Posts Tagged ‘education’

Last Chance for Free Berlitz Spanish Lessons

¿Hablas español? No? You’ve still got time to learn Spanish with our free Berlitz Spanish Lessons, available exclusively on DailyLit. This course provides a great overview for beginners (or those looking for a refresher) covering grammar, pronunciation, and culture on key topics like greetings, traveling, and working. Hurry, though–you have to sign up by this Friday, April 30 at 11:59pm to receive lessons for free.

Because remember: speaking English slowly and loudly is not the same as learning the language of the country you’re visiting. Don’t be those people: we’re here to help.

DailyLit News: February 2010

Note from the CEO
I love snow days! I’m holed up in my house, kids outside sleigh-riding (no wonder it’s peaceful!), with time for myself—a real treat! Speaking of which, we have some real treats in store for you this month. We’ve got a short story from Alice Munroe’s new collection that everyone’s been raving about, and we’ve just launched a Berlitz French series, which follows on the heels of last month’s popular Berlitz Spanish course. Oh, and for you SAT-takers, check out our new Kaplan SAT series. Uh oh. Kids just got home. There goes that peace and quiet!

Susan Danziger
CEO/Founder, DailyLit
sdanziger@dailylit.com

Alice Munro: Our Big Read
Writer Alice Munro won the 2009 Man Booker Prize for her lifetime body of work, and people are over the moon about her latest short story collection, Too Much Happiness. We’re excited to feature one of her short stories (”Fiction”) as this month’s Big Read. Life, love and writing all intertwine in one woman’s life. Read it here.

New! Berlitz Essential French (and Spanish)
Given the amazing response we had from the launch of Berlitz Spanish Lessons, we’ve teamed up with Berlitz again to offer Berlitz Essential French. And while we’re at it, we’re offering Berlitz Essential Spanish too. Both series feature bite-sized lessons in vocabulary perfect for travelers (or at least arm-chair travelers), from culture to transportation and accommodations. Read Essential French here and Essential Spanish here. (And if you missed our exclusive Berlitz Spanish Lessons, you can find those here.)

Kaplan SAT Prep
Taking the SATs or have a friend who’s due? We’ve got a daily course for that extra little something—and it’s all on us! Read it here.

Reader Challenge: Love Bites
We heard about this challenge on Twitter and thought it would be a fun Reader Challenge for February. Tell a love story (your own or make one up) in 140 characters or fewer—that is, the length of a single tweet or short sentence. We’ll choose five winners who will each receive a copy of Us: Americans Talk About Love, a collection of folks talking about love. Post your love bites in our Reader Challenge Forum by 11:59pm EST on Sunday, March 7th to be included in the contest.

New Detective Story
We know from our recent survey that Laurel Dewey’s heroine, Detective Jane Perry, has become a reader favorite, so we’re excited to launch the fifth and final piece of original fiction featuring the detective, Promissory Payback. And if you missed the first four pieces, you can find them here.

Our Book Channel
Our Book Channel brings you excerpts from books hand-selected by DailyLit staff and those in the know in the book industry. We’ve recently featured the 2009 Man Book Prize winner for fiction; a new novel that O, the Oprah Magazine called “mesmerizing;” and the #1 New York Times bestselling Happiness Project. What’s up next? It’s a surprise, of course, but count on more bestsellers, award-winners, and buzzed-about titles—the ones everyone will be talking about. Sign up for our Book Channel here.

And, finally, thought you’d enjoy this love sonnet from Shakespeare (I’ve always heard the first line but never really read it myself):

XVIII
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm’d,
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature’s changing course untrimm’d:
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st,
Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st,
So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

From Sonnets by William Shakespeare.

New on DailyLit: Berlitz Essential French and Berlitz Essential Spanish

We loved that so many of you jumped on our newly free Berlitz DailyLit Spanish Lessons–in fact, in response to their popularity we’ve worked with Berlitz again to make even more language learning books available on DailyLit. We’re delighted to offer Berlitz Essential Spanish and Berlitz Essential French, each of which offer key vocabulary words and tips for travelers–whether you’re planning a trip or just dreaming from your armchair. Enjoy!

Kaplan SAT Prep Now Free on DailyLit

It’s been a while since I took a college entrance exam, but I remember exactly how stressful it could be. That’s why I’m so excited to announce that we’ve just launched a free Kaplan SAT Prep Program on DailyLit. The course is gives daily vocabulary words with weekly quizzes to check understanding.

Here’s a full description:

A DailyLit Exclusive!

Taking the SAT is hard enough. Make studying easier—and more successful—with the Kaplan SAT Prep Program, an innovative program from the leader in test prep that is available only on DailyLit.

With the Kaplan SAT Prep Program’s daily lessons, you’ll improve your vocabulary, usage, and grammar in just minutes a day—and through DailyLit’s unique subscription service, the lessons will be ready and waiting for you to study whenever and wherever you want. Each day you’ll receive via email (or RSS feed) one lesson that covers important vocabulary words by giving concise definitions, helpful synonyms, and sample sentences that show words in context. At the end of each week you’ll test your new knowledge with a short quiz, complete with answers and explanations. The program gives you the tools to learn, review, and master essential vocabulary and will make each day a step closer to success—and the college of your dreams.

The Kaplan SAT Prep Program on DailyLit is convenient test prep that’s perfect for today’s student: flexible, mobile, and sharp enough to tackle even the toughest test around.

Berlitz Spanish Lessons Now Free on DailyLit

DailyLit and Berlitz have teamed up to offer Berlitz DailyLit Spanish lessons, which are now available for free.

I’ve already gotten a few of these lessons in my inbox, and I have to say they’re great fun. I never thought I’d have the time to pick up a little Spanish.

To receive these 90 lessons for free, you need to sign up for them before May 1, 2010.

Here’s a fuller description:

Berlitz DailyLit Spanish Lessons—available only on DailyLit—allow students of all ages to study Spanish at their own pace and according to their own schedule. Readers can personalize the pace of their study—from leisurely to intense—by electing to receive weekly or daily installments.

Berlitz DailyLit Spanish Lessons are ideal for those who are just beginning to learn Spanish and for those who would like a refresher course. The lessons cover the most essential topics for language learners, including greetings, traveling, and working. Plus, each lesson is presented with clear explanations and helpful content, including:

•Useful everyday vocabulary
•Grammar and pronunciation
•Important cultural information
•Self-test for each lesson

And remember, sign up by May 1, 2010 to receive these lessons for free.

DailyLit News: January 2010

Note from the CEO

I’ve been thrilled by your enthusiastic response to DailyLit and how much you appreciate our making all our books and stories free. Now it’s time to share the love. Tell 5 friends about DailyLit—pass on the word at dinner, forward installments to your colleagues, or mention DailyLit to moms at pick up. You can also now use your address book to invite your friends to read along or publish to your Facebook page. Thanks for spreading the word!

Susan Danziger
Founder and CEO, DailyLit
sdanziger@dailylit.com

Berlitz Spanish Lessons

Ever wanted to learn Spanish? Enjoy our daily, complimentary Spanish course created exclusively for DailyLit by Berlitz. Available only through May 1st. Read it here.

DailyLit’s Big Read

January is the month of Edgar Allan Poe’s birthday, so in his honor this month’s Big Read is his short story “Murders in the Rue Morgue.” It’s the world’s first-ever detective fiction—without Poe’s Auguste Dupin there might never have been a Sherlock Holmes. Read it here.

Reader Challenge

It’s a brand new decade, full of possibilities and hope. This month’s reader challenge taps into that optimism. Complete this sentence: “What I wish for the world in 2010 is….” And remember, one complete sentence only! Share your wishes for the world—literary, political, imaginary, whatever—in our Reader Challenge Forum.

New Feature: Invite a Friend

Don’t go it alone—invite your friends to join you. Now, when you start reading a book on DailyLit, you’ll be able to instantly publish what you’re reading to Facebook, Yahoo, and other sites. And if you open up your address book, you can invite any number of friends to join in one big read-along.

New Short Fiction from Laurel Dewey

Laurel Dewey’s compelling heroine Detective Jane Perry returns in this fourth original piece of short fiction. Here Jane investigates a suspicious death and uncovers secrets she could never have imagined. Read it here. (And find three other pieces by Laurel Dewey here.)

Make 2010 the Year of The Book

Always wanted to read Anna Karenina? Moby Dick? Pride and Prejudice? Make this the year that you finally tackle The Book—you know, one major classic you ought to have read at some point in your life. Take it one day and one installment at a time—you can do it! Check out our Classics for inspiration.

Your DailyLit Story

Thanks to everyone who took our reader survey last month—we loved reading your feedback (and your kind words about DailyLit). We’d like to feature stories about your experience with DailyLit and what you’ve been able to accomplish so if you have a story to share, please email us at support@dailylit.com.

Free SAT Vocab Words and Study Tips. With Vampires.

We’ve just launched 4 weeks’ worth of free vocab words and study tips from Defining Twilight, a book that spices up SAT/ACT studying by approaching it through everyone’s favorite vampire book, Twilight.  The book uses words from the novel that are likely to appear on the test and offers challenges so readers can check their progress. If you or someone you know is starting to study for the big test, you know it isn’t tons of fun. Edward and Bella may be able to help. You can check it out here (and remember, with DailyLit’s gifting feature, you can send the book to a friend completely free).