Archive by Author
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…
Language Learning is Cultural Learning Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Jan 9, 2017 in Archived Posts
Language learning is cultural learning, from the cradle to the foreign language classroom. It’s an often-repeated cliché in language learning that learning about foreign cultures is just as important as learning their languages. But what does that really mean for language learners? Already as infants each and every one of us finds ourselves navigating the…
Why and Where to Volunteer Your Translating Skills Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Dec 14, 2016 in Archived Posts
Translating a text is one of the best ways to give your language skills an all-around workout, and you’ll never run out of opportunities to do so: all across the world and the Web, people are waiting to put your language learning efforts to good use. Facing the linguistic pressures of globalization and the digital language divide that separates the linguistic…
Bringing Indigenous and Endangered Languages Online with Local Content Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Nov 14, 2016 in Archived Posts
The world is going global, and with it so are languages. The effects of globalization on the world’s linguistic diversity are a concern not only for those who want to preserve our human heritage, but also for ensuring equitable, sustainable development in the world’s poorest (and often most linguistically diverse) regions. Imagine tomorrow you, your family, and your…
Bridging the Digital Language Divide Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Oct 26, 2016 in Archived Posts
Technology and access to information are making the world a better place for many, but what good is that information if you can’t read it? Caught in the struggle between globalization and linguistic diversity, speakers of endangered and minority languages are struggling to bridge the digital language divide and reap the benefits of the Internet…
3 Ways to Learn a Language with Wikipedia Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Sep 28, 2016 in Archived Posts
What if I told you that the most powerful tool for building your foreign language vocabulary is online, free, and right under your nose? Wikipedia is massive, free, and supports 294 world languages, and even though it wasn’t made with us in mind, language learners should never be without it. It’s the first place we…
3 Endangered Languages Being Revitalized in the US Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Aug 17, 2016 in Archived Posts
When we talk about language diversity, the United States isn’t normally the first country to come to mind, but its 325 million inhabitants speak more than just English and Spanish. Over 470 languages are spoken by Americans, many of which are dying out as younger English-speaking generations never or only partially learn their heritage languages. But…