Indylan-Learn Indigenous Langs

Heriot-Watt University

About this app

IndyLan (Mobile Virtual Learning for Indigenous Languages) is an educational tool designed for users to learn some of Europe’s endangered languages as well as more about the cultures of the people who speak these languages. The IndyLan app will help speakers of English, Spanish, Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish to learn Gaelic, Scots, Cornish, Basque, Galician and Saami, all endangered at different degrees. Like all language-learning apps, IndyLan is complementary to other language- and culture courses and can be considered to be part of self-study material.

IndyLan contains around 4,000 vocabulary items (both terms and expressions) in about 100 categories. The modes available are: Vocabulary; Phrases; Dialogues; Grammar; Aural Comprehension; Culture.

The vocabulary can be practised in several study modes. Most of the items will be illustrated for easy concept recognition. There is audio for all vocabulary, phrases, dialogues etc. The app includes a dedicated Culture tab with texts, music and images, where users will be able to learn more about the heritage and culture of the people speaking the selected endangered languages. 

At IndyLan, we do not see languages as separate from their speakers. Our vision is for the IndyLan app to contribute to endangered language learning and revitalisation so that these languages remain alive and relevant in contemporary societies and economies.

This project is funded with the support of the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union - Project No: 2019-1-UK01-KA204-061875. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Ratings and reviews

Very rich as a learning resource, but as a total beginner I would want some guidance on where to start. Right now I have to choose a category and do all the words in it at once. In other apps they tell you where to go and the lessons are shorter. Also there should be an option to play the pronunciation recording automatically because tapping the corner of the screen every time is exhausting. Anyway, I recommend this app because all its problems are fixable and it works quite well.

One of very few apps with Cornish- meur'ras ow why! Bit unclear how it's supposed to be used- some exercises are too easy and some are too hard with little in the middle. But good content for casual learning and reinforcement. Example : choose the letters gives you a word to spell but does not remind you of its meaning

I think this app is unfortunately very inefficient at teaching languages. it is built on a school methodology with no learning path and very little fun. the languages are divided into categories such as grammar and vocabulary, then subcategories such as animals or work. the user is lost and doesn't know where to get started. I speak 7 languages including Turkish and Chinese and I can assure you this is not how you teach languages. you need to create a smart learning path.

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