If you teach a language in an Australian primary school, someone has probably told you to look at Languages Online. It is one of the best known free sites for beginner language learners in the country, and it is well worth a look. It is also worth knowing exactly what it covers, because that tells you where you will still need other resources. This guide walks through both.
What is Languages Online?
Languages Online is a free website from the Victorian Department of Education. It offers interactive tasks and printable worksheets for students who are just starting a language, and it is designed for Years 3 to 8. The activities are self paced and self correcting, so students can work through them on their own, and there is no login or registration to set up.
There is also a free Languages Online app for iPad, Windows and Mac. The app covers four languages: French, Indonesian, Italian and Japanese. Each topic has flashcards for learning new words, short games such as matching and word searches, and a task where students type or record their own work. It also comes with vocabulary lists, printable posters, worksheets and songs.
Where it fits in your language program
Languages Online works best as practice. It gives students a fun, independent way to revisit words they have already met in class, which makes it handy for early finishers, a computer lab session, or a quiet rotation while you work with a small group. The self correcting games mean students get instant feedback without you marking a thing.
What it is not designed to be is a full teaching program. It does not plan your term, sequence your units from one year to the next, or give you whole class lessons to run at the front of the room. Most teachers get the most out of it by pairing it with a structured program and a good supply of printables and games.
Three gaps worth planning around
The younger years. Because Languages Online is pitched at Years 3 to 8, teachers of Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 often find they need resources built for little learners. At that age, children learn a language best through songs, actions, big picture flashcards and simple games, with very little reading or typing.
Your language. The app covers French, Indonesian, Italian and Japanese. If your school teaches Spanish, German, Greek or Mandarin, you will want to check what is available for your language and have other material ready to go.
A year by year sequence. Practice activities are great, but a language program also needs a clear path from one year to the next, so students build on what they learned last year instead of starting over with colours and numbers every February.
Building a complete set of language learning resources
The strongest primary language programs tend to draw on a few kinds of resources at once. A structured program gives you the sequence and the lessons. Printable worksheets and flashcards give you something in every student's hands. Games hide repetition inside play so new words actually stick. And online practice, like Languages Online, gives students independent time with the language between lessons.
If you would like to try a game this week, we have a free one for each of our eight languages, every one with a printable to download: Mandarin numbers, Italian food, Japanese colours, French fruits, Spanish body parts, Indonesian animals, German classroom words and the Greek alphabet. They pair nicely with Languages Online, because students can play the game in class and then practise the same words on screen.
Still deciding which language suits your school? Our guide to choosing a language for primary school looks at what makes each one a good fit.
Common questions about Languages Online
Is Languages Online free?
Yes. Languages Online is a free website from the Victorian Department of Education. It has interactive activities, printable worksheets, flashcards and songs, and it needs no login or registration.
Which languages are on the Languages Online app?
The free Languages Online app has beginner topics in four languages: French, Indonesian, Italian and Japanese. It runs on iPad, Windows and Mac, with no in app purchases and no registration.
What year levels is Languages Online for?
Languages Online is designed for beginner learners in Years 3 to 8. Teachers of Kindergarten to Year 2 usually need extra resources pitched at younger children, such as songs, picture flashcards and simple games.
Can teachers outside Victoria use Languages Online?
Yes. The website is publicly available and needs no login, so teachers and students anywhere in Australia can use it.
Language resources for every year from Kindergarten to Year 6
We make printable and digital resources in Japanese, Italian, Indonesian, French, Spanish, German, Greek and Mandarin, sequenced from Kindergarten through Year 6, so you always have a lesson ready to teach.
Find resources for your language