Learning with Texts vs News in Slow French
Learning with Texts
hapepo23.github.ioNews in Slow French
newsinslowfrench.comSide by side
| Figure | Learning with Texts | News in Slow French |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $6.90/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | Yes |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Spec score · Language Immersion Apps | 8.1 (#7) | 7.9 (#14) |
| Founded | 2010 | 2009 |
| Purpose | LWT is a web app for language learning in which users read texts, optionally listen to audio, and save, review, and test words and expressions. | News in Slow French teaches listening comprehension through real-world French audio, transcripts, and explanations for beginner through advanced learners. |
| Support | The maker invites users to report problems and send feedback and ideas, and describes LWT as a one-person hobby project. | The contact page lists separate general, technical-support, and education email addresses and says replies will arrive within 24 hours. |
Plans
In their own words
Learning with Texts
Learning with Texts (LWT) is a language-learning web app for reading texts you bring and building vocabulary from them. It divides uploaded texts into sentences and words, then shows saved terms and their learning status in later readings. You can save words or expressions of two to nine words, along with translations, optional romanization, and an example sentence. Practice options include term tests, context-based tests, Massive-Context Cloze Deletion tests, and a statistics page. LWT can associate an MP3 audio URL with a text for listening while you read, but it has no audio-file import or upload function. Dictionary links are configurable; terms can be imported from CSV or TSV, exported as TSV, or sent to Anki for cloze tests. LWT is free, with offline access and interactive practice listed. It requires a modern browser and a local web and database server with PHP. Installation instructions cover Windows, macOS, and Linux, though the maker says its macOS instructions and app could not be tested. Texts and terms using Unicode characters above U+FFFF are unsupported.
News in Slow French
News in Slow French teaches listening comprehension to beginner through advanced French learners with audio, transcripts and explanations. Weekly news episodes are available at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, with more than a dozen original stories added across those levels each week. Other formats include dialogues, articles, commentary, original series and courses. Study tools include beginner and grammar courses, idiomatic expressions, interactive transcripts, quizzes, pronunciation practice and vocabulary flashcards. Rooms offers live conversation practice and workshops. The mobile app supports customized playlists for offline listening, and Alexa commands can play episodes, rewind, skip and navigate segments. Each lesson includes a free portion of audio and transcript, with sample content across levels. A 7-day trial of Full Access is available to first-time subscribers; billing starts when it ends unless canceled. Audio Only costs $6.90 a month and includes audio and Rooms, without transcripts, lessons or quizzes. Full Access costs $22.90 a month and includes audio, transcripts with contextual translations, Rooms, lessons, quizzes and all levels and resources. The service runs on Android, iOS and web.