There are a million and one different language courses out there for a hundred and one different languages; some are a lot better than others, but with quality often comes a heftier price tag.
The top of the range language products (as reviewed on the Lingualogue
website…excuse the plug) are undoubtedly worth the seemingly exorbitant charge, as the work and time that has gone into producing these titles is plainly obvious…and they work.
It doesn’t help knowing the price is justified, however, if you just can’t afford it, and let’s face it $300 is no small chunk of change. Although sometimes I may suggest that making a painful initial outlay for language learning courses is likely to give you extra incentive to finish the course rather than lose interest after 5 minutes, obviously one man’s painful initial outlay is another man’s bankruptcy and starvation.
There is of course a solution, and a legal one at that. A solution that has been around for years, a solution that was probably made more use of by your granny than any of us. This solution is of course the library, that archaic institution of mouldy books and even mustier bookshelves. This is probably how most people remember libraries from their school days–a place to find antiquated historical references, the entire collection of ELO, and old Stephen King novels–certainly not any modern language learning courses.
Libraries however have changed, not just a little, but a huge paradigm shift. Of course I am sure you will still find reference books, and Stephen King books, and may even be able to pick up the ELO collection (if you really wanted) but libraries today have lurched into the technological age with great enthusiasm (well most at least). It’s all computers and online material now, and yet they still have many things available to borrow without charge. One of those things, invariably, is language learning suites. At many libraries these days you can pick up copies of the top of the range language learning courses such as Rosetta Stone and TellMeMore. Some even have the excellent Fluenz. Many languages are available and all to borrow for the globally appreciated price of nowt, zilch, nada…absolutely nothing.
If you have a library near you and you are looking to learn a language, I suggest you get yourself down there straight away, get yourself a library card (remember those) and check out what they have available to help you learn that language.
Just remember, just because you haven’t splashed out an inordinate amount of cash for the privilege of learning the language, doesn’t mean you have to give up at the first hurdle.
Get yourself a library card and start learning.
