Language tandems in Girona. Language exchanges

The Girona Official Language School (EOI Girona) organizes language tandems for those who want to practice foreign languages. The languages offered in EOI Girona are German, English, Arabic, Catalan, Spanish for foreigners, French, Italian and Russian.

According to Wikipedia, a tandem language learning is a method of language learning based on mutual language exchange between tandem partners. In addition, a language tandem will help you to make new friends from around the world and have fun.

EOI Girona offers the chance to get involve in a tandem as there are several students from around the world enrolled in the school. If you are interested in a language tandem, you must visit the EOI Girona Facebook page. Then follow these steps:

• Write a message in the wall specifying the language you offer and the language you wish to practice.
• Check the messages by other users and send a private message to those who you think would be suitable to do a language exchange with.
• If you have compatible timetables and you think it can work, set a weekly routine in order to meet up and practise the two languages.
• DO NOT post your private personal details such as mobile number or email. A Facebook private message will do. 

If you live in Girona or nearby, this is a great chance to meet people and enjoy learning a foreign language.

On the other hand, if you want to meet people online and practice languages with Skype go to Babelan: Global language exchange.

Advanced Russian with Taste of Russian

Language learning sites on internet usually are intended for beginners, no matter the languages you want to study. These sites are really interesting as they help you taking  your first steps into the language. They are quite useful to get by when travelling, talking about yourself and family, working, etc. Although when you reach a certain level (intermediate or advance) is more difficult to find language sites.

Taste of Russian (http://www.tasteofrussian.com) is a blog with lessons of Russian for students with an intermediate or advance level. Every lesson has got a podcast (audio), only in Russian, and a pdf file with the transcription of the podcast.

There is a introduction of the lesson, and right after a dialogue related to the lesson topic. Finally, there is an explanation of the most important words and idioms.

You will learn several words and idioms that are not usually taught in a language class, but those that are spoken by real people on their daily life. It's is a more natural language rather the formal language learnt in a class.

These lessons could be a difficult for those who haven't achieve an intermediate or advanced level at least. In this case, you can just listen the intro and the dialogue. This is approximately the first two minutes. And just work this dialogue searching and learning the new vocabulary. The rest of the lessons is the explanation of the new words and idioms and is more difficult.

On the other hand, you can check out these intermediate lessons: Russian Language Podcast which are suitable for intermediate students of Russian. If you want to find more Russian sites read this previous post: Russian language: web sites.

Practice & learn languages

In Babelan.net, you can contact native speakers and practice foreign languages (Russian, French, Spanish, English...). Check it out.

Native teachers positions

Language 4 All offers positions for native teachers for their Summer Camps in Barcelona.

Send your CV attaching a current photograph to language4all@kidsco.es or info@language4all.es

Practice Brazilian Portuguese in Barcelona

Not long ago, a message was published on the Language exchange in Barcelona on Babelan. It's a new language group in Barcelona to practice Portuguese, Spanish and Catalan.

They meet in the neighbourhood of La Barceloneta, in the Bistro Bar (calle Maquinista, 42) near plaza del mercado. They gather every Monday, from 20 to 22 h. And as they state, they meet to chat, have a beer, exchange information, laugh, have fun... This is a chance to practice languages, share experiences of different cultures and make new friends.

If you want to get further information about this group:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/intercambioportuguescatalan
• E-mail: maggie_b_472@hotmail.com

Polar FLE. Learn and study French online

Apprendre le français avec l'inspecteru Roger Duflair

This website is a game. "You have to help an inspector to solve a criminal story". And playing it you will practice and learn French. It seems a pretty funny way of learning a language.

Following the story you will improve grammar, vocabulary, reading and listening skills. All begins with the murder of a woman. Detective Roger Duflair is in charge of the investigation and you are his assistant. "To achieve your mission, you have to select your level (beginner, elementary, intermediate, advanced). In all activities, we have hidden some hints to solve this crime. Therefore, you will have to understand the sentences in every exercise and memorize them".

Therefore, sit down and enjoy French playing this online game: http://www.polarfle.com

Practice & learn languages

In Babelan, you can contact native speakers and practice foreign languages (French, Spanish, English...).

Rome in Babelan

At the very beginning, Babelan was a languages site for people who lived only in Barcelona. As we realise that lots of people were interested in practicing and teaching languages, we added new Spanish cities on Babelan such as Madrid and Valencia.

Soon later, the site greew up and new cities came out from several different countries such as the UK, Germany, France, Canada or the USA.

Now, we have included a new country (Italy) and a new city: Rome. Currently, there are several messages, on the section of Global language exchange, from people who live in Italy.

However, if you do not know Babelan, here's what you can find in every city on the site. Each city offers four different section where you can publish your message or read someone's else:

1. Language exchange. Here, you can contact other students of languages in your city and practice foreign languages. You can arrange a meeting in a bar, in a library and so on. In addition, you can set up a languages group and join together and have fun.

2. Global language exchange [check it out]. This section is common for all the cities. Here, you can contact with students of languages from around the world and practice online thanks to the internet tools such as chats, Skype, emails, etc.

3. Private lessons. Teachers can publish adverts offering their private classes. You can contact a teacher from your city, although nowadays, several teachers offer their classes through Skype. This way is really suitable to save time as you learn from home at the time you arrange with the teacher. This sort of virtual lesson are becoming so popular.

4. Translations. On this section, translators publish adverts offering their translation services, so, companies interested can contact them.

How to choose the right book

There are several tips and tricks to improve your language skills. There are different techniques to improve your listening, speaking, reading  and writing skills. Whatever skill you want to improve, it's always necessary to broaden your vocabulary. And, I strongly believe that the best way to broaden your vocabulary is reading books in the target language.

When learning a foreign language is not easy to read real books in the target language. Fortunately, there are books written in a simplified way, using proper vocabulary and sentence structures for learners of that language.

Although, some students find difficult to choose the right books. Every editor classifies their books in diverse ways. For instance, some books come from level 1 to level 6, others from A to C, and so on.

The best way to know the book that suits you is the following. Take a book from the bookshop (find bookshops in Barcelona). Then open it and read a randon page. At this point, it may happen:

• that you understand everything: this means that the book is easy and not the right one
• that you don't understand almost anything: this means tha it is too difficult for you
• that you don't aunderstand everything but you can follow the story: this is the right book.

The third option is the right one because you can read and understand what they talk about, altghough you don't get everything. So this new stuff is what you will be studying and learning from the book. If you take the book that cannot follow and understand, it will be like a wall. You will stuck and depressed. And if you take the one you understand everything, it will be fun but you won't learn almost anything.

I hope this tip will help you to chose the right book and broaden your vocabulary.

Links

If you want to meet people and practice languages with native spakers visit Babelan.

Free English Video Lessons - engVid.com

Not long time ago, I stumbled with engVid.com through a tweet. It's not difficult to find dozens of videos teaching English online, although, what catch my attention is the quality of these video lessons.

The site has got 400 free video lessons. The videos are recorded by several experienced native-speaker teachers. Every lesson is really comprehensive, excellent and above all fun. There are lessons for beginners, intermediates and advanced students. New videos are added three times a week.

The range of topics is also comprehensive (covering grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation...): business English, comprehension, expressions, grammar, IELTS, pronunciation, slang, speaking, tips, TOEFL, TOEIC, vocabulary and writing.

You can watch here a couple of sample video lessons:

English Idioms - Hold

There are a lot of idioms and expressions in English that make use of the word ‘hold’. In this lesson, I explain several of them.

How to improve your listening in English

Do you have trouble understanding what native speakers say? What to improve your English listening and comprehension skills? I’ll give you some great tips that will help you to listen and understand!

Learn English online

If you want to find more websites to learn English online you can read this post: English as a Second Language. Web pages.

Moreover, you can contact native speakers and make new friends from all around the world in Babelan. Check it out.