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Tangentially related, I'd like to share what I have found to be a very effective and easy language learning tool: find an app of a television network from a cou
by spraak 8y ago
Tangentially related, I'd like to share what I have found to be a very effective and easy language learning tool: find an app of a television network from a country that speaks the language you're targeting. It's especially helpful when the app provides subtitles in the language (i.e. for the deaf). The best example I've come across for this is SVT Barnkanalen if you want to learn Swedish. There are also good apps for Norwegian and Danish, and for German there is Kika/Kikaninchen, ZDF and WDR. My child can speak really good Swedish and German from this technique. As a parent I decided that they would only consume non-English media, since we live in an English speaking country. I'm not militant about it, so there are occasionally things in English. I've heard of some parents saying their children would object to this, so it's important to start once your child becomes interested in media and you're ready to let them consume it. Also, it just takes being firm about it and also knowing that you're not harming them. Finally, I do speak Swedish and German, but only German somewhat fluently (which is helpful that I can navigate to help find the resources and correct grammar when I notice it) but my child already has a bigger vocabulary in Swedish and German than I do, and often knows more idiomatic ways to express something.
Edit: You'll also want to use a VPN to access the app from the country its from.
- pasbesoin 8y agoI'd be interested in knowing more about specifically what apps those are. I speak German (I'm rusty), and have been simply absorbing some of the Scandinavian languages through purposeful viewing of some shows and movies (not through live streaming nor such apps). If you do respond (if not, no worries), I'm also curious how invasive -- or, hopefully, not -- those apps are. Rampant data monitors scrapers, or more "public service" type functions. I recall when some of these countries actively worked to promote their languages and cultures; a foreign student could get some nice resources just by asking or knowing where to go (e.g. a local Goethe Institute).
- spraak 8y agoSure! The ones I know of: Swedish - SVT for adults, Barnkanalen for kids German - ZDF for kids and adults, Kika.de and Kikaninchen app for kids I haven't tried it yet but there are some French networks (Zazou, I think) and NRK for Norway. Wikipedia is a good starting point to find television networks by country, then check which ones have apps or let you watch the programs online (just try accessing the site from the country with a VPN for the full experience)
- kodablah 8y ago> As a parent I decided that they would only consume non-English media, since we live in an English speaking country. Do you fear the cultural repercussions of this stance just to increase fluency? For its faults, media and culture are closely aligned and I would be worried that this is then artificially removing local culture by requiring only media from other languages.
- spraak 8y agoI think we get plenty local culture as I don't believe that media is a critical component of culture, though I do recognize the benefits and in that regard I think that in the near future my child will likely ask to watch things in English. So far they don't feel left out from mainstream kids movies, because we still watch them (just dubbed but e.g. we watched Moana in English). Additionally the cultural aspect is a big component that they're missing from only consuming media and not interacting with the people directly, so we'll do some traveling to incorporate that into the curriculum.