Past Duolingo: Tools for Serious Language Learners at B2 and Above
For the language learner who has moved past apps and textbooks and is working toward genuine fluency
Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget It by Gabriel Wyner
Gabriel Wyner's approach — building a personal Anki deck from images and minimal L1 translations, using native audio for pronunciation from the start — is one of the most evidence-aligned methods in the language learning community. The book details the spaced repetition principles that underpin all serious vocabulary acquisition, and explains how to adapt the system for any target language.
“The one reliable rule of gift-giving: anything that makes them look more serious at what they love will be received with disproportionate gratitude.”
Shadowing: Let's Speak Japanese! by Yuki Kadota (or language-equivalent shadowing guide)
Shadowing — repeating spoken audio at near-simultaneous timing — is the technique that trains connected speech comprehension and prosody in ways that traditional study misses entirely. The Shadowing: Let's Speak Japanese series is the canonical published example of the method, and the approach transfers to any language where audio curricula exist.
Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style (for native-level precision)
Advanced learners of English often have grammatically correct output that lacks the native editorial sense — the intuition about register, rhythm, and redundancy that separates textbook English from polished writing. Dreyer's English, written by a Random House copy chief, is the kind of book native speakers read to improve their prose that also serves advanced learners reaching for editorial precision.
Anki Flashcard App — Premium Annual Subscription
Anki is the spaced repetition system that underpins nearly every serious polyglot's vocabulary acquisition process. The algorithm schedules review at the exact moment before forgetting, making retention highly efficient compared to static review systems. Premium subscription unlocks syncing across devices and additional deck storage, which matters once a learner has thousands of mining cards.
Collins Complete Spanish Grammar (or equivalent target-language advanced grammar)
A comprehensive native-language grammar reference organized for active use — looking up subjunctive triggers, indirect object doubling, or complex periphrastic constructions — is different from a pedagogical grammar designed for beginners. Collins complete grammars treat the reader as someone who already uses the language and needs precise reference rather than progressive instruction.
Language Transfer Complete Audio Course — USB Drive
Language Transfer's Thinking Method audio courses are the consistent recommendation in the advanced learner community for working through grammatical pattern recognition in a target language without rote memorization. The courses build a complete grammar intuition through active problem-solving rather than rule presentation — useful even for learners who already have solid foundations.
Fork it. Make it yours. Share before their birthday.
Friends claim items. No duplicates. No awkward conversations.
