EWA: Learn Languages

I searched everywhere for an app that could do everything I was looking for (because I was asking for a lot), but I finally found it! I wanted to improve my French vocab and comprehension skills and other language apps like Duolingo just weren’t allowing me to progress fast enough. But listening to podcasts or watching TV shows was too advanced for my level, which also didn’t allow me to progress. I needed something scaffolded at my level. And since my reading skills are so much better than my listening skills, I wanted something that could utilize my strength of reading to improve my weakness of listening comprehension. So I was specifically looking for an app where I could read and listen at the same time so that I could connect the words I was hearing to words I could see visually. But since I don’t have a large vocab even with reading, I also needed something that I could stop at times and translate words or phrases as needed. But I also wanted to multitask in my language learning and read books of interest to me, but with language I could understand. This would mean having leveled books where an original book (such as a classic book) is provided but with simpler language. (Asking for a lot, I know.) But amazingly, this app does it all! As a School Psychologist who specializes in language learning, I find that this app utilizes all the best practices in language comprehension, including points and motivators to keep you going! You can also save words that you don’t know to practice in flashcard form later. This has really helped me in my journey to learn French and I can’t recommend it enough!

Dear EWA, I APPRECIATE the pop culture video visuals, (truly, I do), but as a newly paying customer, and a linguist, I would say that the literal interpretation and impression is more important than ONLY USING A General idea translation. I have yet to see that “Au revoir” technically means “Until I see you again” for example. (For the record, when you see an all-caps word from me, it is not indicating anger, but passion and emphasis). Also, one important way that those who see AND hear naturally learn is by listening AND a certain, natural, undeniable amount of lip-reading. If the video used is only a dubbed version and not using native speakers, the lip movements will not be accurate, so please shorten the gap between dubbed movies vs. native movies. It would make the most sense. French cinema is replete with options, since it is pretty vast. Mind you it ought to be kept family friendly… Also, (?) we need to be able to disagree with an “incorrect” answer when your questions and answers are a little faulty. Duolingo has that capability. Please improve these things. God bless, and Merry Christmas. Also, I personally don’t appreciate the woke video indicating two mothers for one child. Mismatched dubs are particularly noticeable and disturbingly distracting when I am trying to have a seamless learning experience. Again, thank you for everything! Also, you need more languages here.

Thoroughly enjoying the app. Started out using their stories on the app - I studied French in high school and was able to jump into some sherlock holmes short stories with the accompanying narration pretty easily. The nice thing about the stories they have in the app is they have google translate enabled to translate whole paragraphs/ phrases. The individual word translation leaves a little to be desired, as sometimes a combination of three or four words makes up a phrase/saying and the individual word translations do not convey the true meaning. This is the issue when you upload an EPUB file format of a book. I am doing the french version of harry potter and listening to the audiobook on audible at the same time. It allows me to translate individual words but not full phrases, so I feel like occasionally I am missing some implied meanings. Still gave the app 5 stars but it would be nice to integrate google translate a bit more to be able to capture and translate more than one consecutive word at a time.