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.

5.     Web conferencing tools can bring remote learners together; e.g. Elluminate Live.

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.