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MyWikiBiz, Author Your Legacy — Thursday July 29, 2010

The Basics of Learning English Online

What is online English learning?

As we enter into the age of globalization, the need to communicate in a universal language grows by the day. While adding more English courses to the school curriculum is a good investment for our children today, this does not address the urgent necessities of the professional world.

But, as they say, necessity leads to invention. Fortunately, a rather new but nevertheless innovative solution is now being offered throughout the world: learn English online. ESL students can now apply for English classes online, using instant messaging tools (e.g. Skype or Windows Live Messenger), or through Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

How does it work?

Depending on the company providing the service, individuals or corporations can sign up for classes to learn English online. ESL students can then choose when and how their classes are to be conducted, depending on their needs. A student, for example, can choose from the service provider’s roster of instructors/trainers, while keeping her/his availability in mind. S/he schedules her own classes on the date and time s/he is available, and through the means possible. A student can take classes using her/his own mobile phone, company phone, home phone, or instant messenger. On some occasions, students use chat or blogs, to interact with their teachers. Each class can last for 10-90 minutes, and is the student’s prerogative.

What are the advantages?

A key feature of learning English online is its flexibility. Classes are continuously adapted to the student’s needs. If the student is busy, he can take her/his classes once or twice a week, sometimes with even longer intervals. If the student has a meeting today and will be out of the office, he can use his mobile phone for classes, instead of the usual company phone. If the student wants to focus on conversational skills rather than grammar halfway in her/his program, then the teacher can adapt accordingly. Online English classes provide its clients practical English for their daily use.

What are the disadvantages?

While this service promises practical application of the English language, it’s not recommended for students with very little to no English background. Basic concepts and theories are best learned in offline or face-to-face schools. The foundation is very important, and this is something that one to two classes per week cannot build.

To learn English online effectively, one must at least have studied English at school during his formative years. The idea behind learning English online is that students are able to apply what they have learned in the past, and better enhance it for the future.

Classes with very long intervals in between are also not recommended. If it takes you weeks instead of days to schedule the next class, then this method would neither be effective nor efficient for you. You will end up forgetting what you’ve learned and repeating the same mistakes, thus making it easier to remember wrong habits instead of good ones.

Are online English classes for me?

Taking into consideration what has been discussed so far, the decision is still yours to make. If you are a professional who find yourself constantly in need to improve your English skills, but are too busy to take extra classes outside work, then this is a good solution. Some people find this method useful, while some do not. Whatever form of English learning you choose to take, keep in mind that any endeavor requires effort and skill to succeed.