Like many things in life, LingQ is what you make of it. There is a learning curve with not only the interface, but the entire concept of the site itself. It took me a bit of time to get used to it, but the more I interacted with it, the more I was able taylor it to my use and the more it became my go to tool for language learning.
At first, the site can be overwhelming. There is a lot here, but what I realized is, the various aspect of the site are for various students. Flashcards and fill in the blanks, for example. I donāt use them, so I ignore them ā itās here for other people. The āFeedā feature? Not for me, and I donāt care.
I use LingQ almost exclusively for imported texts as a foreign language e-reader ā which keeps getting better and better with the new iOS beta app ā and none of the other alternative sites and apps give the same functionality for that. There is also not an alternative I have seen that would have such an extensive library of content available with the same functionality.
Iād say allow yourself some time for playing with the interface and searching through the content. Combine the free functions of LingQ with another language method to see where they complement each other.
We all know there are a lot of methods out there that can take you to a B1 or B2, however, I you wanna go beyond that and really build up a massive vocabulary, I havenāt seen anything quite as useful and practical as working with LingQ.
I agree with all of your thoughts about the uniqueness of LingQ, and it is my go-to program for learning Spanish. At the same time, as I gradually get better I want to use more of the programās functionality, I find it very difficult to figure out how to do so. Maybe I am missing something, but I would have thought that each feature would have a how-to video or text on the operation of each function. For example, I receive requests to correct writing, but the process for doing so is quite opaque, and there is no learning program to teach you how to do so. I would like to help others, but I gave up trying to figure it out. I guess the rule is that if you are going to create a complex high functioning program LingQ, it would be a really good idea to make sure everyone can take a tutorial on how to use all the parts of it.
Iām not sure about the correction requests, thatās one of the aspects that I havenāt really payed attention to, but for something like that, Iād shoot off an email to the support desk. In the past, Iāve had various support interactions with the LingQ folks and theyāve always been very helpful.
Iām not saying there are no issues or frustrations to be had from time to time, I just feel like if it doesnāt work for someone, there is really no reason to launch these āyour site sucksā kinda missives, especially given how responsive their team is when there is an actual actionable issue that you bring to their attention.
I hope I did not come across that way. Certainly not intended, and I donāt believe I ever suggested the āsite sucksā, as you put it. I am expressing concerns on the forum because Steve Kaufman suggested I do so as the best way of making improvements. I still think the site is one of the best ways to learn.
Suggestion: on the Home page use ONE screen for displaying ALL lessons
The new Home page is confusing because the user has to follow one route to see Recommended Lessons, another route to see the Lesson Library (=New Lessons), and a third route (See All) to see My Lessons.
Instead we need to go ONE route to see Lessons, and once we get there use Filters to show the particular type of lessons we want
Where the Recommended Lessons list is now, I suggest we change that so that ALL LESSONS go through this screen.
Then put filters above it for: Getting Started - Recommended - New Lessons - My Lessons
If you click on Getting Started, you see a list of Getting Started Lessons, if you click on Recommended you see the current list of Recommended lessons, if you click on New Lessons you see a list of the Lessons Library, if click on My Lessons you see a list of your own lessons.
Basically, the screen looks the same as the See All screen now, except that Getting Started and Recommended have been added to the existing New Lessons and My Lessons.
The Courses/Lessons switch can be the same place as it is now.
We hear all of you and we are working on something actually quite similar to what David is recommending here. The listings on the Home page will be very basic. You will still have to do filtering and sorting on the search results page but you will be able to choose your default Home tab. That way, if you like the feed, you can have it as your default home tab, or, if you prefer to see My Courses like we had in classic, you can set it to be your default. We know we havenāt got it quite right now but think this will be much more flexible for all types of users.
OK, Mark, I will - for the time being - continue my premium membership while I am waiting for improvements. I agree with most of the negative comments above. It is the most cumbersome website I have ever worked with. But I agree also with the positive comments. I have great admiration and respect for Steve Kaufmann and his great concept. But this concept deserves to be implemented in a much more functional and streamlined way. Whenever you think you should do another video to explain basic issues you should see this as a warning sign that something is wrong. It is also wrong when Steve implies that we all have to work just a bit harder to understand the website.
Functionality is of course the main issue, but please, while you are working on it you might also re-think the childish and inappropriate graphical design.
Iām with t_harangi on this. LingQ is what you make of it. The site however is very daunting to a beginner, because you donāt know what or where to start. I wouldnāt recommend this site to a beginner of language learning, when things like DuoLingo and Memrise pretty much hold your hand and break up stuff for you, so you know when youāre making progress. As a low intermediate, I STILL donāt know how to progress, because I donāt know what I need to improve. Feedback is important to me. Iād imagine a progress tree like DuoLingoās is more difficult for a site, where the vocabulary and content is unlimited, where as DuoLingo is finite.
The features of the site, I still enjoy. The exchange is great, the dictionary, and the community especially. The only thing holding all of this back is the library.
The site only good if youāre self-motivated and you know how to learn on your own, which is detrimental to people that are a bit scatterbrained and not as motivated as the ones that decide to learn 3 languages at once.
If people can use Anki (Iām assuming a lot of people here use it), you can use LingQ.
In my humble opinion the problem could be solved with free tutoring for new members.
99% of new member donāt even watch the getting start videos to know how to use it, There was a big effort to record tutorial videos to help all the new members, Probably itās not enough, I guess they need some free tutoring to know how to enjoy all the tools on Lingq.
Hey folks. I think we should be careful about describing those that have concerns as ālazyā or āscatterbrainedā. This is very disrespectful to those that have been asked to provide comment, as well as unhelpful to the LingQ chaps that are trying to solve the problems. This is is akin to shooting the messenger. The folks that have posted concerns have all been quite bullish on the utility of the program and respectful in their comments. Not everyone has the same computer skills, and the sign of a good site is one that doesnāt allow the lack of them to get in the way of learning languages, which is the point of it all. I for one have been using LingQ for the last year and find it one of the best programs around. At the same time, it seems to me that some of the user interface complexities are very awkward and are getting in the way of its potential. For example, I would like to know where these video tutorials are. I donāt see them noted anywhere on the home page, but would have thought that this would be the first thing a user should be able to find in order to get into the programs in any depth. I think Markās comment shows that he recognizes there are issues that need to be addressed in order to move the site from good to great. He needs these comments in order to move the site in that direction. Please donāt discourage them.
Lucas, If youāre some kind of Lingq admin on here publicly calling the customers lazy then thatās pretty bad. As I already stated earlier, Lingq is a powerful learning tool and I couldnāt have made the language progress that I have without it. That being said, everyone Iāve talked with who has looked at this site, including language partners who I have met here who like the site and use it regularly, are all pretty much unanimously of the opinion that this website is chaotic and not user-friendly.
@Paldrich ,Iām sorry but I guess you did not understand my point of view. Iām not calling any customers lazy what I said was in most cases people need more then a video or a simple words, they need to be watched, like a kid, hold their hands and help them with every single step.
You have no idea how hard we have been working on lingq , you are new here and probably didnāt have the opportunity to know all the tools developed to help all new users.
Iām sorry but I guess you did not understand my point of view. Iām not calling any customers lazy what I said was in most cases people need more then video or simple words, they need to be watched, like a kid, hold their hands and help them with every single step.
Itās a suggestion, free tutoring for new members.