New language learning software available to entire Radford University community

Language skills are important tools for life in a globalized world and Radford University offers a new way to hone them.

Thanks to a new partnership with Transparent Language, members of the Radford University community can tackle just about any language they like, from Afrikaans to Zulu, all from the myRU portal.

Using the Transparent Language software, students, faculty and staff can choose the language they would like to learn and move through the interactive lessons at their own pace. Through speech recognition, multiple-choice questions and other assessments, the software can easily gauge a learner's progress in speech, listening and comprehension.

"We have a role to play in the large global community," said Kate Hawkins, dean of the College of Humanities and Behavioral Sciences. "We want our students to be competitive in the workplace, to be comfortable with all things international, and even just a little bit of language gives students a huge edge."

The courses offered by Transparent Language augment Radford University's more select programs of language study.

Hawkins was joined on a committee to expand language offerings to the university community by Vice Provost Bill Kennan, Director of Academic Budgets and Administration Connie Phillips and Associate Professor of Spanish Blas Hernández.

The Transparent Language software is free to access anytime, day or night. Simply login to the myRU portal and follow the link on the Academics (for students) or Employee (faculty and staff) pages.