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Anyone learning a second language is unlikely to plump for German. German has a bit of an image problem lets say. It doesn’t have the romantic connotations that a language like French has. It doesn’t have the utility that Spanish or even Mandarin might have in the near future. Indeed, it is only probably good if you plan to visit German and many of the neighboring countries, like Switzerland and Austria. With this said, Germany is a powerhouse economy in the European union. It holds much sway and many industries are dominated by German companies. So if you work in fields where German companies dominated, learning German may be a help to you.

In fact, the northern parts of Switzerland often have software jobs in the financial industries that appeal to Anglophones. In many cases these jobs require English and German from potential candidates. Some accept just English but it goes without saying that you would assimilate better in the job and the general community if you spoke German. Another reason why you may be keen to learn German is because your heritage is German. Many can trace their family back to Germany or other German speaking countries. They may even have distant relatives that they would like to catch up with. Speaking German could facilitate this.

If one of these reasons explains why you want to learn German then your first step is to get a good German program to start your learning. To begin with, you can find a wealth of material on the internet. Much of it is free and pretty good too. Here are some things that might help you learn German.

German Language Games And Other Resources

Language games are good idea if you need to practice your vocabulary. They are primarily focusing on your written abilities but knowing a word can also help your spoken skills too. Traditional games like hangman, crosswords and flash card games a great fun. You can find many on the internet just by searching. Look a bit harder and you can find more complex games that help your comprehension too. These are games that give you puzzles or clue like scenarios to solve.

If you look around the internet you can also find audio courses or podcasts that can be downloaded for free. They may not have the depth of professional courses that you may pay for but they are a cheap alternative to start with.

If video is more your cup of tea then you can’t go wrong by looking on youtube and other video sharing sites. Simply type in German and you will find something to look and listen to and improve your German at the same time.

Alternatives You Pay For

There are plenty of courses that you can pay for to help you learn German. The major advantage of a paid course is that it gives you more structure to your learning. This helps you to focus. the fact that you paid money also helps to motivate and focus your efforts. The major players in learn German courses are Rosetta Stone, Rocket German, Michel Thomas and Pimsleur. Each has it’s own style and focuses on certain language skills. For instance Michel Thomas and Pimsleur are mainly concerned with the student speaking the language. They don’t bother with writing and reading. Rosetta Stone is a unique immersion approach that tries to simulate the way a baby learns a language. Rocket German is a mixture of the others.

Rocket German, Pimsleur and Michel Thomas come as mp3 or CD’s so you can use them wherever you want. Michel Thomas gets you speaking petty quickly but it is quite limited in depth and vocabulary. Rosetta Stone is a computer application which also requires a headset if you want to use all the features.

French is a well-known language. Some people who are really eager to learn the language have managed to find a school where they can take up French lessons. There may also be private tutors around who can help you learn the language fast. However, many people were still not able to study the language. The reason might be the lack of source or budget. If this is your problem, you can resort to a website of good reputation and start to learn to speak French online.

There are various websites that specialize in this subject. If ever you are interested to give this online course a try, you should be aware that there are two kinds of sites: the free and the paid.

It is true that free sites will not ask you to pay for anything to learn how to speak French; however, learning from them may take years. There won’t even be a guarantee that you will be fluent in the language because most of them teach using the “dictionary” way; whereas with a paid site, you will learn quickly and you will be taught the right way of using each part of speech.

When you enrol in a paid site with a good name, you can rest assured that you will learn the basic French in a matter of days. Fluency will follow within a few weeks. You will also encounter exciting quizzes and exercises along the process. There are various programs to choose from. Some are specially made for kids while some are for adults. There are also separate programs for beginners and advance learners.

If you only want to learn the basic French, you will only need to spend a few days to complete the course. If you want the advanced training, within a span of two months, there is guarantee that you will already become a fluent French speaker.

An online tutorial website will assign an online tutor to you right after enlisting yourself with them. Aside from taking an online tutor, you have another alternative, and that is to purchase downloadable pre-recorded lessons. The sessions are systematically arranged and they are designed for easy learning.

Learning the French language is a good investment. If you are planning to go to France or any French speaking country to work, it will be easier for you to acquire a job as you will not find it difficult to communicate with people. Who knows, you can even work as a French private tutor, or perhaps, a tourist guide to French speaking people.

Learning the French language in the most modern way will not take too much of your time and budget. Give it a try and become an effortless speaker of the language soon.

Do you have problems being understood when you talk with American English speaking friends and colleagues? You are not alone! Here are three strategies you can apply to improve your American English pronunciation.

Accent Reduction Strategy 1-Learn Syllable Stress Rules and Patterns. If you want to improve your American English pronunciation you must learn English syllable stress rules and patterns. Americans listen for syllable stress patterns in order to identify words and they won’t understand you if you stress syllables incorrectly.

When you are pronouncing English words with two or more syllables, one syllable will always receive more stress or emphasis than the others. Here is a common syllable stress pattern: 90% of two syllable English nouns are stressed on the first syllable. That means that the words TEA-cher and STU-dent are pronounced with strong stress on the first syllable. The second syllable in these words is reduced.

A dictionary such as the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language or the Longman Dictionary of American English will show you which syllables to stress.

Accent Reduction Strategy 2-Lengthen the Vowel Sounds in Stressed Syllables. The vowels in stressed syllables take on a special quality in spoken English. These vowels must be lengthened and pronounced with a high pitch in order to make words sound comprehensible to American listeners. Stressing vowel sounds in stressed syllables is vital to the rhythm of spoken English so you must do this if you want to improve your American English pronunciation. For example, when you say TEA-cher you need to lengthen the EA and say it with a high pitch.

Accent Reduction Strategy 3-Learn to Use the “Schwa” Vowel Sound in Reduced Syllables. In spoken English the vowels in reduced syllables are pronounced using the schwa sound. The schwa is a low pitched sound that sounds like “uh”. So when you say the word STU-dent the e in the second (or reduced) syllable sounds like “uh” and the word sounds like STU-duhnt. Since the schwa is sound is the most frequent sound in spoken English, learning to use it in reduced syllables is one of the best ways to improve your accent.

By studying the three accent reduction strategies that I described here, you can begin to improve your American English pronunciation. Your comprehension will improve and you will enjoy speaking English with American friends and colleagues!

Do you want to learn a foreign language? You can find many valuable resources online that can help you achieve your goal.

It is possible to learn a foreign language online, and the variety of languages people are able to take lessons in is astonishing. For instance, you can take online classes in:

Greek

Arabic (Eastern)

Romanian

Russian

Spanish

Swahili

Swedish

Czech

Korean

Turkish

Ukrainian

Vietnamese

Learning a foreign language online is much less expensive than taking traditional lessons. You can save a lot of money, both in class fees and transportation costs. This is just one of the many benefits of studying online.

Another advantage is that you can study when you want. The websites and lessons are there twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, so you can fit learning a foreign language into your schedule.

There are a number of different online foreign language lessons on websites and those websites are divided into different general categories.

Category #1: Take a University Class

Taking classes through a university’s distance learning program is an inclusive way to learn a foreign language.

Many universities around the world, even more prestigious ones, have started to offer courses online and language courses are particularly good for this because of the ease of teaching them online.

These courses are comprehensive and can help you learn a foreign language effectively. There are few online options that are as good as this one.

One drawback, though, is that it can be expensive. If you don’t have the money to take a college course, this may not be the right choice for you.

Category #2: Learn By Chatting

This is a great innovation that could only have come about because of the internet.

When you think of chat rooms, you may not immediately think of learning. But these are great for foreign language learners. You can find a chat room with other learners and work on your skills together.

This method allows you to work on multiple skills. You have to read and write to keep up with the others, and you can practice speaking by vocalizing what you write and what others respond.

You are learning all three skills at once and tripling the productivity of the time you spend learning the language.

Many of these chat rooms can be free, although the ones with enough people to be worth it usually end up costing some money to join.

Category #3: The Article Website

This is another good option for people who want to learn a foreign language online but don’t want to spend a lot of money.

You can find content websites when learning your new language. These allow you to learn what you want, how you want. Another advantage is that it costs little to nothing to study this way.

You can learn a lot of the basics using this method. Noun and verb comprehension can be easily learned this way. One caveat - you have to be able to motivate yourself and stick to a schedule so you progress.

One drawback is that you don’t hear people actually speaking the language. This is important to learn how to pronounce words correctly.

Category #4: Use Audio Books

Audio books offer a variety of learning experiences, and you can use them to learn a foreign language. Several eminent language courses are available for download as an audio book.

Well known programs like the Pimsleur Method are available for download online and take you right from the beginner level to the more advanced.

This can be done in levels where you only pay for one level at a time and only move on the the next level once you are sure you have mastered the one before.

There are many ways to learn English. With the increase in new and innovative technology, many companies are now providing ground-breaking electronic devices to help people learn English more quickly. The following electronic devices will increase your ability to learn English skills and improve English speech:

MP3 Audio Programs: Download the lessons from an English translation internet site and put them on your iPod. Because it is portable, you can listen and learn anywhere.

English Audio Tapes and English Audio CDs: English audio tapes and English audio CDs are a great method of learning English. All you need is a Cassette or CD player. You can learn in many locations including your car.

An Electronic Translator or Electronic Dictionary is an excellent tool one can use when traveling on a vacation, on a business trip, studying languages, conversing with foreign people, and in a variety of other situations. Many devices have a number of attributes that include advanced text-to-speech and voice recognition technologies. There are many quality electronic dictionaries on the market. Depending on which one you purchase, there is an extensive range of vocabulary that can include up to one million words or more. There are also electronic dictionaries that contain common expressions and phrases, grammar references, and much more. Two popular hand held English electronic dictionaries include the Talking Electronic Dictionary and the Audio Phrasebook. They include hundreds of thousands of words, definitions, and thesaurus entries. You can view the word on the screen and hear it spoken. There are electronic dictionaries that contain a study list, SAT word list, complete grammar guide, exercises, tests, and language improving games. Because Electronic Dictionaries vary, it is important to research each device to find the best English electronic dictionary to meet your needs.

English Learning Software that can be downloaded on your computer will help improve English pronunciation. Advanced English translation software allows users to translate English language websites, English e-mails and English documents. Other translation software includes language instruction, study materials, full-text translation, speaking and non-speaking dictionaries that can be used with Windows, Pocket PC, Palm OS, Smartphones and many more.

Television and Radio: Listening to English on the radio everyday and watching and listening to English television is an excellent way to learn English.

PDAs: There are a number of PDA English vocabulary games that will help people learn English. PDAs are hand held and portable so you can learn in any environment. There are also PDA Electronic dictionaries and PDA Book readers containing language translations.

Applications such as the CleverTrainer will help people learn English quickly and efficiently. People test themselves with words they have learned. This type of application is a great English learning tool that people can use on their Palm handheld, Pocket PCs and PDA devices.

Talking 2-way Language Communicator and Electronic Dictionary: These popular hand held devices are like having your own language interpreter. Just speak into the device and you will be provided with an intelligible translation voice response.

Choosing an electronic device that helps you learn English has made learning and speaking English easier, faster, and more enjoyable. Before you purchase a device, make sure you research each product to find the English learning tool that complements your lifestyle.

Learning to speak Italian or any language is a great way to improve yourself. The knowledge that you will gain will not only be relevant to Italian but will cross over to your understanding of your own language and your general knowledge as a whole. For example, your English grammar will improve which could improve your ability to write better prose or even give presentations.

Bluntly, you will be more interesting as you will have some general knowledge that not everyone can claim to have. This can make you more popular in social situation which is a nice thing to have. Even if being more interesting or popular is not your ultimate goal, learning to speak Italian can also help your career or job prospects. Even if Italian is not needed in your job, demonstrating that you can learn a new language demonstrates the type of attributes that employers want, notably discipline and conviction to an objective.

So if you embark on learning to speak Italian what is the first steps you must do ?

First things first. How quickly do you want to learn Italian. Most people would say as fast as possible but your learning should be viewed in context with your learning abilities and your lifestyle. Making an unrealistic goal could frustrate you and ultimately cause you to give up.

If you have very few responsibilities then most people suggest that immersion Italian is the way to go. Get a flight out to Italy and take an intensive course for a month or so. Then live in the country or travel round it for a few more months so that you can use the skills you have learned. You should be chatting in Italian fairly confidently in about 6 months.

Unfortunately, most people don’t have this luxury. They have a time sapping job or have to care for their family. They simply don’t have the opportunity to dedicate all their time to learning the language.

This may describe your situation. If so, learning to speak Italian takes getting a routine going that you can stick to with some conviction. Set a time each week when you can concentrate all your attention on Italian.

Get a good program or take a class that brings some formality to the lessons. Build on the initial lessons. As you get more into the working of the language, learning will become easier and you will be able to tune into the lessons quicker.

As you get more experience and exposure to the language, certain exercises will become easier. For instance, once you get to a certain level you can start to watch Italian films or listen to songs or interviews in Italian. Watching a film can be a pleasant and relaxing experience so it won’t feel like a lesson. Listening to songs can be done as you drive the car so you are maximizing the time you have.

Hello and welcome to this article, today I am going to be discussing a product you may have heard of called Rocket Spanish.

I have always wanted to learn Spanish ever since I had been there on holiday as a child however I just got bored reading those books you can buy from the book shop.

So books weren’t working for me and I really needed a teacher or something more 1 to 1. The prices for a teacher were way too high so I found rocket spanish and decided to give that a try as it looked like just what I needed.

Again the reason I went for rocket spanish was because teachers were asking for more money in one session than the whole cost of rocket spanish so it made sense to go with the cheaper one where I could go at my own pace.

But thankfully I didn’t waste all that money on a tutor and I bought rocket spanish.

I am sure you already know about rocket spanish. For it’s price it is the best thing you can buy that will aid you in learning the spanish language.

I found out that rocket spanish is the best product out there to learn spanish, even better than the courses charging 1000 and up.

It is great to know that with rocket spanish you are free to take your time and go through things at your own pace and not feel like you are being overloaded.

Rocket spanish also was very fun to use, I especially liked the computer game that comes with it where I can learn through doing.

If you have bought these 47 dollar ebooks in the past claiming to help you learn spanish then you will have been disapointed but you won’t with rocket spanish because for a little more money you basically get a home study course.

It may interest you to know that rocket spanish is good for people pf all skill levels.

Rocket Spanish really will help anyone to speak better spanish and it is also fun too. Rocket spanish injects a fun way of learning into the course.

When you make the great decision to buy rocket spanish you have the choice of downloading it or having it mailed to you. I made the decision to downlaod it buy if I had a bit more money I would have had it mailed to me.

I am excited to say that I am loving rocket spanish and am learning more and more each day. I expect to be speaking full spanish within two to three months.

If you have a foreign accent, you probably have a love/hate relationship with it. On one hand, you know that your accent is a part of who you are and points back to your country of origin, a place you likely have fond memories of. On the other hand, your accent can cause you to stand out, and some people have a difficult time understanding you when you speak if your accent is quite heavy. Before you work too hard to remove your accent, consider the fact that it could become a positive part of your identity with a little work.

What Causes Your Accent

As you learn English, you are learning not only vocabulary and grammar, but also the sounds of the language. This is why you spend so much time imitating sounds and speaking the language out loud. A lot of practice makes your pronunciation much more clear, but you can struggle with some sounds. This is because your native tongue does not have some of the sounds the English language has. This is no different than the struggles a native English speaker would have when trying to learn your language. As an adult, your mouth has been trained to form certain sounds and not others, and the sounds of your native tongue carry over into your English speech. This is why it is so difficult to completely remove an accent, because it is literally a part of the person that you are.

Benefits of Having an Accent

Your accent is part of who you are. Many people across the world find foreign accents quite beautiful. Some actors and actresses are chosen for major film roles just for their accent or ability to portray an accent. Accents sound romantic and exotic to the listener in many situations.

In some ways, having an accent can make you stand out in a beneficial way. People notice you when you speak because of the beautiful way your accent sounds. This can sometimes cause you to get noticed.

Downsides to Having an Accent

Having a foreign accent is something that is a part of who you are, but there are potential downsides to it as well. If your accent is thick, it may be difficult for other people to understand you when you speak English. This can lead to other problems.

For example, if you are being considered for a job where your verbal communication skills will come into play, you may be overlooked in favor of someone who can speak clearer English. You may be overlooked simply because the potential employer has difficulty understanding you, even if your English-speaking ability will not come into play in the job. While this is discrimination in a way, there is little you can do about it, because it is difficult to prove.

How to Approach an Accent

Your accent makes you unique, but if it is causing trouble for you, you may want to do something about it. The good news is that you do not have to get rid of your accent altogether if you wish to improve your speaking ability. Remember, your accent is not a bad thing. It is a part of your identity.

What you can do to improve your ability to communicate is work on the strength of your accent. You can actually enroll in courses that will help you form the sounds that you are struggling with when speaking English. This will help you keep your accent while making your English a bit easier for others to understand. In this way, you can avoid any of the negatives that come with having a foreign accent, while using the accent to create your own unique identity.

The World Wide Web has opened a whole new world of opportunity to those who need or want to learn English. Instead of being required to go to regular classes and study with a teacher in a traditional setting, which many do not have time to do, those who want to learn English can now do so from the comfort of their own homes on the computer.

Benefits of Learning English with the Computer

Whether you use an online format or a computer software program to learn English, utilizing technology carries many benefits. First, you are able to learn at your own pace. If you take English in a traditional classroom, you are forced to learn at the pace of the rest of the class. If you are more proficient than the average student, you will be held back. On the other hand, if you are learning more slowly than your classmates, you may be left behind. Technological resources allow you to learn as quickly or slowly as you want, giving you the chance to spend extra time on the areas where you need more help.

Another benefit to learning through technology, especially online courses, is the fact that you can learn no matter where you are. As long as you have an Internet connection, and with WiFi technology this is becoming more and more readily available, you can log on to your class and do a lesson or two. If you are required to travel frequently for your job, you can still use the computer to improve your English skills. This is not possible if you enroll in a traditional English class, as you will be required to be present at your scheduled class time.

Learning English Online Works

You are probably wondering if learning English online is going to sacrifice the quality of your speaking and reading ability. If you choose a good online program it will not. The best online English courses give you the chance to practice writing and speaking English. You may need a microphone for your computer in order to speak, or the listening ear of a friend, but you will learn the language well.

Choosing a Program

The key to your success in learning English using the computer is choosing the right program or course. Choose a program that focuses on basic vocabulary first, and then teaches you English through conversation, either written or spoken. Grammar rules are important as well, but if your goal is to be able to converse fluently, you need a program that jumps right into conversation after teaching you some basic words. Grammar rules can be learned after some conversation has been mastered.

Ideally, choose a program taught by native English speakers. Be sure to choose a course that has a listening component. You will need to be able to hear the different sounds of the language repeatedly in order to learn to speak them. This is one way in which learning English with the computer is helpful, because you can replay phrases over and over until you have mastered them.

Other Online Resources

The Internet also gives you the chance to practice reading and writing in English. Since 80 percent of all websites are in English, you can read as much of the language as you want after you have gained a basic understanding of common phrases and vocabulary. In addition to this, chat rooms, online forums, and discussion groups give you the chance to practice writing in English, with the opportunity to get some feedback on your grammar and spelling. Additionally, there are many websites where you can download worksheets and even games that give you the ability to practice your vocabulary skills. The Internet is a treasure trove for people who are trying to learn English, so stop making excuses, get online, and start learning!

Global travelers will find it exciting to learn how to speak French. It will even be a more interesting subject for them once they find out that learning it is actually making them expert in English itself. Did you actually know that most of the English words we know today were derived from French? However, most people want to learn the language to progress.

If you want to get a good and high paying job position, you should know that most of the companies that offer such position require French speaking individuals. If you want to work in another country or state, there might be a need for you to learn French, because there are many areas that use the language.

If you’re busy, you can utilize the World Wide Web to take online French lessons. Simply visit a website that offers this service and sign up. Then, you can start learning at the comfort of your home. Many people are now learning the language online. It’s as effective as a live session with an actual tutor.

If you are concern about the future of your kids, one of the best things that you can do is enroll them to an online program that will help them learn French. These programs are arranged in a systematic order and you can actually get one which is intended for elementary students. Your children can start to learn elementary French inside your house whenever it is convenient for them.

A Learn Elementary French audio or video usually uses the same techniques that elementary schools use to train children. It employs songs and rhymes as well to help learners remember every lesson taught. This is the level of learning where they will be taught to use phrases, parts of speech and so on.

You will be lucky enough to find an elementary school for your kids that offer French lessons as part of their curriculum. However, if they are not available in your area, you can simply find a French teaching website where you can enlist your kids.

They can take advantage of these online courses wherever they are in the world. There are some countries that do not have many sources where one could learn elementary French. If this is a problem in your area, you can let your child use of the World Wide Web to get his or her knowledge from.

The best way for a child to learn French is to mingle with people who speak the language. If they are nowhere to be found in your area, turn to the internet and you will surely not be disappointed when you enrol your child to a program where he or she can learn elementary French.