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Introducing Peaksay. A New Way to Practice Speaking Online.

Language is all about authentic communication. At Fluentkey, we believe that we should learn languages the same way.

That’s why I’m excited to introduce Peaksay, our new conversation game.

A lot of places focus on teaching language with flashcards. This is the heart of apps like Duolingo and Babbel. We think these tools are great, but we also know that there’s a lot more to language than just memorizing words.

FluentKey already helps students level up their listening skills with a library of authentic, real-world videos. We put content first and focus on rich comprehensible input. And we make listening fun by building interactive games like FluentKey Live around our content.

Now, we’re applying those same principles to speaking with Peaksay.

What is Peaksay?

Peaksay is a new way to practice speaking online using interactive conversations. We’re calling it “the conversation game for languages.”

Speaking has always been challenging to practice. You need a language partner or a teacher. That’s often very expensive. And even if you’re in a class, how do you practice outside of class time?

Peaksay changes that.

Instead of flashcards, Peaksay focuses on teaching meaningful chunks of language in the context of a real conversation. Train your ear, and voice, on real-world phrases and expressions. Hear your partner speak, and then respond, reacting to the twists and turns of the dialogue.

Peaksay is authentic conversation.

Our conversation library draws from awesome resources across the cultural landscape. Become Rick in Casablanca when he tells Illsa, “We’ll always have Paris.” Enter the world of Amélie, or Y tu mamá también. Put yourself in the mind of Ellen interviewing Cardi B, or a contestant on the hit reality show The Rap of China.

Think about your favorite dialogue from your favorite movie, TV show, book…. or even textbook series. Practice it on Peaksay.

Because our conversations are (semi)-scripted, it’s really easy to start learning. If you’re intimidated by speaking to a real person, play with a computer bot. If you’re a beginner, use Learn Mode to master basic phrases and expressions step-by-step. If you’re not sure what to say, read along with the provided script… or turn it off, for an extra challenge.

Peaksay is a game.

We think this is huge. Learning should be fun and joyful; not only do games motivate, they also make learning more effective.

With Peaksay, you don’t just listen to conversations. You are one of the characters. You are the hero in a role-playing game. Win the game by keeping the conversation going… or lose it by saying the wrong things. Use power-ups at crucial moments to pull out a victory or save yourself from defeat. Master the conversation to get a high score.

If you’re a teacher, assign a conversation to your students for homework, or have them play against each other in class. If you’re an individual learner, compete on the conversation leaderboard with other players for the highest score.

Peaksay is a community.

In fact, our conversation library is community-built. Anybody can create a conversation, about anything, in any language. Upvote your favorite conversations, create curated playlists, or share language tips with each other in our forums. Let’s learn together.

Peaksay is an awesome way to start your speaking journey.

Obviously, playing Peaksay is no substitute for speaking to real people in the real world. As a classroom language teacher, I know how important that is. Peaksay doesn’t replace authentic communication. It’s a way to get started with it.

If any of this sounds fun or exciting to you… you’re not alone. I’m excited too!

Peaksay is still in alpha right now, but we’re looking for people who want to try it out and give us feedback. Because we’re in such an early stage of development, your voice is hugely impactful. This is your chance to make a difference.

To get early access to the Peaksay Alpha, sign up with this form (30 seconds to complete). Then I’ll send you an invite link. We’d love to hear from you.