Community Chat

[kaydee50]

I'm considering take a course in a foreign language just for the heck of it and it's supposed to be good to keep the brain cells active--LOL!  But they are fairly expensive.  Has anyone learned a foreign language just for the heck of it and was it worthwhile?  TIA!

[qbetzforreal]

Try  Community College for classes.

[Peaches McPhee]

I think you either have a knack for learning another language, or you don't.  I don't, I find it very difficult if not impossible - I tried to learn Spanish via Rosetta Stone awhile ago.  

[Bri36]

My daughter learned French online.   She’s musical too.   Her brain is just wired for things like that.  

It’s fascinating to me 

[songbird]

You public library offers languages online for free.  check your library's website. 

[bonappetit]

I find it's best to take a language course where you can speak the language with others. Classroom vs. online or other. If you can't practice with others it's hard to keep at it.

[Alison Wonderland]

I took 4 years of French in middle and high school and tried Japanese in college, but picking a language with a different alphabet on top of everything else was too much and I dropped the course.

Since then, I've used Duolingo to review my French and work on some Spanish. Duolingo is a free App that uses the same methods as the expesive Rosetta Stone products and some gamification to help you learn a language. It's fun. I don't learn as quickly as I think I would in a course with a teacher and other people, but the price is right and I can fit it into my schedule.

[2blonde]

@kaydee50  I had 4 years of Spanish in high school, and I think it's the easiest foreign language to learn.  Many of the words are similar to the English versions, and all their words are pronounced exactly as they are spelled (unlike English!).  I work at a community college, and I'm sure they all offer Spanish, as ours does.  In Ohio, if you're over 60 you can audit credit classes for free tuition.......I don't know how old you are or if your state offers that benefit for seniors.  We have a lot of them coming here.

[kaydee50]

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@bonappetitwrote:

I find it's best to take a language course where you can speak the language with others. Classroom vs. online or other. If you can't practice with others it's hard to keep at it.

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Yes, I agree.  I know about Rosetta stone, online with the library, etc. but I have no self discipline!!!  If I paid for a course I would have to go.  Plus there are both Spanish and Italian schools here and they also offer cultural events and opportunities to meet others.  I'm just finding it a little difficult to justify spending a few hundred dollars and was wondering if others who have taken such courses found it worthwhile.

[ALRATIBA]

Yes .... I've done that three times. 

First time Spanish ...an adult education class at a local high school with a friend.  Long time ago (1960s).  Second Spanish was an in-house class at the international corporation where I worked.   

Last time was about 2006 or so - I took German lessons at the UN International School.  

Was it worthwhile?  For my purpose ... yes.  And ... it IS a good brain exercise.  I'm thinking about going back for more German.

(ETA:  I took Latin in college ... that was really worthwhile, and it's something that I use frequently.)