Archive for February, 2017
No app will make you fluent in a language! Posted by Transparent Language on Feb 27, 2017 in Archived Posts
Consider yourself warned: no app or online program will make you fluent in a language. Companies need to stop selling services based on false promises. Don’t get us wrong, we truly believe that great tech can transform the economics of language learning. But the language-learning industry still seems mired in too many false promises and…
Finding Your Language Learning Motivation in Passion Projects Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Feb 22, 2017 in Archived Posts
Motivation makes all the difference between the person who studies a language for a few weeks for fun and someone who really acquires the skill of speaking it. To help keep your motivation up and learn language naturally, carve out a place for passion projects in your learning routine. What do you love doing? Taking…
Choosing the Right Tool for the Job Posted by Malachi Rempen on Feb 20, 2017 in Archived Posts
When you go camping, you’ve got to bring the right gear for the trip. And language learning is no different. Always pack the right gear for the trip you’re taking. You don’t want to go on a camping trip with your TV, and you don’t want to go to a European campground with anything but…
How can busy professionals make time for language learning? Posted by Transparent Language on Feb 15, 2017 in Archived Posts
It is widely recognized that the US needs much better language skills to succeed in international fields like business, security, diplomacy, and politics. That’s not all—language is finding its way into nearly every major industry: health care, hospitality, law enforcement, customer service, finance, journalism, and beyond. When individuals or organizations in these fields need better…
How Others See Your Language Learning Posted by Malachi Rempen on Feb 13, 2017 in Archived Posts
Your language learning will be received differently around the world by different people. How is it for you? As much as I like to paint cultures and people with broad strokes in my comic Itchy Feet, for satirical purposes of course – the fact is that people are people, and people are different. Everyone’s going to…
Spanish for All Ages: The Transparent Language Spanish Curriculum Posted by Transparent Language on Feb 8, 2017 in For Educators, For Learners, For Libraries, Learning Material Updates
Spanish is not as foreign of a language as it once seemed. Of the world’s 400 million Spanish speakers, more than 37 million live in the United States. It’s no surprise, then, that Spanish is by far the most studied second language in U.S. schools and universities. Unfortunately, American students are notorious for reaching only…
Are You a Language Jet-Setter or Hitchhiker? Posted by Malachi Rempen on Feb 6, 2017 in Archived Posts
Some language learners are ultra-prepared and dedicated. Others are more passive, preferring to let the language find them. Which one are you? In my experience, I’ve found there are two kinds of language learners: jet-setters and hitchhikers. Jet-setters know exactly where they’re going, and they’ve packed exactly what they need to get there. Maybe they’re learning French…