Online practice platform Dutch for non-native speakers extra popular during lockdown

NedBox is an online platform where newcomers who speak Dutch can practice Dutch outside of the usual language lessons. To this end, the platform makes use of newspaper articles and TV fragments from popular Flemish media. In five years time, NedBox reached more than 800,000 people, a great success. During the first lockdown, the platform even saw an increase in the number of users by more than 50%.

Learning a new language works best when you often come into contact with that language and practice a lot, also outside the language lesson. That is why KU Leuven, together with a number of partners, developed NedBox, a website where non-native adults can practice Dutch five years ago. On NedBox they will find TV fragments and newspaper articles with lifelike exercises, such as filling in a form or reading a birth announcement.