New Possibilities For People Who Want To Learn To Speak English Online

By Katrina Wheeler


For decades English has been a popular language to learn but nowadays instead of attending a language center or finding a private teacher, people are turning to the Web to learn to speak English online. All over the world people of all ages, from school children to retirees, are learning in increasing numbers. Amazingly it is estimated that at any one time there are over a billion people enrolled in programs of one kind or another.

Global business and finance has driven a large part of this growth. Companies need to communicate in a common language and so employees are required to be fluent in English. Some companies offer courses to staff or only hire those with language skills in place. Employees are often expected to deal with international customers or attend conferences abroad where this common language is the norm. Schoolchildren in some countries are required to learn a global language, and there has also been huge growth in the number of International students attending universities in the USA, UK or other English-speaking countries. It is also the preferred language of many MA or PhD programs.

There are many different ways to acquire languages, and one increasingly popular method is to use the internet. The Web offers people a range of choices depending on their budget, schedule and goals or preferred learning style. Other important considerations are whether the student needs a certificate as evidence of having completed a program and how much time they have available to dedicate to study and to practice their new skills.

Some of the original well-known language courses for travelers have been redeveloped as programs on the internet. They usually have levels from beginner onwards and use speech recognition technology. One of their advantages of this type of course is that they give instant feedback and correction of both reading and speech. There are different types of courses available including business or academic English.

An alternative style of study is to sign up with an online tutor who will grade and give feedback on structured units of the language program. Some people prefer this personal touch. However, others like to make the decision themselves, and they might choose to download worksheets from the wide range of those available on the Web. These can then be completed at a convenient time and kept for reference.

Another innovation in learning English using the internet is taking tutorials through videos. Some courses now go further and offer interactive teaching using facilities such as video conferencing. Social networking sites also offer a range of tools for people to develop their skills and then to practice them by interacting conveniently with other speakers and learners around the world.

Some people prefer to keep their learning lighthearted. For these people there are lots of games, quizzes and interactive fun websites to choose from. Often parents and teachers encourage children to learn in this way, but many sites are for adults too.

The internet has brought a range of innovations in learning into our homes and offices. For people that want to learn to speak English online it has brought immense benefits by increasing the choices available to learners. These benefits include but are not limited to the means to learn, timing and pace and the content and the style of learning.




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