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10 Essential
Tech
Resources
For Smart
Language
Learners !!!
By Olly Richards! !
IWillTeachYouALanguage.com
Disclaimer
Introduction
10 Essential Tech
Resources For Smart
Language Learners
2nd Edition
Section 1
Introduction
Hello!
My name is Olly Richards and I run a blog called I Will Teach
You A Language.
Thanks so much for downloading this E-Book, now in its 2nd
edition!
I'm a huge fan of technology, and my goal in this guide is to
show you how you can use these ten tools to take your
language learning to the next level!
Before we get started, here are a few things I'd like to mention.
And so the resources in this book are not big, flashy tech startups like Facebook or Twitter.
In fact, you might think some of them are kind of boring!
There's no piece of software out there that will make you fluent
in a month, or even a year! Technology won't do the work for
you.
But dont be deceived these are the few resources that I use
day-in day-out, 365 days a year. Why?
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Tech Resources
10 Essential Tech
Resources For Smart
Language Learners
Section 1
One
This app lets you tap a button to mark the beginning and end of
a specific section that you want to listen to over and over.
Genius.
What is it?
Smart Repeat enables you to select and repeatedly listen to a
designated section of an audio file. There are also buttons to
skip backwards or forwards 2, 5, 10 or 30 seconds.
Where can I find it?
Android only. On the Google Play store:
Free version (contains adverts and limit of 5 imported files)
Full version - $2.49 (no ads and unlimited files)
Theres an iPhone equivalent, called Speater:
Free version
Full version
6
Section 2
Two
Lang-8.com
What is it?
A website where you can have your writing corrected by native
speakers. Write a journal in the language youre learning, then
other users on the site will look at it and give line-by-line
corrections.
Where can I find it?
URL: http://lang-8.com/
Cost: $0
Membership option: $7/month for more corrections, no ads,
PDF downloads and more.
Section 3
Three
Rhinospike.com
Tips
What is it?
A website where you can get any text read aloud for you by a
native speaker.
Where can I find it?
URL: http://rhinospike.com
Cost: $0
Membership option: none
Section 4
Four
Flashcards Deluxe
What is it?
A simple but powerful flashcard app using spaced repetition
(SRS) to help you memorize vocabulary more easily.
Where can I find it?
URL: http://orangeorapple.com/Flashcards/
iPhone direct download
Android direct download
Cost: $3.99
A free lite version is available if you want to try it first, but this
has a limit of 6 cards per deck. I recommend you save yourself
the hassle and get the full version! Here are the lite versions for
iPhone and for Android.
Pro tip 1: Sync your flashcards between all your devices using
the app's Dropbox functionality.
Tips
This app is without a doubt my single most useful resource
and I could write a book on different ways to get the most out of
it!
10
Section 5
Five
Lift.do
What is it?
Lift is a website and app which helps you build study habits and
routines.
Where can I find it?
URL: http://lift.do
iPhone app: here
Android app: here
Cost: $0
Define simple daily goals, such as: Read my French book for
10 minutes, or Study my German flashcards for 5 minutes.
Enter these into Lift, then check in everyday when youve
completed them.
Its simple, but sticking to routines is hard, and this app gives
you some well-needed support. You end up feeling guilty if you
havent studied, and youll get push notifications from Lift to
remind you to get to work!
Tips
Before you head to the site, try think what area of your
language learning you'd most like to develop a strong habit
with. Start small, and get into the habit of checking in everyday.
What are my daily goals? Follow me here!
11
Section 6
Six
iTalki.com
What is it?
A website for getting speaking practice. You can find informal
teachers and language exchange partners from around the
world.
Where can I find it?
URL: italki.com
Cost: You purchase ITCs (iTalki credits) in blocks, which you
then exchange for lessons. Professional teachers tend to cost
more, while informal tutors can be very affordable - as little as
$5 per hour!
When you first get in touch, tell them that youre just looking for
speaking practice theyll be happy because it makes it easier
for them!
Also, dont be scared to try out a number of teachers until you
find someone thats right for you, and dont feel bad if you dont
request someone back. It happens all the time and its more
important for you to find the right person.
For a guide getting the most out of speaking with a tutor or
language partner, check out this article:
http://www.iwillteachyoualanguage.com/making-language-exchangeswork-for-you/
13
Section 7
Seven
Voice Recorder
Tips
There are so many things you can do with this your
imagination is the only limit!
Some people record their lessons or their language exchanges.
They then go back over it later, listening for bits that they found
difficult to understand and having another go at deciphering
what was said.
My favorite way of using it is when Im abroad.
What is it?
Its the app on your smartphone which records things!
Where can I find it?
Its right there, on your phone! Have you found it yet? Track it
down now if you havent!
How will it help me?
By recording yourself or other people speaking, it gives you the
opportunity to go back and listen again.
14
Section 8
Eight!
Mandarin: http://www.nciku.com/
German: http://dict.tu-chemnitz.de/
Spanish: http://www.spanishdict.com/
French: http://www.wordreference.com/
E-Dictionaries
What is it?
An online dictionary. Much quicker and more efficient than
paper dictionaries.
Portuguese: http://dictionary.reverso.net/english-portuguese/
How will it help me?
Physical dictionaries are becoming redundant. The reason?
It takes too long to look stuff up!
How many times have you had to interrupt your studying to look
up a word in the dictionary, find what youre looking for, only
half-understand the translation, think about it for a minute, put
the dictionary away, go back to what you were doing a little
confused, and promptly forget what you just spent 5 minutes
looking up?
Here are some good ones that I know of and use myself:
Tips
Japanese: http://www.alc.co.jp/
15
16
Section 9
Nine
What is it?
For this to be effective you need to do two things.
This guide will show you how to set up internet radio in your
target language, and to make it automatically play every time
you turn on your computer.
2. This works when you turn your computer on. Therefore, for
this to work, you actually have to turn your computer off in
the evening! :)
When listening to the radio, dont worry if you cant understand
much of what they sayor even anything!
The aim here is not to study the radio, but just to increase your
passive exposure to the language, at times when youd
otherwise be in silence.
17
Section 10
Ten
Keyboard Input
What is it?
This is the option on your phone and computer to type in
another language!
Where can I find it?
Mac: Go to Apple > System Preferences > Language & Text >
Input Sources
PC: click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.
ClickTime and language, then Region and language, and then
clickAdd a language.
How will it help me?
19
Final Words
10 Essential Tech
Resources For Smart
Language Learners
Final Words
21