Smart tools for learning language On The Go

Let's be honest, how many times we find an excuse to postpone or drop our ambition to understand lyrics in a song, get a job we'd love, set off to exotic countries, make use of a manual for DIY and so on - just because we envision that a foreign language is too complex to learn in a reasonable time or ... or...
For more inspiration to learn to communicate in new languages, see some inpiration in this blog.

Piece by piece, load per load
even a horse pass your mouth... :)

So if you already know WHY to learn how those strangers communicate among themselves, let me share my personal experience with learning in cooperation with our daily guardians: mobile devices.

VOCABULARY DRILL

Babbel - vocabulary training

My personal pick: Android app from Babbel requires first to set up an account on their website. Download for free stepwise an extensive database of spoken vocabulary classified in wide range of categories. And now off to do interactive exercises - regularly means DAILY !
Nice feature when speaking on mic:  pronunciation is immediately evaluated with feedback in % accuracy; (mind to keep down backround noise)

Next step "Practice and apply" let you do even simple sentence fill-in-the-gap which are always read aloud afterwards. During each exercise progress bar shows the relation of correct and wrong answers. At the end, you may check your pronunciation of the lesson's vocabulary again.

Highly recommended to regularly use "review manager",  which when connected to web, sync with your babbel account and inteligently pick up vocabulary to repeat continuously and so to keep it fresh. 

Another,but not so great app - Busuu offers in paid version native speaker corrections from community members.

FUNNY WAY TO READ TEXT 

  

FBreader TTS in action

Bored to read a lengthy text for yourself or just wanna hear a correct pronounciation? Here 2 simple ways how to make it happen completely within (android) phone!

Mark and copy whatever text from web or offline document, save in editor (Polaris Office, Office Suite) as .txt, .doc even text .pdf and upload to any website for free conversion into ePub format. With free eReader app like FBreader just immerse into computerised text-to-speech output. For more instructions for the whole process follow this how-to video on youtube. Fbreader tts plugin plus is a ultimately smart choice: with collapsible navigation bar - you can follow the highlighted currently read sentence / paragraph;  and extensive settings options allow you for example to choose from several installed TTS engine and much more.

Personally, I prefer Ivona TTS (recently boughtby Microsoft) engine to stock (samsung or google). Naturally, this app takes up more memory, which on the other side outweight the very pleasant voices that speak to you.  However, strange behaviour (lagging other apps) was reported in Play Store forum! Fortunately I have experienced only those  positive sides ... 

IN-TEXT DICTIONARY

Kindle - in-text dictionary

For purpose of reading practise, Kindle reading app for android does a great job. Automatically recognises book language and let you download monolingual dictionary - for free. Tap and hold a word to have its meaning shown in a pop-up window with short same-language explanation. Longer version with sentence examples available only when online.

One big downside, at least for me, is proprietary coding, which means titles bought from Amazon, can be only read in their native Kindle app. However, this includes no text-to-speech option for mobile devises, apart from viewing on Kindle Touch tablets where if the author set it free, you can listen to computer reading aloud (TTS).


The big hit Amazon offer exclusively on the newest version of Kindle Fire HD: when a title is purchased as an audiobook and as well as ebook,  it enables you to watch the highlighted text read aloud by a narrator (human voice) - if you mind buying their device. 



Kobo tap-on-word options

An alternative are ebooks from a rival publishers like Kobo or Barnes&Noble, come similarly with free tap-to-explain dictionary with additional built-in Wikipedia and Google serch option.  many of them come in epub or in protected Adobe DRM  epub format :( But unhappily, there is no TTS feature at all !

Generally speaking, every company protect their interests and does not allow the user to open book downloaded/ acquired from thei particular store in app of other vendor or independent sotfware developer.

+ Google Play Book app supports natively voice output on books purchased in Play store. Unfortunately, TTS toolbar here  lacks the fashion of FBreader TTS plugin plus.

A WEBSITE READ ALOUD

Add to Pocket TTS function

Trying to curb hard side of learning a new language and getting already a scent of real feel in new realms? Well, save/share your website of choice to Pocket aka Read it later.    

Application automatically save to phone's internal memory the main body text, well in html format. In app drop-down settings choose "Listen (TTS)": Voilà, it will read the news for you ... in languages which you have TTS engine installed on your phone. (You might look for 'text-to-speech' engine like IVONA or SVOX)

MOVIE-LIKE HORIZON-EXPANDING LEARNING

TED Talk with subtitles

A famous 'Ideas worth spreading' english spoken conference TED, heavilly present on Youtube now offers even native (android) app. Highly praised feature is time-coded transcripts in english or subtitles in several different languages (varies from video to video). Simply start streaming content and tap screen, in the left corner appears a subtitle icon - tap for your preferred option. Pressing Download button enable offline watching with the chosen subtitles! Downloads from mobile app are named with a number code, unlike (strong)from desktop version where a speakers' name appear in the file name.(/strong)

Quite strange is that TED app saves downloads in Android internal file directory - after moving the whole directory to external SD card (to save internal memory), app couldn't find the video.

Similar feature - automatic captions (currently only for english videos ) offers YOUTUBE - unfortunately, only on desktop version. No need to stress out its relative accuracy, but with all those exotic english accents esp for beginners might be welcomed aid.
As this is not included in mobile version - one workaround is to open Youtube in flash enabled, remote computer powered webbrowser (Puffin - paid version render better performance). Even though a strong and fast internet connection is here a must, still strongly depending in gadget's CPU performance...

For advanced learners, animated videos of popular talks (TED or other renowned speakers platforms) made by _RSA animate_ significantly boost one's visual imagination and language comprehension.

LISTENING TO HUMAN VOICE

 

Audible is a PAID OPTION for hassle-free, natural experience of story telling. Audiobooks from Audible come sometimes with complimentary pdf to follow the text either (best to view in Kindle app with Audible running at backroud). This method mimic native feature in Amazon's own gadget Kindle Fire called immersion reading:

Well, in french I found great line of crime thriller - outlined as exercisebook for foreign language learners (in my case).  Primary reason for listening to audio version of a book is lack of time to grab a paper / eReader version and sit down over it. I listen to my audiotitles instead of radio esp when driving or doing a mundane work.



My personal recommendation:
A reasonably priced program available in Germany and Austria allows subscriber just for 9.99 Eur monthly to choose a title at discounted price - favourable even against the standard listed price!

Speaking of listening on the go: RADIO is in terms of adapting your ears to a foreign language or just brushing up your almost forgotten speaking skill,  an excellent option. App such as TuneIn Radio lets you browse among wide range of international and local radio senders - for free. (broadband Internet access prefered! Well, it does what it says: let you listen to radio!

INTERACTION WITH NATIVE SPEAKERS

Language learning community at Livemocha is customised specifically for desktop computers due to flash content used in the interactive exercises. I have not found any version that is mobile gadgets friendly. The key advantage of this website is a network of language enthousiasts and professionals - each learning one language and simultaneously teaching another - mainly their mother language.  In this way even as a total beginner, you still have chance to contribute to community and earn badges for higher levels of your current course. Otherwise a fee is charged to unlock further exercises.

WATCH STREAMING TV

Well, as mentioned even on Livemocha blog - the last on my list but not least helpful way of conquering a foreign language is watching live TV broadcast on your mobile device. For inspiration a list of popular android app by +Android Authority . This method combines language recognition by hearing supported with animated backround mainly focused on current topic and for boosted understanding even live Closed Captions / can be turned on (similar to Desktop PC version of Youtube).

So, do you already know your reason WHY to learn a foreign language? Spread the word among your friends, in yours networks and share your enthousiasm!

More tips follow in next post. Have fun - wherever and whenever !