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<\/p>\nEvery language learner will get stuck on the dreaded intermediate plateau.<\/p>\n
It’s the point when traditional materials made for learners stop being engaging and effective. But authentic sources (news, podcasts, novels) are still really challenging. You feel like you’ll never improve.<\/p>\n
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We’ve launched a new collection to fill that gap and get you unstuck. Push past the plateau with the<\/strong> Real-World Collection in Transparent Language Online<\/strong>.<\/p>\n A collection of 50-100+ hours of intermediate and advanced lessons that help you consume more real-world authentic input with confidence. Read the news. Listen to podcasts. Watch YouTube videos. Just like a native speaker.<\/p>\n Available in Arabic, Chinese, Farsi, French, Hebrew, Indonesian, Korean, Pashto, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Urdu*. Sign up now<\/a> to get your first two weeks free.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a much-needed boost in confidence, allowing learners to practice with the kind of input that builds real-world fluency\u2014listening, reading, and even thinking in another language. It\u2019s like having one foot still in structured learning while the other steps into the fluid rhythm of everyday native conversation.<\/p>\n Alongside resources like this, targeted reading support can make a major difference\u2014especially when it comes to building comprehension skills and vocabulary retention. That\u2019s where tools like https:\/\/readingduck.com<\/a>\u00a0come into play. While Transparent Language helps learners dive into real-world media, Reading Duck complements that journey by strengthening the foundation.<\/p>\n Its printable reading worksheets help reinforce grammar, sentence structure, and thematic understanding in a bite-sized format. These worksheets are ideal for learners of all ages and stages, especially those needing extra practice with reading fluency before facing full-on immersion.<\/p>\n Combining authentic media lessons with focused reading exercises gives learners the balance they need to not only push through the plateau\u2014but finally move past it.<\/p>\n You need lots<\/em> of exposure to the language to reach advanced language proficiency. Which makes sense: \u201cIf learners do not receive exposure to the target language, they cannot acquire it.\u201d (Ellis, 2014)<\/p>\n By working with comprehensible input, you can:<\/p>\n You\u2019ll be able to use those pieces to become a better listener and reader\u2014but also a more confident speaker and writer of the language.<\/p>\n Quantity of input matters. But quality does too. If you’re feeling stuck, you should be looking for materials that are:<\/p>\n These Real World Collection fills the sweet spot between materials made for learners and authentic materials. You\u2019ll build vocab, grammar, cultural knowledge, etc.\u2014but you\u2019ll also build the skills you need to start consuming authentic materials confidently on your own.<\/p>\n Every 1-hour lesson is based on an authentic source from the region, like podcast clips, TV commercials, news articles, and so on. Sources are professionally rated, so you know it’s the right level for you. No time wasted on materials that are too easy or way too hard.<\/p>\n The sources cover topics that will build both your language proficiency and your knowledge of current events and culture. For example, lessons might cover:<\/p>\n Each language has roughly 50-100 hours of lessons, 10-25 at each level to help you gradually increase in difficulty.<\/p>\n Every lesson is centered around an authentic text or audio clip that are chosen by skilled level raters. All other aspects of the lesson (key vocab, grammar activities, comprehension questions, etc.) are tightly aligned to that level.<\/p><\/div>\n Speaking of levels\u2026 you can choose from 5 of them: Intermediate, Advanced, Advanced-High, Superior, and Distinguished.<\/p>\n\n Lessons increase in difficulty from roughly CEFR A2 to C2 so you can get comfortable consuming media at each level. Lesson vocabulary and activities are customized for each level, so you’re focusing on the words and skills you need most at that level.<\/p>\n Every lesson is aligned to specific level-appropriate objectives to ensure you’re building the specific language and skills you need to perform consistently and confidently at that level.<\/p><\/div>\n Speaking of activities, each lesson has 10+ activities that train you on how to interact with challenging authentic input.<\/p>\n In a typical lesson you can expect to:<\/p>\n Activity difficulty increases with each level. For example, at lower levels, comprehension questions are fairly straightforward, focusing on who did what, sequence of events, etc. At higher levels, questions require you to listen\/read between the lines, such as identifying implied information about the author’s opinion.<\/p><\/div>\n Ready to get beyond the intermediate plateau? Take the first step with the 2-week free trial<\/a>. Or find it free at your library<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n Ellis, R. (2014). Principles\u00a0of\u00a0instructed second language learning. In M.\u00a0Celce-Murcia, D. Brinton and M. Snow (eds.), teaching English\u00a0as a\u00a0second\u00a0or\u00a0foreign language\u00a0(4th ed.) (pp. 31\u201345). Boston, MA: Cengage Learning.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Every language learner will get stuck on the dreaded intermediate plateau. It’s the point when traditional materials made for learners stop being engaging and effective. But authentic sources (news, podcasts, novels) are still really challenging. You feel like you’ll never improve. We’ve launched a new collection to fill that gap and get you unstuck. Push…<\/p>\nHow does it work?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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What will I learn?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Authentic Sources<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/language-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/28\/2023\/06\/Real-World-Collection-Authentic-2-1024x641.png\")
Comprehensible Input<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n\t <\/strong><\/th> Intermediate<\/strong><\/th> Advanced<\/strong><\/th> Advanced-High<\/strong><\/th> Superior<\/strong><\/th> Distinguished<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n \n\t Approx. CEFR Equivalent<\/strong><\/td> A2-B1<\/td> B1-B2<\/td> B2<\/td> C1<\/td> C2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Reading proficiency<\/strong><\/td> You can understand short, predictable texts like routine emails, menus, advertisements, etc. <\/td> You\u2019ll be able to understand the main points of straightforward, factual texts on familiar topics. You may still misunderstand the details of the text.<\/td> You\u2019ll be able to comfortably understand factual texts on familiar topics, going beyond the main ideas. You\u2019ll also understand more complex texts on topics of interest.<\/td> You\u2019ll be able to read a variety of texts on familiar and unfamiliar subjects. You can read between the lines, correctly identifying fact vs, opinion, inferred information, etc.<\/td> You\u2019ll be able to analyze long, complex texts and learn to detect sarcasm, allusion, or bias. <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Listening proficiency<\/strong><\/td> You can understand basic phrases related to familiar, everyday topics provided it is spoken clearly and slowly.<\/td> You\u2019ll be able to understand the main points of speech about familiar, everyday topics narrated in past, present, or future. <\/td> You\u2019ll be able to understand speech about most routine social and workplace interactions. <\/td> You\u2019ll be able to understand technical speech, longer utterances, and fast rates of speech. You\u2019ll also hear beyond the facts to detect emotions and opinions.<\/td> You'll be able to comfortably listen to fast-paced conversations on unfamiliar topics.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n\t Authentic Sources<\/strong><\/td> Explicit, fact-based
\nShort sentences
\nEx:
\n- classified ads
\n- recipes
\n- product instructions<\/td>Explicit, fact-based
\nNon-technical vocab
\nEx:
\n- Natural disaster reporting
\n- Election result reporting<\/td>In between Advanced and Superior, such as a detailed news report that includes some level of opinion in the form of quotes.
\n<\/td>Includes author\u2019s opinion
\nEx:
\n- political speeches
\n- editorials
\n- literature<\/td>More challenging sources on less common subjects
\nEx:
\n- op-ed on Colombian tax reform
\n- interview with a Russian historian about monopolies<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\t Lesson Vocab<\/strong><\/td> - very high-frequency words
\n- short, topic-specific phrases <\/td>- primarily single-word items
\n- collocations
\n- grammar patterns
\n- short, topic-specific phrases
\n- extended meaning senses of high-frequency words
\n<\/td>- proportionately more collocations and idioms than lower levels
\n- lower-frequency words
\n- more technical, topic-specific terms
\nwords with extended meaning senses
\n- grammar patterns<\/td>- emphasis on longer phrases, expressions, idioms
\n- complex grammar patterns
\n- extended meaning and connotations
\n- assumed insider cultural information
\n- even lower-frequency words needed to discuss the topic <\/td>- figurative language
\n- allusion
\n- satire
\n- rhetorical questions
\n- metaphors<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n\t Available Languages<\/strong><\/td> Arabic (MSA, Levantine)
\nChinese
\nFarsi
\nFrench
\nIndonesian
\nKorean
\nPortuguese
\nRussian
\nSpanish
\nTagalog<\/td>Arabic (Iraqi, Levantine, MSA)
\nChinese
\nFarsi
\nFrench
\nHebrew
\nKorean
\nPashto
\nRussian
\nSpanish
\nUrdu<\/td>Arabic (Iraqi, Levantine, MSA)
\nChinese
\nFarsi
\nHebrew
\nKorean
\nPashto
\nRussian
\nSpanish
\nUrdu<\/td>Arabic (Iraqi, Levantine, MSA)
\nChinese
\nFarsi
\nHebrew
\nKorean
\nPashto
\nRussian
\nSpanish
\nUrdu<\/td>Chinese
\nFarsi
\nFrench
\nRussian
\nSpanish<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/language-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/28\/2023\/06\/Real-World-Collection-Objectives-1024x638.png\")
Interactive Activities<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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