Advantages of Online Language Learning

1. What are the benefits of receiving teaching materials online? 

• In the case of online language learning, we can send all learning materials (student's book, workbook, audio, video or any other additional language teaching materials) in PDF format by email or via Skype / Face Time / Viber.
• According to the feedback of our previous students, this saved them a lot of time and money.

2. The advantages of using new technology for language learning: 

• The advantages of online learning: student's books, workbooks, and supplementary teaching materials are not only available on paper, but they can also be viewed digitally on the student’s own screen.
• In order to further practice difficult parts, we can send additional materials immediately. Students can open them at once, or save them for later use.

3. How can you do the listening tasks online? 

• Practicing listening comprehension to understand spoken language is a priority, especially in the case of learning English.
• Understanding what the other person says is necessary not only during the language exam but in real life as well. 
• Without understanding, the conversation is stuck at the beginning, and there will be no successful communication.
• During the traditional way of language teaching, the teacher and the student are seated facing each other. So the student needs to travel to the place of teaching.
• However, in the case of online learning, the teacher uses Skype to send the most important new words and the tasks to the student before completing the exercises. This saves a lot of time and money and prevents being stressed.
• Before listening, the student can discuss the meanings of new words and practice saying them loudly with the teacher.
• The student is seated in front of his/her own computer at home, reading the exercise, e.g. questions/test/matching/gap-filling/sentence completion, and then takes notes while the teacher plays the material by one of these 5 methods:

Method 1: the teacher places the tape recorder or CD player near the microphone of the computer/laptop/tablet/mobile phone.

Method 2: the teacher uses a computer/laptop to play a CD or the audio file stored on a memory stick.

Method 3: in case a tablet or mobile phone is used, the teacher plays the audio files preloaded in the cloud.

Method 4:  the teacher sends the audio file to the student via Skype, who then plays it, while the teacher is also listening.

Method 5:  if there is interference in the line, and the voice is distorted, the teacher will send the audio file to the student via Skype (to save time this is usually done before the lesson). The student downloads it, stops the Skype conversation with the teacher and listens to the audio file alone - completing the exercise in the meantime. Finally, the student calls the teacher again to check the result.

At the end of all four methods, they check the solutions and evaluate the result. 

What types of listenings do we use for language teaching?

• Besides the listenings in the coursebooks and workbooks, we use advertisements, news, stories, and interviews from the internet. Advertisements are especially useful for beginners, as they are short and contain a lot of words and expressions used in everyday life.
• We can also listen to and do exercises with songs and their lyrics , which may be chosen by the student.
• If the student prepares for a language exam, we practice with the listening tasks of previous exams . 

4. How can you watch a video during an online lesson? 

1. The teacher sends the film to the language learner via Skype / Face Time / Viber before the lesson.

2. Then, the student is sent all possible new words and expressions from the film.

3. This is followed by discussing their meanings, synonyms, and antonyms with the teacher.

4. After, the student has the opportunity to practice their pronunciation with the teacher.

5. The teacher also sends the exercises related to the film, for example, questions, sentences to be completed, words and phrases to be matched. The student can read these silently before watching the video.

6. The teacher informs the student in advance about the number of minutes they are going to watch.

7. The student and teacher start the film at the same time, but the teacher turns the volume off on his/her own device to avoid disturbing the student.

8. If necessary, they repeatedly watch the part while the student is filling in the exercises. 

9. Then, they check the answers with the teacher. 

10. After this, they go on to the next part of the film, sometimes using other types of exercises so that it does not become boring for the student.

A further benefit of online learning is that the film is not retained (kept) by the teacher, so the student can watch it again at any time after the lesson. He/she can even download the exercises again, and repeatedly fill them in using the exercises completed during the lesson as a key.

What kinds of films do we watch and practice for the purpose of language learning?

Just a few of the many examples:

• the oral parts of language exams,
• presentations e.g.: from TED talks,
• interviews,
• documentaries, 
• advertisements,
• any other good ideas from students.

Advertisements are especially useful for beginners as they are short and contain a lot of words and expressions used in everyday life.

We also use films that are connected to the purpose, studies, or work of the language learner, f or example, films related to business, economics, architecture, HVAC, environmental protection, etc.

We are ready to develop any topic that helps the language learner achieve his/her desired goals.

IV. Learning new words and expressions online is more effective than in the traditional way.

• During the language lesson, the teacher sends the new vocabulary of listenings or readings online.
• The teacher writes all other new words that come up during the lesson with their meanings into Skype / Face Time / Viber. 
• The student can copy these from there after the lesson.
• The words are kept by Skype / Face Time / Viber so they can be revised or asked during the next online lesson. 

If you feel like trying online language learning, fill in the Contact Form below, and we will call you or write you an email.