Showing posts with label other languages. Show all posts
Showing posts with label other languages. Show all posts

Saturday, 27 September 2014

Great Language Learning App - Duolingo

Some classes at Tomlinscote (and some staff!) are developing a slight addiction to Duolingo - a clever language learning and revision app (available for free, for example from itunes). You can also play online on www.duolingo.com.

You can choose between several languages, for example Spanish, French, German or Italian. In your first session, you complete a quick initial assessment and then you can practise and revise new skills, from colours and clothes to future tenses and conditionals, so students of all levels will find useful tasks. Before moving on to the more complex skills you need to pass tests, assessing your reading, translating, listening writing and grammar skills, as well as your pronunciaton. (Careful when you have a cold though: it might not understand you very well!)





Although the app gives you some vocab and grammar hints, it is probably better to use it for a language you have already started to learn, rather than attempting a completely new one. However, it is great fun and rather addictive- and your feathery coach will keep you motivated. You can also link with others and compare results. Who will earn the most lingots? Maybe give Portuguese or Dutch a try, if you're feeling really adventurous. By going into your profile you can even learn and revise two or three languages at the same time!
Have fun and let us know how you get on by leaving a comment here! 



Friday, 31 January 2014

'Como tu no hay dos' - Spanish Song

HOLA AMIGOS!

Here you have a SPANISH SONG (with lyrics) that was very famous few years ago!

The singer, Beatriz Luengo, is a Spanish actress who was so successful dancing and singing in a popular Spanish TV series (UPA Dance), that then she also became a singer, being very popular in Spain and France as well!

Will you be able to repeat the catchy chorus?

HASTA LA VISTA!




in case the video doesn't work, follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxAdD4N1tg8

Sunday, 6 October 2013

Teen speaks 20 languages!

See where a passion for languages can lead you! This amazing American teenager speaks 20 languages!
It's really interesting what he says about the link between languages and culture...


Saturday, 21 September 2013

Improve your pronunciation with Text to Speech!

If you want to improve your pronunciation or find out how to say certain words, you could use a 'text to speech' programme. It's really magic!

Just copy your MFL text (for example, your German speaking exam preparation) and paste it in the box.

Choose your language and click on listen.

Simply follow this link:
http://www.acapela-group.com/text-to-speech-interactive-demo.html

You can even choose whether you want a male or female native speaker to read it out...

Do the process sentence by sentence and repeat after the speaker to achieve perfect authentic pronunciation!

Thursday, 18 April 2013

EuroNews - news clips in lots of languages

If you're interested in the news and would like to practice your language skills - or if you just want to listen to some Russian out of curiosity here is a fantastic MFL private study resource for you: The youtube channels by Euronews provide short news clips in different languages: Under 'show more' you can even read along with the transcript!

click on the word for news clips in:


 
 






and English in case you want to check you understood it right...

Thank you to Madame Petros and Helen Myers for the tip!

Tuesday, 25 September 2012

Foreign Language Accents and Umlaute


If you want to word process texts in a foreign language, you won't find all the letters on your key board. Here are the most common characters you might need:
Simply hold down the ALT key while typing the relevant code on the number pad (make sure the Number Lock light is set to ON to use the number pad). This will work on all computers with software like Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.



 á


160


à


133


â


131


ä


132

   Ä



142


å


134


   Å



143


æ


145

   Æ



146


   Ç



128


ç


135


é


130

   É

  



144


è


138


ê


136


ë


137

í


161


ì


141


î


140


ï


139

ñ


164


   Ñ



165


ó


162


ò


149

ô


147


ö


148


   Ö



153


ú


163

ù


151


û


150


ü


129


   Ü



154

ÿ


152


½


171


¼


172


º


167

ª


166


°


248

ß

225





Saturday, 5 May 2012

Eurovision Song Contest 2012

It's that time of year again: Not only is spring in the air (despite the British weather of floods AND a serious draught), but we have also started the countdown to the EUROVISION SONG CONTEST 2012! Hooray!

Music fans and MFL fanatics relish this opportunity to listen to foreign language songs, to try to sing along to catchy Finnish tunes using the subtitles and to vote for our favourite European neighbour.

Here are some of this year's entries, to get you into the Eurovision mood and give you a chance to predict the unpredictable winning nation (who'd have thought Lena from Germany would make it two years ago?):

Luckily for us, the biggest countries (and mother nations of the languages we teach at Tomlinscote) already have their guaranteed place in the final on the 26th of May:

This is the French entry: The song is called Echo (You and I) and the singer is Anggun, an international star who has sold over 2 million album copies around Europe.

Here is the wonderful Spanish song Quédate Conmigo (Stay With Me) by Pastora Soler, who is very well-known in Spain and famous for combining diverse musical styles like copla, flamenco and "Canción Española" with pop. She is considered one of the best voices of the Spanish music scene, and this truly beautiful power ballad might have a good chance of winning!
 

Representing Germany is Roman Lob with the song Standing Still. He was unknown until he won the German talent show Unser Star Für Baku. Unfortunately the song is all in English. Boring!!! Boooo!

Also Italy is automatically qualified for the final with this song: Nina Zilli sings L'amore è Femmina (Out of Love). The slightly scary Nina has spent most of her life in Ireland and the US, thus singing mainly in English with only a few sentences in Italian. What a shame!

The British entry is, of course, sung by the legend that is Engelbert Humperdinck. The song is called Love Will Set You Free, and is actually quite nice, even though Humperdinck looks about 150 years old (when he's only 101).

Here is a secret tip for you: Will Montenegro make it into the final with this song???
Give it up for Rambo Amadeus with Euro Neuro! "Stay cool like a swimming pool!"

So, who's your favourite? Vote here! Write a comment to let the world know!

For more information on the various songs in the competition and the rest of their videos go to