Language learners can go to www.example-sentence.com and listen to example sentences in English, German, French, or Spanish. All example sentences are recorded by native speakers so you can learn the correct pronunciation. This is a good way to learn new words in context and extend your vocabulary. The German version of this website is available under www.beispielsatz.de - yes, “beispielsatz” is German for “example sentence”.
BTW, the words and sentences are taken from the online vocabulary learning tool Comprehencia. There you can extend your vocabulary with a system that goes beyond the standard Leitner or flash card system. The sentences on www.example-sentence.com and www.beispielsatz.de are part of the Challenge datasets in Comprehencia. The Challenge data sets on Comprehencia are divided into different levels and the learner has to unlock each stage with a vocabulary test.
Learning a foreign language is a big endeavor and it comes with many ups and downs. Strong motivation to succeed with your study is key to accomplish good proficiency. It is unlikely that one will learn efficiently if the motivation to do so is dwindling. The good thing about motivation is that it all happens inside your head. Your way of thinking determines (almost) everything. And you can change your mindset to your advantage - anytime!
I have added audio recordings to the word lists in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, and German. When you learn a language and want to build vocabulary you can now listen to native speakers reading the example sentence for each word. This is a great feature to get accustomed to the sound of a language and the way a native speaker “fuses” words into sentences.
Wouldn’t it be nice to store everything you learn in your long-term memory? Build vocabulary, store it in long-term memory and you’re done - forever. This is the most efficient way I can image to improve ones proficiency in a foreign language. And this is exactly what many vocabulary building tools promise - software, online tools, and paper flash card systems alike. They utilize the well known “spaced repetition” approach or a Leitner / Ebbinghaus system to “burn vocabulary into your brain”. Now, this is really fantastic! It is exactly what I need!
A new section on the learning portal Comprehencia offers free study material for language learners. It starts with worksheets to practice Hiragana and Katakana - for those who wish to learn Japanese. I will add new content regularly and also hope that users inform me about their specific requests.
Organizing, editing and distributing word lists are some of the lesser joyful tasks for every language teacher or private tutor. Also, for language students, it is often a hassle to keep up with the new vocabulary of each course and learn new words efficiently.
Learning a foreign language is a long term endeavor. You never stop learning new words and phrases but, unluckily, it is also true that you never stop forgetting old words and phrases that you did not use for a longer time. A system that keeps track of what you have learned and what you have (likely) forgotten will minimize your frustration. At least, it did for me.
Today is the start of the Comprehencia Blog. I will post tutorial videos that show how to use Comprehencia, explain some of the details, and write about efficient learning in general. Comprehencia, by the way, is an online vocabulary building software that supports language learning over a lifetime. I have been looking for a software like that for a long time and finally developed it myself.
