The application comes with two basic learning exercises. If the Pro Version is purchased In-App, three additional advanced learning exercises are available.
Each learning exercise begins with playback of the selected song. As each lyric starts, the user will be presented with a challenge depending upon which learning exercise was chosen. A correct response must be made prior to the start of the subsequent lyric or song playback will stop. When the correct answer is made, then song playback will continue.
The response is scored as correct if the correct response was made on the first attempt. The app will keep a running total of the percent answered correctly based upon the total number of lyrics in the song. As the song is played and answers are made correctly, the percentage will steadily increase.
The goal should be to provide a correct response on the first attempt for almost all of the lyrics. When the drill ends, the lyric score should be 90% or higher.
A second goal should be to provide the correct answer as the lyric is playing, prior to the start of the next lyric, in order to keep song playback continuing without interruption. This goal will be challenging with the last two advanced exercises.
Basic Exercises
Listen -> Select Original Lyric
The first basic exercise involves listening to the song and selecting the correct original lyric. During playback of the song, four lyrics from the song will be shown as each lyric is played. One of the lyrics will be the correct lyric that is currently playing. The user must click on the correct lyric before the next lyric starts. If this is not done, song playback is interrupted until the correct lyric is selected, then playback will restart.
The lyric is scored correct if the first attempt to select an answer is correct. The purpose of this exercise is to connect the written foreign language words with the sounds of the words as they are sung, as well as familiarization with the lyric text.
Listen & Read Lyric -> Select Translation
The second basic exercise involves listening to the song, reading the original language lyric, then selecting the correct translation. During playback of the song, four translations from the song will be shown as each lyric is being played. One of the translations will be correct. Additionally, the lyric original language text will be displayed as the lyric is playing.
The user must click on the correct translation prior to the start of the subsequent lyric. If this is not done, song playback is interrupted until the correct translation is selected. Once this is done playback will restart.
The translation is scored correct if the first attempt to select an answer is correct. The purpose of this exercise is to connect listening and seeing/reading the foreign language with the correct translation.
Advanced Exercises – Pro Version
Listen Only -> Select Translation
The first advanced exercise involves listening to the song and selecting the correct translation. During playback, four translations from the song will be shown as each lyric is being played. One of the translations will be correct. This exercise differs from the basic exercise in that the lyric original language text will not be displayed.
The user must click on the correct translation prior to the start of the subsequent lyric. If this is not done, song playback is interrupted until the correct translation is selected. Once done, playback will restart.
The translation is scored correct if the first attempt to select an answer is correct. The purpose of this exercise is to connect the spoken foreign language words with the correct translation solely by listening without reference to the foreign language lyric text.
Listen & Read Original Lyric -> Enter Translation
The second advanced exercise involves listening to the song, reading the foreign language lyric, and entering the translation by keyboard into a text field. When the entered text matches the correct translation, song playback continues. There is an option to repeat the lyric playback if desired.
The translation is scored as correct if the first attempt is correct. The purpose of this exercise is to master the translation of the song lyrics. It is significantly more difficult than just selecting the entire correct translation phrase.
Listen & Read Translation -> Enter Original Lyric
The third advanced exercise involves listening to the song, reading the translation, and entering the foreign language text by keyboard into a text field. When the entered text matches the correct original lyric then song playback continues. There is an option to repeat the lyric playback if desired.
The lyric is scored as correct if the first attempt is correct. The purpose of this exercise is to master the original language text of the song lyrics. It is significantly more difficult than just selecting the entire correct lyric phrase.
If the foreign language text uses accented letters such as “ñ” or “è”, these letters must be entered with the correct accent in order for the answer to be scored as correct. Sometimes this requires adding a setting in the Mac OS X Preferences -> Keyboard in order to be able to more easily type in the accented characters for other languages.
