New Typing and Spelling Activities in Transparent Language Online Posted by Transparent Language on Mar 20, 2017 in For Educators, For Learners, For Libraries, Learning Feature Updates
What’s new in Version 2.2 of Transparent Language Online? New typing and spelling activities! Master the alphabet with Typing Tutor and Spelling Inspector, which are now available as Practice Activities for languages with alphabet courses. Learning to type in language is critical in today’s world of texts and emails. Being able to “write it down”…
There Are No Gatekeepers in Language Learning Posted by Malachi Rempen on Mar 15, 2017 in Archived Posts
Many jobs, hobbies and skills have a high price of entry, limitation, equipment or permission that must be granted in order for you to pursue it. Not so with language learning! I don’t like having to ask for permission. When it comes to my interests, hobbies, work and skills, I prefer not to have to…
Can borrowing words from other languages unlock new thoughts and feelings? Posted by Transparent Language on Mar 13, 2017 in Archived Posts
Guest Post by Sean Fitzsimons – linguistics graduate, writer and researcher. Every language has its limits. Languages cannot simply stretch their semantic fields to describe what others can in remarkable detail. By learning new languages, we can not only enrich our communication skills and cultural understanding, but also tap into thoughts which we previously had no…
Your Unique Language Learning Journey Posted by Malachi Rempen on Mar 8, 2017 in Archived Posts
Life isn’t fair, and neither is language learning. In a lot of life’s pursuits, your cultural background doesn’t matter. Sports, for example – it’s not important where you’re from. All that matters is that you’re faster, stronger, more accurate. While culture of course influences art, it doesn’t necessarily affect your drawing, photography or singing skills. It also…
The Best Part of Flipping My Classroom Posted by Transparent Language on Mar 6, 2017 in For Educators
Guest Post by Heather Witten, a Spanish teacher at Elizabeth High School in Colorado, where she has been on the CCFLT (Colorado Congress of Foreign Language) Board for the last 4 years. She has been flipping her Spanish class for the last 7 years and has written a chapter in the book “Flipping 2.0” describing…
Can Tech Enable Schools to Start Offering Languages Earlier? Posted by Transparent Language on Mar 1, 2017 in Archived Posts
Educators and researchers agree: children should start learning languages as early as possible. Children Are Uniquely Suited to Learn Languages Recent research indicates that our “capacity to learn a language diminishes gradually” over time. At younger ages, children’s brains are more open to new sounds and patterns: “Simply, the younger the learner, the better they…
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…