Busuu.com is an online community for learning languages in a social networking setting. Users can learn English, Spanish, German or French using the site, which uses social networking to enhance the learning experience. Courses are organized into units that contain more than 100 different topics, such as Welcome, In the Restaurant, Job Interview, etc.
Each topic has a section for vocabulary, dialogue (reading exercises), writing exercises, busuu talk (allows users to video chat with native speakers of the language they are studying), and review. One of the main attractions of the site is the busuu talk feature, which provides an experience similar to visiting a foreign country to learn the language. All of the course material is audiovisual.
In Their Own Words:
busuu.com is an innovative online community for learning languages.
We have personally suffered from the traditional way to learn a new language which we always found expensive, difficult and boring.
Therefore, we decided to create a new concept of language learning by offering you the following advantages:
- Learn from native speakers: Learn directly from native speakers of the busuu.com community via our integrated video-chat application! By doing so you can practice your language skills in a live conversation.
- Learn with our material: We have prepared over 150 learning units covering diverse topic areas and grammar units covering the most important grammar points! The content is image and sound-based.
- Learn for free: busuu.com can be used completely for free! However, you have the option to pay a minimal monthly fee to become a Premium Member. With that Premium Membership you gain access to additional functionalities and more material.
What makes this site a Great Site To Visit:
Competition to Busuu.com comes from sites such as LiveMocha and Babbel. LiveMocha offers English, Spanish, French, Japanese and Italian languages in a social networking environment. The LiveMocha site is advertising supported. The Babbel site offers English, French, German, Italian and Spanish in an interactive setting without the social networking aspect. Basic language instruction is available for free from the Babbel site, but advanced interactive courses are paid.
The Look And Feel:
The Busuu.com site has a clean and uncluttered look and feel. The site is somewhat slow to respond (to the US) – page loads can take 10 seconds or more. Navigation is intuitive, and the interface for the courses is very user-friendly. There is a convenient top menu bar for navigation, which includes headings for Home, Friends, Inbox, busuutalk, and Search. Even though overall site response is slow, audio and video clips load and play without gaps. Advertising is displayed on the site to members with a free membership.
Registration for a basic account on the Busuu site is free and is required to use the site. The registration process asks for username, email address, password, language(s) the user speaks, language(s) the user would like to learn, gender, country and DOB. Validation of the email address is required.
Final Thoughts:
The Busuu.com site is recommended to anyone who has a desire to learn English, French, German or Spanish. The social networking aspect of the site adds a great deal to the learning experience, making it possible to achieve a more personal environment for learning a foreign language. Basic language skills can be learned using a free membership, and more advanced skills are possible with a premium membership.
Website: www.busuu.com
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