Summary

We're pretty big on Babbel, the online language learning platform, and wanted to let Free Language readers know that in June they released a new browser-based speech recognition feature.

This unique tool encourages users to practice the language they are learning out loud and gives them the opportunity to fine-tune their pronunciation. Some traditional e-learning software includes this sort of tool, but none of them do it online in quite the same way. It is also one of the first applications to incorporate the new Adobe Flash Player 10.1.

Language Learning System Babbel Introduces Speech Recognition

• Foreign language pronunciation training online
• Real-time technology based on the new Adobe Flash Player 10.1
• Speech recognition with Babbel iPhone apps also planned

Babbel integrates a unique speech recognition tool into its language learning system. The feature encourages practice and gives the opportunity to fine-tune pronunciation skills. This adds yet another dynamic dimension to online language learning.

The browser-based speech analysis gives learners an instant evaluation, letting them know how close their pronunciation is to that of a native speaker. Included in all Babbel courses, the feature will take effect automatically. No installation is necessary beyond the latest Flash Player.

Active speech

Many students of foreign languages, regardless of their level, lack speaking practice and often shy away from direct communication. Breaking out of the shell can take courage that is not always at hand. The idea of the speech recognition feature is to give them the confidence to open their mouths. "We're encouraging learners to speak and improve their pronunciation with a technical tool before they have to face real-life situations", says Markus Witte, Managing Director of Babbel.

In a new kind of exercise integrated into the Babbel courses, learners hear a word or phrase and are prompted to repeat it back. The quality of the pronunciation is then rated on a scale of 0-100. A result of 50 or higher means that the utterance is generally understandable. Beyond that point, the user can continue to polish their pronunciation to desired perfection.

New technology from audio software experts

The Babbel founders have an extensive background in audio technology. Among them are the original developers of TRAKTOR, the world renowned DJ software. This professional-level technology has been channeled into the online language learning system Babbel and made accessible for anyone online.

The new speech recognition tool marks a milestone in online language learning and underscores Babbel’s technological lead. It works directly with the popular Flash Player and is the first to make use of its new capabilities

Another implementation of speech recognition technology is planned for the recently released Babbel iPhone apps.

About Babbel

Babbel is an online language learning system. Along with the website, there are apps for iPhone and a downloadable vocabulary trainer. Both beginners and returning learners will find interactive exercises for studying English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Brazilian Portuguese and Swedish. Among diverse kinds of courses there are Basic and Advanced Vocabulary, grammatical exercises and pronunciation training. More than 700,000 people from over 200 countries have already registered with Babbel, while the iPhone apps have had at least 100,000 downloads.

We have reviewed Babbel for the seven languages it's currently working for. Have a look at our articles to find out much more about this unique language-learning platform:

Babbel English
Babbel French
Babbel German
Babbel Italian
Babbel Portuguese
Babbel Spanish
Babbel Swedish

For those interested in investing in their Spanish education, Freestyle Spanish is a new project to put together all of the existing Spanish language products in one place so people know what they're looking for.

Also of intrigue is an emergent language learning method, called the Freestyle Spanish Method.

From Website

The days of one-stop language learning solutions are over. Spanish does not exist in a vacuum. Now you bring together what you need to learn the Spanish you want to speak. You can manage this by basing your studies on the kinds of things you want to read, hear, talk about and perhaps see.

The Freedom to Choose

* Use good tools and materials to build a solid foundation in Spanish.
* Cater Spanish study topics to your individual interests and needs.
* Create a steady flow of interesting Spanish content from wherever you choose.
* Grow your personal vocabulary by exposing yourself to this content consistently.
* Work to become comfortable writing and talking about your chosen interests in Spanish.
* Keep it real and put it to practice through language exchange.

Visit Freestyle Spanish.

Babbel, the online language learning system, has just introduced some themed language courses that deal with soccer and the World Cup.

They contain special words and exercises to get ready for the sporting event, so you can explain the offside trap to a French fan in his native tongue, or – after a quick vocabulary check on the iPhone –, argue with a Spaniard over the incompetent referee.

The service is available online and on the iPhone for English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish or Swedish.

Sign up for a free Babbel account and try out the World Cup soccer language course!

Press Release

Babbel Kicks Off a World Cup Course – Foreign Language Learning for Soccer Fans
Seven-lesson course to prepare for the World Cup
Soccer vocabulary on your iPhone with Babbel Mobile
Training in seven languages, making for 42 language combinations

BERLIN, May 19, 2010: This year, there’s just one international language: Soccer. But for whoever might be interested in any other language, the online platform Babbel now offers the Mini-Course “World Cup” in French, English, Spanish, Italian, German, Swedish and Brazilian Portuguese. The Vocabulary for the World Cup contains special words and exercises to get ready for the big soccer event, so you can explain the offside trap to a French fan in his native tongue, or after a quick vocabulary check on the iPhone, argue with a Spaniard over the incompetent referee.

It’s high time there was a little international understanding: Follow the match together, talk shop over the team lineup, or celebrate a goal. The Mini Course on Babbel is made up of three Courses and four new Vocabulary Packages. They bring together all the most important soccer vocabulary on your iPhone or online for convenient learning in your free time

Penalty Kick!

The World Cup Course contains seven short lessons. The first has useful words and phrases about soccer and can be tested for free. And for anyone who wants to give a fuller account of fouls to the Tifosi in the sports bar around the corner, there’s “Advanced World Cup”.

This special language Course is available in 42 language combinations. So any soccer freak can learn words and phrases in one of seven languages. With the Babbel Mobile app, you can learn the Packages easily on your iPhone or iPod Touch.

Visit Babbel.com

The folks at Busuu continue to be hard at work pushing the limits blending self-instruction via web with social language learning online.

Recently, they have teamed up with PONS, a leading European language publisher based in Germany, to offer amazingly comprehensive grammar guides online.

View this announcement on the Busuu blog or read it below!

Today is a very important day in the history of busuu.com – we are pleased to announce a new partnership with PONS, one of Europe´s leading language learning publishers!

PONS, based in Stuttgart and belonging to Germany´s second largest publishing house Klett Group, develops for already more than 30 years language learning material and dictionaries. PONS offers more than 500 dictionaries and language material for various skill levels from beginners to professional users – and that in over 35 languages from Arabic to Turkish.

As a first step within this partnership, we will offer exhaustive PONS Grammar Guides fully integrated into our existing learning material. The PONS Grammar Guides provide you with detailed grammar explanations and are directly linked to our existing grammar units. From now on, by clicking on the new PONS button within the grammar units you will receive detailed explanations about this corresponding grammar topic.

Additionally, you can directly access the PONS Grammar Guides directly via the new PONS tab you will find in your language area.

The new PONS Grammar Guides are currently available for German and Spanish native speakers learning English, French, Italian, Spanish and German. In the near future we are planning to launch the guides as well for all other native speakers of our fast growing community.

The Grammar Guides are just the first step of this strategic partnership. we are planning to co-develop business courses and courses for advanced speakers together with PONS which will be launched in the near future.

We from busuu.com are very proud to partner up with such a renowned brand within the language learning industry. The expertise of PONS will further enhance the language learning experience of our users and we are looking forward to exciting new features and material to be offered very soon on our website!

PS: Take advantage now of our 10% off introductory discount by using the promotion code: JAN2010 when upgrading your account - only valid until end of January 2010!

Visit Busuu.com

2009 Language Show in Olympia, London

The Language Show is going to be an amazing event for language learners, language teachers/instructors/educators, language lovers and linguists alike. There will be loads of exhibitors from all kinds of language-related industries, for a full list view this page.

Also available are intensive language classes in Chinese, German, Italian, Arabic, Spanish, French, Japanese, Polish and Russian as well as "taster classes" in all the above languages plus Persian, Sign Language, Hindi, Catalan, Hungarian, Czech, Turkish and Norwegian.

If you are in the London area and are into languages, this is not to be missed!

From Website

The Language Show is the UK’s biggest event for language learners, teachers, linguists and anyone with a love for languages. The show offers language enthusiasts all the help, advice and resources needed to learn or teach languages all under one roof. Plus, there's a dedicated Language Careers Fair for job seekers.

Over 100 FREE seminars and 185 exhibitors cover every aspect of language teaching and learning in a fun and entertaining way.

Visit thelanguageshow.co.uk for more information.

Quickly Shop, Find and Buy Language Products on your Mobile Device

Thanks to feedback from the online community, we have decided to launch a mobile language shop for users who are using mobile devices (iPod Touch, iPhone, Blackberry, Nokia, etc) to surf the web to shop and buy language products.

We have worked to make this new website as fast, simple to use and easy to read from a mobile device as possible. We have spared the bling and whatnot to give you a site that just plain works for shopping online via your mobile phone, with features and searches already in place specifically for language products.

We feel this is a valuable service for anyone interested in finding and purchasing language products online via any mobile device!

Top Mobile Language Learning Products

Here is a list of our top recommendations for language learning using your mobile device, including MP3 players (iPod, iPad, Zune, Zen, etc) and mobile phones (iPhone, Blackberry, etc).

Here are quick links to all of these for many languages: