Apps and Online Tools

Introduction

Some years ago when I first embarked on this project I gave a paper about the usefulness or otherwise of apps. At the time there wasn't much available for Portuguese, now there are a few more. This post will not assess all of them, merely provide a taster and sampling of what is out there and my reflections on those I have used. There are broadly four different categories: beginner, grammar, vocabulary and those designed as travel aids for tourists. I have tried out various apps and will review three that I have found most useful, here.

Verbs, tenses, conjugations

Many apps have a certain amount that is free and then ask for payment for more content or greater interactivity. I understand this. It takes skill and time to generate these tools and such effort merits payment. One of my consistent weaknesses has been memorising verb endings. Therefore, I decided to go in search of apps that aid in this. The first is LearnBots. It has a clear, clean and colourful interface. 

VerbTrainer glimpse at exercises

LearnBots lists

The free version has a comprehensive list of verbs listed in different tenses that, when you click on them gives you the word pronounced by a native speaker (from where it does not say). This is all good and useful. However, it's not clear what you get when you upgrade. I would like tests and exercises that help me revise. This may be what's there, but I don't want to spend money not knowing what's available. I use it as a reference, a pretty booklet of verb conjugations, but no more. The second is Verb Trainer. They've gone for a copybook look to their site, which is cute, but lacks colour. You get a list of verbs and their conjugations for free. You have to pay for audio and there is a glimpse at an exercise, but you cannot try it out. Not shelling out for that either. I want to be able to trial a little. So, both are a disappointment.

This search led me to Duolingo, which, in turn, led me to a project in The Guardian. On the21st of February 2014 The Guardian asked three individuals to learn languages using purely online tools, variously Duolingo, Rosetta Stone and an online tutor. This is part of a wider project about language learner with interesting reflections on the joys and pitfalls of language learning on The Guardian website that is worth checking out. There is a great range of bloggers and reflections on their page. I want to comment on my experience of two of these tools: online tutor and Duolingo. I've never been convinced enough by Rosetta Stone samples to spend the money on their product. 

Online classes

My one-to-one classes in the same place have turned into Skype classes, of late, because my teacher has moved. These have had some technical glitches (fade outs in sound, calls dropping and poor signal), but, have mostly flowed well. There has been a greater formality to the classes, though. Previously, the class was preceded by more chat over coffee, it now is more curtailed. This has more to do with being both time poor at present than technology. Although, I suspect that location influenced the more convivial atmosphere of previous classes. She sends me material that we work through each week for an hour. I write a short essay that I email her. She gives me feedback on this. The class is conducted entirely in Portuguese and is a mix of reading (and necessarily listening) comprehension, grammar exercises and much conversation around a particular topic. This are interesting, varied and include material that is a mix of applied information on cultural context (for example, how women's rights have evolved since the dictatorship in Portugal) to more broad based vocabulary (for example, veganism as a celebrity fad). The continuity and discipline of the classes work well for me.

Duolingo

Student's personal homepage

sample exercise

sample exercise

As part of The Guardian's project Alan Haburchak was given the task of learning with Duolingo.  His conclusion so far has been that he finds it a useful tool for learning vocabulary, but an inadequate one for learning grammar. I agree with him insofar as it has been a great tool for supplementing my learning and reinforcing knowledge gained elsewhere. As a tool for explaining grammar it is entirely lacking. For me, that is perfectly fine. For grammar, I use other resources, such as the free verb tables in Verb Trainer and LearnBot as well as multiple texts and the classes I take. For practice, Duolingo works excellently. The emails encouraging me to 'keep my owl happy' by reaching my self-designated goals (the owl encourages you, gives you feedback and can be dressed up using the lingots you earn on the way), the multiple short exercises built around specific skills, grammar areas or vocabulary are very productive and the variation and repetition built into the patterning of the tasks, are all very welcome.

Keep your owl happy

What's more, it's all free, so far. I'd highly recommend it. It has made me think about how motivation works and how short term success keeps me going through the frustrations of language learning that I and others have written about. When I feel like I'm stumbling in classes or making the same silly mistakes in my writing, Duolingo has functioned to help me over the slump, it also makes me methodically go through vocabulary and grammar fields ensuring I get my spelling right, and, as an added bonus, keep my (currently bling tracksuit wearing) owl happy.

I am on the same page as "[Donavan] Whyte [vice president of Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA)] and [Kevin] Chen [italki's chief executive, who] agree that online tools are going to be most effective when used as onecomponent of a bigger arsenal of learning tools". Online tools are supplementary to the offline books and people that are necessary for language learning.