Everyone's talking about social media, some people are talking about social media for language learning. In today's podcast episode, get the most specific advice possible as Lindsay and I guide you through the Snapchat app for language learning.
Listen to the episode:
Don't forget to catch the mention of our good friends at Flashsticks, the language learning post-it guys. You can purchase vocabulary post-it notes in 8 languages and get 10% off with the code KERSTIN10.
What is Snapchat?
Snapchat is a social media app for any smartphone. It lets you share photos or videos, and your snap only lasts 24 hours unless you make it a "memory".
Of course you can change the menu language, but with such strong visual focus that alone won't teach you a language.
It's designed for camera phones and not available on your desktop computer.
Why is it awesome?
- It's easy, fast and low-pressure. In other photo social networks, you would be tempted to make every picture stunning and impressive and beautiful. But in Snapchat, you'll just play and learn in the process. What does that mean? No more shyness, no more reasons to avoid speaking!
- It allows you to stitch things together into a story, so you can share a 5-second snap, or go ahead and combine several videos to show how you speak a foreign language.
- For language learning, the new Memories feature is a way to track your progress. Record yourself speaking today, save the memory, and try the same thing in a month. You'll be surprised at your own progress!
How to Get The Most Out of This For Languages
You may have to set up a little system in order to get the most out of this, for example an evening review or a regular vocab routine.
1. Document
Lindsay studies every morning and documents her mistakes on Snapchat, while I am more spontaneous and use the system to show and share how languages pop up in my day.
2. Check and Correct Errors
One other idea is to practice what you want to practice, then check back and correct the errors that you made. We go into detail about how important it is not just to make the mistakes, but to correct the mistakes so that you can get better.
3. Make Yourself a Vocab Resource
As you go through your day, why not take pictures of all you see around you and build yourself a little daily vocab resource? You can save the story in Memories at the end of the day, or do an evening review to add the words to your vocabulary bank.
Great Accounts to Follow (Click for the Snapcodes)
- fluentlanguage
- ldlanguages
- irishpolyglot
- flashsticks - recommended!
- bradchase
Links and Further Reading - Become a Snapchat Expert
- How I Use Snapchat For Language Learning on Lindsay's blog
- North American Polyglot Symposium, where Lindsay is giving a talk this weekend
- Ghostcodes app
- Die Sendung mit der Maus, German kids' TV show with bilingual credits
Are You a Snapchat User?
If you use Snapchat for language learning (or not), leave us a comment and share your usernames and snapcodes.
Thank you guys so much for being podcast listeners, chatting to us on twitter (I'm @kerstinhammes and Lindsay is @ldlanguages) and making your voices heard!