They say, “The more languages you know, the more you are a person.” Many of us speak more than our native language, and some have been bilingual from birth. Others, like me, dive into foreign languages for hobbies, work, or studies. For me, learning a new language feels like discovering a new world. When I started learning classical ballet, its harmony and beauty inspired me to take French courses since ballet terminology stems from this elegant language. Speaking it opens up a deeper appreciation for art, music, and culture, beyond memorized phrases like "Puis-je commander du café?" You begin to understand the emotions and stories behind the words.
While the love for languages draws many of us in, learning them—especially through online classes—can be challenging. Thankfully, digital tools like Scanner Pro and PDF Expert have made my French learning experience smoother and more productive.
Scanner Pro: transforming physical to digital
I’ve always loved the tactile experience of studying—writing by hand, flipping through pages, and scribbling notes in the margins. But carrying around all those books and notebooks wasn’t practical, especially with online learning. Scanner Pro became my solution.
Scanner Pro can digitize my textbooks, notes, and other study materials. So I started digitizing my handwritten notes, textbooks, and printed worksheets. Suddenly, all my resources were in one place, neatly organized on my phone and iPad. It wasn’t just about convenience; it was about creating my personal library, one that was portable and easy to access anytime.
But Scanner Pro goes beyond simple scanning. It lets me edit my scans to perfection—cropping pages, adjusting brightness, and even erasing stray marks (like when my finger accidentally sneaks into a photo). This has been a game-changer for sharing assignments with my teacher. I can scan a page of grammar exercises, clean it up, and send it over, confident that everything looks polished and professional.
How to enter the Edit mode:
- Open Scanner Pro or Scanner Mini and tap the scan you'd like to edit.
- Tap Edit:
While in the Edit mode, you'll see many editing options. To learn more about each of them, follow the links:
- crop and rotate the scan;
- set the page size (Custom, A4, A5...);
- use the eraser tool to remove irrelevant details;
- change the color mode;
- adjust brightness and contrast;
- straighten curved lines on scans.
PDF Expert: annotate, highlight, and collaborate
If Scanner Pro organizes my learning, PDF Expert brings it to life. I’ve always loved using colorful pens and highlighters in my notebooks, and PDF Expert lets me do the same digitally. I can annotate scanned documents, highlight tricky vocabulary, and jot down cultural insights that give French its unique charm.
One feature that truly stands out is voice notes. With PDF Expert, I can record myself practicing pronunciation or reading sentences aloud. It’s incredibly helpful for improving my phonetics, and it adds an interactive layer to my homework. Sometimes, I even send these recordings to my teacher for feedback. Listening back to them later helps me track my progress and build confidence in speaking.
Both PDF Expert & Scanner PRO support collaborative learning
Both Scanner Pro and PDF Expert support collaborative learning, a critical aspect of mastering any language. For example, I can share a partially completed worksheet with another student, who adds their input before we review it together. These tools make group learning seamless and efficient.
Secrets to effective language learning:
I've discovered some secrets to effective language learning that have really worked for me. The first secret is the 3R technique: Read, Recite, Review. I start by reading a section, then try to recite it from memory, and finally review it to correct and reinforce my understanding. Reciting aloud helps me identify what I had trouble understanding, learning, and remembering, so I know what to focus on during the review stage.
The second secret I've learned is to dig deep. When I read, I focus fully without distractions and try to connect new information to what I already know. I make notes, doodle, and mark sections needing clarification from a teacher, which helps me engage more deeply with the material.
The third secret is to use my imagination. I visualize information to assimilate it more effectively and create interactive images for concepts. For example, with French homophones, I picture sentences like “As-tu vu le vert ver allant vers le verre en verre vert?” (Did you notice the green worm heading for the green glass?) and “Cinq chiens chassent six chats” (Five dogs hunt six cats). This imaginative approach makes learning more fun and memorable for me.
The fourth secret is regular self-testing. Testing myself reinforces what I've learned and helps me identify areas where I need more practice. After reading a chapter, I try to recall everything by looking at the outline on the first page, which helps refresh my memory. During self-testing, I write out my answers and note down the things I can't remember.
A journey worth taking
The desire to master a new language and pursue a new hobby led me to discover organizational tools that not only streamlined my online classes but also enriched my learning experience. With Scanner Pro and PDF Expert in my toolkit, language acquisition became a journey marked by efficiency, collaboration, and a deeper engagement with the cultural nuances embedded in the French language.
Vita Vypovska 
