#2 Jayme Learns To Speak Spanish Fluently

In my on-going, at times half-hearted, attempts at becoming fluent in Spanish I've tried a bunch of different strategies that can be hard to stick to.

I thought I'd share my new favorite FREE language-learning tool, Duolingo.

This TED talk is a fabulous explanation of how the program works and what the benefits of it are.



Here are the things I like about Duolingo. I use the version for my I-Pad, so my comments are specific to that app:

• The program is broken into units that build upon each other. You can test out of the units or review them as you see fit. Each time you complete or test out of a unit, a newer unit is unlocked. It reminds me of a game.

• You can spend as much or as little time practicing your Spanish, but you are encouraged to do it daily with reminders.

• The app works a lot like Rosetta Stone. You identify pictures, practice speaking sentences into the program, and practice translating from Spanish to English and from English to Spanish. But Duolingo doesn't have the $300 price tag. People with $300 bucks to spare on a computer program shouldn't be the only ones allowed to learn a new language. 

• If you sign up through facebook, you can see any friends who are working on languages on the program. You get points time you complete a unit, and your points are stacked up against all of your friends. For a competitive person like me, this works wonders at getting me to practice my Spanish when I don't feel like it, because I hate the idea of anyone getting more points than I have.

• I like that by practicing my basic skills, I am helping the internet translate websites into Spanish. (Watch the video for more info on how this works)

• If I feel like trying out another language, Duolingo also offers French, Portuguese, Italian, and German.

Duolingo isn't as effective as learning by speaking in Spanish with an actual Spanish tutor, but if you are like me and don't have the time or money, Duolingo is an excellent substitute that you can do anywhere you have an internet connection. I love it!