In the video below, one of the co-founders of Spoken talks about the reasons to learn a language by focusing on speaking and listening and suggests resources to use.
Part 1: Benefits of learning without reading and writing
• Speaking and listening are the main skills many you actually need.
• Fits into busy lives—you can practice while multitasking.
• Saves time when learning languages with different alphabets.
• Works well for auditory learners, (though may not be ideal for everyone).
• Writing is less essential today thanks to reliable dictation tools and translation technology.
Part 2: Apps and resources
• Structured audio courses: Free (Language Transfer) and paid (Michel Thomas, Paul Noble, Pimsleur).
• Vocabulary practice: Spoken (audio-only flashcards)
• Speaking practice: ChatGPT, Spoken and chatbots like Langua and Call Annie.
• Listening practice: Podcasts with automatic transcription features.