I really like the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), as the title of this article clearly states. I mean, I really like it. I think it’s pretty much one of the best things ever. Okay, well maybe that’s an exaggeration but it’s still pretty cool. However, not everyone agrees with me (for reasons beyond my comprehension…). My…
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So you’re a muggle… I gabbed about learning another language for years, but for some reason never really found the time or built up the motivation to sit down and really get to work. Maybe I didn’t really know how. I thought I had no time. I had taken some classes in high school and…
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Essentially everyone who has ever started a language exchange with someone else has been asked to “correct all of my mistakes!” or “tell me every time I get something wrong!” You’ve probably said it to your partners yourself. As useful and necessary as it is to receive language feedback from native speakers you shouldn’t…
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When it comes to language learning few things are more important in the grand scheme of your project than the ability to listen. It’s arguably the most difficult of the three primary aspects of language learning – speaking, listening and literacy – and in my opinion requires the most time and energy to master. One…
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Are you looking for a language exchange app for your iPhone or iPad? I recently discovered Tandem, a really awesome little app for meeting people all over the world ready at a moment’s notice for real, in person language exchange. I recently wrote a review of Tandem for Parrot Time, an awesome independent magazine dedicated…
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Update Jan 2019** If you’re wondering what happened to WeSpeke, as of about a year ago, the service appears to have stopped offering non-English language learning opportunities, has removed its exchange feature (which was the point, right?) and is now partnered with CNN to offer news-based content for English learners. I’m extremely disappointed. I’ll keep…
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