One of the many amazing things you can do online is to study a foreign language. And for that, mobile applications and software can be splendid companions.
But can you really learn a language with an app? Are they effective? Let’s look at the benefits of language apps.
Learning a foreign language can be an enthralling experience that can improve your life.
While studying a new tongue can be challenging, its advantages far outweigh the struggles you have to endure.
People give up on their dream of learning a new language because of the unavailability of language resources, specific courses, and language educators in their town.
They usually cannot travel to different cities, and so on. In such situations, the best solution is online language learning via a mobile app.
Yes, you can learn it with a smartphone app or desktop software.
The ubiquitous availability of mobiles has made foreign language learning a tad easier and way more comfortable than ever.
Table of Contents
- 10 Major Benefits of Language Apps
- 1. Learn Anytime and Save time
- 2. Learn at your comfort from anywhere
- 3. You can choose any Language and Course
- 4. Language Learning Apps are affordable
- 5. You can study at your own pace
- 6. You can enjoy the learning experience
- 7. Face-to-face classes through a teacher
- 8. You can start speaking from the beginning
- 9. Easy Access to Mobile Language Apps
- 10. Language Apps are Incredibly Versatile
- Can you learn a language with an app?
10 Major Benefits of Language Apps
Most people waste time on unnecessary activities they know are useless.
Life is far too short to spend time doing irrelevant things online.
Wouldn’t it be great if you managed your spare time learning how to speak a new tongue through an app?
If you are thinking about learning a language through a smartphone app, laptop software, or the web, these are the benefits of language learning apps.
1. Learn Anytime and Save time
Do you want to take a lesson at night when you’re free?
Are you short on time to attend offline classes?
If so, try a language-learning app in your spare time!
Mobile apps are effective ways to learn languages for people with time constraints.
You don’t have to worry about managing your time to follow a fixed timetable at any traditional language school. You can study whenever you want.
So, next time you’re on a business trip, don’t make an excuse for not having enough time to learn a language.
For a change, practice through a language app.
2. Learn at your comfort from anywhere
A second key advantage of learning a language via a mobile app is learning from the comfort of your space.
Gone are the days when traveling far and wide was compulsory for conventional courses. Today, you no longer have to be at any particular place.
These apps have made our lives easy and convenient.
You can access these resources wherever you fancy, typically on whatever device you have to hand.
You can learn in a metro while traveling to your office, on the terrace, in your living room when you have nothing else to do, or wherever you want.
If your profession doesn’t let you be at a set time and place, you can engage in fully online education through an app.
To sum up, you need not go to other locations. Study anywhere you wish!
3. You can choose any Language and Course
There are too many sites, tools, and resources for dominant languages like Arabic, English, German, French, and Spanish.
You don’t have to bother about not getting one for your study. Instead, you will be more confused about which one to use.
What if you want to learn Persian to dive further into Hafiz, Ferdowsi, Rumi, and Khayyam’s mellifluous poetry?
Possibly, you are moving to the Netherlands and need to speak Dutch.
You are perhaps taking the JLPT N1 exam but cannot find a Japanese sensei who can teach you the trickiest grammar.
If you desire to learn one of the rare languages, you have limited choices regarding books, trainers, or even speakers.
It can quickly become frustrating when you feel your progress is not up to the mark because of inadequate resources.
Mobile language apps can solve this problem. You can search for any course and language with just a few clicks. Pretty useful, right?
There is something for everyone — from Southeast Asia tongues like Vietnamese and Malay to Slavic Polish and Russian language.
You can learn any language of your preference and whatever course is relevant to your current ability with the help of a mobile app.
4. Language Learning Apps are affordable
Many cannot afford or do not want to spend money on regular classes. You can save a considerable amount of money by studying with an app.
The subscription price of Mobile Apps is much lower than studying at language institutes or other language courses online.
Language learning apps also cost little. A vast majority are, in fact, free or freemium.
You can explore a wealth of content in various foreign languages and topics to help you at every stage.
You only have to pay an extra fee to remove ads or once you cross the initial hurdles.
You can unlock many impressive features and unlimited access at a reasonable price.
Now, all you have to do is sign up for one!
5. You can study at your own pace
Everyone has a unique learning style.
Some people are quick learners and have a knack for picking up a language. In contrast, many students are reluctant to move to the next lesson without understanding every tiny aspect of the topic.
An app can appeal to diverse kinds of students.
There are students from different backgrounds when you enroll in group classes, and the course continues at a pre-defined schedule.
Learners cannot go at their own pace, and they have to follow the teacher’s rate of pedagogy.
What if you’re not able to match up the momentum?
That’s another reason foreign language apps have become so popular — learning at your own pace according to your needs and liking.
One of the most remarkable benefits of language apps is personalizing a course using a learner’s past data.
Additionally, once you have tuned your ear to your target language, you may be required to learn it at your speed and rhythm.
6. You can enjoy the learning experience
Let’s face it. Some people are naturally good at language learning. But, for most of us, by and large, it is tedious and difficult.
When you love the subject, studying becomes hugely entertaining.
The strategy that comprises multimedia components like sound, video, and visual content can be much more productive and motivating!
It may be difficult for you to focus on a lesson in class or read a long book, but you will rarely struggle to find the motivation to use a smartphone or computer.
One of the significant innovations in the 21st century is gaining a language through gamification.
Most of these apps have integrated new game-based digital learning concepts to inspire and engage students to study in a relaxed environment.
Apps can make the entire language-learning process amusing and stimulating.
You can use these education apps to keep your enthusiasm alive and concurrently practice speaking a new vocabulary.
7. Face-to-face classes through a teacher
To truly learn how to speak a foreign tongue, you need to immerse yourself in that language and have actual conversations with natives or people with higher language fluency.
An instructor can help you achieve this.
Of all the online foreign language education, face-to-face education is the most beneficial method because it connects all four language skills — speaking, writing, reading, and listening.
The face-to-face approach allows you to learn from mistakes while benefiting from teachers’ expert guidance.
Today, there are apps for almost everything, including apps for learning a language from a tutor.
There’s no better way to get to grips with a foreign tongue than by speaking it by engaging with a tutor on apps such as iTalki, Rype, Tandem, Preply, Verbling, Live Lingua, and many more.
You can also request to customize the course curriculum as per your requirements.
The only caveat is the price isn’t cheap.
Most instructors charge hourly, though you can ask for one free trial or demo session.
While the fee varies depending on the trainer’s experience and language proficiency level, the native teachers’ price is generally higher.
8. You can start speaking from the beginning
Language is all about human interaction, either written or spoken.
All four sections — reading, listening, speaking, and writing interconnect with one another, and constant practice will significantly enhance your learning process.
Most people put a lot more effort into writing abilities and not enough into speaking.
Speaking is the most crucial part of communicating well in this ever-increasing globalized world of all four language skills.
The apps for learning foreign languages focus heavily on oral practice.
The purpose of these smartphone apps is to encourage you to learn how to speak as early as possible.
Essentially, speaking a language enables you to use vocabulary, phrases, and grammar and also assists you in making a conversion in no time.
Of course, it is tough to become fluent, but you will hold elementary-level conversation skills in days or weeks.
The effectiveness of language learning apps can motivate you to continue learning and move ahead.
9. Easy Access to Mobile Language Apps
Language apps are easily accessible online, so why not use apps for learning Mandarin, Japanese, Korean, or any other foreign tongue?
Thanks to technological advancement and easy access to the internet, more and more companies are developing software programs, apps, electronic devices, and websites devoted to foreign language study.
All you need is an internet connection, a computer, tablet, or smartphone, a few apps or software, and sometimes a camera and headphones, which most people have these days.
You need not search for a language learning center anymore.
10. Language Apps are Incredibly Versatile
Do you want to learn how to speak one of the Scandinavian languages?
Perhaps you are looking for ways to improve your vocabulary to learn Italian.
You can play crossword puzzles to revise the conjugation of the French language.
Language learning technology is amazingly creative.
You can find an app for nearly everything you need at your fingertips. Different apps use varied techniques to offer an array of activities.
For example, apps like Duolingo, Anki, Memrise, etc., help you acquire new vocabulary and basic grammar.
These apps use images and audio to help you memorize the words.
Seeing the vocab and phrases through the spaced repetition language method and speech recognition technology will make it stick out much better than just mugging up.
Plenty of apps like Babbel, Busuu, Lingvist, Mondly, and Rosetta Stone focus on all four language segments.
These are less gamified, but the program structure is like standard courses.
These language apps provide a complete, immersive language learning experience.
Can you learn a language with an app?
Considering these positive aspects, it’s undoubtedly that the benefits of language apps are apparent.
There are many distinct advantages compared to other alternatives, like offline classes at foreign language centers, books, or online learning through an LMS or tutor.
But as with everything, nothing is perfect. There are some weaknesses in online language learning.
Language learning apps always promise you the world — but don’t expect to become fluent in one. There are quite a few drawbacks of language apps.
Learning languages takes time. I am not saying you can achieve advanced proficiency solely by using an app.
It is not a replacement for a language tutor.
It can still help people accomplish a lot in learning a language, especially if you combine it with other vital resources like a teacher, books, and frequent conversation exchanges with speakers.
Start the language learning journey today — it’s in your hand or pocket!
If you have questions or want to share experiences with any language app, write in the comments below!