This is part of a series for how to learn a language during quarantine. (check out part 1 here)
Great! You’ve finally decided to learn a new language over quarantine! Now, what resources do you use? In this post, I´ll be talking about free online resources and classes you should take advantage of during quarantine. I don’t have every language covered, as I don’t learn that many! But I’m trying my best to find resources for everyone :) If you know any, feel free to contribute!
All languages in general:
“Calgary language nerds” are hosting FREE online classes for a variety of languages! Check them out!
Rosetta Stone and Babbel are giving free access for k-12 students
Lingodeer is a great app to use for learning Asian languages (more comprehensive than Duolingo) and they’re now offering premium deals for only $1. Otherwise, the app is still free to use
If you’re really advanced in a language, try listening to AP language and culture classes that college board posted freely on their YouTube Channel
Spanish
(this one has the most because it is the language I am most focused on!)
Maria´s Youtube channel is great for learning Spanish, regardless of what level you are at. From grammar topics to helpful tips, she makes videos on a variety of topics regarding the language and culture. What I love most though, are her videos that discuss vocabulary and phrases that occur in every-day conversations that you've probably never learned in a typical Spanish class.
Lately, this channel has been posting free one hour to 2 hour livestream classes, where you can interact with her and other Spanish learners on the chatbox. In each session, she goes over a grammar topic, vocabulary set, colloquial phrases, and exercises like correcting the error in a sentence.
Do note, however, that in her videos, she completely speaks Spanish, so it might be hard to follow along if you’re a beginner.
She is hosting her first live class June 2nd about habitual gestures in Spain, so check it out! Otherwise, Elena posts helpful videos on vocabulary terms, grammar, and more with visual images in the video to make it really easy to grasp the concepts! The videos are in Spanish, but can still be understood by beginners and all levels.
She makes great videos on different word usages, listening comprehension, grammar, phrases, etc. Definitely a recommendation for beginners, as she talks very slowly in Spanish and includes English subtitles.
This channel focuses on using your listening comprehension skills, as you could probably guess from the name, but still includes helpful videos on grammar concepts, vocabulary, and tips to learn and understand Spanish. Though the videos are all in Spanish, he talks very slowly, so it’ll be easy to understand.
If you’ve always wanted to practice your listening comprehension skills by watching real interviews on the streets of Spain, this channel is for you! Easy Spanish are a team of people who interview people on the streets to know more about the Spanish language and culture. There are a range of topics, like “How cheap is it to live in Barcelona” and “what mexicans cook at home”. They subtitle all their videos in both Spanish and English, so it’s easy to follow along! I’ve heard so many interesting responses and it felt as if I was there meeting these people myself.
Currently, they can’t go to the streets, but they are still making videos from home. You should definitely check it out! Their channel is great for all levels of learners!
(For advanced learners) A lot has been happening in the world lately. Get updated about it in Spanish!
I wrote more about it here, but Ted Talks can be a great way to get inspired and practice your language!
8) Hola Spanish (shout out to @caleb.bee1 for suggesting this channel!
They're sisters from Argentina who's goal is to "improve your Spanish and help you achieve Spanish fluency with every single lesson, and to share our passion and knowledge for the Spanish language and culture with the world." (taken from their YouTube bio) They post every Tuesday on a variety of topics and speak primarily Spanish, but still adds a brief translation in case you missed something
Update: Want to practice and improve your pronunciation? BeepBoop is providing free virtual online Spanish drills. I actually attended a session myself and it was a great experience! The class doesn't require you to show your face, only audio, and the tutor helped fix whatever we pronounced wrong.
ASL
Wondering why you should learn ASL? Here are 5 reasons:
1. ASL Rochelle- She’s posting free introductory ASL classes every week, so it's a great starting point if you're just a beginner
2. Bill Vscars- He basically created a free full course for ASL online and has a variety of videos for all sorts of levels
Korean
Billy Korean. He posts daily live classes for beginners. They’re short but sweet! His humor and explanations make it really easy to follow along and be immersed in the language. The videos are primarily in English.
Chinese
1. Yoyo Chinese
Every day, this channel is posting a video on Chinese phrases for beginners, so it’s a great way to expand your vocabulary and grammar!
This channel posts videos on grammar, common misconceptions, vocabulary, and more! The videos are subtitled in both Chinese and English, so it’s great for beginners and intermediate learners
This channel is much like EasySpanish, but for Chinese! It’s a great way to immerse yourself in the language and culture by watching conversations on the streets of China. Additionally, she covers interesting topics, like whether Chinese people would marry foreigners, or what values of life are most important to them so you can see new perspectives!
P.S How well do you know the Chinese culture? See how many of these traditions you know of and comment down below!
French
She is posting live French q and a sessions
He is posting free French live exercises (some are up to 11 hours long!)
If you know any other resources, please feel free to contribute in the comments below!
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~Claire