Potluck #49: L'amore di lingue - Love of Languages

potluck spread
Originally uploaded by foreverdigital

For November, rather than a module on one topic, we have several small topics including language, travel, and recipes. Each post is worth .5 training hours.

Struggling to find a class that will teach you a new language on your time and at your pace? Think such a thing doesn’t exist? The answer does not necessarily lie in handing over your credit card to buy a new instruction series. There are websites online that can help you along, and some even offer tutors – for free! This potluck exercise is worth .5 hours.

Talking in Languages
Originally uploaded by zinjixmaggir

So, before we start our linguistic trip around the world (the next module travel/culture) let’s brush up on our language learning. First stop – LiveMocha.

Livemocha.com – No, this isn’t the latest coffee growing technique. This website offers courses in several different languages, including some difficult ones to find such as Mandarin Chinese and Arabic. Flash cards, speaking, reading, listening, and writing exercises are provided as well as tutors and assistance from native speakers from all over the world. The website has a social networking feature, but doesn’t require participation in that to learn the language of your choice. Sign up is free and free is a good way to start your language exploration.

Mangolanguages.com – From coffee to fruit, it’s another language learning site, though this site’s free course is a bit limiting. However, there is also an enrollment side for a fee. It also offers downloadable MP3 courses. If you like a course that goes slowly, then this one is for you. (In my limited experience, I don’t need 22 slides to teach me how to say “Hello” in Mandarin.) It is great to take your learning on the go.

Wikibooks.org – the imperfectness of Wikipedia in textbooks of learning – including several languages. It does indicate the development of information on each language, Spanish being mature, that can assist you in your studies.

Discovery Exercise:

Explore these sites and others on learning languages. Write a blog post describing your experience. Which one fits your learning style? Is there a language you’re inspired to learn? How could you use this information at work?

HCPL Staff: Have you this exercise? Then Submit your Registration of Completion

This post is brought to you by Beth Krippel (ATA) and Kathy Knox (ADM).