How can Americans bolster foreign language education?

02-05-2009

A recent survey conducted by Livemocha illustrates the popularity of learning a language before traveling:

·         88% of respondents feel that learning the native language of their travel destination has enhanced their travel experiences

·         84% of respondents plan to achieve competency in another language in the coming year

So, how can Americans bolster foreign language education stateside during these challenging economic times? The answer, in part, might be found on the Internet. Livemocha (www.livemocha.com), the world’s largest online language learning community, offers eager language learners and travelers the chance to learn or refresh a language without breaking the piggy bank. Livemocha’s Travel Crash Course and Premium Courses enable students to develop real language skills with fun, engaging exercises, and explore the language and culture of their foreign destination with the help of the native speakers from around the globe.

Livemocha’s online Travel Crash Course offers 70 hours of instruction in six popular languages at a price everyone can afford —$9.95.  Travel Crash Course students also receive MP3 audio for 500 travel-related words and phrases to help build their foreign language skills.  In addition to this travel-specific content, students also have access to Livemocha’s engaging social learning environment, where they can immerse themselves in new languages and cultures through interaction with over 1.5 million native speakers. Premium courses include tutor reviews of speaking and writing exercises, live online group tutoring sessions with a qualified tutor and MP3 downloads of every word and phrase in the course. Livemocha’s Premium Course is currently available in Spanish 101, with additional languages and levels of instruction to be added in the near future. In short, Livemocha’s new Travel Crash Course is just one of the many ways people are using Livemocha to learn new languages in order to prepare for international travel, advance their career, make social connections, supplement their education and more. 

If you are interested in hearing more about how Livemocha is helping travelers develop real language skills, we’d like to offer you an interview with a Livemocha member who used the service in preparation for a recent trip to the Galapagos Islands. I’ve included some additional information below as well as some additional information about Livemocha. I’d greatly appreciate your response either way.

Thanks for your interest,

Sara

About Livemocha

Livemocha is a Seattle-based company that is redefining language learning by combining dynamic online lessons with the world's largest community of native language speakers. Livemocha is a free service that allows its members to become conversationally proficient in an ever-growing number of popular languages, including English, French, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Icelandic, Italian, Hindi, Japanese, Mandarin and Russian. Since launching in September 2007, Livemocha community has already grown to 1.5 million members, a clear indication of the demand for an engaging, collaborative approach to language learning. There are currently over 375 million people wanting to learn a language worldwide, and the market is currently estimated to be $20 billion, fueled by rapid globalization, immigration and travel. For more information about Livemocha, please visit www.livemocha.com

 

Livemocha Customer Reference Info

Matt tried using other methods — textbooks, CDROMs— to learn Spanish, but found them to be antiquated. On a friend’s recommendation, he turned to Livemocha to learn Spanish. A certified endurance coach, Matt leads running camps throughout the world. As a result, he needs to be conversationally proficient when communicating with bus drivers, restaurant wait staff or store owners. His most recent trip took him to the Galapagos Islands which required him to speak Spanish for himself—and for his English-only speaking campers.  By dedicating himself to learning Spanish with Livemocha, he was able to develop true conversational skills and enjoy his trip even more!

 

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