Speaking a Second Language with Babbel

Hi Everyone! It’s a new year and like so many of you, I have a list of good intentions for this year. Notice that I used the word “intentions” and not “resolutions”. This is because resolutions are so easy to break and to fail at. But intentions are flexible, leaving room for change and allowing for growth beyond what has been “resolved”. One of my “intentions” this year is to speak a second language. I decided to try Babbel and I’m so glad I did – please read on to discover why!

Why I Decided to Speak a New Language

I’ve always dreamed of being able to communicate in a language besides my mother tongue (English). Over the years I’ve made efforts to learn other languages. I would excitedly begin on a program, stick with it for a few weeks, and then my motivation to learn would begin to wane. I couldn’t really figure out why, and assumed that the problem was not having enough time to learn (which was true), or that maybe I just wasn’t disciplined enough to stick with it (which was not true – read on to find out why!). But in August I began my first year of teaching and I suddenly realized how beneficial it would be to have more than one language in my communication skills repository. Additionally, there are so many other benefits to being bilingual that it seemed ridiculous for me to put it off any longer. There are cognitive benefits (the National Center for Biotechnology Information has many articles outlining various cognitive benefits!), there are social/cultural benefits, there are even career financial benefits. But the most appealing benefit to me was realizing that if I spoke a new language, communication would no longer be a barrier to connecting with and having meaningful interactions with people, whether in my hometown or as I travel to far-off places.

Why I love Babbel

When I received the opportunity to try out and review Babbel (a language learning program with 14 languages to choose from!), I was thrilled to finally begin on something I’d put off for so long. Not only were program reviews positive, but research from CUNY supports the Babbel learning method. I already knew that I wanted to learn Spanish and couldn’t wait to begin and see if the program lived up to my expectations.

Getting Started

As I zipped through the lessons, I was impressed with their easy functionality and comprehensive material. A team of 100+ language experts have created a program that makes learning another language achievable for my busy life. Using just 15 minutes every day, I’ve already learned new Spanish words and have been able to use them here and there in conversation, thanks to Babbel incorporating real-life conversations (voiced by native speakers) into the program. I also love the way that Babbel incorporates lesson reviews into new lessons, which helps me to retain the material. It’s available on iOS, Android, and desktop. What’s really great is that lessons are available for downloading to use offline, which means there are no excuses for not learning at every opportunity (hello next flight or long line at the store!).

Interestingly enough, I discovered something interesting about myself as I used Babbel: I respond well to the program because I can actually see progress after every lesson. I realized that this was a big reason why I didn’t continue with other programs – I needed to feel that I was actually learning something, and other programs I had tried didn’t give me that satisfying feeling of accomplishment, zapping my motivation to stick with learning a second language. So what I had thought was an issue with myself and being able to stick with something really wasn’t – I just needed encouragement and motivation in order to make progress.

Come Learn with Me!

I’m so excited that I’ve finally found a program that works with my busy schedule, is structured using methods that effectively work for my ability to recall what I’ve learned, and is fun to use! I highly encourage you to check out Babbel and to give it a try. They offer a free trial, but the subscription is super affordable (a big consideration for me, as I am on a teacher’s budget now). It was so wonderful to discover through Babbel that I had more ability to learn a new language than I had thought, and that I could build language proficiency with just 15 minutes a day! If you’ve ever felt that you can’t devote time to becoming bilingual, or that you don’t have the motivation to learn, I highly encourage you to try Babbel. It’s easy, free, and if you’re like me, seeing positive progress with each lesson will motivate you to continue, and keep you excited about learning a new language.

Looking Ahead to My (Bilingual) Future

I am so excited about the potential to finally communicate with Spanish-speakers in my home and on my travels, and to no longer have language be a barrier to meaningful interaction with others. I also look forward to having a deeper connection with my ESL students and a greater ability to communicate effectively in the classroom. And even more importantly, I am excited about all the cognitive, social, and cultural benefits that I will enjoy as a result of being bilingual.

Thank you so much to Babbel for giving me a year’s access to the program, and for the opportunity to finally do what I’ve always dreamed of doing! If you would like to check out this great program, you can receive 25% off at babbel.com.