Benefits of Using VOA - Learn English Through VOA

Benefits of Using VOA - Learn English Through VOAThe goal of VOA or Voice Over Internet Protocol or networking is to allow business people and marketers to communicate over the internet using a common protocol and thus learn English while doing so. As a result, it does not require individuals to invest huge amounts of money to be able to communicate with those who are in different countries with different dialects and vocabularies.VOA is an internet protocol that enables people to communicate with those who are far away. This protocol has come about because of the internet of today that allows people to communicate and connect to each other even if they do not speak the same language.Some businesses and individuals are running VoA as a means of marketing their business to those who are not fluent in English. At the same time, it can also help you to learn more about English language better so that you can better communicate with those who have very little or no knowledge of English.H owever, learning English does not require a huge amount of money or any additional investment on your part. When you can communicate at a greater level through VOA, you will also be able to understand the people who are in your life in a better way.So, what are the benefits of using VOA? They include the fact that you will be able to communicate in a much faster manner, you will be able to speak much better English, as well as you will also have a greater opportunity to learn English.To become familiar with the vocabulary of VOA, you should read some books and online articles. This will help you to learn English without spending too much time. Aside from that, you will also be able to know which words are most commonly used by native English speakers.Also, you can listen to some audio material that will help you learn English. These materials are available in the form of VOACOB in the market. These audio materials are usually written by native English speakers so that you can unders tand.

12 Other Ways to Ask for Help in English - English Lesson via Skype

12 Other Ways to Ask for Help in English - English Lesson via Skype Here I will give you 12 other ways to ask for help in English.  Avoid using the same words and phrases over and over again, increase your English vocabulary and speak better English. 12 Other Ways to Ask for Help in English Hi there. This is Harry. And welcome back to our English lessons. Were going to talk to you today about the word help and look at different ways in which you can ask for help.But before I get onto that, just want to remind you all to subscribe to my channel as always. And if you want to keep up with news, then you should join me on www.englishlessonviaskype.com with, theres lots of helpful information, online English courses and everything that can  help you improve your English.Lets look at the ways in which we can say or ask for help.Help is the very short word and we can just say help. Somebody would come running or somebody would  say: ‘Whats wrong, whats wrong?’Just very simply to say Help.Just put a little bit of stress on it to show that you need some help. Either youre going to drop something or youve tripped or fallen or something like that.So instead of just screaming out, what other ways to ask for help in English you can use? We can just simply say to somebody:Can you help me,  please?Very simple. And instead of can, you can replace it with one of the other modal verbs.Could you help me,  please?Will you help me,  please?Exactly the same meaning, but just different ways to to, to express it.I need some assistance.A little bit more form. It could be in an office situation. The bosss struggling. He said:I think I need some assistance with this problem or this spreadsheet or my computer. Somethings happened so I need some assistance.Could you give me a hand?It means will you please help me?This is heavy. Could you give me a hand?I need to shift the bed so I can hoover, could you give me a hand?I need to move the TV into the other corner to put the Christmas tree. Could you give me a hand?So just different ways to ask for help. 12 Other Ways to Ask for Help in English Help other students to improve English Could you hold  that?This is another way to express it. You have something that you you have  in your hands and you want to do  something elseso you  say:Could you hold  that,  please?Meaning could you help me? Just hold that while I work out this  other problem or  while I pay. Hold my bag or hold my  coat or hold something. Could you hold  that?  I need your supportAgain  another way to ask for help.  Perhaps theres a vote coming up  and youre involved in the vote youre  standing for election to a little group  or a committee or something more  important and you ask somebody for the  help:I need your support. Will you vote for me? Will you get your friends to vote for  me?Would you mind helping me,  please?Again a little bit more formal.  It is a  bit more polite.  Adding would or could in front of is making it less direct and more  polite. Another one  isCould you do me a favour?Will you do me a  favour?Can you do  me a favour?  Could you pick up my laundry  when youre going past the shop?Could you do me  a favour  asking for somebody to give you  a little bit of help.  Something a little  less formal and even less informal bit  of slang:Could you give me a digout?Very British English.  To dig out  means  to help literally when you dig a hole is  to take somebody out of a problem.Could  you give me a digout meaning could you  help me with this.  Often that is used  when somebody wants to perhaps borrow  some money from you. Could you lend me a hand?Meaning just help  me for a few minutes or 20 minutes or  whatever it might be,  lend me a hand.Or you could just simply say without asking  a question:I need a helping handI need somebody to  come into the kitchen and help me with  this dinner.And then finallyCould someone help me, please?  So lots and lots of different ways  in which you can ask for help.Let me  just give them to you again:Help the simple scream for helpCould/can/will  you help me, please?  I need  some assistanceCould you give me a hand  Could you lend me a handCould you hold  thatI need your supportWould you mind  helping me?  Could you do me a favour?Could  you give me a digout?I need a helping handCould  someone help me,  please  Okay.  Join me again soon.  Thanks  

Dont be so sluggish that you dont learn what sluggish means - Private Tutoring

Dont be so sluggish that you dont learn what sluggish means BobbiM May 23, 2014 Do you feel tranquil today?  How about boisterous, sluggish, blatant, or fractious?  Let someone know! Sluggish; adj. Displaying little growth or movement; not making progress; seeming to be bottle necked or clogged to prevent advancement. The traffic was so sluggish because of the accident that I was late for work. Tranquility; n. Harmony; silence; quiet serenity; Undisturbed and peaceful. I find such tranquility at the lake that I go there all the time. Blatant; adj. Unpleasantly loud; irritatingly showy or obvious. I blatantly disobeyed my mother and yelled at the mean man. Boisterous; adj. Rowdy, rambunctious, and possibly out of control. After having so much cake, the toddlers were boisterous. Brattle; n. A rattling and crashing sound. The brattle of metal clashing with metal is all I heard during the fight. Brawl; v, n. Verb: To have a loud and boisterous disagreement, possibly even a fight, but more likely just upsetting the calm and quiet. I was suspended after I brawled on the playground when I was a child. Noun: A loud, boisterous disagreement. A brawl erupted at the bar, people fighting over a girl. Adjective: brawling or brawly The brawling crowd disturbed everyone trying to attend the ball. Din; n. Disorder and noise; tumult and confusion. The din at the even was so loud I couldnt hear my friends talk. Discordant; adj. Clashing in ideas or sound or philosophies; harsh with conflict. The beautiful sound coming from the piano made the man scream in agony. Fractious; adj. Unruly and noisy. The fractious toddlers needed someone to guide them to be quiet. Cranky or peevish. I turn fractious if I dont get a good nights sleep. Hubbub; n. An upset or vehement protest or discontent; sometimes a loud, sustained noise. The soccer victory created such a hubbub that the police were called. Obstreperous; adj. Noisy and boisterous; sometimes even aggressive of defiant. Her behavior became obstreperous when her boyfriend disappointed her. Ostentatious; adj. Showy; characterized by a need to be noticed, not always favorably. I admit I am ostentatious sometimes, wanting the press to notice me at the red carpets I am invited to. Strident; adj. Loud and harsh; often grating and discordant; hard on the ears. The strident hurricane alarm alerted everyone of impending danger. Truculent; adj. Tending to argue and disagree, often vehemently and with great noise and commotion. I become truculent when it comes to selling my stuffed animals at a good price. Turbulent; adj. Violently upset or disturbed. After the tornado the creek was turbulent and swept tree limbs away. Having a restless or even revolutionary character. The government climate was turbulent and so people were often afraid to leave the city. Vociferous; adj. Offensively loud and often given to demonstration of agitated emotions or agitated outcry. The lawyer vociferously spoke for the accused and everyone was nervous. Budding; adj. Having to do with new or developing circumstances or abilities. I am a budding trapeze artist and I am excited for my first circus performance. Burgeoning; adj. Growing or developing; blossoming or flourishing. My burgeoning clothing business is very special to me. Embryonic; adj. Of or belonging to an embryo; early beginning; not yet formed or matured; rudimentary. The bird died in its embryonic stage while still in the egg. Fledgling; adj. New or immature; not yet out of the nest; not experienced; rudimentary. The fledging baby bird longed to fly away. Incipient; adj. Beginning to exist or appear; early in developmental stage. My building plans are still in their incipient stage. Initiate; n, v. Noun: One who is being or has been initiated; one who has been introduced to or has attained knowledge in a particular field. Verb: To begin or start a process; to get things going. The initiate met the visitors at the door, ready to initiate them into the world of art. Innovation; n. The act of introducing something or someone; something newly introduced. My innovation is so creative I cannot wait to show my team at work. Nascent; adj. Coming into existence, emerging. I have several nascent ideas that might work in the future of my business.

What Not to Do When Applying for Scholarships

What Not to Do When Applying for Scholarships Photo courtesy of pixabay.com If you want to earn a little extra cash to pay off that hefty college tuition, scholarships are a great way to do it. The problem is, they are the method most people go for when trying to offset costs. If you want to make sure you get the money over others, take a look at the mistakes many other people make when applying. Then, make sure you dont do the same! Heres what not to do: 1. Be bland and give up early There are many ways to win scholarships, you just have to motivate yourself to be continuously looking and to complete the applications. While private scholarships are common (think: hometown organizations), there are many school and federal scholarships as well. Dont count these out. They can be great additions if the private scholarships get taken. With fewer people thinking about these options, fewer people will apply, giving you a better chance for success. Additionally, dont be afraid to think outside the box a bit. Look for scholarships that relate to your hobbies, passions, and even what you think you may want to major in. These scholarships will have a smaller school of applicants due to the specificity, and you will be able to make your case more easily since it is a topic you enjoy and are knowledgeable about. Dont stop after just a few, keep Google-searching scholarships regularly because you never know what new option may pop up each day. Just because one scholarships timeline ends doesnt mean another wont begin soon. 2. Procrastinate Just like you dont want to wait until the last minute to complete a school assignment, you also dont want to wait until the last minute to complete a scholarship application. The judges will be able to tell if you rushed through it, and chances are, you wont be able to get all the ideas you once had for the application down on paper in time. Procrastination is also relevant in terms of searching for scholarships and why you should always be looking. The last thing you want is to find a really great scholarship you think you deserve, but the deadline is in an hour. Trying to submit an application late will get you nowhere, either. Even if the committee accepts it, they are going to look it over with an extra-careful eye, even more so than before. 3.  Be careless Carelessness will immediately knock you out of the scholarship running. Judges read hundreds of applications, and the last thing they want is to read one with spelling and grammar mistakes all throughout it. Take the time to proofread your papers just as you would a school paper. Even more importantly, make sure you read the directions to the scholarship application. Reading an essay that does not answer the question being asked is definitely not something a judge wants to do. If you are applying for a lot of scholarships, keep yourself organized as to which asks for what. 4. Be lazy Do your own work, do it well, and be creative. Dont use the same essay for five different applications. Judges can tell when only a name has been changed in an essay, and they wont like it. If you really want the scholarship, then take the time to write why. Additionally, make sure it is you that is writing the essay. Dont send the application off to your parent to complete. Judges can tell that too. A 50-year-olds writing tone is different than a 20-year-olds, and only you can really write about yourself. 5. Pay to apply If you are asking for money, dont choose a scholarship that requires an application fee. There are plenty others out there that do not, and you should choose those first because then you will not lose any money in the process. You dont want to work backward in the process. 6.  Refusing to submit a recommendation A recommendation goes a lot farther than you may think. Having someone else write positive notes about you says a lot, even more than you can say about yourself. If an application leaves a space for an optional recommendation, put one in. Its the little extra something that shows you went through the entire application, that you care enough to go out of your way for the additional materials, that you have a good reputation it could be that little extra something to make you win. While no one wants to fill out another application after completing all of the college applications, scholarships can serve as a nice way to take the edge off of the daunting price tag, and they can allow you to have some extra money to participate in other activities campus has to offer. But if you are going to even bother applying, you mind as well do it the right way first. So, take yourself to a coffee shop, sit down, and dedicate a few hours to researching scholarships and organizing them by what they require and when they are due. Then, step away for a day, and come back to start the applications. Dont be one of the people listed above. Plenty of people will make those mistakes, and you can beat them all. Good luck!

14+ Language Audiobook Series and Sources for Sound Learners

14+ Language Audiobook Series and Sources for Sound Learners 14+ Language Audiobook Series and Sources for Sound Learners Sore fingers. Eye strain. Back pain.These unfortunate symptoms are commonly associated with learning.Got a headache because you were up all night cramming for a test?Sitting in an uncomfortable chair all day taking a toll on your body?Luckily, independent learning doesnt have to involve being hunched over a textbook or keyboard.You can study a language while out and about, while literally stopping to smell the roses. Heck, you can even learn while chilling to your favorite music.But how? you may be wondering.Well, with audiobooks. Isnt it obvious?Okay, so maybe learning a language with audiobooks isnt as much of a no-brainer as it should be.After all, in this digital age of podcasts and streaming subscriptions, does anyone even know what an audiobook is  anymore?Dont worry, were going to go over that in a minute. Its not actually that complicated!All you need to know for now is that language audiobooks exist, you can access them and theyre going to make your life better, starting tod ay.Lets see how. Tips for Learning a Language with AudiobooksWell get into subscriptions and downloads and all that jazz momentarily.For now, I think its safe to say that you already must have some idea of what an audiobook that can be used for language learning is. It could be any audio recording that helps you learn a language, whether its a course, a continuous stream of information youre trying to memorize (like vocabulary) or a novel being narrated out loud.With that in mind, lets take a quick look at how you can take advantage of audiobooks for your language learning.Pair your audio learning with an enjoyable activity. The best way to stick to an audio learning routine is to match it up with something you like to do.For example, you could listen to an audio course during a bike ride after work. Or you could take in a podcast-style lesson while having breakfast. (Yes, eating counts as an enjoyable activity!) You could even use your learning as an excuse to do something fun yo u dont normally do, like going to a park or a museum.Unlike other types of learning, audio learning can be paired with all kinds of other activities.Consider listening to an instrumental music track along with your learning.  Its possible that certain types of music help make studying more productive. Theres conflicting information out there, but its worth a shot to see if listening to relaxing music while studying  works for you. Aside from helping you learn, it may simply increase motivation.Some of the audiobooks well look at below actually include music as a feature, and depending on the applications and devices youre using, you may have the option of sprucing up an audio study session by having some music running simultaneously in another application.Consider shadowing with the audio. The traditional format for audio learning programs is a listen and repeat or listen and answer one. The teacher on the recording talks, and then theres a space of silence meant to be filled by the repetition or response of the learner.But theres another option for using language learning recordings, and thats a method known as shadowing.  It involves repeating after the speaker immediately, as close to simultaneously as you can.If you feel self-conscious about your pronunciation, you might find this helpful, as it takes the focus off of your ability to repeat the speakers words back. Even if you only try shadowing occasionally, it might be a useful way to change things up.Set aside time for review and additional types of active learning. Audio learning can save you from an unhealthy amount of sitting and repetitive motion. But its good to review what youve learned in other ways. For example, it may help to do a dictation-style exercise with your audiobooks a few times a week, so you can absorb the material youre learning visually.FluentU is another great way to learn substantially along with audio. FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like movie trailers, music videos, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language lessons.The interactive subtitles make it easy to see the definition to any word in context immediately, and you can add words youre reviewing in your audiobook lessons to a customizable video-based flashcard vocab list.This is a perfect way to review vocabulary learned during audio sessions in a different format.14+ Language Audiobook Series and Sources for Sound LearnersThe number one obstacle to learning a new language with audiobooks may be confusion around how theyre distributed and regulated.The foremost purveyor of audiobooks, Amazons Audible, can itself seem a bit confusing at first. Its not an ongoing all you can listen deal, but rather a certain number of credits that can be exchanged for audio goods deal. Once subscribed, you can buy Audible books at full price or in exchange for Audible credits.Some audiobooks are available outside of this whole structure from other platforms, like streaming services, or as dow nloads from individual websites. Some audiobooks offer multiple download options, but it may not be immediately clear which is the best deal.Some of them are available completely for free but only through a certain service. Or theyre available for free but you have to track down all the episodes yourself. This can all be very exhausting!But dont worry, Im going to help you navigate all the language audiobook weirdness. And we will emerge victorious, with audio learning material for you. Some of it can be cheap, some of it can even be completely free. I promise.Language Learning Audiobook Programs and SeriesFirst things first: You may want to  download the Audible app and/or sign up for a free trial. Doing so will get you access to some books that wont otherwise be available to you, plus some freebies.The main thing to be aware of when using an Audible account to try out new language learning audiobooks is that its to your benefit to use credits for the most expensive books. For exam ple, if you have one credit and you want to purchase one audiobook thats $17 and one thats $22, youll want to use the credit for the one thats $22 and pay for the other one.I should mention that Audible has changed its pricing structure and the way it operates in the past, so you should absolutely check into the current policies before subscribing.An alternative to Audible that works similarly is Audiobooks.com. Their overall selection of language learning audiobooks below isnt as wide-ranging, but that might not matter depending on what programs interest you.Another platform that includes a few of the options below is Audiobooksnow. You can also try e-book providers like Kobo and NOOK, or even see what audiobooks are available through services that link to your school or library, like OverDrive.Below, Ive linked to some of the most popular currently available options for the learning programs, brands or series mentioned. Im not going to specify prices because those can change anyti me.  But by looking at all of these options together, you can hopefully decide what subscriptions or separate purchases would work best for you.Okay, here we go!Innovative LanguageAvailability: Website, Audible, KoboInnovative Language has built multiple language programs based around podcast and video lessons. You can find their channels on YouTube for free material and sign up on their websites  for more. Innovative Language has content for a large variety of languages, including Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Russian and many more.In addition, they offer a variety of audiobooks for a number of different languages. Some of these you can only purchase through Audible. The cool thing, though, is that some books, including select ones in the Word Power series, are available for free with an Audible subscription. Of course, this also means that you have to have an Audible subscription to download these books in the first place.The Word Power series is focused around learning key co re vocabulary. Vocabulary is selected based on frequency of use. While the format is a pretty standard oneâ€"you hear the teaching language, then hear the target language, then repeatâ€"its efficient and includes context. The recording starts by introducing a word, then turns it into a phrase, and finally makes a complete sentence.In addition, theres a Survival Phrases series and a more extensive learning series.Earworms LearningAvailability: Website, Android, iOS,  Audible, Audiobooks.com, Audiobooksnow, KoboPersonally, I think the concept behind this series is pretty neat. What you get is words and phrases in your target language taught over catchy, repetitive music.As the music is specifically meant to go with the language being taught, its not distracting but enhancing. Admittedly, I suspect this may be a love it or hate it kind of thing. Some learners will probably find it annoying, but others may swear by it.Either way, you can listen to free samples in the Audible store or on the website. The program is available in a number of popular languages and some books use German as the teaching language.Lingo Jump Parallel AudioAvailability: Website, Audible, Audiobooks.com, Audiobooksnow, KoboLingo Jump is a series based around, yes, parallel audio. It focuses on pronunciation and predictable speech patterns. The main idea with this program seems to be to get you speaking both fast and accurately.One cool thing about the program is that it offers parallel audio not just in multiple languages but in multiple language pairs. Aside from lessons with English as the teaching language, you can also find lessons taught in German, French, Spanish and Italian.You can check out free samples of the program on Audible and the Lingo Jump TV YouTube channel before buying.Collins 40 MinutesAvailability: Android, Apple Books,  Audible, Audiobooks.comOnly got 40 minutes? These audiobooks are short, sweet and based around practical scenarios. If you dont have much time but want to brush up on a language youre actually going to use, you may want to check these out.Note that Collins 40 Minute books are pretty cheap on Audible, so you may not want to waste your credit on them but just purchase them with actual money.PimsleurAvailability: Website, Android, iOS, Audible, Audiobooks.com, Audiobooksnow, KoboPimsleur courses are audio classics that really dig into spoken language and practical situations.You can expect to work pretty hard when you do a Pimsleur lessonâ€"unlike with some audio lessons that are more vocabulary-based, you really have to pay attention. Youll also probably benefit most if you commit to working your way through one whole level over a shorter period of time.Lessons are 30 minutes long and you can purchase them in chunks. Pimsleur is currently available for over 50 languages.BerlitzAvailability: AudibleUnlike some of the other resources on this list, Berlitz offers sort of a grab bag of language tools for you. In other words, this isnt s o much its own resource as what you get under the Berlitz name. Berlitz is known for its innovative in-person classes, which are based around a practical and immersive method, so its no surprise that its products are generally thoughtful and high-quality.Berlitz products vary by language, but like the teaching method, they tend to be oriented towards practical goals, like travel or daily conversation. So its worth checking out whats available in the Audible store, especially because most of the products are quite cheap.The Guaranteed series gives you a course that lasts a few hours and covers everyday language for around six dollars.Michel ThomasAvailability: Website, Android, iOS,  AudibleThe life and work of Michel Thomas, a polyglot linguist and Holocaust survivor, has reached mythical status. His method can be a bit divisive, with glowing celebrity testimonials on the one hand and some saying his techniques arent all theyre cracked up to be on the other.No matter what you think of the decades-old method itself, though, you have to admit its still different from most audio courses out there.One of the ideas behind the Michel Thomas Method is that the teacher is responsible for the students learning. In other words, as the student listening to the recording, its your job to relax, listen and speak without worrying about memorization. (Thomas himself died in 2005, but others have taken over teaching with the Michel Thomas Method since then.)The language courses consist of sessions between a teacher and students that were recorded live. The teacher on the recording presents the language in practical, logical parts.Michel Thomas courses will probably be most appealing to learners who get tense while speaking in real-life situations or have had trouble putting language lessons to practical use. The Michel Thomas Method now covers 18 languages to some degree.Paul NobleAvailability: Android, iOS, Audible, Audiobooks.com, KoboPaul Nobles approach is sort of similar to Michel Thomass. The biggest difference between the two is that Thomas and his successors have offered live sessions involving actual students, mistakes and all. Nobles recordings tend to be more stripped-down, and youre the only student in the classroom.From the specific recordings Ive compared, which have been mostly the beginner French ones, Nobles courses seem to move at a slower clip, while Thomass are a bit snappier and get you thinking on your feet right away.So if youre intimidated by the Thomas method, or if you dont like the idea of hearing other students mistakes, you may want to give Noble a try. If, on the other hand, you find the Noble recordings dont have enough energy and you want to be pushed to speak more, Thomas or Pimsleur may be more what you need.Another big difference, which has nothing to do with the method itself but will be the only difference that matters to many, is that currently Noble only offers courses in five languages: French, Spanish, German, It alian and Mandarin Chinese.Lingo MasteryAvailability: Android,  iOS, Audible, Audiobooks.com, KoboLingo Mastery audiobooks tend to focus on core vocabulary, but they make that focus interesting. Like with Innovative Languages Word Power series, their Words in Context includes sentences for core vocabulary. You can find some of these recordings on their YouTube channel.They also have a robust collection of dialogues and short stories available for French, Spanish, Italian, German and Portuguese.VocabuLearnAvailability: Android, Apple Music, Spotify, KoboRemember how we talked about background music earlier? This program includes it for you. The material is pretty straightforward: As the title suggests, the purpose of VocabuLearn courses is to teach you vocabulary, and they do so in a simple definition followed by language format. Note that not all  recordings for all languages have music, but a good number of them pipe in classical tunes behind your vocab study.As its really just a v ocabulary learning system, VocabuLearn probably shouldnt be your primary study resource. But musical tracks  make rote vocab learning much more pleasant, and might even be beneficial to listen to while youre doing something else, like cooking or cleaning.The catch to using this course through Spotify is that the free version wont allow you to listen to the tracks in order. That might not be a big deal, as the lessons are vocabulary-based, but if you want to listen from beginning to end, youll have to spring for Spotify Premium or a version on one of the platforms above.VocabuLearn is available for a wide array of languages that extends to Ukranian, Tagalog and Vietnamese.Coffee Break LanguagesAvailability:  Website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google PodcastsCoffee Break lessons are  laid-back and conversational, featuring a mixture of English and the language youre learning. Each lesson involves at least one teacher and learner of the language, so this is another series where you get a semblance of group/classroom learning. Aside from exposure to practical language, youll receive insight on a variety of cultural topics.Coffee Break Languages offers free audio lessons for learners of French, Italian, Chinese, German and Spanish. The number of seasons and the way theyre presented varies somewhat by language.To get started, either go to the website link above and scroll down to Choose your flavour, or search for Coffee Break [language] from inside Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts. If you have trouble finding the beginning of the lessons on Spotify, try sorting by date. On the website, you may need to jump to the last page of lessons.Youll notice that some languages include options for online courses and premium content you can pay for, but you should be able to get all the podcast lessons for free. Also, some languages, like French, include  additional series for learners.Besides the lessons for the languages above, Coffee Break Languages offers One Minut e lessons and other features on their YouTube channel for many more languages.The Coffee Break lessons are a good all-around resource, so if youre looking to avoid Amazon altogether, this is a good place to start. Or if youre just flat broke, this is also a good place to start.Additional Resources for Authentic Foreign Language AudiobooksAvailability is still something of an issue for authentic audiobooks, but its much simpler to find free and accessible material once you enter the public domain.Here are some top sources for affordable audiobooks. The books you find here will become especially useful as you work your way through the intermediate and advanced levels.BeelinguappTo be clear, this is an app intended to be used for visual reading, too. It allows you to choose from a variety of texts that you can experience alongside the translation and audio.Beelinguapp is useful for audio learners who want to make sure they arent falling behind on their written language skills. Texts ar e currently available in 13 languages.LibriVoxThe simplest resource weve looked at thus far, LibriVox is basically a huge public domain library of audio texts. LibriVox currently has nearly 100 languages listed. Browse by your target language and have fun!YouTubeIf you cant find a particular public domain text youre pining after on LibriVox, or you just want another option, you can always try a YouTube search. This could either mean searching for audiobook in your target language or simply doing a search for the specific book youre looking for.For example, if youre learning German, you might delight in this audio version of Michael Endes Die unendliche Geschichte (The Neverending Story).Quite an earful, huh? As you can see, the world of audiobooks is an exciting one if you know where to look. Learning a language with audiobooks is a great option for students, so  get started with it right away thanks to our list above!

italki World Cup Language Challenge Week 6 LIVE commentary preparations

italki World Cup Language Challenge Week 6 LIVE commentary preparations Lindsaydoeslanguages is blogging about her World Cup Language Challenge and we’re reposting here to share with the entire italki Community.  Original post here. Eek. What am I doing, guys?! This is scary. After watching a handful of YouTube videos of Portuguese football commentary I’m hoping that Brazil and the Netherlands score a lot of goals on Saturday â€" that way, my commentary will consist mostly of GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL! No, I’m kidding! Although I am a little nervous, I am super excited to see how this goes. Also, Brazil vs Netherlands? As in Portuguese vs Dutch? As in the two languages I’ve been learning for the past few months? Who am I supposed to support?! There’s a lot of words I have to learn for the live commentary to make sure that I can speak as on cue as possible and keep up with all the action. I should point out right about here that I’m not a mega football fan, so I probably won’t know any names of players and so this does have the potential to be very funny! Check out my very jazzy preparation vocabulary notes full of useful words (I’m bound to have missed something!) and some interesting phrases I’ve picked up from the videos I’ve been watching. Too jazzy? Don’t forget to bookmark the link right  here  in preparation for Saturday at 21.00GMT. Be there or be square. Because apparently being square is a bad thing. Are you doing the italki World Cup Language Challenge? How is it going for you? Let me know in the comments! italki World Cup Language Challenge Week 6 LIVE commentary preparations Lindsaydoeslanguages is blogging about her World Cup Language Challenge and we’re reposting here to share with the entire italki Community.  Original post here. Eek. What am I doing, guys?! This is scary. After watching a handful of YouTube videos of Portuguese football commentary I’m hoping that Brazil and the Netherlands score a lot of goals on Saturday â€" that way, my commentary will consist mostly of GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL! No, I’m kidding! Although I am a little nervous, I am super excited to see how this goes. Also, Brazil vs Netherlands? As in Portuguese vs Dutch? As in the two languages I’ve been learning for the past few months? Who am I supposed to support?! There’s a lot of words I have to learn for the live commentary to make sure that I can speak as on cue as possible and keep up with all the action. I should point out right about here that I’m not a mega football fan, so I probably won’t know any names of players and so this does have the potential to be very funny! Check out my very jazzy preparation vocabulary notes full of useful words (I’m bound to have missed something!) and some interesting phrases I’ve picked up from the videos I’ve been watching. Too jazzy? Don’t forget to bookmark the link right  here  in preparation for Saturday at 21.00GMT. Be there or be square. Because apparently being square is a bad thing. Are you doing the italki World Cup Language Challenge? How is it going for you? Let me know in the comments!

I beat the italki 2014 World Cup!

I beat the italki 2014 World Cup! We received this great message from Jeremy who finished the 2014 World Cup Language Challenge learning Chinese!   Originally posted on his personal blog, we enjoyed it so much that we wanted to share it with everyone.  Great job Jeremy and keep up the great work!  Re-posted with permission. Italki 2014 World Cup is over! I beat the italki 2014 World Cup! Ok, alright, you can stop cheering now. The challenge wrapped up over the weekend and I was notified today that I was successful. So now that Im filthy rich, I plan to keep learning Chinese, instead of retiring to the Bahamas. I know, I am a wild one. What is italki 2014 World Cup? In short I put up 200 ITC ($20) pledging to spend 25 hours language learning through their site, within a 60 day period. If I win I get 400 ITC ($40) and my bet returned. This should be an easily attainable goal of about three lessons a week during the 2 month duration of the challenge. Surprisingly only 53% completed the challenge. They have some cool stats on most hours completed by country, and most hours completed by language, if youre interested. Thanks italki for being awesome! I want to thank italki for putting on the challenge and being so encouraging. I think they did several helpful things for us participants. They encouraged people to make a video pledge and post it onto their FB, G+, or the like. Their data showed that people who did this were more likely to complete the pledge. Another thing was they put up a big FAQ page full of useful info. I checked it a few times. They also reminded you via the website message system weekly about the challenge. This reminder would let you know roughly how many hours you should have completed, and what the current leaderboard looked like. Another thing that was nice was the countdown clock on the main site. You knew exactly how much time you had left. What I hope they do for next time is add a hours scored, or #/25 completed section up there also. Currently you have to go to sessions and do a manual count if you wanted to know how far along you are. How did I do? My work towards completion was not linear. With holidays, and business trips in the middle, I had to be mindful of my schedule. To compensate for my traveling I did roughly 4 sessions a week during the first 2 weeks and the last 2 weeks. Even with one trip to Colorado, and another to Florida I ended up clocking in 31 hours. Thats just over 3.5 hours a week. Not too shabby in my opinion. Whats Next? With this challenge completed I look forward to the next italki challenge. In the mean time my next big Chinese goal is the HSK IV. I take it this month on the 17th. Im not yet ready for it, but I am working towards that as fast as possible. Wish me luck! Everyone here at italki wishes Jeremy good luck with his HSK IV test.   I beat the italki 2014 World Cup! We received this great message from Jeremy who finished the 2014 World Cup Language Challenge learning Chinese!   Originally posted on his personal blog, we enjoyed it so much that we wanted to share it with everyone.  Great job Jeremy and keep up the great work!  Re-posted with permission. Italki 2014 World Cup is over! I beat the italki 2014 World Cup! Ok, alright, you can stop cheering now. The challenge wrapped up over the weekend and I was notified today that I was successful. So now that Im filthy rich, I plan to keep learning Chinese, instead of retiring to the Bahamas. I know, I am a wild one. What is italki 2014 World Cup? In short I put up 200 ITC ($20) pledging to spend 25 hours language learning through their site, within a 60 day period. If I win I get 400 ITC ($40) and my bet returned. This should be an easily attainable goal of about three lessons a week during the 2 month duration of the challenge. Surprisingly only 53% completed the challenge. They have some cool stats on most hours completed by country, and most hours completed by language, if youre interested. Thanks italki for being awesome! I want to thank italki for putting on the challenge and being so encouraging. I think they did several helpful things for us participants. They encouraged people to make a video pledge and post it onto their FB, G+, or the like. Their data showed that people who did this were more likely to complete the pledge. Another thing was they put up a big FAQ page full of useful info. I checked it a few times. They also reminded you via the website message system weekly about the challenge. This reminder would let you know roughly how many hours you should have completed, and what the current leaderboard looked like. Another thing that was nice was the countdown clock on the main site. You knew exactly how much time you had left. What I hope they do for next time is add a hours scored, or #/25 completed section up there also. Currently you have to go to sessions and do a manual count if you wanted to know how far along you are. How did I do? My work towards completion was not linear. With holidays, and business trips in the middle, I had to be mindful of my schedule. To compensate for my traveling I did roughly 4 sessions a week during the first 2 weeks and the last 2 weeks. Even with one trip to Colorado, and another to Florida I ended up clocking in 31 hours. Thats just over 3.5 hours a week. Not too shabby in my opinion. Whats Next? With this challenge completed I look forward to the next italki challenge. In the mean time my next big Chinese goal is the HSK IV. I take it this month on the 17th. Im not yet ready for it, but I am working towards that as fast as possible. Wish me luck! Everyone here at italki wishes Jeremy good luck with his HSK IV test.   I beat the italki 2014 World Cup! We received this great message from Jeremy who finished the 2014 World Cup Language Challenge learning Chinese!   Originally posted on his personal blog, we enjoyed it so much that we wanted to share it with everyone.  Great job Jeremy and keep up the great work!  Re-posted with permission. Italki 2014 World Cup is over! I beat the italki 2014 World Cup! Ok, alright, you can stop cheering now. The challenge wrapped up over the weekend and I was notified today that I was successful. So now that Im filthy rich, I plan to keep learning Chinese, instead of retiring to the Bahamas. I know, I am a wild one. What is italki 2014 World Cup? In short I put up 200 ITC ($20) pledging to spend 25 hours language learning through their site, within a 60 day period. If I win I get 400 ITC ($40) and my bet returned. This should be an easily attainable goal of about three lessons a week during the 2 month duration of the challenge. Surprisingly only 53% completed the challenge. They have some cool stats on most hours completed by country, and most hours completed by language, if youre interested. Thanks italki for being awesome! I want to thank italki for putting on the challenge and being so encouraging. I think they did several helpful things for us participants. They encouraged people to make a video pledge and post it onto their FB, G+, or the like. Their data showed that people who did this were more likely to complete the pledge. Another thing was they put up a big FAQ page full of useful info. I checked it a few times. They also reminded you via the website message system weekly about the challenge. This reminder would let you know roughly how many hours you should have completed, and what the current leaderboard looked like. Another thing that was nice was the countdown clock on the main site. You knew exactly how much time you had left. What I hope they do for next time is add a hours scored, or #/25 completed section up there also. Currently you have to go to sessions and do a manual count if you wanted to know how far along you are. How did I do? My work towards completion was not linear. With holidays, and business trips in the middle, I had to be mindful of my schedule. To compensate for my traveling I did roughly 4 sessions a week during the first 2 weeks and the last 2 weeks. Even with one trip to Colorado, and another to Florida I ended up clocking in 31 hours. Thats just over 3.5 hours a week. Not too shabby in my opinion. Whats Next? With this challenge completed I look forward to the next italki challenge. In the mean time my next big Chinese goal is the HSK IV. I take it this month on the 17th. Im not yet ready for it, but I am working towards that as fast as possible. Wish me luck! Everyone here at italki wishes Jeremy good luck with his HSK IV test.