Tips and Resources for Online Foreign Language Learning

Learning a foreign language online can be both exciting and challenging. Traditionally students in our IOAPA foreign language courses have had more difficulty adjusting to the demands of online learning. This is likely because language learning requires a level of immersion that is difficult to find outside of a classroom and without shared class time with peers. Here are some practical tips to help you succeed in your language course: 

1. Consistent Study Habits: 
   • Study every day. Language learning is cumulative, so avoid cramming. If possible, allocate 1-2 hours of study per day if you aim to get an A or B grade. 
   • Focus on different tasks during each study session: vocabulary, grammar, etc. 
2. Class Participation: 
   • Attend and actively participate in every class, even if you’re not fully prepared. 
   • Class time is your best opportunity to practice speaking and listening. 
   • Learn grammar and vocabulary outside of class to maximize in-class learning. 
3. Grammar Mastery: 
   • Learn grammar thoroughly. It’s the backbone of language. 
   • Over-learn by studying beyond recognition to achieve mastery. 
4. Positive Attitude: 
   • Have a clear personal reason for taking the course. 
   • Set realistic and specific learning goals. 
   • Embrace mistakes as part of the learning process. 
5. Reading and Writing Skills: 
   • Train yourself to notice details like accents and gender agreement. 
   • Practice reading comprehension and writing regularly. 
6. Language Immersion: 
   • Speak, read, or watch content in the language before each class to warm up. 
   • If possible, get to know your classmates; a supportive environment helps. 
7. Seek Help When Needed: 
   • Reach out to your teacher for additional help and to discuss goals and fears. 
   • Utilize tutoring services such as Edmentum’s live help feature when needed. 

Below is a curated list of free online resources to help you on your language-learning journey. Here are some excellent options: 

1. Apps: There are excellent, free apps to help you along the way. They both also have great websites. Here are some popular language-learning apps that I recommend: 
   • Duolingo: a free, fun language app that gamifies language learning 
   • Memrise: another great language app with a free version.
2. News: 
   • Paperboy: newspapers from around the world. Be sure to click the arrow button to follow the link to the newspaper’s website.
   • Google News under settings, you can change the target language and country
3. Language Guides: Sometimes, just one or two words in a sentence are difficult to understand, even when using context clues. Language guides can help you understand and pronounce these words.
   • Google Translate: a great language dictionary with increasing functionality daily.
   • Forvo: has an excellent pronunciation guide and can read new words aloud.
4. Videos: YouTube can also be a great resource for language learning. Language learning channels can help you learn concepts and hear pronunciations.
   • Spanish
     • Butterfly Spanish: a native speaker who shares free lessons
     • The Spanish Dude: An English speaker fluent in Spanish who provides excellent explanations of Spanish language concepts
     • Easy Spanish: a mixture of real-world conversations and language lessons, including some in “slow spanish”
   • French
     • French Pod 101: lessons and website with a variety of additional resources
     • Learn French with Alexa: a fun language learning channel
     • Easy French: a mixture of real-world conversations and lessons, including some in “slow french”

Remember, consistency and practice are key. Learning a language takes time, but with dedication and the right approach, you’ll make progress! Happy language learning! 🌐🗣️ 

Please note: the Belin-Blank Center is not sponsored by any of the services above. The information contained in this blog post is for general information purposes only. The Belin-Blank Center assumes no responsibility for the contents of the services mentioned above. Full Disclaimer can be found here.

Iowa Online AP Academy (IOAPA) is a partnership between the Belin-Blank Center and the State of Iowa to provide free access to 30 advanced online courses for Iowa students. This program is for Iowa students who would otherwise be unable to find these courses offered in their school district and, therefore, reduces geographic and resource-related barriers to success. IOAPA classes include Advanced Placement® courses for high school students as well as high school-level courses for eligible middle school students.

As always, please feel free to reach out to us at ioapa@belinblank.org with any questions.