One Picture Says a Thousand Words Posted by Sean Young on Aug 15, 2012 in Archived Posts
When you see a picture, what goes through your mind? Can you describe it to someone? Or can they describe it to you and you can see in your imagination what they’re describing? How about describing a situation to your friend who wasn’t there but can imagine what happened based on your description of it?…
The Rosetta Stone Posted by Sean Young on Aug 3, 2012 in Archived Posts
The Rosetta Stone is, in my opinion, one of the greatest contributions to languages and language learning in history. Before you get to asking, I’m talking about the black granite stone you see in the picture. What is the Rosetta Stone and why is it such a big deal? The stone itself is inscribed with…
We’ve Got you Covered – Online Language Learning for Schools Posted by Chuck McGonagle on Aug 1, 2012 in Archived Posts
A great language-learning program should, first and foremost, prepare students for all of the amazing opportunities they’re likely to encounter once they successfully move on from school. However, a really great program doesn’t just focus on the needs of the student; it should support those of the educator, as well. We’ve created Transparent Language Online…
The State of Language in Our World Posted by Transparent Language on Jul 30, 2012 in Archived Posts
As the internet and other technologies combine to bring people from opposite sides of the globe closer together, language use will undoubtedly evolve as well. Check out our “Speaking of Languages…” infographic to learn more about the world’s many languages, as well as the answer to the age-old question, “How long will it take me…
From Desire Comes Passion Posted by Sean Young on Jul 27, 2012 in Archived Posts
There are times when I like to sit and watch people choose a language book or course at the bookstore. I see those who go through the books, casually looking through them, flipping through the pages, not sure if they will be able to do it. And I see those who are looking for a…
Passive Listening or Active Listening? Posted by Sean Young on Jul 25, 2012 in Archived Posts
It seems like today we want everything now. We get our dinner at a drive-through, we wash our hair with shampoo and conditioner in one bottle, and we always want to do more things in the least amount of time. All that multi-tasking and rushing around may not always be for the best, however. In…
How long will it take to learn? Posted by Sean Young on Jun 30, 2012 in Archived Posts
This question cannot be answered in one word or sentence for all learners and all languages. It is not possible to predict how much time achieving fluency will take, since it is a very individual process. Achieving fluency in a foreign language depends on many factors. There are “easy” and “difficult” languages for an English…