I stumbled across a video on YouTube a few weeks ago by Evan Edinger wherein he talked about how he learned German using Duolingo. If you’re not familiar with Duolingo, it’s a website and app that helps you learn to speak a foreign language through gamification. It’s also free. It uses a very novel approach that I’ve previously discussed on the podcast. I though I’d pull out some of the points in his video and share them with you if you’re thinking about using Duolingo to teach your kids a foreign language. How to Use Duolingo to Learn a Foreign Language 1. Be Consistent Consistency is very important when learning anything. With a foreign language it’s especially important. Taking time every day to learn something new and become familiar and comfortable with that language will go a long way. 2. Competition As Motivator Some people are natural competitors. The creators of Duolingo understand that and they provided a little friendly competition withing their application and website to motivate people to learn a new language. 3. Don’t Rush Spend at least 10 minutes every day with the website or app. Occasionally you’ll want to use it for up to an hour. If you just open the app and match a few words you’re not going to learn a foreign language. You really need to spend as much time as possible learning the language. 4. Use the Website More Than the App The website has a much richer experience than the app. It requires you to recall more than just vocabulary. In addition, there are forums and discussion for each question you encounter so you can understand why your answer if right or wrong. More immersive. 5. Engage With Your Foreign Language As you progress through Duolingo, you’ll want to engage with the language in a natural way. One way to do that is to read books (simple ones) or blogs, watch TV shows, or listen to podcasts. I hope this has helped you and you’re ready to learn a new language. That’s right, you should learn the language with your kids so that they can practice speaking it! You can see the original video below. Big Announcement I’m teaming up with BecauseFamily present workshops to churches, homeschool groups, and schools that will inspire and equip, parents, teachers, and teens to responsibly use technology. I’ll be primarily providing these workshops in the northeast. For more information, please visit BecauseFamily.org. Connect Socially! * Join the Facebook page * Follow @wiredhs // * Circle on Google Plus * Follow John Wilkerson Leave a Voicemail You can call 518-290-0228 to leave me a message or use this convenient widget to record a message right from your computer. Etc. Want to be notified of any upcoming news regarding the podcast or if I’m speaking in your area? Join my spam-free mailing list. You’ll receive monthly updates and news about future projects and I’ll let you know if I’m speaking in your area at a homeschooling convention. The Wired Homeschool is a proud member of the Tech Podcas...