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The BBC has recently updated its BBC Languages resources! The new look and features are a considerable upgrade, making it easier to see all the resources available and get learning the languages you want to learn.

BBC Languages has always been a great place to access self-contained beginner courses in Chinese, German, Greek, French, Italian and Portuguese. There are also tidbits and goodies in other languages.

Recently, the BBC has revamped it's entire website for more flexibility, personalization and ease of use. In the languages section, this means it's easier than ever to find online courses, grammar info, learning games, dictionaries, self-assessment tests, resources for tutors, info about going abroad, photos, tips, stories, audio, video, related links, local class finder, cool/slang words and phrases... It's all there and packed with good content!

Also available are the Steps in 12 Weeks free email courses for French, German, Italian and Spanish. Plus, intermediate resources have been created for learning French and Spanish, with more languages to follow.

All in all, the BBC's momentum in the free online language-learning department is not slowing down. They consistently add new resources, new languages and interesting content for learners and educators/tutors alike.

Have a look at the new BBC Languages Website.

The BBC on Free Language

BBC Learning English
BBC Better at Languages

BBC Languages French
BBC Languages German
BBC Languages Italian
BBC Languages Portuguese
BBC Languages Spanish

BBC Afrique News in French
BBC Brasil News in Portuguese
BBC Mundo News in Spanish
BBC News in Arabic
BBC News in Chinese
BBC News in Farsi (Persian)
BBC News in Russian
BBC World News in English

Here are some of the latest additions to the front page. One of my favorites is the Deutsche Welle German InternetTV Miro Player!

Deutsche Welle Miro Player for Instant Access to DW's Audio and Video Content in German, English and More
BBCChinese.com BBC News in Mandarin Chinese
Simple English Wikipedia Free and Open Encyclopedia for Learning and Teaching through Topics Written in Basic English

Here are a few resources I have come across lately in my web meanderings that I believe would be valuable additions to the site:

Schweiz Magazin
Voices in Español Podcast
The Japlish Podcast
Yemen Links Arabic Resources
A Scroogle Search for "learn english free"
Technorati Search for learn+german Videos

Obviously the last two can be expanded to include all the languages offered on this site. They are just predefined searches that can help folks find what they are looking for faster, something we are working to make possible.

Just came across a really cool linguistic thing on the Newseum website: a section with images of today's front page articles from around the globe in multiple languages.

Nice one!

From Website

The Newseum — a 250,000-square-foot museum of news — will offer visitors an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits.

The Newseum will be located at the intersection of Pennsylvania Avenue and Sixth Street, N.W., Washington, D.C., on America’s Main Street between the White House and the U.S. Capitol and adjacent to the Smithsonian museums on the National Mall. The exterior’s unique architectural features include a 74-foot-high marble engraving of the First Amendment and an immense front wall of glass through which passers-by will be able to watch the museum fulfilling its mission of providing a forum where the media and the public can gain a better understanding of each other.

The Newseum will feature seven levels of galleries, theaters, retail spaces and visitor services. It will offer a unique environment that takes museumgoers behind the scenes to experience how and why news is made.

"The visitor will come away with a better understanding of news and the important role it plays in all of our lives," said Newseum Executive Director and Senior Vice President Joe Urschel. "The new Newseum will be educational, inspirational and a whole lot of fun."

Since Version 2 of the site launched on February 1, 2007, many syndicated web feeds have been added to the site. These include blog, podcast and news feeds from around the world and in multiple languages.

These feeds can be used by the learner or educator as a wide variety of learning tools.

Audio and textual news feeds can keep intermediate to advanced users fluent with the target language, introduce new vocabulary and bridge into many cultural, political and international affairs.

Video and audio podcasts can initiate the learning process for total newbies or give beginner, intermediate and advanced learners material to work with.

Blog feeds can provide insight into the process of learning a language or offer experiences learners have when acquiring a foreign language.

Below is a list of the web feeds that we syndicate at Free Language. We encourage you to use them in new and creative ways to facilitate your learning process.