There are many platforms for learning English. With different methodologies and systems, when a person decides to learn English, they need information about how they work.
Today we are going to talk about FluentU, a website aimed primarily at students that collects popular videos and uses them to teach English, with a certain degree of effectiveness.
This website was created by students of the most widely spoken languages in the world who were looking for more innovative ways to learn languages and came up with the idea of using videos as raw material to turn them into lessons. Let's take a look and see the pros and cons.
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What is FluentU and how does it work?
FluentU is a website that contains thousands of videos from various sources, which it processes to turn them into teaching material for learning a language. This makes it possible to learn English with movies, cartoon clips, commercials, motivational talks, music videos, etc.
It might seem that you need to have some knowledge of the language to use a video-based system, but this platform claims that with its system you can learn English from scratch.
After lessons with such audiovisual material, a questionnaire is administered where students can evaluate their performance and progress.
During the registration process, users must confirm the language they wish to learn (in this case, English), their level of knowledge of the language, their age, and the amount of time they will study each day. To register, users need an email address and credit card information.
Features of the method:
The system could show you clips from TV series to learn English, i.e., with interactive subtitles where you can see the meaning of a word, as well as its use in a given context.
In other words, the user can find a video where verbs such as make and do are used; then, when a word is highlighted, a box opens with its clear meaning and its use in the sentence.
It also has a feature called “speaking” that allows you to hear how a word in a text is pronounced, although the voice is not that of a person but is created by voice software, which sounds quite strange.
The platform also offers vocabulary lists and flashcards that allow you to learn new words in all lessons. However, for many people, flashcards tend to be a very boring method.
What else does FluentU have to offer?
FluentU offers more than 10 languages to study, which users can access with a single membership.
It also offers a Video Dictionary where you can find video clips that include the words you are looking for, with their correct pronunciation and context.
Finally, it has good cybersecurity in all countries, so you can subscribe with peace of mind.
How much does it cost to study with FluentU?
FluentU costs $29.99 USD per month, or $359.99 USD per year. Occasionally, to promote themselves, they offer discounts each month.
There is also a cost for student groups; the academic package is proportional to the number of users, with a minimum of 10, who would have to pay $299 per year, or $29.99 each.
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Advantages and disadvantages of learning English with FluentU
Before choosing a tool for learning English, it is essential to consider its advantages and disadvantages based on the experiences of others, which are always very useful.
Advantages:
It has over 2,000 videos
The platform really does have a wide range of videos on many topics and types, which is very useful when learning a language, especially when the videos have interactive subtitles.
Access to multiple languages
On FluentU, you can learn several languages at the same time, as accounts allow students to access videos in English, Japanese, German, French, and all the other languages available on the platform.
Pleasant user experience
Navigating this platform is quite comfortable and somewhat intuitive. It allows you to move back and forth between the options offered by FluentU without much hassle. However, the platform does not have many possibilities.
Quality curriculum
Its curriculum is quite comprehensive, and the platform has several features that will be very useful for English learners.
Disadvantages:
It doesn't have real teachers
Although the people who appear in the videos are native speakers, the platform doesn't have real-life teachers. This is one of the drawbacks that prevents it from being on the same level as other language learning sites.
Robot voice
The voice used to reproduce the audio pronunciation of words is generated by a program that sounds quite artificial, so it doesn't feel natural and it's difficult to learn pronunciation that way.
No interaction
The app has many videos, but learning is one-way. There are no options for interacting with a classmate or teacher. There are also no other teaching strategies other than the quiz at the end of the lessons.
Failure to identify level
The platform does not clearly specify the target age group for its content. As a result, users who select a basic level may encounter videos designed for children, indicating that the material caters to a broad age range—though this could feel awkward for adult learners.
Additionally, if a minor were to use the platform, they would likely need adult supervision, as the interface is not as intuitive or user-friendly as it appears at first glance.
Price
Yes, FluentU has many videos and some interesting features, but several users have complained that the cost is high compared to the benefits it offers.
User reviews
As we always mention, it is important to review other users' opinions about the product or service we want to purchase. With FluentU, the case is no different. Let's look at other people's experiences with this language learning video website.
“Not boring at all! This program is thorough and comprehensive. As a former educator, I highly recommend it!”
For some, it works perfectly, but for others, they have suffered from a poor payment system.
“I used the app briefly in 2020, never signed up for the annual plan, but they still charge me the annual fee of $240, most recently on 03/13/23. The app (I checked today) shows it as a free subscription, but they have still charged me repeatedly. Refund all charges since 2020.”
Like the user above, the billing system is quite deficient; although they do issue refunds, it is very annoying to deal with situations like this.
“You get the free trial, and then it's impossible to cancel your subscription. The settings page is constantly under maintenance, so you can't access it, and there are no steps to guide you through the cancellation process. They don't offer any help either, until the day comes and they charge you the money. I don't recommend it.”
Although they boast an innovative system, people complain about how boring it can be to learn from videos alone.
“I like your blog content; it's useful and informative. Your paid lessons are also interesting, but a little boring. I have to find the motivation to learn.”
In short, is it worth studying English with FluentU?
FluentU does have innovative features, such as interactive subtitles and a large number of videos for learning languages. The point is that the system falls short when it comes to formally learning English.
As an aid to language learning, it is very useful. The videos cover a variety of topics and, in general, the lessons are quite good, but there need to be more assessment exercises so that students can track their progress.
But perhaps the biggest flaw of this website is the lack of interaction with people. Conversation is necessary when it comes to speaking and mastering a language, and this website does not offer that. And let's not even talk about the robotic audio recordings, much less the price.
Why do we recommend learning English with Papora?
Papora offers a comprehensive course designed to meet all your learning needs. The platform is built by native-level teachers with flexible schedules, allowing you to plan your study time according to your lifestyle.
The self-guided course features authentic audio recordings from native speakers, helping you quickly grasp proper pronunciation. Lessons are based on real-life situations, creating a natural and immersive learning experience.
Through a variety of interactive exercises, Papora helps you strengthen your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills in a dynamic, participation-focused environment.
Best of all, Papora provides a recognized certificate upon completing each level, boosting your résumé and opening doors to better job opportunities—even internationally.
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Frequently asked questions about FluentU:
With this platform, you can choose from nine languages (among the most widely spoken in the world): Russian, English, French, Japanese, German, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and Korean.
The app does not specify the level you can achieve by using its platform, but it is most useful for intermediate and upper-intermediate learners who want to learn more vocabulary.
