Many language learning apps can help you achieve the intermediate proficiency level in your target language. But what about after that? Are you going to just stop and satisfy with your current level? Absolutely not! Why not move your language level from intermediate to advanced?
I know you’re thinking ”sounds great, but how?” The answer is simple: language exposure. You know many language learning apps, such as Duolingo, don’t really provide you with language exposure. Although they are great for building a strong foundation and getting conversational, they don’t really improve your listening comprehension skills.
That’s the point where Linguistica 360 makes an appearance. In this Linguistica 360 review, you will find out how it can help you to advance your current language level even more.
Let’s jump right into the review!
First Look To Linguistica 360 Review
Linguistica 360 is a language learning platform producing weekly podcasts in your target language.
I tested out the free app trial for Linguistica Spanish which is called ”News in Slow Spanish”. It is not a gamified language app, unlike many others. It functions as a supportive language learning resource more than an app.
Linguistica doesn’t teach you the basics of a language from scratch. Instead, it provides you with authentic programs present news, stories, and audio. All of them are vocalized by a native Spanish speaker.
Linguistica offers materials in three different levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. The speaking speed and vocabulary choice differ based on the level you chose. So if you choose the beginner level, you will be exposed to your target language at a slow pace.
Linguistica also has an extensive grammar, and expression repertoire, and these lessons are given in English.
Let’s take a closer look at the notable features of this app!
Available Languages In Linguistica 360
Linguistica 360 currently offers only four language courses which are listed below:
- Spanish (Spain & Latino)
- French
- Italian
- German
Well, I know its language repertoire looks very limited but quality over quantity, right?
Authentic News Stories
News in Slow Spanish gives you the latest world news about current events in the Spanish language, just like a local radio channel. I’ve listened to two news stories at a slow pace. Everything in the audio is written down for you to follow.
Some phrases are colored and it means that they may be new to you. You don’t have to open up a new tab to use a dictionary. Because you can see their meaning in the text. All you have to do is to move your mouse pointer to the phrase. And the meaning of the phrase pops up in a tiny box.
You can also speed up or slow it down more if you need. The average duration of audios is 15 minutes.
Grammar Lessons Structure
There are a total of 25 lessons on Spanish grammar. And each grammar lesson consists of four parts: grammar, lesson, story, and pronunciation.
Grammar & Expressions
The first part of the lesson sequence is actually an audio lesson, and its content is combined with a storytelling technique. The language you hear in lessons is mostly Spanish but English is also integrated partly. The lesson has a dialogue format between two people. And the language level is not difficult, it’s like simplified Spanish for learners.
Lesson
The second part is based on just reading and it covers the same things as in the audio. But this time, grammar rules are explained in detail with a number of examples in the English language. Everything is explained in English and the focus is on the key points of that grammar subject.
Story
In the third part, you are supposed to read an authentic story in Spanish. The voiceover of the written text is also available to listen to.
The stories in this part are not chosen randomly. Each story includes that particular grammar subject heavily. Also, the grammatical forms are written in bold throughout the text so that you can see how they are used in context.
Pronunciation
In the pronunciation part, you basically listen to a native Spanish speaker say a sentence and then repeat it after them. Again, these sentences include the grammatical form you’ve learned in the grammar lessons.
However, Linguistica 360 is not supported by voice recognition technology. So there is no sign to indicate whether your pronunciation is correct.
Hence, you have to do it in the traditional way. Listen to the audio very carefully to decide whether your pronunciation matches it or not.
Authentic Series
You can find a lot of podcasts about history and culture. They are great resources to learn about the culture as well as improve your listening skills.
There are two versions of a Spanish podcast: beginner and intermediate. The word choices and sentence structures change according to your preference. But of course, the theme stays the same.
You can also see the podcast in written format and even download it as a PDF file.
Flashcards
The flashcards in Linguistica 360 are not interactive as in other language apps. They are given in a downloadable PDF format. When you open up that file, you see a table that includes Spanish vocabulary with their English meanings.
You can see the clickable flashcards button on top of the page in grammar and expression lessons.
Pricing
Unlike many other language learning apps, there is only one payment plan for Linguistica 360. The first 7 days are free after that you have to pay $22.90 monthly for only one language course.
Pros & Cons
+ Massive language exposure.
+ Comprehensive grammar lessons.
+ Additional language and culture materials.
– No voice recognition technology.
– A limited number of language courses.
– Not appropriate for beginners.
Can You Become Fluent With Linguistica 360?
If you already have a strong background in your target language, don’t even think about using Linguistica 360, just go for it! As long as you use it on a regular basis, your listening, oral and reading comprehension will be improved. And hence you’ll gain more fluency when you speak the language.
As I said, I only tried Spanish but I’m sure that the German, Italian, and French language courses are as useful as this one.
However, I wouldn’t recommend this app to beginner students since you must already know the basic vocabulary and sentence structures to be able to improve comprehension. You can learn the basics in another language app and then come back here to improve your skills.
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