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WordDive Newsletter, October 2011

Welcome to this year's fourth newsletter! Once again, much has happened in a few months.

Your vocabulary

You may already have noticed that there is a new Vocabulary tab in the service. On this tab, you can see all the study items you have started to learn.



You can use Vocabulary to check the spelling of a certain word or reread its example. While there, you can also give feedback on the study items and help us make the WordDive content better.

By selecting Tried today, you can review the items you have just been studying. The growth of your vocabulary shows your progress and encourages you to continue learning.

Listen to it first

Listening is an important part of learning a foreign language. When you are communicating in a foreign language with a native speaker, the speech can be very rapid at times, yet you need to be able to understand the essential message.

Listening also has a strong effect on subconscious language skill development. On the Settings tab, there is a selection that determines what happens when you give an empty answer for the first time.



When Show Answer is selected, the service shows the right answer in writing just as before.

When Listen to Answer is selected and you give an empty answer for the first time, you will hear the answer spoken. If you give an empty answer again, you will see the correct spelling.

Try both and adjust the setting the way that works best for you.

Better examples

The feedback we have received shows that some example sentences are too long and complicated, especially on the beginner level. This is why we are improving 200-500 study items (depending on language). We have already started the work.

The most important improvements will be:

• Shortening examples that are too long
• Making beginner level examples easier
• Making advanced level examples more challenging

The improvement will progress in phases. At the time of this newsletter's release, the longest examples are removed from the service. Other study items may be temporarily withdrawn for recording.

You can exercise normally all through the process. Your progress for each study item will be saved, and when the improved content is returned to the service, you can continue with them from where you were.

WordDive goes around the world

In the last half of 2011, many new language learners have started their WordDive studies. At the moment, WordDive has users in over 65 countries and on every continent. The use of the service in educational institutes is also growing rapidly. At the moment, the service is in use or in trial use in over a hundred institutes, from elementary schools to universities.



You can help us to develop the service further by giving us feedback and telling your friends about WordDive.

Best regards,

Mika Rajasalo
CEO