Award Wallet

Click the link above. The first 10 people to use the code "free-siaumd" get an upgrade coupon through my account.

If you never use your frequent traveller miles, you're not alone but you're missing out. AwardWallet is a website that tracks your airline and hotel loyalty schemes - something no one can really keep track off properly, right? The site will give you one central point to check your balances of every loyalty scheme going, including expiry dates and links to the original scheme websites.

Last year, I travelled around the USA and back for just $500, by the way. That was entirely due to using my frequent flyer miles, so this is worth looking into!

4. HotelTonight

My Referral Code KHAMMES will give you a £15 discount.

When I travel on my own, I like to be as free and unrestricted as I can. Road trips, spontaneous day trips and added nights in beautiful places are commonplace for me, so that means I rarely book a full itinerary in advance. There always has to be an unorganised bunch of nights in there, allowing me to feel free to roam. And HotelTonight has got to be the BESTEST EVER THING FOR PEOPLE LIKE ME.

The app is pretty, reliable and so easy to use it's unreal. Originally a last-minute reservation service for "tonight" only, they've now expanded their offering and allow you to use the app for reservations up to 7 days in advance. The rates are always competitive and their range of hotels is gorgeous. Without HotelTonight, my road trip to California would not have been as much fun.

5.Parkopedia

A new addition to my travel arsenal, Parkopedia is a British website listing reviews and tips on the best and most affordable parking spaces in 52 countries. It's saved me hundreds on my most recent Christmas trip by simply showing us a cheaper car park 500 metres away from our hotel. Absolutely worth looking into!

6. Kayak and 7. SkyScanner

Both of these websites are designed to deliver straightforward flight searches, allowing you to get the best connections all around the world. There are of course millions of flight search websites out there. Google has recently added its own service to the market as well after they bought the awesome ITA Scanner a few years ago. But for a bargain hunter like me, the two above are always worth checking out.

Kayak is great as a starting point for major airline connections and offers you a search featuring nearby airports, flexible dates and lots of route options. They miss out a bunch of low-cost airlines, so Skyscanner is my second favourite place to check for flight options because they will include Ryanair, easyJet, WizzAir and so on. Invaluable for Euro travel.

8. Happy Cow

If you're a vegetarian on the road, use Happy Cow. If you are looking for quirky restaurants that offer awesome healthy food, use it too. Basically: Use Happy Cow! This restaurant guide has listings of veggie-friendly places in even the most unlikely locations like Moscow and Lisbon. I've often dragged friends and travel partners to Happy Cow locations and had the best meal of my whole trip. The app offers you directions and opening hours and also lists health food stores. For going beyond the usual travel fare, this is your new best friend.

More App Recommendations

The list above is just the tip of the iceberg, of course. I also make regular use of TripAdvisor and the LEO Dictionary app. And I am always on the hunt for a really good packing list app, I've just not found one yet.

What are your own favourite apps for travelling? How do you prepare for a trip abroad?

Thanks for reading this article on Fluent, the Language Learning Blog. If you are feeling stuck right now, why not subscribe to Fluent and check out our language book shop.

Three Language Learning Affirmations You Should Use (And Why They Will Work!)

Let me tell you about a demon. It keeps you safe and small, makes sure you’re in your place. It stops you from leaning out too far, leaning in to new adventures, and saying yes to any kind of change or risk. It’s kind of like a helicopter parent, and lives right in your head. That demon is called self-doubt.

Scenario 1: Self-Doubt

If you’ve been on a roll, spending the last few weeks listening to target language podcasts and seeing your tutor on a regular basis, then you’re expecting progress. You’re expecting a measurable, tangible feeling that this is worth the effort. And when that feeling doesn’t arrive, you start wondering why you bother.

Scenario 2: Self-Doubt Again

And here is the other side: You may have been feeling stuck during the past weeks. The language YouTube videos didn’t make you feel like you understand very much at all. You tried a language exchange and still couldn’t tell them about your week fluently. You’re starting to…guess what?…doubt yourself and second guess if language learning is even the right project for you.

Do You Recognise These Signs?

There are so many ways that self-doubt starts manifesting itself when you are a self-directed language learner. I bet you have experienced some of these before. I know that I do, and it takes one to know one:

  • Putting half an hour into study time, feeling no smarter than before, wondering if you’re using the wrong method
  • Spending five hours online researching study techniques, and zero hours doing any study
  • Accumulating 10,000 points on Duolingo, then getting bored with it and thinking you picked the wrong language
  • Buying every new resource out there, and using none of them

If you are finding yourself stuck in one of those ruts, you need to take action as soon as possible. Shifting your mindset towards becoming the kind of person that allows success to be a natural consequence of what they do is the key to moving forward. In all my conversation with language learners and polyglots and people who are happy about learning and people who are not, there’s always one clear definition: Everyone who is a great language learner believes in themselves. This is not an optional part of studying. You can say yes or no to flashcards, textbooks and italki. But you must never say no to your own learning capacity.

Using Affirmations to Get Unstuck

In today’s article, I want you to think about building affirmations into your learning practice. Shifting the idea about what kind of person you are from “Someone who struggles to learn Italian/German/French etc.” to “A committed lover of Italian/German/French etc” will make a huge difference. J from the Compassionate Language Learner blog wrote about this very topic recently in a post declaring how they use a careful approach to identity to make sure they stay on top of language learning. If you have never tried the same thing but have ever heard that annoying voice in your head asking you if you can really become fluent in this language, then this is something you have got to read. Building that fabulous positive image of yourself as someone who learns languages and enjoys regular successes.

Stop listening to voices in your head that say you’re not smart enough. Stop wondering about age, forgetfulness or which dictionary is the best. Just enjoy the ride.

Okay, so let’s get back to the affirmations. Like Wikipedia says, an affirmation is a statement saying that something is true. The concept of using statements like this to help your personal growth might feel a bit new-agey to you, but bear with this because positive thinking and affirmations are often linked to happiness and increased performance in studies. Beware though: Your affirmations must be credible to you and at least somewhat realistic, otherwise they won’t work. The idea is not to convince yourself, but to remember what you are good at.

Let me share my own affirmation, written right onto the board that I keep behind my computer screen. It says “(Pretend) You’re Awesome”. Sometimes I have a hard time remembering that I am awesome, but I can always pretend. This reminds me to take 10 seconds to close my eyes and imagine all of the awesome things that I do. It works because I am pretending, but at the same time concentrating on a positive image of myself.

Three Affirmations To Work With

Of course you can create any affirmation or positive image at all, but maybe you need a suggestion to get you started. The following three ideas might just work wonders and get you back to your book, your tutor or your homework.

If your inner voice says: "I’m never going to be great at this"

language is in my heart

If your inner voice says: "I am struggling with my language"

better-every-day.png

If your inner voice says: "I keep making mistakes"

language learning affirmation

How To Use These Graphics

These graphics are designed to keep you remembering that you've totally got this. Pin them to your Pinterest. Print them out, post them where you can see them every day or write them down every single day. You’ll only be investing seconds of your time, but who knows, it might boost your success by 500%!

Want a few more?

A positive mindset makes all the difference, and I've created more of these lovely cards for you to download, print, put on your phone immediately!