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Multi-language Sites

Rather than focusing on a single language, a number of sites deal with multiple languages. These are a few of our favorites.

Foreign Service Institute Language Courses
"These courses were developed by the United States government and are in the public domain. This site is dedicated to making these language courses freely available in an electronic format." Currently, classes are available for 49 languages from Amharic to Yoruba. All major languages are included. While some options are highly visual, many others are quite accessible through audio alone.

Langtolang
This excellent site permits you to use 20 translation dictionaries from German, Spanish, Russian, and Italian to less common languages such as Swahili and Romanian. All dictionaries may be used with any of the other languages featured on the site.

Dictionary & Thesaurus
Comprehensive and authoritative portal for language and language-related products and services on the web with more than 1800 dictionaries with more than 250 languages. In addition to help with English, you can find information on German as well as Slavic, Afro Asian, and Romance languages. Also contains sections on teaching English as a second language.

Bing Translator
Microsoft has recently launched a new Translator service. It will translate from English to one of 11 languages. It can also translate between some of these languages. Simply select the language translation you’d like. Then, enter the text in the original box. You’ll get your translation in seconds. You can also translate Web pages. To do that, all you need to do is enter the page’s URL. Computer translations aren’t perfect. For example, French buffs will notice that the translations are always in the formal mode.

Watch live online TV channels broadcasting on the Internet
You can watch Live Online Television Broadcasting on the Internet at this site. Subject areas include educational, entertainment, government, life style, music, and live news. The site features over 3000 channels from around the world. You will need either Real Player or Windows Media Player to access the live feeds. Searchable and browsable.

Online Documentaries
An excellent site providing access to a large number of professionally done documentaries is now available. Browse through a variety of programs by categories such as Anthropology, Environment, and Religion to find one you want to watch online free. Click the title and watch it; it's that simple. This isn't just somebody's attempts at filmmaking—this is a collection of interesting and sometimes well-known documentaries such as the Modern Marvels series, biographies on figures such as Malcolm X and Aristotle, and the Planet Earth series. There is a variety of foreign documentaries as well for the multilingual viewer. Even if you cannot see the video, there is still much of use.

Glossaries by Language
Hosted by Language Automation, which specializes in multilingual website management and construction, this site offers an outstanding list of dictionaries, glossaries, and translation tools for languages ranging from Afrikaans and Albanian to Welsh and Yiddish.

Martindale's Language Center
Few, if any, sites feature the breadth of coverage that will be found here. If Available, each Language on the site includes: English to Other Languages & Vice Versa; word & text-to-speech (TTS); word, text & website translation; dictionaries; encyclopedias; basic, first year, intermediate & advanced courses; grammar, phonetics, writing & reading lessons; typing, literature, poetry, etc. Languages include: indigenous languages of North America (i.e., Apache, Cherokee); Aboriginal languages of the world; and languages world-wide (i.e. Arabic, languages of sub-Saharan Africa, etc.).

BBC Languages
This site hosted by the British Broadcasting Company provides resources to help you learn Spanish, French, German, Italian, as well as short courses in Portuguese, Greek, and Chinese through online lessons. The home page also contains a "text only" link. In addition, you can improve your skill by listening to a native speaker at
BBC World Service | Languages,
This page of the BBC’s site will lead you to links for everything from Spanish, French, and Chinese to Macedonian and Pashto.

Language Course Finder
"With over 10,000 language schools teaching 88 languages in 115 countries, [this] is the largest online directory of language courses and language schools worldwide." Search in many languages for language to learn and location of program. Also includes information about language tests and certificates, online learning resources, and related travel material. From a company that has produced a language learning guidebook since 1985.

Second-Language Teaching Methods: Principles & Procedures
Overview of "the basic principles and procedures of the most recognized methods for teaching a second or foreign language." Methods include grammar-translation approach, audio-lingual method, and total physical response. From a professor in the School of Teacher Education at San Diego State University.

Grammar and Language Courses
Here you will find grammars and language courses for over 100 languages on line, on CD ROM, and in books. Here are the rules for using the words you find. Additional language resources such as newspapers, on-line radio stations, and dictionaries are linked to each language.

ePALS Classroom Exchange
At ePALS Classroom Exchange, teachers can connect to a database of classrooms in 191 countries who are interested in possibly corresponding with their class. ePALS connects learners around the world for sharing and exchanges that foster literacy, language and critical thinking skills in a fun and safe environment. At present, the site connects over 124,678 registered classrooms and more than 7 million students and educators.

Foreign Languages Assessment Directory
The FLAD is a free, searchable directory of information on nearly 200 tests in over 90 languages. The FLAD serves as a starting point for teachers and educators to search for foreign language assessments. Available information about assessments includes grade and proficiency levels, languages for which each test is available, skills targeted by a test, information about the test’s development and the publisher’s or developer’s contact information for further inquiries.

Foreign Languages and Culture: Lesson Plans
While this site does have conventional lesson plans on foreign languages, its primary focus is on culture. There are excellent lessons on ancient Egypt, Japanese poetry, Shakespeare, Nigerian culture and literature, and a great deal more. From the Library of Congress.

Indo-European Languages
"This website is for anyone looking for free language resources in many of the Indo-European languages." Includes materials to assist those who are learning a language or refreshing their skills in over a dozen languages, including French, German, Italian, and Spanish. The author of the site has an advanced degree in French and linguistics.

Language Course Finder
"With over 10,000 language schools teaching 88 languages in 115 countries, [this] is the largest online directory of language courses and language schools worldwide." Search in many languages for a language to learn and location of program. Also includes information about financial aid, language tests and certificates, online learning resources, and related travel material. From a company that has produced a language learning guidebook since 1985.

Learn A Language
This site enables the visitor to get started learnings the basics of Spanish, French, Italian, German, Russian, Chinese, or Japanese for free. The authors of the site say, "You can also learn important phrases like greetings, survival expressions and slang words in the language of your choice. If you want verbs, there are over 350 verbs to help you with your language study. To our knowledge, this is the most extensive, free website dedicated to online language learning."

DictSearch, the All-in-one dictionary Search Tool for hundreds of dictionaries
"Use this global dictionary to search in 275 dictionaries on the Internet. Translate from 69 source languages into 73 target languages - 400 language combinations." Quite accessible for a site of this type.

Word Reference
This is an extensive translation dictionary with a growing corpus of Spanish, French, and Italian vocabulary in particular. Numerous other languages such as Russian, Turkish, and Greek are also available. The search feature not only makes it easy to locate vocabulary but also definitions, synonyms, and more.

Online Language Classes and Courses
"Learning a foreign language has never been easier. Developments on the web have made streaming language clips easy and efficient. Speakers of different languages are more connected than ever before . . .. The types of lessons include podcasts, written tutorials and video for each learner to choose what works best for them. . . . Some of these programs center on conversational phrases for travelers while others focus on grammar to really understand the language."

English as a Second Language

ESL Teacher Resources
Lanternfish ESL is maintained by a group of ESL teachers in Asia and North America. Its aim is to bring printable quality resources to teachers and parents. It features lesson plans, work sheets, as well as other resources for the ESL teacher.

Because a meaningful annotation of foreign language sites assumes proficiency in the particular language, the following sites are presented without evaluation because they have been recommended by those competent in the language.

French

radiofranceinternationale (rfi)
The international arm of the French radio network features broadcasts of several daily English- language programs beamed from Paris to African and Asian audiences. Sidebar links connect users to other RadioFrance audio broadcasts (available in several languages), French-language news, and study guides for learning "la langue française." The site takes somewhat longer than normal to load.

RFI Musique
Information about current French and French-heritage musicians and music. Features artist profiles, album reviews, news stories, and special reports on topics such as the Gnawa festival in Morocco, zydeco music, and an outdoor concert in Paris. In English and French. From Radio France Internationale (RFI).

France24
FRANCE 24 is the first French international news channel to broadcast on a 24/7 basis. It offers a French perspective on world events and gives special attention to culture and lifestyle. Its programs are broadcast on two channels, one in French, one in English, with Arabic and Spanish scheduled in the near future. The site is quite accessible and provides RSS feeds that are also easy to access.

Since it is necessary to have expertise in a particular language to properly evaluate sites devoted to its study, the following links are offered with that caveat.

French Language Course
Learn French Online
Learn French online FREE with French language lessons and unique question generator!
French Verb Conjugation
French-English Dictionary
French Words and Phrases
Coursenligne.com (French.)
L'atelier scolaire (French)

Because the text on the last two sites is primarily in French, unless you have a screen reader with software designed to pronounce the language correctly, much of each page will sound strange.

German

German Words and Phrases
Learn German
English-German Vocabulary Quizzes
LEO English-German Dictionary
German-English Online Dictionary
Webster’s German-English Dictionary

German-American Teaching Resources and Units
Collection of links to resources related to the study of German-American history and culture. Topics include German-American dialects, German names and words, German immigration, Germantown, Pennsylvania, Saint Nicholas and Christmas, and more. Sponsored and maintained by Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) University Libraries.

Hebrew

Hebrew Teaching Tools

Italian

Learn to Speak Italian: An About Site
Learn to Speak Italian

Portuguese

Brazilian Portuguese Language

American Sign Language

ASL Browser
Understand Basic American Sign Language

Spanish

Spanish Words and Phrases
Center for the Study of Books in Spanish for Children and Adolescents
Centro Barahona // Barahona Center (Spanish page)
Dictionary of Spanish

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