Language resources on the web

Laura WilsonReference Librarian

Framingham State CollegeApril 14, 2010

Mango Languages ◦ Subscription based, access through the Library

BBC / MIT / FSI◦ Access course materials free

Google Translate / Babel Fish◦ Translate text

Project Gutenberg and LibriVox◦ Online e-books and audio books

Second Life and Skype◦ Chat with native speakers

Where can I go to learn or practice a language online for free?

Online foreign language courses – subscription based◦ Access through the Whittemore Library

Trial period Two levels of courses – basic & “complete” Practice listening, reading and speaking

◦ Need computer speakers / headphones and microphone◦ Also need Java and Adobe Flash installed

Commonly studied languages and lesser-known languages◦ Spanish, French, Italian, Urdu, Tagalog, Pashto

ESL courses

Mango Languages

Free! Audio and video courses for 7 languages 12 week courses in 4 languages

◦ Get a certificate at the end! Basic vocabulary for many other languages Some culture information

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/

BBC Languages

Courses developed by the Foreign Service Institute

Text (vocabulary) & audio (pronunciation) Many languages, some have more materials

than others A little confusing, but can offer good

supplementary materials to another language course

http://fsi-language-courses.org/Content.php

FSI Language Courses

Course materials from MIT published for free on the web◦ No login or registration required

Undergraduate and graduate courses PDF documents (textbook excerpts,

handouts), MP3 files (listening comprehension), lecture notes from the professor, suggested texts for further study

http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/Foreign-Languages-and-Literatures/index.htm#grad

MIT Open Courseware

Google Translate◦ Translates text, webpage, documents

Over 60 languages available◦ Translator Toolkit

Take large amounts of “pre-translated” text, invite others to edit and perfect the text

Babel Fish (Yahoo)◦ Translate text or webpage

Add Babel Fish to Yahoo Toolbar in your browser Highlight and click text, translate immediately

Add Babel Fish directly to your own website Users can easily translate to their own language

Google Translate / Babel Fish

Project Gutenberg◦ Free e-books (public domain)◦ Many foreign language titles

Search by language in advance search http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/world/search

LibriVox◦ Free audiobooks (public domain)◦ Many foreign language titles

Search by language under “more” search options http://librivox.org/newcatalog/visitor_advanced.php

Combine an e-book from PG with an audiobook from LV. Read and listen at the

same time!

Project Gutenberg / LibriVox

Skype Practice with native speakers for free Need Skype account Instant message, chat via microphone, or

video chat via webcam◦ http://forum.skype.com/forum/140-learn-language

s-and-more/ Skype language forum

◦ http://www.language-exchanges.org/ Site hosted by Dickinson College in PA, dedicated to

language exchanges via Skype

3D virtual world (video game) Go anywhere on the virtual planet, connect

with native speakers◦ Text or voice chat

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKzkfyglJY8&feature=player_embedded

Direct links to language-friendly locations in Second Life (need SL account)◦ http://www.avatarlanguages.com/freepractice.php

Second Life

Watch TV ◦ www.beelinetv.com◦ www.broadband-television.com◦ www.wwitv.com

Listen to the radio◦ www.live365.com

Podcasts◦ http://www.podcastalley.com/◦ iTunes

ebooks / Audiobooks from your local library◦ Minuteman Network offers several ebooks and

audiobooks dedicated to language learning

What else?

• Need a library card to borrow ebooks:http://www.mln.lib.ma.us/