2011/06/28

Rocket French Is A Reliable Program In Learning French

Learning of languages is very important because it is thought that those people who learn more languages enhance their intelligence to many folds. Besides, internet technology has made the world a global village and the one may encounter with the people of other languages and cultures quite often. France is the country that has the largest population in world so it is needless to mention that the one may encounter French speaking people more often. Moreover, France is the largest market for the world commodities so all those firms that want to excel in France should have an understanding of French language.

No firm can attract local consumers in foreign language so French language should be given due importance by firms. Learning of French language is also helpful in understanding French culture that is very important for market economy and it can for sure be said that language is an important aspect of culture. Learning of French language is also important for all those who want to make a research upon France.

France is progressing very fast and is a competing bigger economy now but the one cannot get benefits from French success without knowing French language. French language learning has thought to be a very tough task a short while ago but internet has made it easy for people to learn this language online. There are a number of courses available online for learning French but there are only few of them that can be helpful in getting versatile knowledge. The one may face different situations and he has to be aware from different aspects of language and vocabulary. The one may embarrass in a hotel if he knows basic vocabulary for doing business or he may find a difficulty while doing shopping in market. So, the one should decide for a French language course that could help him to know versatile words.

Rocket French is a course that is available online and it is preferred by a great many people due to its versatility of words. It is a course that is interactive and it aims at improving all the aspects of language. Rocket French course helps in speaking and improving of French language. Rocket French helps people to speak French language in natural accent and it enhances the confidence of learners to many folds. Rocket French is the best course for enhancing French vocabulary. Learning a language is incomplete unless the one is incapable of understanding the native accent and Rocket French has included audio courses in its syllabus. There are all but one thousand words of vocabulary included in Rocket French course. Mega French software games are included in Rocket French course and it not only helps students to enhance vocabulary but they can also add different new words in the games too.

Rocket French is an amazing online course. This course consists of audio lessons that will surely help you to master this language.


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Chinese Language Learning Software: 3 Questions to Ask Before Buying a Chinese Language Course

Want to learn Chinese online? Great! There are lots of wonderful programs to choose from. Unfortunately, lots of not so wonderful programs have also been thrown into the mix. There are also programs that may be good for some but not so good for others, including you. So, how do you weave your way through the mess and find the program that's right for you? Ask the 3 questions below and you will find the Chinese language learning program that's best for you.

Question 1: Does it Offer a Free Trial?

This is pretty straightforward, but it's important. Never purchase a program that doesn't offer a free trial. All reputable programs have them. Plus, to get the information I am going to outline below, you need to get inside the actual program.

Question 2: Does it Cover the 4 Core Language Learning Components?

A good Chinese language learning program will cover each of the four core language learning components, which are reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Even if your main goal is to speak the language, you can't neglect the other three components. Why? Because together they greatly improve the quality of your learning. For example, it would be very difficult to learn how to pronounce Chinese tones if you didn't first learn to read pinyin.

Learning to write? That's a great way to master Chinese grammar, which is something you'll need to understand if you want to speak in a fluent and natural way. Perhaps most importantly, your brain learns in different ways, and if you stick to just one learning style, you will become fatigued and bored. If you mix things up, on the other hand, you will stay fresh, and you will retain information much better, when compared to focusing on just one core learning component.

Why have I made this point? Because I have seen, lately, a flood of new web-based programs that focus, almost exclusively, on audio programs. It's Podcast this and Podcast that all over the place! Don't get me wrong. The audio component of any online Chinese language learning system is the bread and butter of the program, so it's fine that companies focus on it. Before putting your hard-earned money on the table, though, make sure you're getting a complete program, one that offers reading, writing, listening, and speaking instruction, not just a bunch of MP3 audio files.

Question 3: What's the Price Structure

There is something that drives me absolutely crazy, and it will drive you crazy too--tiered pricing. I found a program like this just the other day. It was a subscription-based program that was just a few dollars per month. Pretty reasonable, it seemed. But then I logged into the classroom and found that I could access only the audio programs. I was blocked when I tried to download the dialogues. I was denied when I tried to access the learning games. The door was slammed in my face when I tried to enter the forum.

Those things were only for "Premium Members." Well, some of those things, anyway. Other things were open only to "Gold Members." To access the full course, I learned, you had to pay $25 per month, or $400 a year (if you didn't pay annually the price was higher). That's absurd! The best Chinese language learning software programs on the market can be purchased outright for about a hundred bucks.

Am I saying to avoid all subscription-based services that have tiered pricing? No, but here is what I am saying. When looking at these programs, look only at the most expensive option. That is the only one you can use. All other options are just teasers.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right Chinese language learning program is important. Choose a good one and you'll have a successful learning experience. Choose a bad one and you'll wind up confused and frustrated. To ensure that you choose a good one, take advantage of free trials, use programs that cover the four core language components, and be suspicious of tiered pricing schemes.

Looking for Chinese software? Read my Rocket Chinese Review. I take you with me step-by-step as I learn with the software (lots of screen shots).

Have a great day!

Ryan Wiley
Founder
The Live in Asia Blog


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Economic Benefits of Learning Spanish

There is a probability that you come across someone who speaks Spanish in your daily life, maybe it's a colleague, or a neighbor. The number of Hispanics in the US is increasing so quickly that it has become the 4th largest Spanish speaking country. There are over 40 million Hispanics living here and there number is expected to increase in the future.

Learning Spanish in this scenario is extremely important. If you happen to live in California or Texas, then it is a must. Half of the Spanish people live in these two states so the need for studying Spanish is higher here. However, the hassle which is a part of learning a new language detracts people from doing so.

Considering the benefits which you can avail if you study Spanish, it sounds like a good deal. Here are some economic benefits of learning Spanish.

Employment

Believe it or not, but knowing Spanish in the US can help you obtain a better job. Employers consider it well of you to be able to speak up a whole language. Hence, you can spice up your resume by studying Spanish. Learning multiple languages is an 'in' thing when it comes to gaining good employment. There are many Spanish based companies operating here who require their employees to be fluent in English as well as Spanish. Therefore, you can open your doors to better employment by learning Spanish.

Raise

You can even obtain a raise in your existing job by learning Spanish. Companies are willing to provide incentives to employees who can speak Spanish. There is a scope for learning Spanish to improve your current employment regardless of where you are working.

Expand

In case you want to expand the consumer base of your business, learn Spanish and open up to the Hispanic population. They will feel much valued if you are going to communicate with them in Spanish instead of English. Expatriates long for acceptance and what better way to use it for your benefit than by learning their language.

Save Money

Yes, you can actually save money by learning Spanish. Spanish shop owners tend to treat all the people who don't speak Spanish as tourists and charge higher prices than they normally do. If you know Spanish, you can communicate and get through to them. They will bring down the price to where it usually is. Guides, especially those who speak English, charge good money. You don't need them when you know how to communicate with everyone you meet in the native language. You also eliminate the need for translators, who are equally expensive, by learning Spanish yourself. Imagine, you can order for yourself in a traditional Mexican restaurant!

These were some reasons why learning Spanish can be economically beneficial for a US citizen. If you want to study Spanish quickly and without hassle, Spanish Learning Factory is the best option for you. They offer private lessons as well as books and CDs so you have the option to choose a resource according to your budget.

SpanishLearningFactory provides online Spanish courses and online Spanish classes. for more details visit Website. SpanishLearningFactory.com


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3 Reasons to Learn Italian

The Italian language is widely believed to be the most beautiful language in the world. It is known to be a language of fluidity, respect and simplicity. Though there are not many instances that require you to speak Italian, unless you live in Italy or you plan to live there or marry into an Italian family, learning the language is still worth the time.

However, the decision to learn the language is more because of passion and the admiration felt towards the Italian language. But even so, there are really compelling reasons to take up the language and learn its intricacies.

· Career and Business

Italy is one of the largest economies in the world. Many companies are looking for people who can speak both English and Italian languages. More than 1000 American firms have branches or offices in Italy such as Citibank, IBM, Motorola, Hewlett Packard and General Electric. Furthermore, more than 7000 U.S. businesses have dealings with Italy. There are also countless Italian companies that hold business in the U.S. So if you are an entrepreneur, you can further your business in Italy if you know how to speak their tongue. Besides, many Italian businessmen have little or no skill in speaking English. Even though they may have someone working for them who speaks English, it would be to your advantage if you know Italian since you can deal with the owner directly.
Career wise, Italy has lots of opportunities to offer. Italy is very well known for their fashion, culinary arts, furniture design, interior design, graphic design, machine tool production, electromechanical machinery, space engineering, shipbuilding and robotics among others. If you know how to speak Italian, you have an edge over others who don't. You have better chances of building a career in one of these Italian industries.
· Italian Culture, Arts and Literature

Italian heritage is rich and significant in world history. The Roman Empire and Renaissance are two of the most important and influential times in the history of the world. Italy has produced many of the most popular art treasures and revered artists- Michelangelo, Botticelli, Da Vinci, Giotto and the list goes on. About 60% of the world's art treasures are in Italy. To fully fathom the context of Italy's art, you need to know Italian.
Italian literature is also vast and impressive. Petrarch, Dante, Machiavelli and Boccaccio are just a few of the famed Italian thinkers and writers. Italian literature encompasses opera, film, humanism, science, political ideas, design, fashion and cuisine. To fully understand and appreciate these treasures, knowing the language in which they were created is necessary.
· Travel

Traveling to Italy is an experience like no other. The rich history, culture and landscapes are awe-inspiring. Knowing the tongue the locals speak lets you experience Italy in a more fulfilling way. Besides, many Italians do not speak English fluently, so your stay will be easier and more enjoyable if you can converse with them in Italian.
There are many more reasons why you should learn Italian. So why not start on your lessons today so you can experience how beautiful this language really is.

Daniel C Howard is a language teacher living in Asia. He has over a decade of experience teaching all ages a variety of subjects. For free info and lessons on Italian, please visit his blog here.

You can also sign up for a newsletter full of free language tips from Daniel's many hours in a class. And as a bonus, stay updated on all the new information on http://learnincredibleitalian.com/.


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2011/06/27

Helpful Tips On How to Learn Spanish Fast

Do you want the possibility to talk in the Spanish language with anybody about anything? Do you want to be a part of a community of 200 million people that speak the same language as you? Or maybe you only need to speak one of the most used languages in commercial relationships, internet, tourism and music, and to be proud in front of your friends. If you want to learn Spanish without any effort, having an envied pronouncement, you will need to follow the nest steps:

Why would you need to learn Spanish?

Maybe you are looking for a workplace in Spain, and your chances to succeed are strictly connected with your Spanish language knowledge. All the Spanish employers appreciate this aspect, and you will obtain the paperwork much faster. However, this is not the only reason for you to learn this language. If you are a passionate reader, you will discover the charm of the language of Sancho Panda, as reading in this language is surely a nice experience. Even if you are only preparing for a tour in Spain, you should understand and speak a few words. Now that we established why it is good for you to learn Spanish, let's see a few effective methods to do this.

What are the efficient methods to learn the Spanish language?

If you are looking for a method to learn the Spanish language quick and easy, you will need to find a course. The course must assure you a complete and permanent method to learn, and it must be based on the four principles of learning foreign language: Listen, Talk, Write, and Read.

The starting lessons must be easy containing elements like: personal presentation, looking for directions, talking about tourism, fashion, hobbies. Along the course, you will have to advance further, so you could express your opinions in front of others.

The course must be structured to help you learn Spanish and to put into practice all the knowledge gained. The course must be made for you, so you could have incredible results without so much effort. The best Spanish courses of this type are made by specialists, and must also be based on the Lozanov method. Lozanov is the creator of the auto-suggestion principle, a principle that was declared as one of the best to learn Spanish.

The average Spanish course has 18-20 lessons, both in audio and .pdf format. It is attractive, making you wish to learn more. The guide must also be available for you in any moment, so you could study in your spare time at work or home. The best courses have a bonus including dictionaries, and a few grammatical lessons, and some ebooks. An interactive course is the best method, making the Spanish language accessible for you. You must be able to learn pleasantly, not extensively. Learning a new language is a new experience that would bring you satisfaction if you were able to master it completely, as it is an important moment of your life and a great achievement.

Right here we provide the helpful and professional language studying soft: Rosetta Stone, so if you're troublesome now because of a new and unfamiliar language, welcome to take a look at the Rosetta Stone Spanish.


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No Time or Money to Travel? 12 Fun Ways to Learn Spanish Online Free

If you're like millions of other Americans, you're somewhat interested in learning Spanish, maybe have even taken a class or two in your day, but can't really do much with it, let alone hold a conversation with native speakers. You've spent some money on language software or books but haven't gotten through much of it.

The reason for this is because most of the common ways of learning a language just aren't fun. Above all, learning a language should be a lot of fun, and if you aren't enjoying it, you won't get very far.

The number one way to have fun and learn is to live abroad for a while, or at least take an immersion language learning trip. But if you don't have the money or time to do that yet, you are in luck that you can at least get started for when you do travel (What, you aren't packing yet?). The Internet is absolutely chock full of free, entertaining ways to jump start your language learning. It doesn't matter if you are a complete beginner with just a few words, like hola, under your belt.

Here are ideas that can get you "virtually" immersed in the moments when you can't physically immerse myself in another country. Remember, pick a few ideas from the list below that you like and don't get discouraged. It doesn't matter if you are just a beginner or whether you are intermediate or advanced in Spanish. These ideas are useful for learners at all levels.

Free Online Radios. Very cool. There are several big companies offering free radio now, and most of them offer artist bios and stories, plus links to similar music that can keep you going in loops for hours. Type in any artist or genre and find the lyrics online to follow along. Bookmark the artists you like and find similar songs and artists by browsing. Try some traditionally Latino genres like vallenatos or bachatas or you can try Latino Rock. You can also find local radio stations from all over the world that stream for free online by searching for: radio escuchar en vivo.
Blogs. Learn from people who actually learned to speak Spanish or whatever language you are interested in, not just the sites selling you their software. Blogs dealing with immersion language learning usually offer a wealth of free information about how they succeeded in learning or becoming fluent. Because these people have had so much fun learning a language, they have a ton of interesting stories and give you really specific tips for free about how you can do it. It's like your own personal consultant or book without having to pay for it. These sites usually have community discussion groups and free newsletters, video or audio tutorials, games and learning programs, e-books, and links to other great online resources. Try searching for "immersion language learning Spanish," "why study abroad," or Spanish plus the word "blog" and start exploring. You can also browse blog directories and find sites of interest that way.
Online video sites. You can find just about anything on YouTube, Yahoo videos, and other similar sites. There are tons of videos that are in Spanish but have English subtitles. You can often find your favorite show, movie, or cartoon. Cartoons are great because a lot of times you can follow the plot very easily and pick up isolated words here and there more easily than in movies. Try to find a clip of some of your favorite scenes but with Spanish audio or subtitles. Get a little creative with your searches. Also, you can look for interviews and commercials with Latino or Spanish actors and actresses in their native language or dubbed or subtitled versions of programs you like. If they are international superstars, their Spanish interviews can often be found with English subtitles. If you are a beginner, audio in Spanish with English subtitles should be the goal. If you are an intermediate or advanced learner, you should be looking for Spanish audio with Spanish subtitles, so try searching for shows you like and adding "en espanol." Remember, the goal isn't to understand everything, or even 2% if you aren't there yet. Try to catch a single word that is repeated frequently and start building your vocabulary. Eventually you will want that foundation when you do have time or money to travel (Looking at maps yet?).
Online Pen Pals. Or should we start calling them text pals? You are probably already on some of the social media sites, and maybe you even have a bunch of friends. The beauty of social networking is that you can connect to people all over the world. Search for friends from countries you are interested in and send them a message. It's free, and a lot of people might be interested in being pen pals. There are even sites dedicated completely to international pen pals and offer their services for free. Once you get a little better at writing, you can begin instant messaging (also free).
Web Chat. And if you are at the stage where you can speak a bit, ask your pen pal to do free video chat through your social media site, instant messaging service, or free computer-to-computer calling service. There are tons out there so just search for them and pick the one you like.
Futbol Online, or maybe as you know it, soccer. I know, I know, you think soccer is boring. Okay, but that's mostly probably because you don't know many players so it doesn't mean much. Read a few bios about Ronaldinho, Messi, and other players at ESPN's Soccernet or other sports sites, wait for the big games, and even watch some free games and replays online. Watch Barcelona face off with Real Madrid next season for the rivalry rematches and see some of the best players in the world stacked together on one field. And of course watch in Spanish any time you can. Watch a replay of the third-place match between Uruguay and Germany from the 2010 World Cup with a Spanish commentator. You can't say you don't like soccer until you watch the final of the World Cup or Spain's professional soccer league and the voice on the big screen screams Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooolaaaazo golazo golazo golazo goooooollllaaaaaazzzzooooo! By the way, golazo translates to "absolutely brilliant fantastic amazing goal." You gotta love how much you can say with online little word. Compare that to a U.S. commentator calling some of the most important goals in U.S. soccer history (Goal!). It just doesn't match up!
Spanish Cable Online. Head over to a cable station from Latin America or Spain, such as Telemundo or Univision, and click on the Videos menu. Not only can you watch small clips of video online for free, and if you are a beginner or intermediate small is better for now. You will also see short, 5- to 30-second ad spots. Normally you might zone out when ads come on, but you can use those ads to your advantage because they are often new and entertaining in a new language. When you see a particular brand that you are familiar with, you will hear the slogan or tagline that the company uses in Spanish. After hearing it a few times, try to write it down. Try looking up the phrase and you will most likely learn not only a few words, but also a new grammatical structure. And stumbling across grammar in context is much more likely to stick in your head than hours or reading in textbooks.
Company Web Sites. Go to your favorite electronics, clothing, food, or beverage company and click on the link to turn the page into Spanish. Companies that appeal to young or college-age audiences often build in videos, games and other fun things to do. When you get to the site, look for the spot on the page where it lets you go to the Spanish version of the site (most of the big companies have this now). Sometimes you can change the region to Latin America or even pick a particular country and get specific types of Spanish versions of the site. If it's a supermarket, look at all of the pictures they have and the names of the products and you've just got yourself a free bunch of flashcards. If it's a different site and you are a beginner, it will be difficult to read most of the content, so concentrate on the ads and the pictures and captions. The picture gives you context for what is happening, and you can put the caption into a free online translator.
Free Online Translators. Just don't expect their translations to be totally accurate. Use them as a basis to get started, not as your ultimate source, and then look up the words in the free online dictionaries...
...such as Wordreference.com, a free online dictionary that is more than just a dictionary. The secret? The forums. Even after 6 years of learning Spanish, I find myself constantly going to the bottom of a given word entry and perusing the different contexts where the words and phrases are used. And the best part is that native speakers chime in every day with nuggets of cultural and linguistic knowledge that otherwise might only be available to you if you traveled to their home countries (Searching for plane tickets yet?).
Spanish Magazines Online. Most online magazines give free samples, and you can search for People en Espanol or other magazines you like. Although you might not understand much as a beginner, you can pick up a lot of fun sayings from the figure captions and cover pages, and you don't have to pay for the subscriptions at first because you will have more than enough material to keep you busy.
Search engines. It doesn't matter what your favorite search engine is, it matters what you search for. First, in your head, complete this phrase "I really love ____!" Whatever that word or phrase is, search for it and then add the word "spanish" and start browsing. Every day there are new things to learn about.

Anything that you can do or find online to have some fun will help you. Once you have a foundation of vocabulary, you are ready to start traveling and studying in other countries, which is even more fun and is really where your Spanish learning will take off!

Rocky Citro is a self-taught language learner, freelance writer, and editor. With no formal background in Spanish, he went from knowing just 50 words of Spanish in 2003 to becoming nearly fluent a few years later.

On his blog, ImmersionLanguageLearning.com, he shares his stories, resources for learning to speak Spanish, and if you are ready to immerse yourself in Spanish, free advice on planning your study abroad trip.


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The Key To Developing Fluency In French

Nobody has ever said the learning to speak French is easy. But is there one thing--maybe a kind of silver bullet--that one could call the key strategy for effectively improving your spoken French? This is a hard question because there are so many things that one should be doing. Listen to songs, visit the country, live with a host family, take private classes, find a language buddy, watch TV and movies in the language, read comic books, novels and newspapers, etc. The list of things to do to improve your French is long.

But there is one key thing that will probably give you the most bang for the buck. I call it creative imitation. It's nothing new; it's really how children learn languages. They simply imitate the people around them.

For adults, it's a lot more work. But first of all, what are we trying to accomplish? Fluency in French means two things. Firstly, you want to be able speak spontaneously, smoothly and effortlessly. French should just roll off your tongue. Well, that's the idea. Getting there is the hard part. What you don't want to do is fumble, stutter and have people waiting while you search for that lost word. That's when most people give up and switch to English, to the relief of everybody.

Secondly, you do want to speak accurately. We all make mistakes, and people know that French is not your native tongue, but you don't want to make horrendous grammatical mistakes that will grate the ears of your listeners. French is a bit of an unforgiving language. Most people feel you either speak it well or not at all.

The fundamental idea of creative imitation is to simply observe and reproduce entire dialogs and phrases word for word until you feel comfortable. This obviously works particularly well in immersion where you are surrounded by the language. In your notebook--you do have a little notebook for this very reason, right?--you write down as best as you can something that you wish to imitate. You can try it right away if you have the courage. Or you may prefer to run it by your teacher and repeat it aloud a few times.

Another approach is to find or create some dialogs or phrases in books or in whatever materials you are using. Just make sure that the material is authentic and up-to-date. Flashcards are wonderful for this sort of thing. When you leave the house, always take your notebook or flashcards with you.

In any case, you want to rehearse your material ten to twenty times or whatever it takes to etch it into your memory.

This approach works wonders at various levels. Your understanding of spoken French will improve quickly because you are using authentic materials. At the same time, you will quickly develop a repertoire of useful things to say correctly in various contexts. This is great for self-esteem because of the positive feedback you will get from native speakers. And in no time your French will have improved considerably.

Stanley Aleong specializes in learning strategies for foreign languages at the advanced level. He believes that a highly effective strategy for achieving advanced proficiency in French or Spanish is to work with many carefully selected authentic examples. To learn more about some very effective learning tools based on this principle, visit Advanced French / Spanish


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