No Habla Español? How Netflix Could Transform The Way We Learn Languages
For years, people have learned English through Hollywood movies and BBC dramas. But now, British monoglots have one less excuse for not reciprocating thanks to the new online tool called Language Learning With Netflix (LLN). LLN turns Netflix, the popular streaming service, into a sofa-based language lab. Since its launch in December, LLN has been downloaded by tens of thousands of people. The tool not only allows viewers to watch foreign language shows with subtitles in the original language and English but also pauses automatically to let the learner absorb what they have heard. Amid growing concern over the plummeting number of pupils taking foreign languages in secondary schools, LLN has been hailed as a dynamic way of harnessing the educational potential of Netflix. Netflix has programs in 26 languages in 190 countries and aims to have 100 non-English language series in production by this year.
David Wilkinson, an English national born in Zimbabwe, and Ognjen Apic, a Serbian linguist, began the project as a hobby a few years back and launched their Chrome browser extension in December. Within three weeks, more than 30,000 people have already downloaded the tool. Wilkinson and Apic picked Netflix since it offers a variety of foreign language shows. LLN assists users to learn the language they are trying to learn by enabling them to view two translations simultaneously. The first translation is an automatic machine translation, which tends to be literal, while the second is an official version made by a person who understands idiom.
The decline of the long-term foreign language learning in British schools will guarantee LLN’s success or failure. Since 2004, foreign language GCSEs have been optional, the numbers of children studying German and French had dropped by about two-thirds since then. Duolingo, Babbel, and Memrise applications have become more popular. Duolingo said that it had seen a 38% increase in UK users learning French and a 34% increase in users learning German since early 2017. Apps like Duolingo see LLN as a fantastic feature that would complement their teaching method. Nevertheless, not everyone is convinced. Some believe learning a language demands a real teacher to speak to and to practice listening. It is a bit passive and only focuses on one skill, Mickael Pointecouteau, the course manager at the Alliance Française in London, said.
Discover and Learn through Programs
Explore Languages with Netflix
Catalan
Enrich your viewing experience with Benvinguts a la família (Welcome to the Family), a cleverly-written dark comedy that tells the story of a family fighting to keep their home despite facing eviction.
Dutch
Immerse yourself in the Dutch resistance during the Second World War with Bankier van het Verzet (The Resistance Banker), an epic tale of perseverance and courage.
Filipino
Let love takes its course in Kita Kita, a romantic comedy about a heartbroken tour guide that unexpectedly finds her soul mate after being cheated on by her former fiancé.
Icelandic
Get captivated by the heartfelt story of Andið eðlilega (And Breathe Normally), which depicts the uplifting relationship between a single mother and an asylum seeker.
Tamil
Treat yourself to the heartwarming story of Radiopetti (Radio Set), a drama that explores the bond between a partially deaf old man and the valve radio his father gave him.
