My French is not what it once was. This makes me sad. Here is the story of what I’m doing about it, with some encouragement in case you, too, want to revisit a once known language. My first regular contact with French was in third grade, with a Swiss teacher in an Austrian classroom, in […]
Tag Archives: whatever works
My Favorite Language-Learning App is Temple Run 2
There are lots of language-learning apps out there—duolingo, Byki, Busuu, etc.–not to mention all the flashcard and quiz apps. But my favorite language-learning apps are these: Temple Run 2, 2048, Civilization, and FIFA 2014. “Aren’t these games,” you ask? Yes, and they’re free, too. (Except Civilization.) “But they don’t even have spoken words!” True, and I […]
Rando Mitem, Your Friend and Mine: using random items to spark conversations
Note: this article is for both teachers and learners. If you are learning on your own or in a small group, you can easily adapt the ideas for your purposes. How many things can you say in your target language about the item in the first picture? What kinds of things can you say? What […]
On the Go, In the Language: Introducing #indwelli
You’re stuck in line at the DMV. (In other words, you’re at the DMV.) How do you you use the time? Maybe you check Facebook. That’s fine—probably better than checking it when you’ve got time to do something else. Maybe you make a shopping list. Maybe you don’t “use” the time at all; maybe you […]