Software/Website Title: 200 Words a day
Website URL: www.200words-a-day.com
Grade/Age Level:
This software is intended for young adults/ adults for whom English is their first language. It gives them an opportunity to learn Spanish/ French/ German/ Welsh with the 200 words a day approach.
Language & Content:
This website tries to get you to buy their software for learning 200 words a day. You could use it if you wanted to learn some new words before you travel, for business, or just for fun. They discuss how our brain learns with pictures and describe how easy it is to actually learn 200 words a day. This site gives you tips for how optimal learning occurs when trying to learn new words fast. They state that they provide truly multi-modal learning; using visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Basic key phrases, questions, greetings and words are also included in their Cd's.
When you go to the website there are many links to navigate through to find out more information. You can go to the the specific language that you want to learn to find out what is included on each CD, or you can check out their testimonials page. You can also sign up for free emailed Spanish lessons every three days. This company provides translation services, a tutorial, word of the day, it gives a course background, and much more.
There is a lot of information provided on this website. I think this website could be improved by making it a little more succinct. The vast amount of information that it provides can be way too much before you even get to their ordering form.
The strength of this site is that does provide a lot of information for you to look over before you decide if you want to spend the $47 dollars per CD for approximately 4 Cd's.
-Holly
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3 comments:
I've been hearing about the comeback of the Welsh language. Apparently there is a strong movement in Wales to have all citizens, not just the young students, learn or re-learn the language. I love seeing this kind of software, it goes just beyond language education, it can help re-build a culture and connection with the past!
Do you speak any Welsh yet? :-)
I purchased CDs to learn Italian last year before I spent a few weeks in Italy and I found the listening and repeating to be beneficial for me. Then a friend of mine gave me a different set of CDs that came with small books that included visuals (somewhat cartoon comical like the ones on www.200words-a-day.com). This was even better for me and I used them more than the original set I purchased. I think it's interesting how this company also includes kinesthetic learning as well.
I wonder how they include kinesthetic? I'm a little dubious as to how they make that work?
Overall, it sounds interesting. However, did you get the impression that this was simple to memorize vocabulary out of context. How much is this going to help when you need to use the language?
If they included more focus on usage than there examples indicate, I would consider using it.
I would not use my credit card on their site and I suggest that nobody who reads this does either. Their order form is not secure. you can tell this because the URL doesn't begin with "https". Normal URLs begin with http, but https stands for "secure". It is very easy to provide a secure order form, even for a small company, which makes me wonder why then don't.
Dan
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