Lang Labbies are here to remind you that tomorrow is the last day of drop-in tutoring for Fall2024 semester!
We would highly recommend to take advantage of these last 2 days if you have any questions/practice tests/problems and come by even if you don’t!
Without classes, it can be challenging to keep up with daily language practice over breaks. You may have heard the typical suggestions (all of which are great!), such as watching movies, listening to podcasts, or reading books in your target language. Here are some unique ideas to help you integrate your target language into your everyday life over break!
Continue reading “Unique ideas to practice your target language over break!”
It’s never been a secret — Russian is notoriously challenging, filled with confusing conjugations and challenging slang that leaves even the most experienced learners crying, screaming and pulling their hair.
But you don’t have to jump straight into banging your head with a thick Oxford dictionary — there are multiple easy – perhaps even childish – ways to upgrade your Russian skills.
Watching cartoons in Russian is a great way to advance those basic level speaking and comprehension skills if you’re a beginner and just starting your journey. It’s helpful to start with a form of media that incorporates straightforward, simple phrases that are yet widely used in a day-to-day speech of native speakers. For me, Soviet Winnie the Pooh is perhaps one of the first cartoon I became familiar with — it’s an easy-going, kind and relaxing animation filled with witty comedy that will help you to accustom yourself to basic-level phrases, and pronunciation.
Leaving a link for everyone interested!
If you’re like me, you understand the frustration of finding a really-really good fan fiction after hours of scrolling only to discover it’s in a language you don’t understand. How about we use it to our advantage? Go to your favorite fan fiction website and search up anything related to your favorite fandom. It’s a slightly more advanced technique than the one described above — as fan fiction are mostly written by native speakers, you might find yourself learning new slang or word order that you never encountered in your formal Russian textbook!
This one is rather self-explanatory — grab some friends, get a scrabble in Russian and learn as you go! A little hint: playing Monopoly in Russian is even funnier and I find it helpful to avoid conflicts typically caused by this infamous game when 80% of those involved are still learning how to curse 😉
Hey there! It’s been a while since we saw each other at the Language Lab. Last Halloween event was truly a blast, so we decided why not gather again? Join us for Multilingual Karaoke Night! Regardless of your language knowledge or singing ability, everyone is welcome to drop by for good music, good food, and good company!
And if you happen to walk around GCC tomorrow, (who doesn’t?) stop by our table to learn more about what the Language Lab is, what LangLabbies do, and what fun language-themed events are on the agenda this semester!
Are you looking for more ways to immerse yourself in French? Podcasts are a great way to implement French into your everyday life. It’s especially important to engage with the language outside the classroom. Whether you’re taking a walk around the canyon, getting lunch in Commons, or trying to fall asleep, a podcast can add a lot more French exposure to your life. It’s a simple way to improve your French comprehension, vocabulary, and cultural knowledge. At the same time, it can be difficult to find the right one. For beginning to intermediate students, I have a recommendation for you: The Duolingo French Podcast!
Continue reading “The Duolingo French Podcast: Découvrez l’histoire de Joséphine Baker”
If you’ve ever wanted to learn a language that isn’t offered at Reed, give Italki a try! Italki has tutors and teachers from all over the world, and languages from A-Z (literally). If you’re looking to start learning anything from Azerbaijani to Zulu, check out the site to discover what else they offer! Whether you’re just starting out or want to meet with a native speaker to improve your conversation fluency, you can find the tutor you need at the time you’re available.
Continue reading “Italki: Not offered at Reed? No worries!”
Hi and привет! My name is Miriam, and I am a sophomore linguistics major.
I took Russ 111 in the fall of ’23 with Zhenya. As a recent first-year Russian student, I know what is expected and will happily help with homework, practicing conversation, or checking grammar. I look forward to working with you!
LangLabbie note: Drop by the Language Lab to see Miriam’s hours!
Learning a language can be exceptionally frustrating. Especially when the only times you are hearing this language is in a classroom, three times a week, for 50 minutes. You’ve probably heard your Spanish teacher tell you to listen to music and movies in Spanish since your first class in middle school. While this is good advice, it can be hard to understand music in Spanish such as Reggaeton, cumbia, or Spanish hip hop when you aren’t as familiar with the language. The words blend or maybe there is too much slang to comprehend whatever Bad Bunny or MC Solaar is saying. To that I say do not fret, podcasts are the way to go!
Continue reading “Podcasts en Español”Are you beginning to learn Arabic and in need of some fun and easy media to help boost your vocabulary? Look no further… !يالله
Tareq and Shireen are learning how to be kind and considerate friends! Tune in if you’re looking to fill your vocabulary with wholesome terms about friendship and sharing.
Arabic retellings of classic fairytales using simple language and helpful subtitles.
3. Totally Spies! Arabic
Subtitled episodes of Totally Spies! dubbed in Arabic! Ideal if you need something more sophisticated than fairytales.
4. Obayd Fox
Obayd Fox is a British Youtuber living in Saudi Arabia. As a fellow Arabic learner (albeit an advanced one), he tends to speak slightly more slowly than a native, and he usually uses الفصه 🙂
5. Learn Arabic with Khasu
Khasu is also an Arabic learner and a very talented teacher. His channel includes roleplays, skits, vocab lessons, and breakdowns of grammatical concepts.
Hi there! My name is Nina (she/her), and I am a senior comparative literature major. Learning the Russian language has been the highlight of my Reed experience, but I understand that learning a new language can be a long and difficult process. I am available to help make that process a little easier! I am always happy to practice grammar, writing, and speaking with you. If my schedule doesn’t work for you, please shoot me an email! We can find time outside my available hours.
Привет! Меня зовут Нина (она/её), и я — студентка четвертого курса. Моя специальность — сравнительная литература. Изучение русского языка было самой яркой частью моего опыта в Риде, но я также понимаю что изучение нового языка может быть долгим и трудном процессом. Я готова помочь с трудностями процесса. Я всегда рада практиковать грамматику, письмо, и разговорную речь с вами! Если мое расписание вам не подходит, напишите мне на имейл, и мы найдём другое время встретиться.
Note from a Labbie: Nina tutors for Russian 111, 112, 120 as well as 220. So if you’re thinking about studying Russian or currently in the process – don’t miss out on practicing with Nina and learn from her vast experience!
