Archive for the ‘foreign language’ category

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ClickSchooling Bonus: FREE Content-Rich Learning K-12

October 23rd, 2009

Hi,

I know ClickSchooling is supposed to be on vacation, but I just stumbled across a website that I thought you would LOVE to know about NOW – because it can save you loads of time and money when it comes to preparing your course of study for 2009-2010.

PLUS, it’s got great content that will be useful to you forever – regardless of your homeschool or unschool methodology. Really.

Recommended Website:
http://www.thinkfinity.org

FREE lessons, podcasts, activities, links to online resources, etc., for all grade levels. A project of Verizon in association with tons of education and research organizations.

I was tempted to write a full review, but I AM on vacation. :) Trust me, go there and check it out.

Oh, and don’t forget that while I’m taking this ClickSchooling break through September 7th you can always access the ClickSchooling archives here: http://www.clickschooling.com/ .

Plus if you become my friend on Facebook, I post links to “oldies but goodies” from the ClickSchooling archives regularly – even while I’m on vacation. http://www.facebook.com/clickschooling

One more thing…I am moving foward with my plans to make this free list private and take it off of Yahoo – and I’ll be sending more info about that in the days to come.

Okay, back to our regularly scheduled break…

Diane

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Posted in art, foreign language, language arts, math, other, science, social sciences

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Free Multi-Media Foreign Language Courses

August 15th, 2009

Recommended Website
LiveMocha.com

Age Range: All (Because this is a multi-media site, there are aspects that people of all ages can use to learn a new language. Young children and non-readers will need assistance and supervision.)

ClickScholar Dee Dee Marcoux suggested this website that provides free, multi-media foreign language lessons (from Arabic to Urdu) along with some interactive forums and opportunities to practice what you’ve learned with other language learners and native speakers. You can use visual and audio aids to learn to speak the language, and learn how to read and write the language as well.

When you get to the site you’ll see an introduction. Take the time to read all that this website offers as it will make navigation much easier. Then, select one of the many different languages offered for study.

A new page opens requiring registration to access the free language course. You must confirm your registration via email. When you do that, you are taken to a webpage where you are asked to provide additional information – but you have the option to click on “skip” to avoid answering those questions.

Once you’ve completed the free registration process, you can access a foreign language course for beginner through advanced levels. They also offer quickie travel versions of the courses for those who simply want to learn a few words and phrases in anticipation of visiting another country. (These kinds of “quickie courses” can be useful in providing enough exposure to a language, that a student can decide if it’s a language they really want to study in earnest.)

Plus, this website provides a community forum so that you can interact with others to practice language skills. You can even have your speaking and writing submissions reviewed and scored by native speakers who will rate your proficiency and give you tips for improvement.

The site also provide the ability to track your weekly progress, earn points for completing exercises, and engage in friendly competitions to motivate you to learn more.

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DID YOU MISPLACE A ClickSchooling Review? Do you need to find an educational website – fast! Visit the ClickSchooling archives.

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Learn to Speak Mandarin Chinese — FREE!

May 9th, 2009

I received an email from a Tennessee subscriber who wrote, “Subscribing to ClickSchooling changed the way we homeschool and has given us a wonderful freedom we would otherwise not have likely found. We use many of the links that speak to national standards as well as several foreign language links to supplement our studies. Students interested in future global business opportunities may be interested in learning Mandarin Chinese.” She went on to recommend the following websites:

Recommended Websites:

Age Range: Varies (These sites seem to be designed with older students and adults in mind. However, even young children – with parental guidance – could listen to some of the lessons and stories at these sites and learn Chinese words and phrases. Non-readers will need assistance.)

Free Chinese Lessons

This site includes basic lessons that focus on proper pronunciation of spoken Mandarin. It also includes the basics for learning Chinese writing which is non-alphabetic and non-phonetic. Learn the meaning of Chinese characters.

My Chinese Lessons

This site has a more kid-friendly format that claims to make learning Chinese easy and fun. As explained at the site, “All of our online Chinese lessons are free and include Chinese lesson materials such as printable flash cards, online memory testing, puzzles, written and audio versions, and much more.” This site is adding content weekly, so bookmark it to return to see what’s new.

Chinese Lessons with Serge Melnyk

Enjoy a free audio course on learning Mandarin Chinese. Includes transcripts and worksheets.

I really appreciate it when ClickSchool subscribers send me links to websites that offer free, quality educational content that is presented in a fun and engaging way. If you have recommendations, please send them to me at editor@homefires.com. Thank you!

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Free, Online Foreign Language Games

September 20th, 2008

Recommended Website:
Digital Dialects

Age Range: All (Non-readers will need assistance.)

This website offers multi-media, interactive games for learning 55 different languages from Afrikaans to Vietnamese. The majority of the games are set for beginning to intermediate levels with a few activities for more advanced language learners.

Note: This site does require Flash Player and provides a link where you can download it for free.

When you get to the site, you will see a menu of languages. Click on the language of interest to you and a new page opens with a menu of games for learning that include:

  • Greetings and Basic Phrases
  • Vocabulary
  • Numbers
  • Days and Months
  • Colors
  • Verbs
  • Verb Conjugation
  • Animals
  • Clothes
  • Food
  • Time
  • And much more!

Click on any game and you are provided with instructions that usually require the player to learn or review vocabulary and phrases first. Then, once you feel confident, play the game to determine your progress and skill.

This is a great way to practice languages – and provides a great introduction to foreign languages as well.

BONUS! When you are through exploring the languages, check out their new, interactive Geography games!

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DID YOU MISPLACE A ClickSchooling Review? Do you need to find an educational website – fast! Visit the ClickSchooling archives.

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Learn Italian Online for Free!

April 5th, 2008

Recommended Website:
BBC Lanuages: Italian Steps

Age: All (The site looks to be designed with older/adult students in mind. However, when you learn a foreign language you are essentially like a very young child, learning a language for the first time. So, while you may need to be a competent reader to use this site, some of the information, activities, etc., can be used for all ages and ability levels with help from mom or dad.)

If your child has suddenly expressed an interest in learning Italian, here is a six-week course at the suggested pace of five lessons per week. (Long enough to find out whether your child will stick to the program or whether this is just a passing fancy.) Learn online for free at your own pace, or sign up for optional free daily email reminders. There’s also a free cumulative quiz at the end.

Each lesson includes:

  • Slideshow: With audio spoken words/phrases as they are actually used by native speakers; you can turn captions on/off in both English and Italian.
  • Key Words: A list of vocabulary words you can study.
  • Guess the Words: An interactive word matching game.
  • Build Sentences: A short lesson with a fill-in-the-blanks quiz at the end.
  • Speak and Write: You get to say and write your end of the conversation, then check your work.
  • Read the Fact File: Facts and tips about Italian culture, with links for further enrichment/study. (One of the enrichment links from lesson one leads to further exploration of hand gestures. Speak Italian with your hands. Why not? *shrug* :)

Great stuff! :)

Enjoy!

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FREE Games and Songs in Spanish, French, German, and More!

January 5th, 2008

Recommended Website:
Hello-World

ClickSchooling list member Annette Hall recommended Hello-World.com that has free online games, songs and activities for children in English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, and Indonesian. When you get to the site you will see an icon menu for each language. Click on any one and a new page opens with a menu that allows you to learn:

  • The Alphabet
  • Letters
  • Numbers
  • Colors
  • Clothes
  • The Calendar
  • The Family
  • Common Descriptions
  • Verbs
  • Time
  • Weather
  • and much more!

Plus, you can learn conversational skills and play games or sing songs to reinforce and practice learning the language of your choice. There is a great deal of content at this site. Not every activity is clearly explained, so expect to spend a little time exploring in order to figure it out. If you ever have a problem — look at the “English” version for assistance. :)

There is a free “Teachers’ Grade Book” available that provides ideas for instruction, but you must register and then wait up to 7 days or so for approval and a password. I didn’t take the time to do that and therefore can’t comment on the content. :)

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