My Breakthrough Italian Learning Tool: iPad

So, I’m back at it again. It is time to rededicate myself to achieving fluency in the Italian language. I have been “studying” Italian for the last eleven years; mostly cramming prior to trips overseas. I also have the unfortunate tendency to back off on the studying when life gets hectic, which has been most of the time for the last couple of years.

I’m determined for this year to be different, though. I invested in a little technology a few months ago in the hopes of surging forward in all of the things I am trying to learn on my own: I bought an iPad.

Of course, the Italophile that I am, I immediately loaded the iPad with Italian language instructional apps – English/Italian Dictionary, Italian Verbs, English to Italian common phrase book, Italiano Spelling Games, l’Unita News, Corriere della Sera News, etc. But I have a clear favorite app: Radio Italia. 255 Italian radio stations all available on my iPad, whenever and wherever I want!

The Radio Italia app is bringing me one of the most critical pieces missing from my study of Italian: immersion (albeit one-sided immersion). Just by having it playing in the background for hours a day on my iPad (and not streaming on my work computer, which would make the Systems Support team at work cranky at me), I am already better able to recognize common phrases and differentiate words in fast-paced conversation. I can jot down words to look up later (on another app on the iPad), and increase my understanding immediately.

I have become a huge fan of station 105 Best 4U (“Cento Cinque Friends!”). They play popular music between friendly comic banter that reminds me of morning zoo-style radio shows from the 80’s and 90’s. I get to hear slang and relaxed casual conversation, like sitting around a dinner table in Milano with friends.

Up until the time of the iPad, I only had Sunday morning RAI USA broadcasts on my local Comcast cable and the occasional ability to watch ten minutes of Italian TV stations on www.BeelineTV.com while I inhaled some lunch at work. I would stare intently at the screen, willing the Italian anchorwoman on the TG2 news program to impart clear understanding of the pictures that flashed across the screen. I just wasn’t up to the task – my listening skills are still underdeveloped, but I think I may have the breakthrough answer now. After all of this time trying to learn from CDs and workbooks, extended access to these real live conversations on Italian radio are the tool I have been waiting for to put it all together.

Now, if I could just find an app that makes me talk back to it in Italian, I’d be all set.
Sounds like an entrepreneurial opportunity to me.