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Mango Languages Review

Mango languages is a non-academic language learning website. The website features


more than 60 languages including some endangered languages such as Tuvan language of
Russia. Learners can access the website through any institution such as public Library or
university. If there is no such institution through which one can access Mango Language
Program, they can still have an access as a guest for free, or as a member for twenty dollars a
month or one hundred and seventy-five dollars a year. Most foreign language lessons are given in
English and ESL lessons are given in learners source language, which is convenient for
beginners. However, advanced learners who are looking for an immersion type of learning may
not find it useful. The website is visually attractive and easy to navigate. This review will
examine the effectiveness of this website through skills practiced, input, interaction, and output.
Skills practiced
The website focuses mainly on conversational skills. However, other skills are also
integrated. Each chapter starts with a conversation that will be explained throughout the whole
chapter. This way of presenting materials comes in line with MP5 (encourage inductive learning)
according to language Teaching Methodological Principles by Doughty and Long (2003). Each
lesson encompass an explicit grammar instruction that is presented through signaling materials.
other skills like listening and reading are incorporated in each lesson. The learners are
encouraged to read and listen to a conversation, then record themselves, and compare their
pronunciation with the proper pronunciation, which supports MP2 principle by Doughty and
Long (2003) to promote learning by doing. Before every lesson, objectives and goals are listed
so learners can have an idea of what to expect by the end of the lesson. Rubin (2011) stated that

learners need metacognitive strategies (such as advanced organizing and clarifying objectives)
and cognitive strategies (such as inference, elaboration and repetitions) when using Webs
resources. The cognitive strategies in the website include translating phrases and sentences, and
relating new information to previous lessons. (p. 105-107)
Additionally, Vocabulary is addressed through sentence-level translation. learners are
provided with the resource language in addition to its target equivalent. Chun (2011)
recommends to present vocabulary to beginner and intermediate learners through L1 glosses and
sentence level translations ,and to provide L2 glosses to high intermediate and advanced learners.
(p. 154)
Input/ Output
The input learners to which learners are exposed is provided in a form of a conversation.
Basic conversation units on Mango is divided into chapters, which are further divided into into
separate lessons. The further along learner is in the chapter, the more numbers of lessons and
repetition learners are expected to do before moving onto the next lesson. There is a review of
everything that was covered in the chapter at the end. Each chapter begins with a short, scripted
conversation on a topic designed to be useful in everyday life. In addition to basic conversation
topics (Greetings At the restaurant etc.), there are culturally specific topics in the menu also,
such as Wine and Cheese for French learners, Arabic superstitions for Arabic speakers and
English borrowed words for Japanese.
The conversation set for the chapter (which serves as the backbone of Mango pedagogy)
ranges in length from six phrases set to nine phrases set, and is spoken by native speakers. They
average in length about one to two minutes total, which should not be overwhelming to a
complete beginner. Robin, in quoting Altman (1989), Berry-Bravo (1991), Herron and Seay

(1994) and Rubin (1987), states majority of research argues for the benefit of non-participatory
audio materials in short narrative form, especially when it presents familiar topics because it
requires less attention span and background knowledge than full feature length movie (p. 96). If
more advanced learners happen to come across Mango Language program though, precisely
because of its lack of complexity in background, they might feel it lacking in challenge, however.
In fact, the main selling point of Mango- simplicity- seems to be also its shortcomings in
other ways. For example, Mangos intuitive learning method Stealth Grammar is meant to
teach grammar by intuitive method; the words are color coordinated to show which word in
target language corresponds to which word in learners native language. However, the
conversation between two interlocutors (I, you) does not offer enough examples. This could
possibly lead learners to erroneously assume the same verb conjugation apply to all subject (he,
they, we etc.).
Mango also does not provide much in learning process. Though the model input (that
learners hear and repeat) are indeed familiar and easily relatable, the subsequent output lesson
(repetition, repetition, repetition) is a drill activity in disguise. Each chapter begins with a
conversation of 2 people (usually male and female) discussing a familiar topic. These phrases are
then broke down into smaller segments (sometimes to a mere article and a head word). More
words from the original sentences in the topic conversation is added back as the lesson
progresses. Each phrase or sentence is translated to English (or in the case of ESL, learners first
language) in written text under the target language or audio translation is provided in the prompt.
For example, Mango narrator will ask, How do you say Im for it if you are a woman? The
aim is for the learners to be able to reconstruct the sentence with scaffolding, and eventually
achieving the same level of proficiency as the model conversion. But because the activity does

not require anything more than repetition, all learners are able to do as a result is that they gain
the fluency only within that model.

Feedback/Negotiation/assessment
There is an option for learners to record their voice to compare with the example phrase
spoken by native speakers. There is no other output options; perhaps it is meant as a part of
Painlessness nature Mango stresses. Neither does the self-taught nature of the program require
any negotiation. Perhaps, because of its emphasis that learners be able to build the sentences
back on their own, the aim is an eventual output outside of the self-taught curriculum. Thus
learners should keep in mind that it may be necessary to supplement the individual learning with
some sort of outside interaction such as a conversation group.

Conclusion
Mango Language states its program design rapidly builds language proficiency and cultural
understanding around real-world communication skills that you'll actually need. The varied and
interesting cultural topics and cultural notes they include in the lessons certainly promote cultural
awareness and positive attitude toward the culture of the target language. However, this website
would only satisfy the beginner learners who need to start familiarizing themselves with the
target language and its culture without being fully immersed.

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