by Purnima
Conventional wisdom has it that learning anything, even a language, in a physical classroom is the best way to do it, but think again. These days, more people including students who feel the need to learn a language opt for websites that offer this learning in online courses. The use of technology for education has changed the way people learn and ingress education. Students have options to learning multiple languages through online courses.
Online learning or digital learning comes with many advantages, chiefly the learner's convenience since he or she decides the time and place of learning. Therefore, modern technology makes a huge impact on the way people conduct their lives and learn a language. So, it's not surprising to find many online courses opening up that give an effective and a convenient means of learning a preferred language. This level of convenience makes learning a foreign language easier and more adaptable, apart from being better, faster and more interesting. The challenge most students face is once they choose a native tutor, they may have difficulty conversing with the tutor because of a language barrier. For example, if a student knows only Mandarin, and hardly any English, they cannot convey to the tutor what they want to. In such cases, they can take professional help from inexpensive paper writers who can make notes for them.
Online language courses are HD platforms that enable language learning without having to use external applications like calls, screen shares or chats. When you're ready to take the day's lesson, just log in and start. Technology also plays a pivotal role by teaching learners by email, online chats and SMS. This form of easy one-on-one interaction between teacher and student enables faster and better learning.
Online learning is convenient but it is not easy! Those who wish to study online need to dedicate their time and put in extra efforts. They should avoid distractions and fully commit to the process of learning online. Students who are self disciplined, self driven, capable of finishing the tasks and assignments on time are more suitable for e learning. Every student who wants to study online must first understand the requirements of online learning and set goals that match the requirements. This will help the students to keep track of their activities and work towards their goal.
When technology enters the online classroom, it makes learning a foreign language all the more easy. Multimedia helps students learn in new ways such as audio, videos, automation, and interactive grammar. It also has other features like correction software, instant messaging, chat boards, webcams, and telephone which are benefits for the students. Thus, multimedia courses help to visualize, listen and think which in turn makes their retention rates high. With these advancements of technology, students not only learn better but also stay connected. The students are able to correct their mistakes in pronunciation and usage quickly.
Accessing the day's course becomes easier for students because online courses run on software programs. There are a number of software programs for different language courses. These software programs are installed in their mobiles, tablets, laptops, etc. So, students can practice any languages like French, Spanish or German during their lunch break or while jogging or last thing before bed. This on-the-go learning method enables students to complete their coursework wherever they are without the hassle of travelling to brick and mortar classes. Online classes are just a click away!
Getting the best out of a language course is to get the pronunciation and grammar right. When it comes to pronunciation, very few people can get it right in the first round, so it becomes essential for online teachers to repeat words till students get it right. Students who repeat words aloud and practise writing the language can easily learn in a short period. Besides, online teachers keep their students engaged during the entire learning process so that they learn better and faster and get more value for their time and money. On the other hand, online learning also gives students the opportunity to learn at their pace and in their environment. Online teachers also use fun and interactive tools to teach new words using flashcards while teaching. This makes learning quick, easy and memorable.
One of the major issues with online learning is keeping track of the classes and learning. This issue arises because there is no direct interaction between the students and the teacher and some students may tend to miss their classes or tasks given to them. In order to resolve this issue, students must set certain short-term and long-term goals and work towards it. The set goals should be in sync with the online course requirements so that the students do not miss out anything. People who study online must also train themselves to start with difficult tasks as it improves their confidence and performance.
Online learning is not always an isolated learning process. Discussing in social media, giving inputs and clarifying the problems will help improve the learning process. For some people visual barriers hinder their thoughts and expressions and make them unable to interact face to face. Sharing new thoughts with the online classmates and group activities help to learn a language better. But, expressing the thoughts using right tonality and words is very important as there is no direct interaction, thoughts may get misinterpreted. A student must not feel shy to discuss as it will lead him/her to nowhere.
Students must not hesitate to ask doubts to the online instructor. The instructor may not be aware of the problems faced by the students unless they open up. Searching for answers in the internet and hesitating to ask questions to the instructor will have a bad impact on the learning process and in turn lowers the self-esteem of the student. Building a good relation with the instructor is necessary so that he/she is available anytime to clarify the problems of the student. In online learning it is open discussion and thus it help the students learn from each other’s doubts.
Study environment is a huge concern for online studying as most of the people studying online usually study at home. Students should make sure to have an organized, distraction free environment. Distractions like social media, family, and friends can hamper the studies and hence avoiding such distractions will help the students concentrate and study effectively. Having a separate space and time for study will help students learn faster than wasting time in distractions.
Online language courses are self-motivating, so it's a welcome change for students to embrace technology and become active learners in the virtual classroom space. This is a challenge as many people need to get motivated by others to help them study. Online learning helps in motivating oneself as it is self-study and to learn a language successfully a student must be self driven. A self motivated student can not only learn better but also motivates his/her virtual classmates. This helps the students to encourage each other and discuss their problems. A strong determination to learn will automatically give self-motivation. A student who takes up e-learning can stay self-motivated all the time which improves the learning ability.
Online learning is an effective and best method to learn any language. With just one click, a person can learn any language he/she wishes to. It helps the students visualize more as it involves video, audio, pictures, etc and help the students understand the meaning of the words easily. In online learning, the students need to focus more on motivating themselves, avoiding distractions and expressing his thoughts correctly. The students must not hesitate to talk with their teachers and it is important to develop a good relation with the teacher and the virtual classmates.
Online learning is also cheaper than the conventional classroom learning and helps the students learn more about the technology. Though online learning has its cons, the conventional method of learning is not more effective than e-learning. With a good internet connection, the students can learn and revise anytime using their mobiles, computer, etc. This helps them to revise and repeat which is absolutely required in learning a language. Determined and self-driven students fare well in online learning as they have to motivate themselves to reach their set goals.
Purnima is a freelance, independent writer who writes on Education, Technology, and Management. She likes to read in her free time and also wants to set up her play school soon.
Links to online language courses
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