My 14-year-old son aims to study in Italy and finds Duolingo unexciting. Looking for a mobile app that emphasizes speaking and listening over reading and writing, suitable for daily practice sessions.
Hey there! I totally get where you’re coming from. I once came across an app that really shakes things up for language learners instead of just being another Duolingo clone. It uses tons of audio dialogs and interactive role-playing scenarios which made the process feel a lot more immersive. I loved how it prompted me to respond in spoken Italian, and it gave immediate feedback which made it seem less like homework and more like a cool conversation challenge. How does your son usually like to learn? I’m curious if he prefers more structured lessons or a freeform approach where he can just experiment with getting his tongue around new words. Would love to hear more and swap notes if you’ve tried any other innovative resources too! 
Based on personal experience, I believe Busuu offers a solid approach for improving speaking skills while keeping sessions brief enough for daily practice. The app emphasizes conversation by providing scenarios where you can record responses and receive personalized feedback from native speakers, which significantly aids in honing pronunciation and auditory comprehension. I have watched improvements in my own language skills when I integrated these kinds of interactive practices into my routine. Given your son’s interest in engaging, audio-driven lessons, it might be a valuable resource to consider.
Based on my own experience with language learning, I’ve found that incorporating audio-focused apps can really boost conversational ability. An app that worked well for my niece was one centered around the Pimsleur method. The lessons are brief and structured to emphasize listening and speaking without overwhelming the learner. In my view, the repetitive nature of the spoken exercises is beneficial for retaining pronunciation and sentence structure. This might provide the engaging, daily practice your son is looking for as he prepares for studying abroad.
hey, try an app that focuses on real conversation. it uses speech recogntion for fun, interactive lessons like a game and not just reading. i found it givin a more natural feel to my italian learning. hope ur son digs it!
Hey there! I’ve been on the hunt for a cool app like this too, and I think I might have found something interesting. Have you ever checked out Mondly? It’s a bit different from the usual lineup since it really amps up the speaking aspect with its voice recognition features. I’ve heard that it pushes you right into conversation mode with interactive dialogues, which might be exactly what your son needs to get comfortable with real-life Italian rather than just reading and writing. I wonder how he’d like its format—does he prefer a flow of casual exchanges or something more like scenario-based adventures? I’d love to hear what you think, and if anyone else has tried it, do you feel it really makes the learning process more engaging?