Learning Italian The Language of Music

Learning Italian The Language of Music Learn to Speak Italian, the Official Language of Music ChaptersWhy is Italian the Language of Music?Italian Musical TerminologyThe Great Classical Italian ComposersThe Italian Language and OperaItalian in Modern-Day MusicThere are many different ways you can learn Italian. For instance, you may enjoy Italian cinema or have a passion for Italian gastronomy.You may also learn Italian through Italian tutoring.There are thousands of Italian teachers around the world who can help you with your homework, grammar exercises, listening comprehension and your Italian pronunciation regardless of where you live.Superprof is an online platform that helps each learner find their ideal in-home or online tutor for all kinds of subjects and budgets.Another option is taking an  Italian language course at a language school in your spare time.And what about if you’re interested in music?As we’re going to see, the Italian language and music share a long history which spans several centuries.The first traces of the Italian language being used in a musical context are from the Middle Ages:Guido d’Arezzo (992 â€" 1033), inventor of modern musical notationPetrarch (1304 â€" 1374), an Italian poet and initiator of the 14th century renaissanceBut it was during the Renaissance period (from the 14th to the 18th century), which began in Italy and the city of Florence, that the music came anchored to this beautiful country shaped like a boot.This was an exciting period for Italy and the world of music alike, as modern Europe began to develop and make its mark on the rest of the world.Italian Musical TerminologyIt was during the Baroque period in particular that Italy, its composers and its musical language began to spread throughout the rest of Europe.The Baroque period spanned the 17th and 18th centuries and heavily featured the harpsichord, a keyboard instrument from the period.As the decades and centuries passed, Italian continued to dominate the language around music, as it still does in the classical music of today.Everyone is capable of taking part in this musical-linguistic heritage, even without being a native speaker of Italian!Here are a few examples of the Italian vocabulary you would be expected to learn as a classical musician, regardless of your level:A cappella: Without instrumentsAdagio: SlowAllegro: LivelyAndante: At a walking paceConcerto: Solo instrument accompanied by orchestraCrescendo: Increasing in volumeDiminuendo: Becoming softerForte: LoudMezzo forte: Moderately loudPianissimo: Very quietPiano: QuietPoco a poco: Bit by bitPresto: FastTempo: TimingThese are just a few key examples, but the amount of vocabulary used in English music is incredibly extensive.For those learning a musical instrument today or are hoping to take it up, learning music theory does count as knowing some Italian - even if it seems you don't know anything 'useful' such as greetings, the Italian alphabet, days of the week in Italian or common Italian phrases and expressions.If you’d like to take your Italian learning fu rther, why not call on the help of a teacher to help you in your language learning as well as your fluency in Italian as a foreign language?Hiring an Italian teacher or private Italian tutor as you learn about Italian grammar rules, verb conjugation, how to use adjectives, and common Italian words and phrases to use in Italian conversation will mean that you can ditch the phrasebook and get to know Italia for yourself. You find an Italian tutor near you or learn Italian online via Skype or other means of communication.You’ll also be able to go from speaking basic Italian to being fluent in your conversational Italian speaking, working on the melodic Italian pronunciation that makes the language so beautiful along the way. DanielaItalian Teacher 5.00 (9) £50/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LuciaItalian Teacher 5.00 (4) £17/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarilùItalian Teacher 5.00 (8) £22/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarcoItalian Teacher £15/h1 st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AntonellaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £14/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors GiusyItalian Teacher 5.00 (3) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors EnricoItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors FedericaItalian Teacher 5.00 (2) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutorsThe Great Classical Italian ComposersThe Italian language is known around the world for its beauty.It’s hard to find a more beautiful language than the one that is spoken on the other side of the Alps. Portuguese and French often grace our ears with their romantic phonetics, but there’s something about Italian…It’s no wonder then that the search for beauty in music usually finishes with Italian composers!You'll probably realise Vivaldi's Four Seasons or Verdi's Dies Irae from the very first chord ¦ source: Visualhunt - ancasta1901Without needing to be a big fan of classical music and opera, we all know at least one composer of Italian origin who has made their mark on music as well as the history of art.Among these great composers and musicians from history are:Gregorio Allegri,Giovanni Gabrieli,Claudio Monteverdi,Antonio Vivaldi,Antonio Salieri,Francesco Cavalli,Giuseppe Verdi,Cesare NegriVincenzo Bellini,Domenico Scarlatti,Gioachino Rossini,Giacomo Puccini,Bruno Maderma,Gaetano Donizetti,These great names represent the centuries of scores, transpositions, crotchets, and minims which have not only allowed the Italian language to last as a musical language but which have also made Italian the language we most heavily associate with music.There are many ways you can learn about the Italian language and its music. You could go to a music school or even learn at university.During your higher education, you may have the opportunity to take optional classes alongside your degree. Why not choose a module in the history of art or even study Italian for beginners?You could take a trip to Italy for Italian langua ge lessons as part of a language exchange in an Italian city â€" there really is no better way to learn a new language and learn to speak Italian fluently than by immersing yourself in Italian culture.So, knowing how to speak Italian could lead you to a career in music among many other possibilities â€" did you know that speaking Italian is a real asset in the fashion industry?The Italian Language and OperaSo, we know that Italy’s musical history is a force to be reckoned with, but what about its modern music?The incredible talents of the Italians didn’t stop once the composers of the Renaissance died.Italian contemporary music has also been blessed with the emergence of genius composers such as the world famous Ennio Morricone, Luciano Berio and Sylvano Bussotti.Particularly at the time of the so-called ‘democratisation of opera’, which took place all over the world in the 1990’s, Italian opera singers flew the flag for Italian music once again.The Sydney Opera House is a symbol of opera's modern-day success ¦ source: Visualhunt - Alex wongNames such as Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Roberto Alagna or even older ones such as Enrico Caruso, Mario Del Monaco and Carlo Bergonzi are all very familiar to us.Every one of these singers spoke Italian, the language of music, and this is a perfect example of how language and culture are often a match made in heaven.Italian in Modern-Day MusicAs you now know, Italian is the official language of music.Of course, being a musician and speaking Italian are two very different things, and Italian musical terminology is used as a part of English vocabulary, for example: ‘singing a capella’, ‘da capo’, ‘going to the opera’, ‘play those notes staccato’.But the influence of the Italian language on music doesn’t stop at classical and opera.Contemporary music is also influenced by modern Italian singers, whose songs are famous around the world:MinaLaura PausiniEros RamazzottiSo, Italian is definitel y a musical language in its sing-song intonation as well as its history and influence.Find a private tutor on Superprof to help you master the Italian language:Italian lessons GlasgowItalian lessons LondonOnline Italian lessonsItalian classes near me

9 Ways Create Better Preparing Your Child to Go Back to School with the Help of Your Online Tutor

9 Ways Create Better Preparing Your Child to Go Back to School with the Help of Your Online Tutor Children are cumbersome at times, when they have some mental blocks in carrying out their academic duties. They might not be happy with their teachers or find it boring to attend tutoring sessions. They would like to ponder more on their leisure, stay at home and enjoy amicably their online activities. Why don’t you try something online with their mentalities and allow the freedom they demand in their studies? Prepare them to go back to school with the support of an online tutor. How to do this? Any child is innovative and curious by nature- provide methods of education to kindle the curiosity like examples from life around, connecting the concepts with actual life and taking the child on small trips to make the child understand what he learns about. A parent could do this very well to make the child feel the ease of learning without any mental block Try to enter the heart of the child. He may skip Math regularly. What is the basic trouble? The teacher or the subject? If you are not able to understand, approach an online tutor for math and explain the situation. He would enter the world of the child , talk to him, understand his difficulty and encourage him to get back to school in no time Math, especially Geometry is a nagging problem for any elementary school goer. Geometry is not a hard fact oriented branch of study that could make a child understand the concept with vivid perception just like that. Geometry tutors online pick out ways and means to make your child realize the connectivity of Geometry with the shapes and figures of this earth and make them understand how it is connected to life Online tutoring websites offer basic skills test for the child to make known what is wrong with the learning skills of the child. Once they suggest ways to recompense them with good aspects of learning , they are ready to learn without complaining Any young mind withers when it faces lack of attention. Do attend to the smallest details of the child and listen to the child with patience. Try to understand what the child tries to say about his school. You can work wonders with your child. An online tutor helps you a lot in this aspect Boost the morale of the child with fun game learning activities available through online tutoring resources. Some videos and visuals regarding Science objects, math play games, English word  games as suggested by online tutors could bring back the enthusiasm in your child to get back to school Thwart the intimidation and shyness of the child with the interactive sessions of online tutoring and adjust the child’s learning mode as per her pace and style with the help of online tutors Avoid the peer comparisons to augment the child’s self motivation Talk to the school teachers and get things settled Get the teachers’ feedback l regarding your child’s behavior and do the needful to remove the negative aspects of the child School going is not a pleasant activity for right from the toddler to the teenager. It is in the parent’s hands to make it a comfortable journey.

Innovative Teaching and Learning Techniques to Enhance Success Rates in the Field of Education

Innovative Teaching and Learning Techniques to Enhance Success Rates in the Field of Education Knowledge is the ultimate goal of education. Teaching and learning methods are revamped every now and then to attain this goal and in this modern era , this mission is highly possible through the cutting edge technological tools available in the market .They boost the teaching- learning process and promote excellent learning outcomes. Online tutoring facilities are an added advantage which facilitates easy and interactive sessions between the tutor and the student. Innovative teaching and learning in general Modern times have found varieties of implementations in strategic teaching methods in all streams of education. Take Math or Science- software comprising videos and audios to teach mathematical concepts or difficult scientific theories loom large in educational field. Even kids find learning a happy experience with the Math riddles and puzzles put before them in the form of games and fun exercises. If you go over to Social sciences and Environmental studies, you find the latest strategies to introduce the student to the world in the name of raising funds for social and eco concerns. It is not just the classroom atmosphere where the stringent hours enforce the students to take classes, exams and then the degrees. It is altogether a totally different atmosphere with the advent of online technologies and tools like Wikipedia. Innovation in online services Tutoring online has opened up new avenues for enlightening students with its state -of- the art tools like interactive whiteboard, web conferencing facilities, audio and video aids that pave way for good interaction between the teacher and the taught.   It is face to face communication and personalized attention that make the sessions overwhelmingly successful and interesting. The interactive whiteboard is a top notch technology that stands as a testimony to innovative learning purposes. You can do a lot with your finger or a pen on the board     and introduce the topic to the learner with the help of multiple videos and audios. Again, the session has the advantage of being recordable for future use and assessment. The learner can replay the saved data to clarify his doubts, prepare for tests and exams. Sophisticated whiteboards with touch sensitive screens and online editing facilities are available to accelerate teaching and learning process. In case of a free online tutor, the lea rners find it more advantageous to learn by saving money. Web conferencing facilities augment the learning process in the latest mode with their capacity to connect like-minded learners in the same forum as planned by the tutors. A math tutor can do much with this forum, where he can introduce data and material that explain complicated concept in Math and the learners are enabled to collaborate with their fellow students and share their views, ideas, data and material to find out solutions. This leads to global learning and multicultural exchange of opinions. A free online math tutor plays his role tremendously well with his demo sessions to attract the interest of the learner.   Sophisticated publishing tools like You Tube are available online to help the tutor process his course material conveniently for the learner’s choice and frame the learning schedule accordingly. In short, teaching and learning process has turned out to be a comfortable and fruitful journey in the recent times owing to the innovations made in online teaching services.

Phrasal Verbs with Work - English Lesson via Skype

Phrasal Verbs with Work - English Lesson via Skype Here you will learn Phrasal Verbs with Work. I have split them in to two sections.  In the video lesson you will 4 Phrasal verbs  and when you scroll down, you will learn 3 more. 7 Phrasal Verbs with Work Hi there. Welcome to Harrys World of Words and Phrases and English in a Minute.Were now going to look at Phrasal Verbs using the verb WORK and the prepositions OUT, OFF, UP  and ON. So well take them one at a time.Lets first of all take WORK OUT.I am going  to work out a solution to this problem. So youre working on a crossword puzzle, you  can work out, you can find the solution.WORK OFFWe had a very good Christmas and New  Year, we put on a few extra kilos so we want to work off that weight.We want to go out  for a run and work it off. WORK UP means to get ready for something or prepare for something.So we can say:Lets go outside and have a good walk for 5 or 7 kilometres and well  work up an appetite.Meaning well become hungry so when we go home we can have a nice  meal.And then finally WORK ON.  To work on something.I am going to work on that project  all weekend cause I really need to finish it by Monday.Okay. So phrasal verbs using  the verb WORK and the prepositions ON, UP, OF F and OUT. Okay. So as always subscribe  to our Channel.And remember to join us on www.englishlessonviaskype.com and well catch up very soon.*scroll down to learn more phrasal verbs with work Phrasal Verbs with Work Enjoyed this infographic? Here's what you can do next: Phrasal Verbs with Work WORK OFFto repay a debt by working without payExample: It took a year to work off what she owed the company.WORK ON SOMEONEto try to influence someone by constantly pesuading themExample: My half brother has a house in south of France. Ill work on him to let us have it for a week in May.WORK UP TO SOMETHINGto develop into somethingExample: The movie works up to a big revelation that doesnt surprise anyone.

18 School Year! - Heart Math Tutoring

Tutor Recruitment Kickoff and Tools - Volunteers needed in the 2017/18 School Year! - Heart Math Tutoring Tutor Recruitment Kickoff and Tools Volunteers needed in the 2017/18 School Year! Tutor Recruitment Kickoff and Tools Volunteers needed in the 2017/18 School Year! July 26, 2017 Heart’s 2017 Volunteer Drive is officially underway! Students across 15 school partners need tutors in the 2017/18 school year, which means Heart will be working to recruit over 900 volunteers between now and mid-September. **Please sign up to be a volunteer tutor today!** If you have already secured your volunteer spot, we’d appreciate your help in recruiting volunteers with these quick and easy tips: Help spread the word by using these tools to recruit friends, family members, and colleagues who you think would be interested in being a Heart tutor. Educate others by talking about your experience with Heart. Add Heart to your LinkedIn profile as a volunteer activity. Click “Edit Profile,” “Add Section,” and select “Volunteer Experience.” When you type “Heart Math Tutoring,” LinkedIn will find our Company Page. Reach out to your place of work or civic organizations about Heart, or invite Heart staff to do so. (See Hearts partner organizations here. Thank you!) Tag Heart Math Tutoring in your social media posts and use the hashtags #MakeThisYearCount #VolunteerWithHeart; change your facebook profile picture and/or cover photo with these social media tools; and share our social media posts. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. If you’re not a tutor yet and want to give it a try, sign up atwww.hearttutoring.org/become-a-volunteer! Heart provides tutor-friendly lesson plans and a staff person on site. In volunteer recruitment, we get to offer a positive way to make a difference in the life of an elementary student. Last year, 98% of 643 Heart students met program growth goals in math. On our year-end survey, 100% of Heart volunteers rated the experience positive, and 99% said they would recommend the program to a friend or a colleague. Read the full Press Release here. Thank you in advance for making this year count! ~The Heart Team

Everything a teacher needs to know about international schools

Everything a teacher needs to know about international schools So, you’re considering taking your teaching career overseas and are ready to start exploring your options. Many of the teaching position postings you will come across on our Teach Away job board are at international schools.What is an international school?International schools are private institutions located in a wide variety of countries all over the world. These schools strive to provide their students with an education characterized by a global scope. The curriculum studied within international schools are distinctly different from those of their host countries - an international school in Nagano, Japan, will teach material that contrasts greatly from the local public schools.The curriculum of an international school typically applies an international perspective to a program adopted from the originating country. For example, schools within the British International school system will teach students subjects following a program based on standard the United Kingdom.All of the jo b postings you'll find on the Teach Away job board are instructed in EnglishWho are the students at international schools and why do they choose to attend international school?    Students at international schools are typically children or dependents of expats as well as local students seeking a global education instructed in English.Parents relocated to a new country often enroll their children in international schools to maintain an education that is in line with their children’s home education and that will translate well to opportunities for future education and employment. Local parents may choose international school for their kids in order for them to learn English or because they feel the international perspective taught in international school is more valuable.What are the different types of international schools?For information on Foreign Curriculum K-12 Schools, American International Schools, Canadian International Schools, Australian International School, The British International School System, International Baccalaureate Schools (IB), Crossover IB Schools, International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE), private language schools and institutes, and other international schooling options, please visit our resource page here.  What is it like to teach at an international school?As is the case with most teaching opportunities, teaching at an international school comes with its perks and challenges.Classrooms composed of local and expat students mean that some students will be native English speakers while others will not. Teachers will need to be dynamic and able to provide organized classroom environments for their students to be successful. At international schools, school days are often longer and include more lessons that are shorter in length. It is also sometimes expected for teachers to be involved with extracurricular clubs, such as sports or arts programs. International schools tend to have first-class facilities, techn ological provision, and very strong curricula. Teachers can usually expect to be in a comfortable, productive setting.Does an international school sound like it might be the place for you? Get started today: Teach Away job board

How to Prepare for Your Full-Time Job Interview

How to Prepare for Your Full-Time Job Interview Image via: Shutterstock Relax. The first thing you need to do is relax. Going into the interview room completely consumed by anxiety will probably not yield the results that you want in the end. Drink some tea and relax the night before the interview. Make sure you get enough sleep that night in order to avoid those hideous eye bags the next day. Create some sort of encouraging mantra to repeat to yourself when you start to get nervous to build your confidence. It can be something like Ive got this or Im perfect for this position. This may seem completely silly, but I promise it works! Research the company youre applying for. Believe it or not, most companies sneak a little cheat code into their websites that holds the key to acing their interview. No, its not motherlode. Look out for key words that the company uses to describe themselves. Find ways and examples of how you fit those key words, or how you can contribute to the company in terms of those key words. Another helpful research tip is to keep updating yourself on the companys actions over time. Make sure that youre in the know. Without a doubt, youll impress your employer by demonstrating your interest in the position and your passion for the company itself. Pick out the perfect outfit. In order to get the part, you need to look the part. At least a week before the interview, have an interview outfit picked out for the big day. Wash it in advance. Make sure it has been steamed or ironed to remove any wrinkles. If youre a man, wear a dress shirt and dress pants with loafers, or dress shoes. If youre a woman, stick with a blouse and pencil skirt, or even a pantsuit or nice dress. Make sure that your outfit is conservative and doesnt show off any risqué body parts. Think about how your inspirational career figures dress and follow suit. If you dont think you can afford interview clothes, check out this article and your campus career center. A lot of universities offer clothing rental services for job interviews. Another key hint is to wear blue! Studies show that psychologically, the color blue is associated with trustworthiness. Practice with a friend. Print out a sheet of practice interview questions and have a friend drill you over and over until you feel confident enough to tackle the real thing. Its easy to get flustered by a question that catches you off guard, but by practicing religiously, youll not only know how to handle one challenging question, but youll also have the confidence to take any question that they throw at you. Image via: HerCampus Approaching the job interview for your first true full-time job can be super intimidating, but with these tips, youll be able to rock the interview and have an excellent shot at winning the position. Now get out there and get your dream job!

7 Killer Ways to Use Technology for Instant Language Learning

7 Killer Ways to Use Technology for Instant Language Learning Imagine that you live in a world where there are no cars, iPhones, laptops, ATMs, TVs and no internet.What would your typical day look like?What would you do first thing in the morning? How about the rest of the day?How would you know what’s been happening around the world? In the absence of Facebook, for example, how would you know about the statuses of your friends?Now, imagine how learning a new language would take place in that technology-free kind of world.First you’d walk around and look for a person who speaks the language. You’d swim across the ocean if need be. As a result, language acquisition would be horrendously slow. The Impact of Technology on Language LearningNow come back to our world for a minute and let’s talk about the blessings of technology. It seems to me that every time a new technology is developed, people immediately enlist it in the cause of teaching and learning a new language. After all, learning a new tongue is on many of our bucket lists, and technology can help us learn quickly.Technology has changed the way we exchange information. From colleagues sending company data across continents at the speed of light, to learning a whole new language, technology has made its presence known in no uncertain terms.It has democratized language transfer. Instead of getting on a plane and going where the native speakers are, don’t even leave your seat. Just visit the millions of websites that teach language courses.And in these websites, they are using technologies that make the lessons come to life. They have memory games that make learning fun. Videos record the lessons and you can replay them at any time of the day and as often as like. You’re not only listening to how the native speakers sound, but you’re also doing it at your own pace. You have translation services at your fingertips, before you even need them.At this point, there’s really no excuse in not learning a second,  a third  or even a fourth  language. Whether y ou wish to  join the ranks of the polyglots  or not,  the resources are all waiting for you.And here are some ways to enlist today’s technology in learning the language that you’ve always had your eye on.7 Killer Ways to Use Technology for Instant Language Learning1. Change the Language Settings on Your Devices and Social Media AccountsDid you notice that appliances as mundane as washing machines come with manuals that are translated in practically a dozen languages? Do you sense a language learning opportunity there?Well, maybe not, but know that the phone you are holding in your hand can be set to display commands in a variety of languages.You can also use social media accounts to learn any major language, like using Facebook to learn Spanish, for example. Simply change the language settings in your account. Sure, the translations aren’t perfect and you might feel awkward at first. It’s almost like learning to write with your left hand when youre right-handed.But by changi ng the language settings, you are forcing yourself to learn a different language by interacting with it. And get ready to be surprised, because over time, you’ll get so used to it that using the gadgets and navigating the sites will be a breeze.2. Use Instant Translate to Learn VocabularyWith one click or tap, you will know what “sleep” is when translated to French, Spanish or Japanese, for example. With translation sites and apps, you can also go the other way and untangle foreign words into English.You can even have multiple versions of the translation so you can get a razor-sharp equivalent of a word. Here are some of the best translation and dictionary apps for some common languages:French translation appsGerman dictionary appsJapanese dictionary appsSpanish dictionary appsA few years ago, translating into so many languages would have required books as thick as five iPhones stacked on top of the other. You would then search the pages for your word, singing your ABCs so you could find it. But today, all you really have to do is blink and you have every translation known to man.3. Video Chat with a Native Speaker Any Time of the DaySkype and Google Hangouts are free video call services that allow you to connect with anybody willing to take your call. With this technology, you are practically a click away from any native speaker. As long as he or she has a reliable internet connection, and a Skype or Google account, you can spend countless hours engaged with somebody who speaks your target language.To find someone who speaks your target language, look online. You can use any of the social media accounts you have, or sites like italki, Craigslist, Couchsurfing  or  My Language Exchange. You can post your own ads, or ask around to see if anyone you know has connections with native speakers of the language youre learning.Here are additional resources for finding native speakers of French, German and Spanish with whom you can talk online:French  language ex changeGerman  language exchangeSpanish  language exchangeFor best results, find someone who’s also interested in learning your native tongue so it will be beneficial for both of you.4. Turn Car Rides into Language ClassesA study has shown that people spend a considerable amount of time in their carsâ€"in traffic. That’s a significant part of our lives, sitting idly and listening to music. Why don’t we put these hours to good use? Why not use this as an opportunity to learn a new language?Instead of fuming about the jam caused by the two sleepy drivers at the intersection, why don’t you sit back and pop in your favorite language course and learn to speak Korean, Japanese or Spanish?You could get CDs from your public library, or download free tracks from the internet. Remember that listening isnt limited to a formal audio language course. You can try listening to podcasts and music, too!Then if anybody asks you, Hey Dave, where did you learn to speak Spanish?,  you can answer nonchalantly, In my Honda Accord!5. YouTube Your Way to Language AcquisitionYouTube, as a repository of videos, is chockfull of language learning opportunities. There’s the long list of channels maintained by people who are genuinely gifted in teaching language. As for teachers, you have an endless selection. I’m sure you can find one or two whose teaching style matches your penchant for learning.With YouTube, you also have access to native speakers speaking their dialects in full display. A video or channel may not necessarily be about language. It may be about putting on makeup, for example. You can mine that video by listening closely to the intonation of the speaker, or the way she pronounces a certain word.To save you from blind searching, here are our selections of the best YouTube channels to follow for these language learners:Chinese learnersEnglish  learnersFrench  learnersGerman  learners  | German YouTube videosJapanese  learnersSpanish learnersAnd if you really want to milk this resource, scroll down to the comments section and read what’s written. With enough contextualizing skills, you will be able to make out what is being said. The comment section is a showcase of how native speakers express their language in written form, with all the informal online expressions included.Another way to discover great videos and effectively use them for language learning is with  FluentU, which provides more structure than simply watching videos on YouTube.FluentU takes real-world videosâ€"like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talksâ€"and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.Every word comes with an in-context definition, image and multiple example sentences. FluentU also has a neat learn mode for every video, allowing you to practice new words in a fun way and track your learning progress.6. Test Your Knowledge Through Technologically-enhanced Language GamesIn the old days, you had flashcards to test your knowledge of vo cabulary. Somebody would hold up the flashcards and then you would tell that person what the word is in German, for example. Or your partner would show a card with “one” written on it, and youd excitedly scream, uno!  as the answer.Today, you have games saddled with every bell and whistle to make the learning that much more fun and interesting. They bombard you with all these colorful animations that burn the lessons in your memory, with accompanying music for correct answers and sound effects for wrong answers.You don’t even need a partner today. Flashcard-type exercises and games now use SRS  to be much more effective, and websites are equipped with thousands of questions that can test your skill in different levels. You can actually play language games the whole day without a single test question repeated.7. Listen to Children’s Stories in Your Target LanguageToday’s children are pampered by audiovisual stories that entertain them no end. The vivid characters come to li fe as seasoned storytellers animate the classics.If I were you, trying to learn a language, I would sit in the same bandwagon and take advantage of the spoon feeding. Choose a story that has a visual component. That is, a story that has the text and pictures shown. If the storyteller is being shown, take note of his/her gestures. This will help you make out the things happening in the story. (If possible, make sure that you are familiar with the English version of the story.)Because they are geared for kids, the language structure in the stories will be easy enough, and the vocabulary so basic that an adult listening to Cinderella in Spanish can mine it for language acquisition.The Limits of Technology in Language LearningWould you believe that with all that Ive said about the virtues of technology, its not a total panacea? It’s true what they say, too much of a good thing is no good at all. We still have to look out for some unintended consequences brought about by today’s tech nology.It has the tendency to make the learning passive. Everything is available, and everything is accessible in an instant. This results in the brain taking for granted what is served up to it so easily. And you don’t really value what comes too easily. For example, there’s just something about flipping the pages of a thick dual-language dictionary that makes us appreciate the word when we finally locate it on the page.Technology also precludes human interaction. Some people just learn best when interacting with others. Solo flights in front of the computer don’t hold much appeal to them. There’s just something about having a warm body laughing your bungling of a new language.So as it turns out, technology has its own shortcomings. You can’t lean on it too much. If you want a bountiful harvest, you need to put in the effort and the time to really do the hard work. Technology is the same. It’s there to help, but it can’t drag you from bed in the morning and sit you in front of the computer or make you take the tests seriously.Nevertheless, when used properly, technology can absolutely skyrocket your language acquisition. Never before in human history has learning a new language been so easy, so accessible and so cheap.There is, then, no excuse for anyone with enough motivation. So what are you waiting for? Lets get learning!