Livemocha is truly a site for sore eyes. And, since it is constantly changing because of the social media they are exploiting, it is probably being bettered as you are reading this review. As far as technology and social media usage, Livemocha’s site is a dream come true for the language learner. Students can converse any time they want with students from all over the Spanish-speaking world.
Livemocha wins our "TopTenREVIEWS Bronze Award" as on of the best places online to learn Spanish. Their embrace of technology was like no other we’ve seen before. The social media is being used as it was really meant to be. Students are out there sharing, conversing, and teaching each other all because Livemocha has made it so easy. And the forums are growing. In fact, the site has real potential to dominate the language teaching world.
Livemocha's website is exceptionally easy to use and the interfaces let the student know exactly where they are and how much further they need to go in the lesson. But if a student isn’t satisfied with their knowledge, there are additional practice sessions available at that level. They can also opt to use the tutors as teachers.
Unfortunately, Livemocha has not developed their site into a full reservoir of learning. We were unable to find any articles or stories. This is a shame because the students could use these materials to work with each other. Nor was there any kind of newsletter, so this leaves such a wonderful site somewhat passive, in that people aren’t regularly pulled in by good content.
Livemocha Standout Features:
- Over 2 million members
- Focus on conversational Spanish
- Fun and helpful interaction with other users
- Practical travel lessons
These are some of the great learning materials in Livemocha:
- Heavily-used chats - This site is so dynamic and one of the reasons is that no matter what time of day or not, there are people who want to practice your native language and the language you want to learn.
- Audio recording software - As soon as an English speaker reads something aloud and submits it to the site, there will be a native Spanish speaker who is willing and able to give feedback on the submission. English speakers naturally help the Spanish speakers try to speak English. This builds confidence on both sides.
- Large number of exercises - Many programs just have a few exercises available for students, but Livemocha seemed to have a lot of optional exercises which allows students to practice until they have truly learned the lesson.
- Flashcards - Livemocha's flashcard sets are very handy and many have already been set up by other users and they've been rated by students who have used them.
Although there aren't any stories or articles available, it doesn't mean that members can't do them. The more talented people who join, the more they will have available. But we really wish there were more options available currently or that they were requesting this kind of information be submitted by members.
Their blog is used for company news and doesn’t enrich the language learner. It would be nice if they had an employee that had a blog for each language offered. This would add to the richness of their site.
Livemocha is doing an outstanding job using their audio capabilities. Students can converse with each other via instant messengers and they can also make audio files and send to their fellow members. There's even a place where members can look at a queue of entries that other members have made. Those needing correction for English speakers simply submit their audio or written files and English speakers can choose the ones they are interested in. Many of them are from Latin Americans or Spaniards. You can simply select one, give them feedback on their English and then you can submit your work to the queue and Spanish speakers can help you.
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