Merriam-Webster is teaming with Livemocha and U.K.-based Collins to publish new lines of foreign language materials for the U.S. market. The most ambitious series is Livemocha Active Courses that features four books and a six month subscription to Livemocha’s online courses that lets users connect with over 9 million native speakers and instructors to practice their new language. The series, for Spanish, French, German and Italian, is priced at $49.95.
Founded in 2007, Livemocha has almost 10 million members in its online language learning community who live in 195 countries. Livemocha combines traditional learning methods with online practice, and interaction with native language speakers from around the world.
In addition to the Livemocha line, M-W has introduced two series to its language learning line developed in cooperation with Collins. The Easy Learning in a Click courses include an audio CD, book, and interactive site subscription, in Spanish, French, German, and Italian. Price is $20.95. The Easy Learning reference books series in Spanish and French include a book and prices range from $8.95 for books on idioms to $16.95.
“We are pleased to be building upon the success of our line of bilingual dictionaries with the introduction of this impressive collection of language-teaching resources, and we are especially pleased to be partnering with these two leaders in the field of language-learning instruction,” says president and publisher of Merriam-Webster, John M. Morse.
