ONLINE LANGUAGE LEARNING
Language education refers to the process
and practice of acquiring a second or foreign language. It primarily is a
branch of applied linguistics, however can be considered an interdisciplinary
field. There are four main learning categories for language education:
communicative competencies, proficiencies, cross-cultural experiences, and
multiple literacies. Increasing globalization has created a large
need for people in the workforce who can communicate in multiple languages. The
uses of common languages are in areas such as trade, tourism, international
relations, technology, media, and science.
Pronunciation is the way a word or
a language is spoken, or the
manner in which someone utters a word. If one is said to have "correct
pronunciation", then it refers to both within a particular dialect. A word can be spoken in different ways by various individuals or groups,
depending on many factors, such as: the duration of the cultural exposure of
their childhood, the location of their current residence, speech or voice disorders, their ethnic group, their social class, or their education. Learning how to pronounce sounds, words and sentences
correctly is just as important as learning the grammar of the language. Every
time you learn a new word or phrase, you need to pay attention to spelling and
pronunciation.
Conversation is a form of interactive, spontaneous communication between
two or more people. Typically, it occurs in spoken communication, as written
exchanges are usually not referred to as conversations.
The development of conversational skills and etiquette is an important part
of socialization. The
development of conversational skills in a new language is a frequent focus of language teaching and learning.
Online language learning
Hundreds of languages are available
for self-study, from scores of publishers, for a range of costs, using a
variety of methods. The course itself acts as a teacher and has to choose a
methodology, just as classroom teachers do. Audio recordings use native speakers, and one strength
is helping learners improve their accent. Some
recordings have pauses for the learner to speak. Others are continuous so the
learner speaks along with the recorded voice, similar to learning a song.
Websites and Softwares
Websites provide
various services geared toward language education. Some sites are designed specifically
for learning languages:
1.
Some software runs on the web itself, with
the advantage of avoiding downloads, and the disadvantage of requiring an
internet connection.
2.
Some websites offer learning activities such
as quizzes or puzzles to practice language concepts.
3.
Language
exchange sites
connect users with complementary language skills, such as a native Spanish
speaker who wants to learn English with a native English speaker who wants to
learn Spanish. Users typically contact each other via chat, VoIP,
or email. Language exchanges tend to benefit oral
proficiency, fluency, colloquial vocabulary acquisition, and vernacular usage,
rather than formal grammar or writing skills.
4.
Speech synthesis or text to speech (TTS)
sites and software let learners hear pronunciation of arbitrary written text,
with pronunciation similar to a native speaker.
6.
Players of computer games can practice a
target language when interacting in massively multiplayer online games and virtual worlds.
Some Internet content is free, often from
government and nonprofit sites such as BBC Online, Book2, Foreign Service Institute, with no or minimal ads. Some is
ad-supported, such as newspapers and YouTube. Some requires a payment.
Software can interact with
learners in ways that books and audio cannot:
1.
Some software records the learner, analyses
the pronunciation, and gives feedback.
2.
Software can present additional exercises in
areas where a particular learner has difficulty, until the concepts are
mastered.
3.
Software can pronounce words in the target
language and show their meaning by using pictures instead of oral explanations.
Conclusion
If we adopt some of these strategies and get into the habit of focusing on the
sounds in a word, and on the sounds of connected speech, it will make a big improvement in learner’s pronunciation and understanding of spoken
English. They should feel much more confident speaking
English. The use
of technology and media has begun to play a heavy role in facilitating language
learning in the classroom. With the help of the internet, students are readily
exposed to foreign media and
as a result, teachers are taking heed of the internet's influence and are
searching for ways to combine this exposure into their classroom teaching.
