Who We Are
LanguageMania is an academic-level language learning center without the price tag. It's like your own private college for languages. LanguageMania was founded by Dr. Iwona Lech. She is an experienced college professor in German, Polish, educational psychology, humanities, and teaching with technology, a researcher, language proficiency tester and rater, instructional coach, and a published author. She also developed the concept of Language Learning in the Virtual Wild, focusing on learning languages in virtual spaces through authentic resources.
What makes LanguageMania unique?
We live in the digital world where apps are telling us that they can teach us how to speak a language within a few months of using them. Yet it never happens. We have access to so many great tools so easily available, and yet so many of us especially in the U.S., are still so unsuccessful in learning a new language.
What are we doing wrong?
Many people believe they don’t have talent for language learning. But all of us have learned at least one language and rather successfully, without any previous experience. Why would is it so hard WITH experience?
It’s not you, it’s the approach.
At LanguageMania, we actually teach you the language.
We start with the goal our learners want to achieve and build the program towards it. Our teaching methodology is based on the newest research and practices in not only the foreign language field but also related fields like education, psychology, language acquisition, linguistics, and others. One of the core linguistic theories we employ is the usage-based model of language and language learning which focuses on the use of the learned language, practice through communicating above any other skill, and learning the language as a tool for communication rather than just a beautiful thing.
Our instructors are true experts highly educated and experienced in teaching the language and culture with a great attention to learner's individual needs and learning styles. We teach the real language, the pretty and the ugly. We use authentic materials like music, shows, books, etc.
Above all, we understand how to learn a new language and that the learning process consists of an array of psychological and socio-economic factors in addition to the new language itself.
Our classes, courses, materials are...
fully customized
This means we create a full program around your specific needs, learning style, experiences, strengths, and even interests! In fact, we take your interests very seriously.
goal-oriented
you tell us what skills you want to achieve and we design a learning program for you to get you there!
college-like (only the good aspects!)
we create a program for a certain amount of classes (even a syllabus if you want!)
we assess your progress and new language skills on the go
we use professional materials (and WE buy them for you)
we create materials, give you assessment and learning tools on the particular materials, etc.
we are also as rigid as you want us to be and can even grade you if desired!
based on the newest research
in the fields of second language acquisition, foreign language pedagogy, psychology and educational psychology, educational technology, linguistics, and other
usage-based and real-life-driven
based on usage-based model of language and language learning = focusing on the REAL language that people actually SPEAK
approaching language as a communicative tool (rather than a game)
fully interactive
interactive online activities (e.g., interactive speaking exercises)
authentic "wild" resources adjusted to your interests and goals (music, movies, shows, social media, etc.)
interactive quizzes and exercises often created just for you
Our Instructors
Our Instructors are the central power of LanguageMania. Other language centers are mostly looking to make profit. For LanguageMania the success of our learners and the wellbeing of our instructors are at the core of our business. We believe that giving everything we can, rather than just the bare minimum, creates the best results and the happiest clients.
Thus, our instructors are...
actual college professors
NOT “trainers” or “tutors”
(and certainly not AI mascots!) but rather college foreign language professors, usually with a doctoral degree, years of teaching experience in professional and private settings, with knowledge of language learning and teaching research, and best practices, and often also authors of scientific publications and talks on language learning
also language learners themselves!
committed to quality
and often immigrants who not only know the struggles of staying or living in another country but also understand the challenges and nuances of the culture and language shock
highly trained
exceeding expectations
experts in the language and language education and native or near-native speakers