Why Beelinguapp Is Better Than Flashcards?
The more time I spend learning languages online, the more convinced I become that software created by language learners for language learners works best, for whatever reason. This is exactly the story of Beelinguapp: an atypical language learning app for language hackers and bookworms in one.
The Story of Beelinguapp: 2017 "Kickstart"
When David Montiel decided to learn German, he looked to literature as the primary source of the language in its best form. However, reading foreign books is a fairly demanding task, especially when it comes to vocabulary size. It's hard to go far without constantly checking the dictionary, which is a highly disruptive and annoying routine.
But from suffering comes the best ideas, and Dave had one: he would create a language learning app that displays text in two languages simultaneously. The translation mirroring the text in a foreign language would allow the learner to grasp the meaning of any unfamiliar word or difficult construction within a second. Reading would become more enjoyable as a result.
Thus, Beelinguapp was created.
In addition to parallel text, the app has a "karaoke-reading" function. The learner can listen to the story sentence-by-sentence while simultaneously reading it. The brilliance of this idea made Beelinguapp one of the top projects on Kickstarter and the 2017 Editor's Choice app on Google Play, which, of course, I couldn't miss. Therefore, Beelinguapp made it onto my Resources for Language Learners list.
As a productivity geek, I don't just dig for tools that are more effective than others; I also try to understand why they are so effective. And what I've found explains a lot: there's a lot of neuroscience behind the success of language learning with Beelinguapp.
Assisted Reading: How Beelinguapp Helps You Learn Vocabulary
At first glance, Beelinguapp is anything but a typical vocabulary learning app like Duolingo or Memrise. There are no word lists, flashcards, or spaced repetition. These are all sins by modern language learning standards.
Nevertheless, this "reading" app is actually a powerful tool in helping you gain the required vocabulary mass.
The secret?
Beelinguapp combines reading with listening: the phenomenon known as assisted reading in linguistic research. These two activities, when done simultaneously, lead to bigger vocabulary gains and improved understanding of the text. With assisted reading, you also tend to memorize words faster and retain them for longer periods.
How is Assisted Reading Better than Silent Reading?
If you're like me, a faithful supporter of silent reading, you might wonder what magical thing happens to your brain so that it learns better with audio.
Dr. Stuart Webb, one of the leading specialists in vocabulary acquisition, proposes four explanations:
1. More natural reading
Learners following the audio tend to "read" at a much faster pace than they would naturally do in a foreign language. As a consequence, the brain goes beyond word-by-word processing, speeds up, and acquires text in larger chunks. This way, reading in a foreign language begins to resemble reading in your native tongue and becomes more effective and effortless.
2. More repetition
When it comes to vocabulary learning, repetition is key. Research suggests that your brain needs to encounter a given word 16 times before it makes an effort to actually save it in long-term memory. Since the audio recording goes quite fast, you may need to listen to the text several times in order to fully understand its meaning. This forced repetition gives you extra exposure to the words, and new vocabulary imprints in your memory much better.
3. Human intonation
If you're used to silent reading, you know that you often read a sentence, pause, and then realize you didn't understand anything. You have to go back to the first word and start over. And again. And again. Until something clicks in your brain and it stops rejecting the sentence.
By contrast, when you listen to a story, the intonation and prosody in the speaker's voice help you catch the right wave momentarily. So you end up understanding the text better and being more engaged with the story.
4. Extra memory link
There's a high chance that you've heard many more words than you've read. With simultaneous reading and listening, you have a chance to fill this gap and link the acoustic form of a word to its written representation. This creates more neuron connections, strengthens memory links, and leads to better retention as a result.
So Beelinguapp's "karaoke-reading" offers you an amazing opportunity to try assisted reading on your own. You probably won't be able to say whether it's more effective than other language learning apps since "organic" vocabulary acquisition is largely an unconscious process. But one day, you'll realize that you can understand much more than you thought you could.
Nevertheless, reading while listening is not the only feature that makes Beelinguapp so effective.
Parallel Text: How Translation Can Help Your Vocabulary Learning
The double-sided text has been the main feature of this language learning app since its launch. And although it seems very creative and modern, this method actually existed 5,000 years ago. Yup, sorry, Dave
What is more striking is those language teachers usually dislike this approach (assuming, I guess, that learners would simply rely on translation and ignore the target language altogether). Nevertheless, if you've tried reading a parallel text, you know that the translation is as essential as training wheels were for your first bicycle.
Here are 4 ways parallel text helps your language learning:
1. “Organic” Learning
Learning new vocabulary from reading is different from learning single words with flashcards. When you learn words from reading, you simultaneously acquire the context they can be used in, which helps you avoid making stupid mistakes.
2. A Wonderful Anxiety Pill
Side-by-side texts can be less daunting when too many words look unfamiliar, especially since there is usually a boatload of new vocabulary in whatever text you're reading.
To painlessly retrieve the meaning of new words from the context, you need to know about 98% of the words in the text. The translation on the side helps you overcome this barrier and increase your vocabulary learning rate.
3. More Reading, Less Dictionary Checking
Beelinguapp was created with this specific advantage in mind. The lack of vocabulary knowledge can be frustrating when you're trying to read. Checking a dictionary, even if it's a super-fast online version, takes time and disrupts your concentration, often killing any remaining motivation to continue.
With parallel text, a quick glance at the translation helps you grasp the general meaning and keep going without losing interest.
4. A Pathway to Complex Texts
Parallel text also enables you to read texts that are much beyond your current proficiency level. If before, you'd rather refrain from a topic that genuinely interests you because it would be too difficult to understand, now you can go crazy and grab any text you like.
So what Beelinguapp actually does is prepare you for reading in a foreign language. While you're enjoying an exciting story about the Tower of Babel, your brain naturally acquires vocabulary, syntax, and pronunciation in your target language.
However, this doesn't mean that Beelinguapp should be your only solution for language learning.
Beelinguapp: The Perfect Tool for Beginner Language Learners
There is one thing about both assisted reading and parallel reading that I haven’t told you yet.
They work best for beginners and struggling language learners.
And it totally makes sense since training wheels are designed for kids.
But, hey, it applies to all language learning apps. Would you still stick to your Duolingo, should you be fluent in your target language?
Nevertheless, Beelinguapp can help you overcome this level fairly quickly and move on to the next challenge if you use it correctly.
How can you make the most of Beelinguapp?
Start from day one.
Let Beelinguapp guide you through the jungle of foreign language syntax, pronunciation, and vocabulary.
It won’t teach you typical ice-breakers useful in conversations like Memrise and Duolingo do, but you’ll be much more at ease with the structure of the language you’re learning.
Always read and listen simultaneously.
Sometimes Beelinguapp can be mistaken for a “foreign language audiobook reader.” It politely suggests that you turn off the screen, put your phone in your pocket, and enjoy your Spanish story while commuting to work.
But don’t do it. Listening without reading, just like reading without listening, is much less effective. Moreover, if you want to listen, get a podcast or an audiobook in your target language. There’s no point in using Beelinguapp just for that.t.
Turn off the translation.
Yes, it sounds somewhat contradictory to what I just said about parallel texts and so on.
But the major problem with parallel texts is the human tendency to look for shortcuts. The shortcut, in this case, would be the translation, which is easier and more fun. Avoid falling into this trap by hiding the translation and checking it only when you’ve already hypothesized about what the problematic word might mean. This way, you’ll learn much faster.
That’s it, my friend! If you haven’t tried Beelinguapp yet, it’s your chance to do so and enhance your language learning experience. If you’re using it, don’t forget to share your thoughts in the comments below. Vale!
