Have you always wanted to learn to speak Italian, and then rent a little villa in Tuscany, or brush up on your high school French or Spanish before your next trip abroad? Many free, high quality language courses are available online. If you have tried unsuccessful to learn a language from books and tapes in the past, give online learning a try. Many of the courses contain a rich variety of delivery methods--conversations, video clips, music, mnemonic devises, pronunciation cheat sheets, vocabulary print outs, games, and more, and it's all free.
Language course through Pod casts
A variety of foreign language pod casts are available at the Apple iTunes site. Dedicated enthusiasts working from their kitchen tables produce many of the courses, so the quality of the broadcasts and content can vary widely. Shop around for the one that matches your needs and learning style. Some courses provide only survival phrases for the tourist or businessperson, while others include extensive supplemental materials. If you find a language course you like, subscribe, and each new pod cast will be emailed to you.
Clearing house for Language Classes
Word2Word is the big box store for online languages classes, though not all of their listings are free. It is a great source for learners looking for a more obscure languages. Word2Word lists of hundreds of links to most of the major languages of the world, and many tribal languages with few speakers as well. Even for those who have no desire to speak Esperanto or Sanskrit, it is interesting to browse the site.
BBC Language Pages
One of the most useful and comprehensive foreign language sites is the BBC's Language Page, which has lessons for more than thirty languages including English. The BBC site also broadcasts the news in 33 languages. For language learners who already have some background in a language, listening to news broadcasts is a great way to build vocabulary and become accustomed to the speed and cadence of native speakers. Key words from the day's current events help provide the context.
Most of the BBC language courses begin with a quiz to help determine the learner's level--beginner, post beginner, intermediate or advanced. The French language site, for example, has lessons, games and quizzes for each level. The beginner section focuses mainly on listening to, and reading basic vocabulary. The post-beginner section, called Ma France, has 24 interactive video clips showing native speakers in typical, every day circumstances such as shopping, going to work, or asking for directions. The dialog is printed below the clip in both English and French, and can be easily replayed.
Online learning is convenient, and the price is right. With nothing more than a little self-discipline students can be speaking, at least basic phrases, in the language of choice with in a matter of weeks.
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