Have you always wanted to learn a foreign language? Well, the Bay Minette Public Library is putting that opportunity at your fingertips through the Mango Languages online learning courses. Free to all library patrons, there are 57 languages from which to choose including Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. There are also four religious and scholarly courses – Latin, Ancient Greek, Koine Greek and Biblical Hebrew.

Mango Languages was created in 2007 and designed by a team of linguists, teachers, software developers and writers to become one of the leading providers of online language learning services. “The Mango learning methodology teaches actual conversation, breaking down complex linguistic elements within an audio-visual framework that draws important connections and builds on information the user has already learned.”

The resource is available via remote access. This means you can take your lessons from the comfort of your own home. All you need is a library card! Visit our website at bayminettepubliclibrary.org and click on the link at the top of the page under the heading “Online Language Learning Courses are here!” and create a new user account with your email address and library card number. A confirmation email will be sent to your email address for you to activate your new account. It’s as easy as that!

No matter the reason for wanting to learn a new language, it should be fun and the Mango format is just that. “Each lesson combines real life situations and audio from native speakers with simple, clear instructions. The courses are presented with an appreciation for cultural nuance and real-world application that integrates components of vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar and culture.”

There are two course versions available. Mango Basic teaches helpful phrases and everyday greetings in a short period of time. Basic is for the new language beginner. Mango Complete is a course of 100 lessons designed to give a deeper understanding of not only a language but its culture as well.

The user-friendly format and goal-based learning makes Mango readily accessible to anyone who wants to learn. The material that you learn is what you would use in real life situations and on the streets of the places where the language is spoken.

Notes on grammar and culture are included in each lesson in order to increase your understanding of not only the language, but the different customs, societies and lifestyles. The well-rounded teaching model integrates memory-building exercises to ensure retention and the audio element gives you the opportunity to practice the pronunciation of the new words and phrases.

You can even record your voice to directly compare it with that of a native speaker “to hear exactly how to tune in your accent.”

I am incredibly excited that our library is making this wonderfully educational database available to our patrons. There might be people out there who want to brush up on a language they learned in college or those who have always wanted to learn but haven’t had the resources – now it is readily available, fun and easy to use. Give it a shot and you will see just how user friendly and entertaining it is to learn a new language.

Joanna Bailey is the director of the Bay Minette Public Library. She can be reached at baileyvolumes@gmail.com