I discovered Language Reactor this week. Language Reactor is a browser extension that helps you learn languages by watching films, series, videos, and reading texts in your target language.
The extension is available for Chrome and Edge browsers, and supports Netflix and YouTube among others. Plugins like Language Reactor provide new options in integrating your Netflix or Youtube habit with your language learning.
While watching Nezha Reborn on Netflix, I was able to follow dual language subtitles to recognise and make sense of more language than I would usually recognise and make sense of. This is important if you believe in an Input based theory of language acquisition.
Listening is the Cinderella skill in second language learning. All too often, it has been overlooked by its elder sister: speaking. For most people, being able to claim knowledge of a second language means being able to speak and write in that language. Listening and reading are therefore secondary skills – means to other ends, rather than ends in themselves.
Every so often, however, listening comes into fashion. In the 1960s, the emphasis on oral language skills gave it a boost. It became fashionable again in the 1980s, when Krashen's (1982) ideas about comprehensible input gained prominence. A short time later, it was reinforced by James Asher's (1988) Total Physical Response, a methodology drawing sustenance from Krashen's work, and based on the belief that a second language is learned most effectively in the early stages if the pressure for production is taken off the learners. During the 1980s, proponents of listening in a second language were also encouraged by work in the first language field. Here, people such as Gillian Brown (see, for example, Brown, 1990) were able to demonstrate the importance of developing oracy (the ability to listen and speak) as well as literacy, in school.1
More on plugins…
There’s more to explore with this plugin. It has a popup dictionary and video playback controls to step through subtitles. It seems that there might also be an option to import text from books or websites have it translated and read back to you.
Are plugins safe?
I was hesitant to use the plugin. Plugins seem intrusive and it’s difficult to figure out what their reach is. Here are some risks flagged by Bing when I asked it about what to be cautious about:
They can work as potential keyloggers to capture your passwords and login details1.
They can redirect your search traffic elsewhere or change your browser settings without your consent23.
They can download malware, adware, or Trojan horse viruses that can harm your device or steal your data12.
They can gather bits of information from your browsing history and pass it on to third parties or sell it to advertisers13.
To avoid these risks, you should always do your research before installing any browser extension. Check the reviews, ratings, update history, and developer information of the extension. Make sure it comes from an official source and not a third-party website. Review the permissions that the extension requests and make sure they are reasonable for its functionality. Also, keep your browser and extensions updated and run regular malware scans on your device.
Provenance…
According to research with Microsoft Bing, the creators of this plugin are Dioco, a company that develops software for language learning and education. They also created other extensions such as Language Learning with Youtube BETA and Wordlab that help learners improve their skills by watching and reading native materials in their target languages. Dioco’s website does not provide much information about their background, location, or team members. It’d be interesting to know more about the developers of this useful language learning technology.
OpenAI is developing plugins and features for GPT 4 at the moment. I wonder how long it will be before there’s a way of integrating ChatGPT/GPT 4 directly with video content.