Guest Blogger – Karen Schweitzer – 15 Free Language Learning Podcasts

Have you always wanted to learn a new language but could never find the time in your busy schedule. Language learning podcasts are a great way to learn at your own pace when it is convenient for you. Here are 15 free language podcasts to try out in your spare time:

Multilanguage Podcasts :

LanguagePod101 – The LanguagePod101 offers short and easy podcasts for learning 11 different languages. The podcasts are a good way for language enthusiasts to learn a few minutes each day.

Open Culture - Open Culture features free podcasts for 37 languages. These easy-to-listen-to podcasts feature languages from Arabic to Yiddish. This site also provides a free program for teaching yourself to learn a different language.

Free Language - This free online language learning site offers podcast lessons for language learners. The podcasts listed on the main page are for Chinese, French, Italian, and Spanish but throughout the site there are several more.

Radio Lingua Network - The Radio Lingua Network offers free Coffee Break podcasts for French, Spanish, and German language learners. There are also several other one-minute podcasts for other languages. The Coffee Break podcasts are designed for beginners and last from 15 to 20 minutes.

World Languages Podcasting - World Languages Podcasting features conversations in several languages. The free podcasts are the perfect way for learners to refresh their skills or learn a foreign language. Transcripts can be purchased for $1.99.

Language Specific Podcasts :

LearnItalianPod - The LearnItalianPod features podcasts for beginner to advanced Italian language learners. Each episode lasts between 15 and 20 minutes.

Learn Thai Podcast - This podcast features several Thai phrase lessons through audio and video. The podcast that can be listened to on your computer or downloaded to an mp3 player. Learners can also download transcripts of the lessons.

ESL Pod – The ESL Pod is a free English learning podcast that provides phrases and expressions at a slower speed for easier listening and learning. The podcasts explain the expressions and phrases along with how they are used.

DailyFrenchPod – This free podcast, offered by the French Training Service, features hundreds of audio and video lessons. The French learning podcasts last anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes and contain fun, easy lessons that can be listened to on the website or downloaded.

Learn to Speak German – The Learn to Speak German blog provides free German lessons from Germany and Switzerland. Lessons cover a wide variety of subjects, including formal to informal phrases, weather, holidays, and much more.

Edufone - Edufone has top-notch Spanish lesson podcasts that are taught by native speakers. Users can browse through the podcasts to find specific lessons for their level of understanding.

CSLPod - The CSLPod offers free Chinese language lessons for beginner to advanced language learners. Lessons focus on grammar usage and provide slower language speed for maximum comprehension.

A Spoonful of Russian - A Spoonful of Russian has audio and video podcasts for anyone interested in learning Russian. The podcasts are delivered through direct conversations on normal, everyday topics. This podcast is a great way to fulfill any curiosity about the Russian language or refresh former skills.

SwedishLingQ - The SwedishLingQ provides free Swedish language podcasts that last anywhere from one to ten minutes. The podcasts cover everything from basic greetings to intermediate conversations.

ArabicPod - This Arabic podcast features language lessons for beginner to advanced learners. Users can search through the podcasts by keyword, difficulty, or level.

Guest post from education writer Karen Schweitzer. Karen is the About.com Guide to Business School. She also writes about online colleges for OnlineColleges.net.

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Guest Blogger – Katie Wilson – 4 Effective Ways to Learn a Foreign Language on Your Own

The following article was written by Katie Wilson, a writer for Online Universities.

There are times when I’ve often wished my parents had different mother tongues. Admittedly they would have found it difficult to understand each other unless one or both of them were multi-lingual, but we kids would have had the benefit of having two mother tongues and growing up learning two languages. It’s easiest to learn a language when it’s spoken at home, when you’re surrounded by people who speak it all through your childhood, and when it’s part of your growing up process. Although it takes more time and effort and much more motivation to learn a foreign language when you’re all grown up and leading a busy life, there’s no reason why it cannot be done, even when you have no one to help you out. All you need is the interest, the determination, and the means to do it. So if you want to master a new language, here’s what you need to do:

1. Experience it: The best way to learn a new language (the spoken version) is to live amongst people who speak it on a daily basis. So if you’re moving to Spain, you’re definitely going to pick up more than a smattering of Spanish in a few months. Necessity is the mother of invention, and when you need to communicate, your brain is motivated to learn. The more time you spend with people who speak the language you intend to learn at home, the faster you’re going to pick up this new tongue.
2. Sing it: Have you ever realized how easy it is to memorize songs when the melody is catchy? It’s something you do unconsciously; you don’t really focus on learning the words, but when you listen to a song again and again, the lyrics become embedded in your brain. If you want to learn a new language, listen to songs written in the tongue. It’s a slow learning process and not complete in itself, but it is an effective linguistic learning tool.
3. Watch it: Movies and television programs, especially those that come with subtitles are great ways to pick up a new tongue. You could tape your favorite programs, watch them, see if you understand, and then use the subtitles to learn what the characters are saying to each other. You can pick up common phrases, slang usage, and the local flavor of the tongue when you learn from movies and television programs. Formal learning materials teach you the right sentences without injecting any of the local flavor into it (the way the sentence is spoken by natives).
4. Use it: And last, but certainly not the least, you must practice what you’ve learned. You must speak the language on a regular basis if you want to develop your vocabulary and remember it. Yes, you may make mistakes and even be laughed at, but that’s all the more reason for you to persist with your efforts. Practice makes perfect, so use every opportunity you get to show off your newly acquired skills.

This post was contributed by Katie Wilson, who writes about the online universities. She welcomes your feedback at KatieWilson06_at_gmail.com.

If anyone wants to know more about guest blogging opportunities at Aspiring Polyglot, please email me at aspiringpolyglot_at_gmail.com.