Language Learning Apps

By Anna Sobell

The next time you’re on public transport, sitting in a waiting room, having lunch in a café or walking around your local park, have a look at how many people you see using their mobile phones. The number is likely to be higher than the number of people not using their phones! Therefore, it’s no surprise that entrepreneurs around the world have created new and exciting apps for all aspects of life to take advantage of this new-found obsession with mobile phones. And language learning has not been left behind.

Language learning apps have proved very popular for a number of reasons; here are a handful of them:

They allow for plenty of learner autonomy
You can use them on the go
They can be lots of fun as they’re interactive and use multimedia
They can keep you motivation with updated contect and progress statistics

All of the above is true, but naturally, can’t be said for all apps on the market; so how to know which ones to use? We’ve put together a handy breakdown of some of the best free apps currently available:

1. Duolingo

This is probably the most well-known and popular language learning app around and the main reason for that is simple: it’s really good! Its creator, Luis von Ahn, successfully merged learning with gamification to get users truly hooked, ensuring a huge base of people who are loyal ‘Duolingoers’; the number of which is currently estimated to be over 100 million worldwide. Some of the benefits include:

Multi-skill practice
Created by native speakers
Many languages
Not solely aimed at English native speakers
Immediate feedback and clear explanationss when errors are made

2. HelloTalk

Say hello to this app, and start talking in your target language today! HelloTalk’s aim is to facilitate speaking practice and therefore reduce the amount of stress associated with ‘real time’ conversation. Users can seek out native speakers of their target language and chat with them using a Whatsapp-like chat service, using voice and text messages. The app then allows users to correct each other’s messages with a built-in correction tool, thus creating mini-tutorial sessions. In addition, these chats can also be bookmarked so that you can return to particularly useful ones to review and revise. Further advantages include:

Communicative practice
Choose from over 100 languages
Over 5 million native speakers online to chat with
Text-to-voice element: you are able to listen to standard pronunciation of every message you receive and send

3. Mindsnacks

How do you trick a reluctant language learner into studying outside of lessons? Introduce them to the Mindsnacks app! This app has made real progress towards ‘gamifying’ language learning, each of the languages come with several games designed with the intention to help improve vocabulary, grammar and listening skills. In preparation for these games, users participate in short and simple ‘lessons’ covering the content and concepts required for the upcoming game. Additional perks include:

Multi-skill practive
Genuinely fun games
Engaging and motivating design
Games are timed, which builds intrinsic motivation and competitivity
Progress is monitored so you can see how far you’ve come

4. Memrise

Many consider this the ‘go to’ app for fun vocabulary practice and revision. Gamification, again, is a big pull for this app, along with its fun memes. The concept is that new vocabulary can be memorised (or indeed ‘memrised’!) and learnt by creating funny, unusual and therefore memorable associations with words. This method would clearly really suit visual learners, but also appeals to other learner types as it’s so accessible. Here’s just a few of the advantages:

Vocabulary practice
Foucs on vocabulary allows for targetd practice and noticeable results
A spaced repetition algorithm calculates when and how often users should review each word, and the app sends reminders
A point system provides users with further motivation and healthy competition
There is a course devoted to ‘Japanese for Business’

5. (How to) pronounce

Pronunciation is often the Achilles’ heel of language learners, and here is the app to help! By using this app, you’re able to check the pronunciation of words in order to save face and rescue you from any embarrassing or frustrating situations, as well as providing a useful platform upon which to engage in some self-study when you have a spare 5 minutes. Imagine having your language trainer on hand to provide you with a clear model of how any word is pronounced at any given time; that’s what you get with (How to) Pronounce.

Pronunciation practice
Use for English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Russian
Four of the languages above are offered in two varieties

The final say

They do say ‘imitation is the most sincere form of flattery’, and the example of language trainer and language learning app is no anomaly. Despite all of the attributes, advantages and novelty of the apps outlined above, nothing will ever compare to the results gleaned from face to face contact with a fully qualified and experienced language trainer. Language learning apps are what seasoning is to food; not essential, but a bonus nevertheless.

References

https://www.lingualift.com/blog/best-language-learning-apps/

https://www.thebalance.com/the-7-best-free-language-learning-apps-1357060

https://www.hellotalk.com/#en

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/how-to-pronounce-learn-pronunciation-of-words/id717945069?mt=8