| <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { | | | | |
| margin-bottom: 0.08in } --> | | | | With the advent of internet, on the other hand, |
| When it comes to truly learning a second | | | | online resources began popping up all over the |
| language, you can't depend solely on what you | | | | web that greatly enhanced the language learning |
| learn in the classroom. You can be a grammar | | | | experience for millions. As internet speeds |
| whiz but be completely incompetent when it | | | | increased over the years, more and more |
| comes to having a conversation with a native | | | | interactive aspects became available to the online |
| speaker. Thanks to satellite internet broadband, | | | | language student. These advantages were first |
| you can connect to a number of online resources | | | | available in densely populated areas by cable and |
| that allow you to speak to anyone anywhere in | | | | DSL and then widely available to remote and rural |
| the world while remaining in your home country. | | | | areas via satellite broadband internet. Now that |
| | | | | satellite internet's prices have become affordable |
| For a long time, apart from studying within the | | | | to the average person, language fluency attainable |
| country where the language was spoken, little | | | | by all. |
| could be done in terms of achieving fluency. | | | | |
| Classes could be attended and private tutors | | | | Such interactive language learning programs include |
| could be hired, but even advanced conversation | | | | video and sound bits to supplement worksheets |
| classes can do little in terms of preparing you for | | | | and reading material. Having video and sound clips |
| real life conversation. Many people who have | | | | available make it possible for you to learn the |
| passed a number advanced language courses go | | | | pronunciation of words as said by native speakers |
| into a state of shock when they visit a country | | | | as opposed to theoretical pronunciations written in |
| that speaks the language they supposedly learned | | | | text. There are also a number of online tests and |
| and find that not only can they not understand | | | | quizzes where you can receive immediate |
| anybody but native speakers couldn't understand | | | | feedback instead of waiting a week to find out |
| their heavily accented version of their language | | | | the results from a teacher, allowing you to |
| either. | | | | improve your weak points more rapidly. |
| | | | | |
| Furthermore, the language you choose to learn | | | | Once you get the hang of the grammatical |
| could also be limited to the demand for the | | | | aspects of a language, you can also take |
| particular language in your area. For example, if | | | | advantage of websites that allow you to chat |
| you had a desire to learn Arabic, you might not | | | | with a real person in another country where the |
| be able to find an Arabic teacher in your area | | | | language you are learning is in their native tongue. |
| unless it's heavily populated by native speakers. | | | | This type of language exchange program will |
| For the average small town, this is probably an | | | | probably require you to speak part of the time in |
| impossibility. Some people try to learn from books | | | | English so that your partner can practice their |
| and tapes borrowed from language centers and | | | | English skills. Not only is this a great way to learn |
| libraries, but the education level pales in | | | | and share a language, but also to make a friend |
| comparison to real immersion with a native | | | | that you may be able to visit some day. |
| speaker. | | | | |