THE BEST APPS FOR LEARNING AND TRANSLATING FOREIGN LANGUAGES

According to the latest data, there is a very prosperous market. If
for schools and classic media such as books, CDs and DVDs a
global sales decline of 2.1 percent is expected by 2018, for the
technology sector the expected growth is 73 percent by 2019
equal to one revolution of $ 14.5 billion. The advantages are
many after all: just have a smartphone or tablet in the pocket to
follow the lesson and perform the exercises, the absence of
books, paper and pen allows students to study anywhere and then
there is interactivity. So let’s see the most promising apps on the
market.
The forerunner starts from Rosetta Stone (199 euros per course)
that uses the microphone of the device to check the
pronunciation. It is the daughter of a technological linguistics
colossus that made a fury at the time of courses on CD and DVD,
has a huge offer and in addition to the classic European languages
we also find Hebrew, Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese. If it is
important to learn well to speak any idiom, the vocal recognition
becomes fundamental in tonal languages such as tangerine where
a same syllable can be pronounced in five different tones
assuming often opposed meanings.
Social learning – the connection of device instead can transform
the learning experience in a social key thanks to applications such
as Busuu (subscription from 9.99 euros). The teaching method is
classic, based on cards and images but in addition offers an online
exchange with other users. Busuu exercises are subjected to the
screening of native speakers who monitor them in real time
giving learners the advice and making them notice any errors
while they will control the work of others in the languages to
perfect. This creates a very fruitful cultural exchange that can
lead to the videochat where learners can make conversation with
foreign people and practice, having fun.
Another out-of-the-box approach is that of Memrise (subscription
of € 8.99). As the name suggests, this application aims at
memorizing words through visual learning: by associating words
and images, it stimulates the mind to remember what students are
learning. Here too, there are many languages and the European
ones such as English, German, Italian, French and Spanish are
divided according to the levels of the Common European
Framework of Reference to train students better for specific
examinations. Wanting there are also sections dedicated to
history, geography and quizzes of pure fun in addition to the
cards dedicated to learning foreign songs.
Easy and intuitive, it is impossible to speak of language apps
without mentioning Duolingo, the queen of learning via
smartphone. Available on iOS and Android, it is completely free
and before starting the lessons offers a short test to check our
level. Very interactive, allows learners to set daily goals and
choose a relaxed, normal or intensive learning style. Basic offers
French and English but those who know the language of
Shakespeare can also access Norwegian, Ukrainian, Russian and
even Esperanto. Keeping under control our every step forward,
Duolingo allows us to review the concepts in which we are
lacking and to study them again until we have learned.
In also another celebrity in the industry is Babbel (subscription
from 9.99 euros), we follow step by step only that is focused
mainly on the conversation. From the first exercises we will learn
the phrases necessary to present and interact with each other and
then go deeper and deeper and study the grammar (Spatafora S.,
2016).
Keywords: apps for learning and translating foreign languages,
visualization, interactive approach in teaching foreign languages.