#Language Immersion

[survivetoread]

I'm a big fan of extensive reading apps for language learning, and even collaborated on such an app some 10 years ago. It eventually had to be shut down, sadly enough.

Right now, the biggest one in the market is the paywalled LingQ, which is pretty good, but well, requires money.

There's also the OG programs, LWT (Learning With Texts) and FLTR (Foreign Language Text Reader), which are so cumbersome to set up and use that I'm not going to bother with them.

I presently use Vocab Tracker as my daily driver, but I took a spin around GitHub to see what fresh new stuff is being developed. Here's an overview of what I found, as well as VT itself.

(There were a few more, like Aprelendo and TextLingo, which did not have end-user-friendly installations, so I'm not counting them).

Vocab Tracker

++ Available on web ++ 1-5 word-marking hotkeys and instant meanings makes using it a breeze ++ Supports websites

-- Default meaning/translation is not always reliable -- No custom languages -- Ugliest interface by far -- Does not always recognise user-selected phrases -- Virtually unusable on mobile -- Most likely no longer maintained/developed

Lute

++ Supports virtually all languages (custom language support), including Hindi and Sanskrit ++ Per-language, customisable dictionary settings ++ Excellent, customisable hotkey support

-- No instant meaning look-up makes it cumbersome to use, as you have to load an external dictionary for each word -- Docker installation

LinguaCafe

++ Instant meanings thanks to pre-loaded dictionaries ++ Supports ebooks, YouTube, subtitles, and websites ++ Customisable fonts ++ Best interface of the bunch

== Has 7 word learning levels, which may be too many for some

-- Hotkeys are not customisable (yet) and existing ones are a bit cumbersome (0 for known, for eg.) -- No online dictionary look-up other than DeepL, which requires an API key (not an intuitive process) -- No custom languages -- Supports a maximum of 15,000 characters per "chapter", making organising longer texts cumbersome -- Docker installation

Dzelda

++ Supports pdf and epub ++ Available on web

-- Requires confirming meaning for each word to mark that word, making it less efficient to read through -- No custom languages, supports only some Latin-script languages -- No user-customisable dictionaries (has a Google Form to suggest more dictionaries)

[onigiriforears]

Sept. 2024 Seitokai NOVEL Book Club | 君は月夜に光り輝く

Starting in Sept. 2024, the Seitokai Book Club is splitting into two (2)--a manga book club and a novel book club. We've decided to do this to better service our members.

After a tough vote and a tie-breaker, our inaugural Japanese Novel read for Sept. 2024 is 君は月夜に光り輝く. This book follows two classmates, one of which is diagnosed with a terminal illness that causes her skin to glow under the moonlight. She glows brighter as her time of death nears. This book has currently been graded at an upper intermediate/N2 level on Natively.

Come join us in the discord server! We can't wait to see you.

Get some more info below:

What if I've never read a book in Japanese yet? I'm not confident in my skills. That's fine! Not only do we ALWAYS have a group vocab sheet that we collectively (and anonymously) add to, but we have ongoing discussions about whatever book we're reading. That means you're free to ask questions, send screenshots, rant about a character or anything like that. You'll definitely find me asking about certain grammar points or if using a particular set of kanji for a word changes the nuance in a particular sentence.

What's the goal of your bookclub? Well, we're interested in fostering confidence in reading in your target language without feeling that you have no one to turn to. Our server has people of all levels of fluency, meaning that there's always someone who can answer your question. And if we can't, we have people we can reach out to ask. We won't leave you hanging!

You don't seem to choose books I'm interested in--how can I change that? Well, we take suggestions and vote as a bookclub for what we'll be reading next. If your book doesn't win the first time you submit it, try try again! A lot of our books have been suggested more than once before finally winning. Don't be discouraged! And now that we have two Japanese book clubs, you don't have to worry about your novel suggestions competing against manga suggestions.

I can't afford a copy of the book. Message me on here, discord, or instagram. Or send a message in the bookclub channel of the server saying that you need a copy. Someone will help. We're aware that Japanese learning resources are not available or readily accessible in multiple areas around the world. We all want to help each other thrive at meet out target language goals.

More questions that I didn't answer here? Message me on here, discord, or instagram! Or @tokidokitokyo!

Hope to see you there! Server | Studygram | Server Instagram

You might see some familiar names from tumblr in the server 😉🤗 We don't bite and you can watch in live time as we scream in agony over book characters, obscure kanji, and plot holes in any given book that we're reading.

[narcisoh]

Anyone have any mexican shows or movies to recommend? I'll check out whatever I can but I'm partial to horror if anyone's got anything

[meimae]

Today is my 3rd year of learning Japanese through immersion!

For the most part, I was just in maintenance mode as I tried to take care of myself and reassess my goals. Basically, I went through a lot of burnout when I realized I couldn't really make a career with my pursuit of fluency in this language. I then tried to pursue baking and started a small business which was fun, but ultimately wasn't very profitable because of how expensive the ingredients are. I made another career change which has been fulfilling so far because of how nice and helpful everyone is around me, the only drawback being that it's on a graveyard shift, which makes it difficult to immerse when I feel sleepy during the afternoons when I finally wake up.

I think a lot of things in my life changed for the better tho, and I'm still grateful for a lot of people in this community who continue to inspire me to pursue great things and to keep going despite everything crazy going on.

I still am doing daily Anki reviews and currently have 19,567 learned words in my deck now, most of which I've decided to suspend because a lot of them were way past the 1-year interval. I also feel the need to "refresh" and "start from scratch" by basically doing all new cards once I find a schedule that allows me to immerse again. I haven't studied many new cards either and have just been waiting to mature all of my cards so I can suspend them in preparation for the refresh I'm hoping for.

I also thought that because I barely spent time with the language I would just forget all of it, but to my surprise, any time I pick up something to read or watch a drama or an anime episode, I could still understand a lot of what was going on (with some Yomichan cope of course, lol). I'm not sure if that's because I had already put in 3000+ hours in the language before I finally decided to take a huge break from it, but nonetheless, I'm glad I don't have to do much in terms of getting back on track whenever I feel like dedicating time to it again.

That's it for my little update. Hopefully, a fresh start and some really interesting content can get me back into reading and watching. I still love this language and I don't think at this point I can ever unlearn it.

Thanks as always, and I hope to update you soon. ʕ•̀ω•́ʔ✧

[languagexs]

A Beginner's Guide to Learning Tagalog Language Fast and Easy

Tagalog, an Austronesian language spoken mainly in the Philippines, is steadily growing in popularity among English speakers looking to learn a second language. In this beginner’s guide, we’ll look at why Tagalog is relatively easy for English speakers to pick up, provide tips for learning it faster, and highlight some of its key features. We’ll also explore resources for accelerating your…

[clatterbane]

Feeling like some kind of creepy eavesdropper again right now! And I can't help it.

This time, Mr. C is video chatting with somebody again. And of course Language Learning Brain keeps focusing in and trying to decipher his end of things. (More successfully all the time, at least...)

Not nearly as bad as when it homes in on random people's conversations out in public. Or at least as well as the shitty hearing and auditory processing will allow. (And catching myself trying to mouth along after them, sometimes.) At least in this situation I am way less likely to come across as some kind of nosy weirdo.

Still strikes me as crap funny every time, though. 🥴

[immersedinfrench]

Anybody else watching Drops of God / Les Gouttes de Dieu ?

It’s a tv show based on a manga and I recommend it if you’re learning French and/or Japanese!

兄妹（Keimai）

Drops of God

[amigosdepaloalto]

Choosing the right early education for your child is crucial. Enrolling in a program that offers bilingual instruction can make a significant difference in your child’s development. At our child care in Palo Alto, California, children are introduced to a rich linguistic environment that fosters cognitive and social growth. Bilingual education at an early age not only helps children develop language skills but also enhances their ability to think critically and adapt to new situations.

[just4uflexiblehourschildcare]

Bilingual education offers children significant cognitive benefits that can positively impact their development for years to come. Research shows that introducing two languages early in a child’s life strengthens their memory, problem-solving abilities, and capacity for critical thinking.

[audreynickel]

Rocky Mountain "Haigh" 2: Butte, Revisited

Featured image: Montana’s trademark big sky along the Montana Copperway Trail, Butte COVID changed everything. Well, at least it seems that way. Standing here at the crossroads of “The New Normal” and ��Will Things Ever Be The Same?;” casually masking up to go into a crowded store or to let a worker enter the house, and counting the antigen tests in the medicine cabinet, sometimes it seems that…

[petitspoussinsbrooklyn]

Bilingual education presents unique challenges, but with the right strategies, these can be effectively managed to provide a rich and rewarding learning experience. One common challenge in bilingual programs is balancing proficiency in both languages.

[hoorayezenglish]

100 American English Sight Words - List 2

[dangmelearner]

Language immersion be like:

Went to church and everything was in Fante. I know only handful of words in Fante but thankfully a lot of the time some modern expressions don’t exist in Fante and they rely on English for those times. This time though the person really knew her Fante so English was used sparingly. Except for this one time…

It went like:

Fante fante fante fante MEN WITH HIGH LIBIDO fante fante fante….

I almost fell from my chair. Ladies were cracking left and right and in the end we were all rolling in the ground.

Yeah, so that is the only language learning related stuff I had time for today. Lots of work and lots of prayers in Fante.

[k12academics]

Why Choose Chinese Summer Camp for Your Kids

Chinese Summer Camp is a fun, safe and professional summer camp in China. We guarantee a peace of mind for the parents and a fabulous time for the kids.

1. 24/7 Support

The safety of our students is of paramount importance to us. We will make sure your child is well-looked after. Our support staff are available 24/7 to assist if any issues arise.

2. Professional Staff

Our friendly teachers and staff are highly experienced in taking care of kids and working with teens, ensuring a safe place for all.

3. Dynamic Chinese lessons

We make lessons fun for our campers through various methods: cartoon classes, storytelling, role playing, games and more.

4. Unique Cultural Activities

Your kids will be involved in various cultural activities, and get a chance to practice the Chinese language in a real-life setting.

5. Vibrant School Life

Your kids will meet campers from all over the world and form friendships in a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere, designed to induce learning and social development.

[storiesworthtellingwiththesteel]

Cultural Exchange: An Italian Student's Journey in America

Join us on an inspiring cross-cultural adventure as we delve into the journey of an Italian exchange student in America. In this episode of "Stories Worth Telling," hosted by Cate Steel, witness the transformative experience of language immersion, personal growth, and international friendship. Visit the full video to know more.

[silentmalu]

If You Had Three Wishes...

This is one of my favorite questions that I always ask my students. Their answers are telling, innocent, and imaginative. The responses I receive include “one billion, trillion dollars,” “bring my dog back from the dead,” “a Barbie dream house,” and “my family living in our own house.” It is also a question I have mulled over for years. The first wish I would make has been solidified for some…