This page features resources, materials and links to support in the teaching and studying of East Asian languages inside and outside the classroom. In addition to language specific resources, there is also a section that supports all language study.
Languages
General Language Study
- Anki: Software to design flash cards.
- ARIS: Create location-based games and stories.
- Clozemaster: Learn vocabulary (for over 50 languages) in context by filling in the missing word for thousands of sentences.
- Edpuzzle: Platform to reinforce accountability and engage students during video lessons.
- Flipgrid: Social learning platform for video creations and discussions, including the capability to link up with a class in a different region of the world as “grid” pals.
- Forvo: Select the language you want and type the word you’re looking for into the search bar, and you’ll hear it spoken by a native speaker.
- Kahoot!: Game-based learning platform.
- Lead with Languages: Advocacy site for learning languages. Each language page features scholarships, programs and a detailed explanation of why the language is important.
- LingQ: 1000s of hours of podcasts, audiobooks, interviews, courses and more for various languages.
- Nearpod: Instructional platform that merges formative assessment and dynamic media for collaborative learning experiences.
- Quizlet: Learning platform loaded with flash cards, games and learning tools.
- Siftr: Citizen science app that allows educators to create projects for any topic, and encourages students to enter the field and collect data.
Chinese
- Arch Chinese: Offers more than 50 innovative and easy-to-use tools have been created to facilitate Chinese teaching and learning inside and outside of the classroom.
- Chengyu (成语): A site that features stories explaining Chinese idioms.
- ChineseClass101: Offers a free and subscription membership to podcast lessons and other Chinese learning materials.
- Chinese Converter: Enter Chinese text and hear it read out loud.
- Chinese Reading Practice: Excerpts from Chinese poems, stories, books, etc. that offer a background explanation and side-by-side English translation.
- Library of Congress’ Chinese Romanization Table
- Little Fox Chinese: Free online short stories, animated series, songs, etc. for young learners.
- Check out their YouTube Channel.
- Pleco: Free mobile Chinese dictionary for Android or iOS.
- The Chairman’s Bao: Subscription based, but offers preparation for all six levels of HSK.
- Check out their YouTube Channel.
- Youdao Translator (有道翻译): Free online Chinese dictionary and translator.
- YOYO Chinese: Offers a free and subscription membership to online Chinese courses.
Japanese
- Easy Japanese (NHK World-Japan): Offers free conversation and grammar lessons, as well as free audio/textbook downloads.
- Genki’s Self-Study Room: Offers a variety of online materials to support learning of Japanese. The materials specifically pair with Genki textbooks, but are also useful for additional practice.
- Japanese for Life in Japan (IRODORI): A series of free course books available as PDFs published by the Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute. The series is designed on the JF standard.
- JapanesePod101: Offers a free and subscription membership to podcast lessons and other Japanese learning materials.
- Jisho: Japanese-English dictionary for words, kanji and example sentences.
- Kanji Alive: A free study tool for reading and writing kanji.
- Library of Congress’ Japanese Romanization Table
- Marugoto Plus: Corresponds to the Marugoto textbook series, but is useful for additional practice of Japanese. Marugoto aims to encompass culture through practicing language in a daily conversation style.
- News Web Easy (NHK): News in Japanese, featuring furigana (Japanese reading aid).
- Nihongo eな: Portal that offers sites, tools, and ideas for learning Japanese.
- Nihongo Switch: A weekly podcast by a native-speaking Japanese tutor. The podcast is aimed at intermediate learners and has a listening, watching and reading (transcripts) option.
- Online Japanese Accent Dictionary (OJAD): Database that allows users to look up the pitch accent of Japanese words.
- Puni Puni: Japanese video lessons for beginners and cultural content.
- Prefer a different web layout? Check out their YouTube Channel.
- Ryou Flashcards: Web app for learning and studying kanji and vocabulary words. The app contains more than 2,000 kanji and 8,000 vocabulary words, which can be studied based on the JLPT level or the Japanese grade school level they appear in.
- Tofugu: Website featuring Japanese grammar guides, in-depth looks at Japanese vocabulary, Japanese resource and textbook reviews, etc. Be on the lookout for their articles discussing the newest Japanese learning resources.
- Tofugu creators also founded WaniKani: A Japanese kanji and vocabulary learning web app that uses spaced repetition, mnemonics, interleaving, and more. Only levels 1 through 3 are available for free.
Korean
- How to Study Korean: Website featuring free content that is divided into units that feature 25 lessons, 3 quizzes and a unit test.
- KoreanClass101: Offers a free and subscription membership to podcast lessons and other Korean learning materials.
- Korean Grammar Dictionary: A free online dictionary of Korean grammatical forms.
- Library of Congress’ Korean Romanization Table
- Naver Dictionary: Korean-English dictionary with audio, sample sentences and word/phrases of the day.
- Talk to Me in Korean: Offers a free and subscription membership to online Korean courses.
- Check out their YouTube Channel that features additional lessons and cultural videos.
Tibetan
- Library of Congress’ Tibetan Romanization Table
- Library of Tibetan Works & Archives: A website loaded with information, including free downloadable resources such as the Heart of the Tibetan Language textbook and exercise book.
- Sambhota Schools: YouTube channel with an introduction series to Tibetan, as well as a part two and children’s storybooks playlist.