{"id":5388,"date":"2017-02-27T07:14:47","date_gmt":"2017-02-27T12:14:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/language-news\/?p=5388"},"modified":"2020-10-01T13:08:49","modified_gmt":"2020-10-01T17:08:49","slug":"no-app-will-make-you-fluent-in-a-language","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/language-news\/2017\/02\/27\/no-app-will-make-you-fluent-in-a-language\/","title":{"rendered":"No app will make you fluent in a language!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Consider yourself warned: no app or online program will make you fluent<\/em> in a language. Companies need to stop selling services based on false promises.<\/p>\n

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Don\u2019t get us wrong, we truly believe that great tech can transform the economics of language learning<\/a>. But the language-learning industry still seems mired in too many false promises and gimmicks. So, let\u2019s do a little myth busting:<\/p>\n

You can\u2019t learn a language in 10 days. <\/strong>Learning a language is an ongoing process and while great technology can be part of making the process much faster<\/em>, getting good enough to use a language successfully across most real-life situations isn\u2019t necessarily a fast<\/em> process. On the other hand, you can learn to say hello, please, and thank you in a couple minutes, at which point you know more of that language than most people on earth. You can just keep getting better from there if you put in the time!<\/p>\n

Technology cannot replace human instructors. <\/strong>Technology will not replace teachers. However, teachers who use technology well will replace those who don\u2019t. And it\u2019s true that the right tech can execute some aspects of a language much faster and more efficiently than a human instructor, such as mastering thousands of words and phrases. But when it comes to really using a language authentically, nothing trumps spending some time with a good instructor or a native speaker.<\/p>\n

\u201cAdvanced\u201d content doesn\u2019t mean anything.<\/strong> Or more to the point, it can mean anything<\/em>, which doesn’t help learners determine if it’s the appropriate level for them.<\/em>\u00a0There are meaningful language proficiency scale<\/a>s used to indicate the level of instructional materials, but most products generally don\u2019t mention them, because they don\u2019t back up those \u201clanguage in 10 days\u201d claims.<\/p>\n

An app alone won\u2019t make you fluent. <\/strong>Yes, you may be learning a lot from them, but that doesn\u2019t mean you\u2019re suddenly \u201c50% fluent\u201d in Spanish after tapping around an app for a few months. Viewing yourself as a lifelong language learner and doing language every day learn will make you fluent. Good apps can be a useful part of that. It\u2019s not the app, though, it\u2019s you.<\/p>\n

Here at Transparent Language, we know that the most successful path to language proficiency is to pair great tech with a well-trained human instructor.\u00a0<\/strong>That\u2019s the foundation of our DABL methodology<\/a>, a virtual flipped classroom approach in which learners master relevant, level-appropriate words and phrases before energetically exercising their new knowledge in class. \u201cClass\u201d time develops language skills. Computer time prepares. Simple in concept, but truly transformational when executed well.<\/p>\n

Even without a human instructor, language-learning apps and websites can still play a role in language learning. It\u2019s a great way to build the basics\u2014introduce the alphabet, drill vocabulary, recognize grammar patterns\u2014with a high level of flexibility. Learners can (and should) fill in the gaps by taking a class, having conversations, reading everything they can get their hands on, listening to local news and music, and so on.<\/p>\n

We trust our apps<\/a> to make a real difference for language learners. Don\u2019t take our word for it, start learning with us with a free trial of Transparent Language Online<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"language

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\u2019t 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…<\/p>\n

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