Brian, Author at

Author name: Brian

I’m a former EFL teacher turned freelance writer and self-proclaimed language enthusiast. I can’t quite seem to kick the habit of moving countries and have lived and worked on five continents so far.

30 Best Online Spanish Courses: We’ve Tested Them

Finding the right resource for learning Spanish is often a daunting task. With courses becoming more accessible and numerous every year, your options are seemingly endless. Many of the online Spanish courses out there are fantastic, quite a few are awful, and even more are probably best for some learners and not for others. Let us help you find the best program to learn Spanish!

Whether you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for or are overwhelmed with choice, we’re confident that the right resource for you is out there — and this post will help. Spanish programs can include a variety of aspects that help different kinds of learners. Foreign language courses can be hard to stay consistent with, but if you know what kind of learning works for you, then maybe it can be more fun than you ever thought it would be. 

We’ve taken the time to comb through our enormous library of reviews to single out the best online courses for learning Spanish and have detailed them in this list. Only resources that have received at least a 3.5/5 star rating on our site have made the cut.

We recognize that no two learners are exactly alike for foreign langauges. Learning style, budget, skill level, and motivation all have a huge impact on what makes a resource right for you. That’s why this list doesn’t assume there’s one course that’s best for everyone. Instead, our aim is to provide you with enough information to reliably point you in the right direction. Happy hunting!

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27 Best Online French Courses: We’ve Tried Them

If you’re interested in learning French and are looking for the perfect online course, you may have noticed that it’s not an obvious choice. In general, foreign language courses have a variety of options but per language they can vary. This page will help you primarily of the best online French classes or courses. Fortunately, the numbers are on your side — there are more online French courses to choose from every day. There are so many, in fact, that sifting through them can quickly become overwhelming. Whether you’re looking for a French crash course, how to teach yourself French, or online French classes, we got you covered here. 

We’ve taken the time to go through the extensive list of resources we’ve tried, and some we haven’t, to find the best of the best and highlight what makes them so special. Only the resources that we’ve rated at least 3.5 stars have made this list. Our list is compiled of French learning sites, apps, courses, classes, and fun!

There’s simply no one-size-fits-all course that will be best for all learners. Your learning style, interests, past experiences, and goals all have a say in what course will work best for you. This is exactly why we’ve created this list, to provide learners with the best information to get started in the right direction. 

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How to Learn Spanish at Every Stage of the Journey

Spanish language learners are often confronted with a host of difficult questions: Are some people just naturally good at languages, and others aren’t? How long does it take? Can adults even learn languages? Do you need to move to Spain to learn Spanish? What exactly did the people who have learned Spanish actually do?

Language learning is a personal experience at its core, and what works for some simply might not work for others. In this post, we aim to shed light on the Spanish-learning process: practical tips, solid strategies, quality resources, and effective advice.

First, we’ll take a look at some of the internal processes involved in learning a new language: goal setting, mindset, and study habits. Then, we’ll explore some popular theories related to language acquisition and how you can use them to improve your Spanish right away.

Finally, after identifying specific challenges and solutions at every level of Spanish, we’ll detail some handy self-study techniques and tools that you can use to reach your Spanish goals.

Learning Spanish is a long process that’s anything but straightforward. But with the right tools and a realistic perspective, it’s absolutely within reach. Read on to learn more about how you can reach your Spanish goals.

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All the Free Resources You Need to Learn Spanish

When you think about learning Spanish, do you see images of textbooks and classrooms or premium software that arrives in a shiny box? If so, you might also see dollar signs — there’s no doubt that learning a language can cost some serious money.

Fortunately, times have changed — and language learning along with them. At ALR, we’ve tried out hundreds of resources both good and bad, many of which are free. The number of available free resources is a definite advantage to the frugal-minded language learner.

This post will explore the idea that it isn’t necessary to spend any money on your Spanish-learning journey. If you’ve got an internet connection and the motivation, you’ve got all you need for practice with all language skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

Read on to discover an incredible number of worthwhile, free language tools.

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The 19 Best Podcasts For Learning Russian Regardless Of Your Level

How many ways are there to learn Russian? That question may be unanswerable, but what’s certain is that there are enough to appeal to learners of all types.

Visual learners may appreciate educational YouTube channels, those that appreciate a highly organized approach may prefer online courses, and on-the-go learners could opt for language-learning apps.

This post will explore an oft-overlooked learning strategy — podcasts. Podcasts offer many benefits as language-learning tools: they’re often free or inexpensive, they can provide extensive listening practice on just about every topic imaginable, and they’re extremely portable.

We’ve combed the internet in search of the best podcasts for learners of Russian and have organized them by level. No matter where you are on your Russian-language journey, there’s likely a podcast that’s perfect for you — find yours in the list below!

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22 Top-Quality YouTube Channels for Learning Russian

If you’re interested in learning Russian and are one of the over 2 billion users that access YouTube every month, you’re already familiar with an incredibly potent language-learning tool.

YouTube is full of language teachers and Russian speakers creating content for free consumption. Videos can be a particularly effective way to get Russian practice because they are engaging, provide visual connections to the language, and can facilitate both listening and reading practice.

Many YouTube videos also take advantage of multilingual subtitles, which can help learners interact with Russian content that may be slightly above their level.

Whether you’re an absolute beginner who’s ready to jump into Russian or a more advanced learner looking for quality practice, we’ve got you covered — we’ve scoured the internet to find quality YouTube channels for Russian learners at every level. Use the list below to get started with your new favorite channel.

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13 Top-Rated Russian Courses for All Levels

Why would you ever learn Russian unless you had to? It’s got a confusing writing system, and it isn’t that useful anyway, right? Not quite.

While the Cyrillic alphabet may be daunting in appearance, it can reliably be learned in just one or two days. The fact that many of the letters resemble those in the Latin alphabet and that the language is much more phonetic than English are two big helps.

There are also plenty of ways knowing Russian could come in handy. It’s the most widely spoken language in Europe, the official language of four countries, and a lingua franca in many more. An understanding of Russian will also open up opportunities to learn other Slavic languages more quickly, like Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Polish.

Still not convinced? How about the chance to read renowned Russian literature in its original form, take a Russian-language architecture tour in Moscow, cruise the Trans-Siberian Railway, or simply deepen your relationship with vodka? 

Whatever your reasons for learning Russian, there are plenty of courses out there that can get you speaking the language. However, no two courses are created equal, and many are simply not very good. 

To help learners find the best courses for them, we’ve gone through the extensive list of resources we’ve tried and have listed the best of the best here. Only courses that we’ve rated 3.5/5 or above (with one exception) have made the cut. There’s a little bit of everything in this list, and we hope you’ll find something that feels just right.

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the best apps for learning english

The 29 Best Apps for Learning English in 2022

Coming out just ahead of Mandarin Chinese, English is the most widely-spoken language in the world. It’s become a lingua franca in many places for tourism and business, and learning the language can pave the way to a mountain of personal and professional opportunities.

Given its popularity, it’s no surprise that there is almost an endless number of ways to learn the language. One of the most accessible and convenient methods is through language apps.

There are so many apps catering to English learners, though, that sifting through them to find the ones that do a great job or offer just the type of practice you’re looking for can be a challenge.

We’ve tried out a ton of these language apps and have come up with this list to help learners narrow the field. The list certainly isn’t exhaustive, but we’ve tried to mention the most popular ones and those that we like the most. They’re sorted into categories by what they do best, though some could admittedly fit into more than one category.

Take your time and good luck! There are sure to be at least a few that meet your needs.

General Courses as Apps

Best for Oral Communication Skills: Pimsleur

Best Free Gamified App: Duolingo

Best Free Audio Course: Language Transfer

Best for Structured Courses: Babbel

Best Test-Prep App: Magoosh

Apps for Practicing Speaking and Writing

Best for Pronunciation Practice: Elsa Speak

Best for Pronunciation Feedback: Speechling

Best for Grammar Practice: LearnEnglish Grammar

Best for Writing Feedback: italki

Apps for Learning Vocabulary

Best Dictionary App: WordReference

Most Enjoyable Vocabulary Practice: Memrise

Best Mini-Games: Improve English: Word Games

Best Customizable Flashcard App: Anki

Best for Learning Words in Context: Clozemaster & Lingvist

Best Vocabulary App for Kids: Lingokids

Apps for Practicing Reading and Listening

Best BBC App for Learning English: BBC Learning English

Best Podcast-Style Lessons: EnglishClass101

Best Side-By-Side Reading Practice: Beelinguapp

Best for Authentic Content: FluentU & Yabla

Best Reading Content: LingQ & Readlang

Best Free Reading Content: Manga Method

Tutors and Language Exchanges

Best for Finding a Tutor: italki

Best for Casual Conversation Practice: Cambly

Best for Quick Questions: HiNative

Best for Language Exchange: HelloTalk & Tandem

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Best Apps for Learning Russian in 2022 – We’ve Tested Dozens

Russian language learners, rejoice — there are scores of great learning resources available to you. In fact, you’re more likely to be paralyzed by the number of good options out there than to struggle to find something that suits your needs.

It’s important to remember in your search that the most popular language resources aren’t always the best; a superb marketing strategy doesn’t necessarily equal outstanding quality.

In this post, we’ll focus on apps that aim to help learners with Russian. We’ve tried a ton of them and have sorted them by what they do best, but it’s by no means an exhaustive list. It should, however, narrow the field enough to help you find some great tools.

Russian Courses as Apps

Best Lesson Structure: Babbel

Best for Practicing Oral Communication: Pimsleur

Best Interactive Course: Lingodeer

Apps for Learning Vocabulary

Best for Fun, Engaging Practice: Memrise

Best for Customizable Practice: Anki

Best for Learning Words in Context: Lingvist

Best Free Way to Learn Words in Context: Clozemaster

Best Offline Dictionary Apps: ABBYY Lingvo and Linguee

Apps for Reading and Listening Practice

Best Lessons in the Style of a Podcast: RussianPod101

Best for Interesting Reading Content: LingQ and Readlang

Best Free Reading Content: Manga Method

Best for Side-by-Side Reading Practice: Beelinguapp

Apps for Speaking and Writing Practice

Best for Feedback on Pronunciation: Speechling

Best for Feedback on Writing: italki

Best Q&A App: HiNative

Best for Learning Russian Cyrillic: Cyrillic (Russian Language)

Apps for Tutors and Language Exchange

Best Language Exchange Apps: Tandem and HelloTalk

Best for Finding a Tutor: italki

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The 20+ Best Apps To Learn Korean In 2022

K-pop, bulgogi, Korean cinema, soju… There are plenty of reasons to learn Korean, and there are plenty of ways to learn.

Although this list of Korean apps is quite large, it still doesn’t cover all the options out there. The fact is, most learners will need to combine a number of resources together in order to learn Korean.

We’ve tried out a ton of them ourselves.  Hopefully, this helps you figure out which ones really stand out and which ones may not be so worthwhile.

There are some great resources that didn’t make this list simply because they don’t fall into the app category, and there are surely more apps that didn’t make this list, but here are some of our favorites.

Best Korean Courses as Apps

Best All-Around Course: 90 Day Korean

Best Course for Oral Communication: Pimsleur

Best Interactive Course: Lingodeer

Best Grammar-Focused Course: Talk To Me In Korean

Best TOPIK Test Prep App: TOPIK ONE

Vocabulary Acquisition Apps

Best for Learning Hangul: TenguGO (Apple) / Hangul (Android)

Best for Learning Vocabulary Easily: Memrise

Best Customizable Tool for Studying Vocabulary: Anki

Best for Learning Vocabulary from Context: Clozemaster

Best Dictionary Apps: Naver Korean Dictionary and Naver Papago

Apps for Practicing Reading and Listening

Best for Podcast-Style Lessons: KoreanClass101

Best for Interesting Content at Various Levels: LingQ

Best for Free Reading Content: Manga Method

Best for Side-by-Side Reading and Listening: Beelinguapp

Best for Watching K-Dramas: Viki

Apps for Practicing Speaking and writing

Best for Improving Pronunciation: Speechling

Best for Simulated Speaking Practice: Teuida

Best for Learning to Write Hangul: Write it! Korean

Best for Getting Feedback on Writing: italki

Best Chatbot: Eggbun

Best Q&A App: HiNative

Apps for Tutors and Language Exchanges

Best for Finding a Tutor: italki

Best Language Exchange Apps: Tandem and HelloTalk

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