I will do my best to solve all the problems. I have already put some links and written articles about LingQ, for example " how to use Ling Q", etc. on my blog, and will continue my activities.
Thank you all for your encouraging comments.
We recognize that increasing our membership, and eventually paid membership, is gradual process. Improving LingQ itself ican have a major impact. We are continuing to do that. There may be more direct things that we can do as members.
My idea with the LingQ coach was that learning how to learn independently, and learning how to use LingQ, is a an area of expertise that can be shared in a structured program of instruction. This would be no different from learning how to use Microsoft Outlook. LingQ members could teach others how to use LingQ and get paid for doing so, either individually or in groups.
The elements of such a program would depend on the needs of the learners. Just to get ideas going, it could consist of 10 hours of instruction spread out over two or more weeks.
Basic computer skills. 3 hours (optional)
* help with using a computer.
* help with using the Internet.
* help with using MP3 players.
Language learning skills. 1 hour
* it depends on you
* the three keys, Attitude, Time on Task, Attentiveness
* accepting uncertainty
* learning gradually through exposure
* don't try to nail things down
Using LingQ. 6 sessions of 1 hour each
* Overview - what to expect 1 hour
* Lessons section page by page 3 hours
* Friends section and Forum 1 hour
* Members' tips and advice 1 hour
Mike, I will ask Mark to look into the problems with the referral system. Has anyone else had this problem? Mine works fine. I see every month which of my referrals has become a paying member and receive my points monthly.
Sanne, that sounds great. I have written so much on the subject I do not know where to start looking but here are some paragraphs that I was able to grab to give you some ideas you might want to incorporate into an article. This can get you started. Let me know what direction you want to pursue and I can give you more.
I would not just focus on immigrants, but rather on the fact that language learning can be fun and that anyone, even Britons, can learn!
Although English is the most commonly used international language, England faces important language issues. These are the need for English people to learn languages for foreign travel, and increasingly to improve employment opportunities; and the need for immigrants to improve their language skills to better integrate into society and improve their job opportunities.
We are in the Age of the Internet, and the iPad. Language learning has changed.
* Using the Ipod in New Jersy gets kids out of ESL class in one year not 3-6 years.
* Elearning is more effective than classroom learning according to a recent US Department of Education report.
* Instructional hours have little impact on immigrant language learning success according to a survey by the US Center for Applied Linguistics.
* There is an explosion of language learning resources and communities on the web of which LingQ.com is but one example.
Language learning depends, not on the teacher or a classroom, but on the mind of the learner, specifically:
* Attitude of the learner, confidence, commitment and interest
* Time spent listening,reading, writing and speaking in the language. This is now easier than ever. The iPod and the Internet are more powerful than any language lab.
* Attentiveness to the language.
A language learning community like LingQ and others on the Internet, because of the power and convenience of modern technology, can liberate the learner from the classroom, stimulate a positive attitude, make it possible to study anytime and anywhere, and increase the learnersā attentiveness to the sounds and structures of the language. Most of all, it can dramatically reduce the cost of language learning by mobilizing community members to help themselves and each other.
* LingQ charges $10 per month and learners can study up to 11 languages, for the one inclusive monthly fee.
* In fact most users sign up and just use the site free. A small number pay. (The long tail).
* LingQ is an online community and learning platform, where members help each other and achieve great results.
* LingQ has unique apps and podcasts on iTunes, and a unique learning methodology that works well for many people.
* Members contribute content, tutor each other, follow each others blogs and activities.
* Each member's learning activities and results are measured daily.
* LingQ is a practical method for members of any community to learn languages,learn about other cultures, and meet interesting people.
Steve,
Mark is already aware of this issue. I wrote about it here: Inviting Via Facebook Not Working? - Language Forum @ LingQ
Vera posted on that thread too, saying she had had the same problem.
I am going to the paperās offices on Wednesday to hand in whatever I will have written by then. I shall use your material wherever possible. They print on Thursday, so we may not make it into this weekās edition, but at least it is a start.
Steve,
I recently talked to a friend who joined LingQ. She complains that āthey want us to buy points,and if I dont I have to refer friendsā. I have already told her shortly that itās not compulsory to buy points nor to refer friends, but I wanted to share this with you.
As we know, most people are unwilling to pay because they wonāt have a teacher nor a textbook here. Moreover, most internet users think everything must be free of charge on the net.
I have already told her she can earn points by tutoring, which she is willing to do. However, I think sheās not the only who thinks members HAVE TO refer friends. Anyway, I will talk to her about LingQ again.
donāt forget stay-at-home Mums going out of their minds with loneliness and boredom. Also the disabled learner will do better online than in a classroom. Basically, LingQ is like the Open University but cheaper, more flexible, better for language learning and you donāt have to go to Milton Keynes for the summer schools.
I am talking to the friend I mentioned in my previous post right now. She says she would love to become a paying member but thinks that 10 dollars are too much. Sheās an Indian student, her parents are already paying for her university studies and she doesnāt want to ask them for more money.
Moreover, as you certainly know, students usually have a tight budget and 10 dollars for an Indian student arenāt such a small amount as for an American student.
Wouldnāt it be possible to have, say, āstudents subscriptionsā? Or any other way to let people with a slow budget become paying members? I think that would also be a way to increase the number of paying members: having one member paying, say, 5 euro instead of 10 is better than having no paying member at all.
Let me know what you think about this.
Mike, there are no doubt people that interpret our explanations in different ways. It is difficult to account for all of this. We just hope that most people understand. I do not know if this interpretation of our referral system is wide spread, but one person or two is not enough for us to want to change it.
As to different rates for different people, I do not think that it would be fair to allow some people to pay 10 dollars and others to pay 5 dollars. Nor is it obvious that an Indian student in Italy has less money to spend than an American student. We have no way of knowing who is āunableā to pay, and who simply does not want to pay.
We have a number of resources available for people who do not want to or are unable to pay. We have made special arrangements for charities in Bangla Desh etc. but this is exceptional and is handled on a manual basis and not built into the system.
Ok, Steve, I see.
Anyway, I was comparing an American student in America to an Indian student in India, as it is the case of this girl (her LingQ username is BeingMe). Now I see: you thought she was in Italy because I used ātalkā instead of āchatā. I was just chatting with her.
Some other sites have special subscriptions for students or for young people. I know that identifying who really is a student would need resources, but it may be worth doing it, in y humble opinion.
Alternatively, there could be a 5-euro subscription with more features than the Free account and fewer than the current Basic membership.
These are just a few ideas that have come to my mind, Steve. I understand you cannot change the rules because just one person asks you toā¦
Iām sorry, but it seems I have figured the most important thing about language studying 
Itās like a guitar playing. All people likes the guitar sound, and many of them have tried to take the guitar in their hands and to play a little. But 99% of them have thrown that beautiful instrument on the garret floor after the first pain feelings in their fingers, or after realizing they just canāt play like Jimmy Hendrix after the one month of studying (what a surprise, hehe).
What I mean. You can learn people how to pinch the strings or handle the guitar, but if they are not really interested, keen, falled in love with the guitar, theyāll never play a simplest etude.
Sorry again for the discouraging post :))
Just a comment from another guitar player: If I want to learn something and donāt get any good explanations (or any at all) Iāll figure it out myself (as Iāve done with all of my music instruments - I have three gigs this weekend where Iām going to play 4+ instruments).
I may have said this before, but Iād probably get my way through the various steps even if the interface was written in Arabic/Korean/Thai/etc.
I canāt see how people (who know English!) can find this site difficult to follow.
Steve, you now :Iāll do all I can to help!
@Jeff: maybe not all people who know English are as intelligent as most people here OR maybe they are not so fanatic about language learning as the average lingqer (?)
Am on the road quite a lot and so missed yesterdayās much-awaited call from the local paper. They want to run a story. I am going to give them a call on Monday or Tuesday.
Thereās an area, though, where I might be floundering a bit: how to record lessons, import them and similar technical bitsā¦ I suppose I can cross that bridge when I come to it.
@vincentd, if youāre not as fanatic as the average lingqer, I donāt think youāre fanatic enough to study a language
I donāt really think all this would help you get more paying members. The reason Iām not a paying member is because I don,'t need itā¦ Iām 16, $10 is my monthly allowance xD Well, thatās not the point, I work and I have about 100 euros to spend (and to save of course) in a month, but still I think itās a waste of money. For $10 (or wellā¦ 10 euros I guess dollars is a bit of a stretch, foreign magazines are pretty expensive :p) I could buy 2 magazines I like to read, an easy Spanish one, and one with parallel German and English text. For $10 I could also be able to save LingQs and use them in a system I donāt like to use AT ALL, and get a discount on points (but still wouldnāt have any, and I am not going to spend more than $10). Well then I prefer to buy those magazines and save those words in Anki, or write them down, which I find a lot easier to do. I would be happy to be a paying member, but only if I pay for something that really makes it easier for me to learn.
Lisa, I understand what you say. In my case, I find extremely useful creating Lingqs while I am reading (Lingq lessons or whatever article I may find interesting on Internet). As you probably know, creating lingqs is limited on free membership.
I used Anki, and I admit that can be useful, but I prefer to create Lingqs. Itās very fast, and I like to learn in context.
āI could also be able to save LingQs and use them in a system I donāt like to use AT ALL, and"
Why donāt you like the LingQ system?