If you’ve finally decided to take the plunge and learn English, the next step is to find a school that’s right for you. The possibilities are virtually (ha!) endless with many types of schools to suit all types of students when learning English online.
If you have the time and the access, a physical school might be the right fit for you. But for those of us (English teachers, too!) who just can’t seem to find enough hours in the day, learning English online can be the perfect solution.
What’s Different About Learning English Online?
Not much, honestly.
As an English teacher in a classroom or on Skype, I don’t need to have physical contact (be able to touch) with my students in order to get my point across (be understood). So really, I don’t even have to be in the same room as them.
With all the goodness that modern technology has to offer, as an online English teacher, I can do things like screen sharing if I want to show you something specific on my screen. I can type your corrections directly into the Skype chat. I can send you links from the Internet with supplementary (additional) materials immediately. Or, if you have a question about a certain grammar point, I can look it up right away and give you an exact answer, whereas in a traditional classroom, you may need to wait until the next session for an explanation.
Why Should I Learn English Online?
If you learn English online, there are a whole host (a lot) of benefits; primarily: you can learn from absolutely anywhere in the world, at any time.
Do you travel a lot for your job, can’t commit to a fixed schedule or location, but could be free (sometimes…) around 8am? You can have an English lesson then. You can even have a quick lesson before your presentation or job interview to keep you fresh! No problem!
What about Sundays in between brunch (a combination of breakfast and lunch) and dinner, but only every other week? No problem! We can make that work, too. And when sometimes 60 minutes is enough, but other times 90 minutes for the lesson is better? No problem!
You can be completely flexible with your lesson schedule. There’s no need be in the same spot each week, as anywhere with an Internet connection can serve as your new English classroom.
Don’t have so much free time to drive to a language school, but still want to take the opportunity to learn a new language? By taking English classes online, you don’t have to hop in the car or take public transportation to get to a physical classroom. This can be time consuming enough in and of itself, but when you factor in the potential for traffic, parking costs, and getting home again… you’re losing lots of valuable time!
Wherever your computer is, is where your teacher is. And isn’t that a liberating (freeing) feeling?
As much as I may love “unplugging” once in a while and taking a break from technology, I’m extremely thankful for the opportunities it affords (gives) me. Not the least of which is being able to learn new things everyday via the convenience of the Internet!
Are you ready to start learning English online? Let us know in the comments below!
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Erin Duffin lives in Hamburg, is an English teacher, blogger, yoga instructor, and teaches both online from wherever in the world she is! How cool is that?
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