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Pinguistics: Using Pinterest to Learn a Language Posted by on Nov 26, 2014 in Archived Posts

Many of you are probably already pinning away on Pinterest, a social media network in the form of an online pinboard. From recipes, hairstyle ideas, DIY crafts, and workout tutorials to frivolous puppy pictures, Pinterest has something for everyone. That includes you, language learners. If you haven’t considered it before, curating a Pinerest board centered around your language of interest is a fun (even addicting, I admit) way to stay engaged when you don’t feel like doing something dense or tedious.

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When I don’t feel like reading the French news or cracking open a textbook, you can probably find me pinning up a storm on my Pinterest board, lovingly named Francophilia. But what, exactly, is there to be found on this platform? Here’s an inside look at my board, if you need some inspiration:

Inspirational pins:

Speaking of inspiration, Pinterest is a great source of it! My board is full of all things French that make me want to learn the language more than ever. There’s nothing like some stunning photos of the shores of Nice, the mountains of Grenoble, the quaint lanes of Colmar, and the bustling cafes of Paris to rejuvenate my desire to learn French. Perusing Pinterest for inspiration just might remind why you’re putting in the effort to learn another language.

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Travel pins:

If you’re lucky enough to be heading abroad to put your language skills to use, Pinterest can be your guide. More than inspiration, these destination pins can help you plan your itinerary (or your bucket list, if it’s a little further off).pinterest3

Language pins:

It’s not all fantasies, of course. Pinterest is a great source for learning materials, too! Search for vocabulary—I’m always impressed at how fun learning vocabulary can be when it’s presented to me in a fun visual, like the ones below. Beyond simple vocabulary, Pinterest is a mecca for authentic language, from quotes to idioms to slang.pinterest4pinterest6

 

Recipe pins:

Pinterest is well-known for it’s collection of recipes. What better way to engage with another culture than to try their food?pinterest7

 

Culture pins:

While we’re talking about culture, you might also find pins about daily life in your target country. I’ve been able to find pins about social norms, taboos, holiday traditions, and beyond.pinterest8

Resource pins:

Pinterest is also a great way to organize your resources. Each pin links out to an external site, making it a great medium for discovering foreign music, books, movies, blogs, news sources, etc.pinterest9

Best of all, you can add your own pins. If you find a blog post you particularly enjoy (maybe even from one of our language and culture blogs!), you can add it as a pin.

So, if you’re not already creating language boards on Pinterest, what are you waiting for? And if you’ve beat me to the punch, share a link to your board(s) in the comments. I’d love to see what you’re all pinning!

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About the Author: meaghan

Meaghan is the Marketing Communications Manager at Transparent Language. She speaks enough French and Spanish to survive, and remembers enough Hausa to say "Hello my name is Meaghan, I'm studying Hausa." (But sadly that's it).


Comments:

  1. Pinterestfan:

    Maybe I am being dim, but there is no actual link to your pinterest boards here? How can people find them?

    • meaghan:

      @Pinterestfan Not dim at all! We as a company do not actually have Pinterest boards. You can search for pre-made boards, though. There are plenty of language learners who have assembled boards for various languages! The Francophilia board I mention above is my personal board I use for learning French, for example, and you can find it here:

      http://www.pinterest.com/mcmcgon/francophilia/

  2. Cath Warwick:

    This is my Spanish board, originally entitled español http://pinterest.com/catherinewarwic/espa%C3%B1ol/. Hope to add some more soon been a bit snowed under! I also have français and work boards that may have other interesting pins.

  3. Sarah:

    I love to use pinterest It’s a really visual way of learning. Ours is http://www.pintrest.com/Lingotasic

  4. Gaelach:

    What do you think of ours?
    http://www.pinterest.com/ngaeilge/

  5. Kelly:

    Never thought of using Pinterest for language learning before- brilliant ideas!

  6. Profegalinda:

    We have 38 boards (and growing) all related to language teaching/learning and teacher effectiveness. We use these in our presentations and also our consulting jobs.
    We also have a blog: https://profegalindablog.wordpress.com


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