• Why You Aren’t Learning a New Language

    Learning a new language is definitely an admirable goal just like many other goals that you might have in your life. I have spent a considerable amount of time reading about goals and motivation as it relates to language-learning. There are millions of people everyday who do nothing to feed their desire to learn a new language. I found the following reasons: Lack of time. Everyone is busy. No matter the stage of life you find yourself in, there are many great and noble things you can do to fill your time. One thing I have learned in life is that if you really want to do something, then you will usually make time for it. You don’t need to spend hours each day learning your new language of choice. …

  • How to Improve Your Memory

    When learning a new language it’s helpful to know how to improve your memory. Memorization is an important part of learning. I am currently learning Spanish and have found some helpful tips on how to improve memorization skills: Get enough sleep. Your mind is like a muscle: it won’t perform its best if it is too tired. It’s also important not to get too much sleep, which can make you feel lethargic and foggy. So how much sleep is enough for you?  Try keeping a regular sleep schedule and adjust according to how you feel. You will eventually find the right number for you. Continue paying attention to your body and mind and adjust that number as needed. Exercise regularly. Exercise does wonders for the mind, such as raising oxygen, delivering endorphins, …

  • French Sayings – How Are You in French

    An important part of learning French is learning the French sayings. Some of the sayings or phrases are certainly more important than others, but taking the time to learn them will help you flow better as you speak. You will sound more natural. You don’t want to be spitting out useless, random words like “red car” and “monkeys”. I’m not saying that those things are useless, but you probably won’t find much use for them when speaking unless you drive a red Mazda Miada and have a pet monkey. The odds aren’t great. Learn French sayings like how are you in French instead of that other monkey business. You should strive to be conversational no matter what language you’re learning. People will be much more likely to warm up to …

  • Italian Greetings – How Are You in Italian

    Do you want to learn how to say how are you in Italian and other Italian greetings but don’t want to spend any money? You will probably be able to find out how it’s spelled in Italian, but you won’t necessarily know how to say it. If you can learn how to say a phrase or word from a native speaker, you should take advantage of that opportunity. The great thing is that you can learn Italian greetings like hello in Italian for free on this website. You can learn and practice with free flash cards with audio from native speakers. You can review what you’ve learned with the new, addictive review game called the Lingo Dingo on the same page. So, you don’t have to spend any money to …

  • Top Ten Secrets of Learning a Foreign Language: Tip #5

    Tip #5 to Learn a Foreign Language The More Senses You Use, the More Effective the Learning Repeat Aloud – Repeating aloud actually helps stimulate the part of the brain that controls motor skills (like speaking) and helps develop the part of the brain as related to the new language (known as “Broca’s Area” in the science world). This means that you will be more effective at the moment of conversation if you’ve practiced saying the foreign language words you learn aloud.  Type or Write the Words – As you type or write the words you learn, you are using the sense of touch to kinesthetically learn the words at a higher brain level. This also helps with future recall. Also, as you walk around your home or office, try …

  • Top Ten Secrets of Learning a Foreign Language: Tip #4

    Tip #4 of Learning a Foreign Language: Foreign Language Pronunciation – As an adult, your mouth and brain have been programmed to pronounce words according to your native language. When you start learning a foreign language, you tend to pronounce the new words based on your native language. In other words, you will have an accent and sound like a foreigner – it is possible that you may not even be understood. So what should you do? The key to great native pronunciation in a foreign language is to learn, see and hear how natives pronounce it, and then form habits of pronouncing the new sounds correctly. Having native pronunciation is all about forming correct habits from the beginning. If you start learning a foreign language with incorrect pronunciation, you …

  • Top Ten Secrets of Learning a Foreign Language: Tip #3

    Tip #3 of Learning a Foreign Language: Repetition (Do I really have to?) – According to the experts, in order for new foreign language words to cement themselves into your long-term memory, they must be repeated around 50 times in a meaningful way. Some courses tout “no repetition” – it’s a great thought, but words simply can’t get into your long-term memory without repetition. This presents a problem because you don’t want a repetitive, boring and tedious course to teach you; however, you do have to repeat words enough so they can have a chance to lodge themselves into your memory for later recall. The answer to this dilemma is simple. What you need is a way to repeat words and concepts in a fun way without realizing that you are …

  • Top Ten Secrets of Learning a Foreign Language: Tip #2

    Tip #2 of Learning a Foreign Language: Visualization – As humans, we link the words we use to pictures; for example, if I said the word “shoes” you would maybe think of your favorite pair of shoes or possibly the ones you have on. When you learn new foreign language words, it’s important to link them with pictures so they can start penetrating your long-term memory. If you link the new words you learn to pictures, instead of having to translate from English to the foreign language, you can instantly recall what you’ve learned as your mind links the picture to the word you need to use. Repetition, the next key, along with pictures, helps words to be retained in your long-term memory better, faster and longer. Also, if the …

  • Top Ten Secrets of Learning a Foreign Language: #1

    Tip #1 of Learning a Foreign Language: How to Study – When learning foreign language, avoid cramming which simply does not work. Your brain needs frequent sessions – approximately 3-5 per week that last between twenty and forty five minutes each. If too much is learned at once, your brain may start going into “language-learning overload”. With this in mind, it’s great to set a goal of the number of times per week you will study and a consistent study time for each session. For example, you may choose to study Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 12:00 – 12:30 p.m. during your lunch hour, or you might want to study 1/2 hour each evening before going to bed. That’s what I like doing best. Take Care my friends – we’ll …

  • Free Online Library Resource

    Libraries are dealing with huge budget decreases. This has led to layoffs, a decrease in services, and shorter library hours. Perhaps this is a time for libraries and librarians to offer more online services. We have created a very large website where people can learn English, Spanish, French, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, German, and Russian for free. We are trying to reach out to libraries and librarians so they can be aware of this free resource. Please help us reach out to them so library patrons can take advantage of this free website:  Visual Link Languages A few librarians and libraries who have a large following include: @ALA_PLA @LibraryJournal @LibrarySecrets @Librarian Who are some more of the big influencers in the library community?