A Language Learning Phenomenon — 5 Reasons 1,000,000 People Use This App To Learn Languages

The numbers speak for themselves: over 1,000,000 people choose to learn a language with Babbel, and that number continues to grow. But why have the Babbel apps proved so popular? We’ve selected our top five reasons:

1. The People

From a rabble of budding language enthusiasts working in a loft in the Kreuzberg neighborhood of Berlin, Babbel HQ has since evolved to house a broad range of experts united by the common goal of creating the best language learning tools possible. That may all sound rather, um… lofty, but as I heard Eric Schmidt say just this week, such overt ambition possesses a strong force of attraction. For a company that requires specialists in ninety-eight language combinations, this force of attraction is integral to finding the right people, whether it’s a Spanish linguist who can design a course in Polish, or a graphic designer who can help localize the look and feel across seven languages. This imperative of multilingual, intercultural expertise has endowed the company with a truly unique topography of skills, and an unrivaled potential for innovation within the world of language learning.

2. The Product AND The Service

App-based learning carries a few inherent advantages. It’s convenient: you have your smartphone by your side at all times, fully-charged and ready to guide you through the labyrinth of contemporary life, from the gentle tap of the snooze in the morning to the emoji-peppered goodnight-message you compose for a loved one in the evening.

Furthermore, an online product can be constantly improved and updated, blurring the distinction between product and service. A Babbel learner’s progress is measured, and junctures within courses that prove difficult are optimized in order to ensure information is conveyed as effectively as possible. Yes, all that German grammar may sometimes seem complicated, and yes, some of those French words don’t look anything like they sound, but that’s exactly where Babbel comes in handy: it prides itself on making the complicated simple.

3. The Learners

All of the 1,000,000+ learners have their own story, their own reason for endeavoring to learn a language. As Babbel is in frequent contact with them, some truly inspiring tales have emerged. Gianni, for example, is probably our oldest learner at the age of 101. He’s a technophile who has long used Skype to communicate with his daughter in New York, and who likes to practice his new language with his great-granddaughter’s English speaking nanny. Cecilia is also Italian but has lived abroad for many years and speaks multiple languages. She now uses Babbel to learn German with a view to moving to Berlin in the next few years. The Babbelonians themselves are also keen Babbelers, having taken part in numerous challenges to see how much they can learn within a given period of time, whether that be Turkish in seven days, or French in a working week…

4. The Magazine

The Babbel Magazine was founded two years ago with the aim of promoting entertaining, educational articles, artwork and video on the topics of language and culture. It’s written in six different languages – English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese – and is visited on average by over ten million people every month. The editorial team now consists of thirteen people from eight different countries, and you can read about anything from the secret languages of twins to how soccer players in international teams communicate with one another. If this sounds like your cup of tea, then you can easily register with Babbel and receive all the latest updates from our magazine.

5. The Future

Artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality… Science fiction is rapidly becoming science reality. The education industry has often lagged behind other industries, such as gaming and travel, in adopting and developing new digital technologies. Babbel aims to change this – driving innovation in order to keep education in step and simultaneously addressing the soaring trend toward informal, autodidactic learning that’s been ushered in by the Information Age.

The 'robot lawyer’ giving free legal advice to refugees

by sonkoh junior

 A technology initially used to fight traffic fines is now helping refugees with legal claims.

When Joshua Browder developed DoNotPay he called it "the world's first robot lawyer". It's a chatbot - a computer program that carries out conversations through texts or vocal commands - and it uses Facebook Messenger to gather information about a case before spitting out advice and legal documents.

It was originally designed to help people wiggle out of parking or speeding tickets. But now Browder - a 20-year-old British man currently studying at Stanford University - has adapted his bot to help asylum seekers.

In the US and Canada, it's helping refugees complete immigration applications, and in the UK, it can aid asylum seekers in obtaining financial support from the government.

Support Nasa and you’ll get State jobs, Raila tells Tharaka-Nithi residents

ODM leader Raila Odinga has told residents of Tharaka-Nithi County to support the National Super Alliance (Nasa) in the coming elections, promising them that they will get State jobs if the coalition takes over power.

Mr Odinga was speaking Tuesday during a meeting at Marimanti with leaders from the county.

He was accompanied by Mr Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper), Mr Musalia Mudavadi (ANC) and Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula.

Mr Odinga said they will deploy monitors in all polling stations to ensure there is no rigging during the August 8 elections.

He also welcomed Senator Kithure Kindiki's elder brother, Prof Isiaih, to the coalition.

Prof Isiaih says he does not agree with his brothers political ideologies and hence his decision to support the opposition.

uk-firm-discovers-gold-worth-sh171-billion-in-kakamega

By mbuvi mtoto wa sonkoh
 A UK firm has announced the discovery of high-grade gold at its mines in Kakamega County. Acacia Mining said yesterday that it had discovered an estimated resource of 1.31 million ounces of gold at its mines in the Liranda Corridor in Kakamega, whose grade, Acacia added, is one of the highest in Africa. Mining Cabinet Secretary Dan Kazungu estimates the discovery could be valued at Sh171 billion ($1.65 billion). The firm, however, said the scale of the find is small and it would need to undertake more tests and drill more exploratory wells. This is with the aim of increasing the resources to upwards of two million ounces, which would make the mines economically viable. It added that it is too early to assign a value to the find. Acacia said it had found an Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate of 1.31 million ounces of gold at a grade of 12.1 grammes per tonne on the Liranda Corridor within the company’s West Kenya Project. “This is one of the highest grade projects in Africa today, and we believe that this initial resource is a first step in the delineation of a multi-million ounce high-grade corridor,” said Brad Gordon, the firm’s CEO, in a statement yesterday. 

I qualify to be head of state - Wetang’ula

Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetang’ula addresses the crowd at the Bungoma Posta grounds.

Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula has said he has what it takes to be the fifth President.
He urged ODM leader Raila Odinga to support his presidential bid. Wetang’ula spoke on Saturday during the homecoming ceremony of Busia Knut executive secretary Mark Hannington Oseno in Namboto village, Samia subcounty.
The Cord co-principal urged Western residents to support one of their own for the top seat. “I’m urging you to emulate other regions. I want you to support me because I have what it takes to lead,” Wetang’ula said.
The Bungoma senator said Western leaders must forge unity to bolster the community’s chances of producing a President. “I want to appeal to leaders to unite so we can chart the way forward,” he said.
The Senate minority leader urged the former PM to give youthful leaders a chance to run for President.
Wetang’ula said Raila should not handpick leaders and impose them on voters, but let people elect leaders of their choice

5 reasons why teachers make the best wife materials

 By Titus mbuvi

Listen: It's time to start dating a teacher.

Teachers are regarded as one of the top professions to date. A decision on who will be your wife solely depends on your taste, but I’m worried this information may make you change your mind. Nurses, lawyers, bankers, secretaries and other categories of women can make good wives but not as much as a teacher can. Here are a few other reasons why trying to make a teacher your main squeeze should be one of your major goals.

1.     They're pretty damn selfless.

Teachers are known to be givers. Leave alone the delivery of content to students; they have an extended generosity beyond that. Teachers not only want to mold young minds, but they also want to give to others. Givers are, of course, fairly selfless people. Relationships are a give and take that should probably involve more giving than taking, and you're bound to get a lot of that with a teacher. Yes, this transcends to the bedroom as well.

2.      You're liable to learn something new quite often.

Teachers seek for new information on daily basis so as to deliver to their respective students, but where do this knowledge end? It will at the end of the day be shared to you the husband and the kids too. And because it is both their passion and profession, you are guaranteed to learn some new and interesting goodies. Teachers will feed your stomach, your ‘other’ thing and your brain too, what a complete human being you will be? Nurses will only monitor your health, secretaries will only be interested on your records while lawyers will always subject you to some series of judgments on what is wrong or right in your relationship.

3.     Always with the kids

If you spent six to seven hours of your day with kids, you'd learn how to take creativity to a whole new level. Kids are inspired and moved by creativity, so they need the type who can think quickly on their feet.

I’m sure men will feel happy if they got someone who will always spend time with the kids. Teachers win once again. They will at the end of the day be at home with the kids; they will too spend their weekends at home, isn’t this great opportunity to monitor, train and even guide the kids? Yeah worry less she will also be there for you all this time though Sunday evening might always be your worst moment.

4.      Teachers can charm parents

They meet with them a lot, and know how to put people at ease. Date a teacher, and you won’t have to stress about the inevitable meet-the-parents dinner. From the day they enter into their first teaching job, teachers are forced to learn how to handle parents. If they can win over the parent who thinks their kid is the greatest thing since sliced bread, then your new partner will have your mom and dad like putty in his hand before the first round of cocktails are even finished

5.     Teachers are great with kids. So if you’re looking for the parent of your future kids, a teacher is a great candidate.

If you had a crush on a teacher as a youngster, now’s your chance to finally date one legally.

Sponsors are father-figures to us — University girls

Sponsors are father-figures to us — University girls

By sonkoh

 

“You are either a sponsor or no one”, that’s the new mantra by which most university students are living by, and they are loving it.
As testament that the ‘sponsor thing’ has gone viral, a week will hardly pass by without jaw-dropping incidences linked to this new craze — it’s leaving behind a trail of destruction.
Guns have even been drawn, shots fired and people have lost their lives!
For campus girls, having a sponsor is almost becoming a basic need.
“It’s not a bad idea to have one, considering the broke life many lead in campus. Money is a rumour. Life here is hell,” says Anne, a student from Moi University in Eldoret.
The education student adds: “Some of us are not government-sponsored students, which means you have to depend on your parents. It’s worse if your parents are poor. How do you girls to cope in college?”
Asked if she would get a sponsor, the 22-year-old said: “If I get one... why not? After all, relationships in campus are just a waste of time. Those young kids we call boyfriends are just a waste of time!”
Yusele Lowa, a 20-year-old public relations student at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology says: “Most of the girls I know have their campus guys for real love, but will also have a sponsor for money.”
According to Yusele, a sponsor is not necessarily a boyfriend — his work is to make the girl happy by spoiling her with gifts without complaining or setting tough conditions. Some students however seek sponsors hoping for emotional support.
“These little boys in campus take too long to mature. They don’t understand women. That’s why I date older men,” says a student who declined to be named.
Psychologist Niceta Ireri says that, “Some girls are simply hunting for a father-figure in their lives; a man to give them fatherly love.”
She adds that, “Some of these girls are seeking psychological satisfaction, they are looking for someone to talk to as most of their age mates - of the opposite sex - are lost in drugs and can’t lend them an ear.”
 Courtesy of Campus Vibe