What to Look for in a Language Learning Software

By Ryan Thomas


When you start looking for a language learning software program, the most important thing that you should be looking for is quality. By finding a software with quality, you will be greatly improving your chances successfully learning a new language. Unfortunately, it's hard to find anything that has really good quality anymore. This is true for the majority of the language learning software programs on the Internet. Despite this, there are a few exceptions on the Internet and you can find these programs by using the following tips to eliminate the "not so greats" from your initial list.

Every language learning software program is different! With that in mind, I began my searching by identifying what features make up a great language learning software program. I started with thinking about teachers teach and what makes one teacher better than the next. By putting a language learning software program into that perspective, I realized that it comes down to one component and that major component is the teaching methods of the software program. This couldn't be more evident than it is in the two language software programs called Rocket Languages and Rosetta Stone. Rocket Languages uses a traditional approach where it includes a huge audio database that incorporates English comparisons. Rosetta Stone takes a different approach too teaching its students by focusing on using total immersion. Total immersion basically teaches you a language in the same manner that you learned your first language. With total immersion there are no English comparisons and you learn by associating pictures with words and phrases in that language. You will use the words and phrases that you learn and evolve them into sentences and eventually conversations. Both of these software programs have taught students to learn a language to the point of fluency which leads me ask the question "which do you choose then?" To answer this question, you have to find out how you learn! Do you have a really strong visual memory or are you better at remembering definitions and words through English comparisons? When you are able to answer this question you will be able to move forward and look for additional features like learning tools.

Language learning software programs that are of higher quality generally tend to have additional features for their students that will help them learn more effectively. These additional features are typically called learning tools. A really good example of a language software that has several great language learning tools is the Tell Me More Languages software. This software program includes a tool that provides its students with the ability to improve their speech and pronunciation of tons of words in the language they are studying. Two other great tools that comes with this software program are the progress tracking tool and the personalized learning path tool. With these two tools, you can keep track of your progress through the various lessons and you can develop a study guide based on how much time you want to study each and every day. The Tell Me More Language company designed these tools to provide their customers with better learning experiences which also makes them more attractive to potential students. Learning tools are great additions to enhance the value of a software program but when you are choosing which language learning software to learn with, you need to choose a program that focuses on teaching its students each of the basic language fundamentals like reading, writing, speaking and listening. Knowing how to communicate in another language by using these fundamentals is crucial to being able to communicate fluently in your language of interest.

Learning to read, write, listen, and speak in a language is very crucial to becoming fluent in a language. If you choose to learn with a software program that covers only a few of these fundamentals then you will be setting yourself up to never be completely fluent in a language. Yes, you may be able to speak to someone in another language but can you sit down and read a menu at a restaurant or read a news paper in that language? This is why you need to learn with a language learning software that incorporates all four fundamentals. If you do choose a software program that incorporates these fundamentals then you will be giving yourself the opportunity to become completely fluent in another language.

Lets very quickly review what you need to look for in a great language learning software. First, identify how a language software teaches its students. Second, incorporate the information in point one with how you learn most effectively. Thirdly, identify what learning tools come with the language software and will these learning tools make it easier for you to learn. Finally, see if the language learning software teaches all of the core fundamentals that are necessary to know in order for you to become completely fluent in a language.




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