Buondì.
Lots of people read these articles, which is gratifying.
Sadly, not so many of you actually use the VAST SELECTION OF FREE MATERIAL I make available on the club website.
Visitor numbers reached an all-time high during the 2020 lockdowns, which was nice, but since then it seems that people discover our club, sign up for my wise musings (and fairly frequent attempts to sell you something), then leave it at that.
Perhaps it’s because the world has moved on from websites.
There are massively popular apps, such as Duolingo.
There are Youtubers aplenty and podcasts galore.
There are, I’m sure, enthusiastic producers of ‘learn Italian’ content on any number of other social networks.
There’s so much to choose from, you’re doubtless spoilt for choice.
Which, perhaps, is part of the problem… Where to begin?
Perhaps it’s easier not to.
Old-style websites, like granny and grandpa used learn from, with thousands of pages of totally free exercises and practice material, all in one place, organised in the six bands of the CEFR, to suit learners of every level, cost a lot to produce.
And making all the material accessible, for FREE, to anyone, at any time, ain’t much of a monetization strategy.
If there was something similar to what we have produced in the nine years we’ve been doing this, for the languages I’m learning, I’d definitely use it.
But a lot of what I’ve found is banal, or interesting but ultimately not productive, and I’m reluctant to lock myself into an app which rushes me through the grammar but doesn’t help much with comprehension.
Are websites dead, then?
Could be.
It certainly seems to be getting easier to sell stuff (ebooks, online lessons, courses at our actual Italian school in Italy), yet harder to get people to use the FREE stuff.
If it’s not in the Apple store, on Facebook, or Youtube, perhaps it doesn’t actually exist?
For anyone reading who remembers how to click a link, here are a few to explore:
Six levels! | Grammar Exercises Index | Listening Exercises Index | Conversation Prompts | Dialogues | Verbs Index | Literature | History
And if that’s all much, much too complicated, or just overwhelming?
Well that’ll be because learning a foreign language IS complicated and overwhelming.
Which is why a lot of ‘learn Italian’ resources attract masses of enthusiastic beginners but ever fewer learners at the higher levels, so their providers often don’t bother with intermediate- or advanced-level materials.
We are each the captain of our own language-learning ship, my friends.
For navigational tips, try ‘How to learn Italian (or any language)‘, a long article with advice from one who has been learning and teaching for decades.
Plus there are seven years’ worth of selected articles, encompassing, I hope, much wisdom and wit, on our ‘Best of‘ page. Ignore the travelogues if you wish, though those were the ones I had most fun with.
Or, here’s an idea!
You could go kill a couple of hours on Youtube.
A venerdì.
P.S.
Tuesday’s bulletin of ‘easy’ Italian news is waiting for you to read/listen to, if you haven’t already done so.
I try to get it done on the day it comes out, as it only takes 8-10 minutes…
Just saying!
Veronica says
I can’t speak to the general issue. But I can say that I will be back to listening to the Middle Ages soon (I took a break when I went to Italy for two weeks!); Also, I bought so much material at the last sales that I am still working through it, and that I take lessons twice a week with tutors whom Lucia paired me with (both excellent). I do use the website’s resources, although I have never found a particularly good way to search through them other than the table of contents, which, like all TOCs is a little hit-or-miss; I think I have been spoiled by the seeming precision of search engine results. But don’t despair — I”ll be making more use of the website’s exercises, dialogues and other content soon.
Thank you for all the work you do; my Italian wouldn’t be half as good without this website.
Carol Re says
Hi Daniel
I’m highlighting and saving this email for the links to all your wonderful comprehensive grammar lessons. I just needed that reminder that there is so much at my fingertips from your site. (I can hear you saying, “as if you needed another reminder”) but I did!
Thanks so much for all you have available to us language learners. It’s much appreciated.
Hope your health is improving by the day.
Kind regards
Carol
LynneF says
Daniel, when I stumbled upon Online Italian club I found all the free resources invaluable and starting at level A1 began working my way through. Following your advice I listen and read everyday, things provided on your site,and anything else I can. As a result I don’t work my way through all the levelled activities but dip in and out to support my learning through the reading and listening.. So for me websites are not dead I just use them differently now,. Thanks for all the great work you do to help people like me learn Italian. Hope your recovery is continuing and all is going well with your return to the classroom after all the recent turmoil for you and your students
Colleen Watson says
Another good email, I do enjoy them. . I think your website is one of the best I have discovered for learning Italian as are your “encouraging” emails. I’ve downloaded and saved the Middle Ages series and plan to complete it soon. Keep up the great work.
Joan says
Thanks for reminding this oldtimer that “Slow but steady wins the race.” You have lifted me out of the doldrums. To that end I’ve added your Listening Exercises to my taskbar. I check my e-mail, then do an exercise. What could be better than that? You’ve given me that most precious of commodities….hope.
Moira says
Thanks Daniel for reminding me what Italian grammar is all about! I read, listen to and speak Italian a lot but now realise that this item called grammar does need attention from time to time. I tried one of the C1 exercises which revelaed how much I had forgotten. Thankfully you also give the solutions so all is not lost I shall revise and revisit the grammar section of the website.
I am pleased to hear you have recovered, I hope fully, after your scary stay in hospital.
Thank you for maintaining my interst in learning and helping to maintain / improve my Italian.
.