The Busuu methodology
How it works
The Busuu methodology is broadly communicative, and based on how language is taught successfully in classrooms. The focus of each exercise within a course is to give the student something new - usually a word or a phrase - that they can use immediately in writing or conversation.
Each lesson is grouped around a particular communicative focus (for example: introducing yourself, describing your hometown, ordering food in a restaurant). Each lesson is designed to teach useful language in chunks (phrases and sentences) that the student can then practice reproducing in both controlled and free practice activities.
Controlled practice activities include gap fills, multiple choice questions, dictation and sentence reordering activities. Free practice includes writing exercises which are corrected by native speaking members of the community and private messaging facility, which allows students to chat with language partners from the community.
Busuu is designed to provide a complete self-study and language practice environment. Busuu’s courses are developed by language experts with many years of classroom teaching experience who bring the best principles from communicative classroom teaching into their course design.
Key features
- Interactive vocabulary and grammar lessons with audio, translation and multiple practice exercises
- Audio recordings of each vocabulary item, plus example sentences and dialogues to place vocabulary and grammar in context
- Voice recording and voice recognition exercises to drill pronunciation and allow students to insert their voice into a dialogue and get feedback from native speakers
- Translations of key vocabulary, instructions and grammar tips into 15 languages
- Writing exercises which receive instant corrections from native speakers in the Busuu community