Language Learning Resource: NFLC Learning Portal

The National Foreign Language Center (NFLC) has an amazing online language learning resource called the NFLF Learning Portal. It contains instructional modules in over 30 languages.

The Interagency Language Roundtable Scale is used for displaying the difficulty levels of each module.

Modules consist of multiple-choice questions that test comprehension of a native audio, text, or video source. The lessons are short, but I consider them a nice, more structured way to assess my skills.

It costs only $5 a month for full access to the modules.

Before making any commitment, I recommend browsing the languages and lessons currently available.

Pros

I am satisfied with the number of lessons available. It’s easy to be grateful since these are materials that were not previously available to the public.

Because a lot of the modules were originally made as assessments for Federal workers taking the Defense Language Proficiency Test, there is a limit to how many times you can go over audio before answering questions. This structure puts more emphasis on actually remembering information.

It’s cheaper and more relevant to my life than Netflix.

Cons

Because the questions are multiple-choice, it is sometimes easy to simply guess the correct answer.

I touched on this earlier, but I would like more material in each module. The ones I’ve completed consist of three passages with three questions each. I just have a preference for longer exercises like these.

Author: Koyami

I'm Koyami. I am a freelance Japanese-English Translator and I enjoy learning new skills and reading in my spare time. Current pursuits include juggling and playing piano. Follow me on Twitter for blog updates, random thoughts, and more!

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