Free Language Learning Resources

Here is a comprehensive list of language resources containing useful links to free language lessons, tutorials, podcasts and videos. Many of the websites are academic language directories while others are hosted by other directories or are maintained by people passionate about learning languages.

• Links by UCLA Language Materials and Resources

• Languages on the Web - the quality of resources depends on the language. For example, while there are a lot of resources for Chinese, most of the links for Italian are ads of Italian languages schools  

• Links by Language by I Love Languages; see also their Collection of Links 

• Best Language Websites Index by Jim Becker, a retired teacher from the University of Northern Iowa 

• Jim Becker's links useful to foreign language educators 

• Janel Brennan’s links to foreign language educators websites (indexed by Jim Becker’s resources) – content-rich sites launched by foreign language educators 

• Foreign Language Links by the EmTech Directory – general links and links by language (Arabic, French, German, Italian, Latin, Spanish) 

• Foreign Language Links by Internet4Classroms, a resource for K-12 students  (indexed by the EmTech Directory)

• Language Web Sites maintained by Amy Cole based at Emporia State University (indexed by Internet4Classrooms) 

• Yahoo Directory Section of Linguistics and Human Languages 

• The Language Learning Online category of the search engine Kartoo. Most of the resources are free, although there are few which lead to paid courses. 

• Word2Word - a directory containing 3,000 links to language learning resources. Apart from free online courses in a great variety of languages, there are dictionaries, language blogs, forums and communities, podcasts, language software and other tools. 

• Web German - a  website containing resources for learning German. Its foreign languages section is not as comprehensive as the one of Word2Word but some lesser taught and endangered languages are also on the list, as well as resources on linguistics. 

• Explore Squidoo's language lenses 

• The languages & communications section of the central repository of open textbooks College Open Textbooks. The links will lead to various sources. One of them is Flat World Knowledge - you'll find textbooks on academic and business writing in English. Another one is Learn NC -  you'll find interactive textbooks for learning Mandarin Chinese (5 levels) and Arabic. 

• Foreign Language Links curated by Cybrary Man, a former educator

• Search for library guides for language resources at the Lib Guides Community

• California-based repository of OA educational content MERLOT- Multimedia Educational Resource for Learning and Online Teaching: click on ‘Learning Materials’, then choose path Humanities – World Languages - and then filter by language and type of media (online course, tutorial, etc.). One of the tutorials is Clica Brasil – Portuguese Language and Culture for Intermediate Students  

• Foreign Language Links by Kathy Schrock’s Guide for Educators - hosted by Discovery Education

• World Languages Links and ESL & Foreign Language Links by the education directory EduHound 

• Language Links by the Centre for Learning and Performance Technologies  

• Links by the Linguist List hosted by the Institute for Language Information and Technology at Eastern Michigan University

• Language Lessons for independent learners by the Defense Language Institute ; check their additional language resources

• Links by Open Culture - lessons for 40 foreign languages, mainly on iTunes but also links to other websites

• Podcasts by Radio Lingua Network: basic lessons in a number of languages, more activities for French and Spanish

• Links by Languages by the Language Tutorial  

• Language Guide – pictorial vocabulary guides in a number of languages, grammar guides for English, Spanish and French; Interactive Readings in French

• Search Language: Language Resources Directory