How to Learn English Outside the Classroom

You can learn English even if you are not in a classroom setting. Do not get me wrong, I am not saying that you do not need to enroll in a language class, what I am saying is that learning any language is and should never be limited in the class or at school. Going to school means getting a formal education to learn basic principles of the language, when you leave school, that is when you apply and practice all the things that you have learned inside your class. There are many tools and methods that you can use to promote your learning a language.

Modern technology now is really amazing although I sometimes think that with all the gadgets around that does the thinking for us, people start relying on all this "smart" techie stuff and eventually make humans "dumb". I personally think that we should not allow for this to happen and continue to think with our brain.

We need to exercise the brain as much as the body therefore we must utilize these gadgets that we have to learn different and new things. One can even use his or her iPod to listen to Podcasts in English. You can read books on Kindle, listen to English music on an mp3 player and even watch movies that use English as their language. All these are tools outside the classroom that can help you to learn English. So put your iPod to good use and start by downloading practical Apps to help you learn.



Old school is never too old especially if we are talking about reading actual, printed and published books. It is true that everything is digitally available and downloadable to any of our hand held or portable computer devices but real books are still very important. Books don't need to be electrically charged and do not need batteries for you to read them, so go to your closest book store and buy a good book. Reading will not only help you better your writing skills but also aid in broadening your vocabulary. English is a widely used language and has millions of books published with.

Going on a date? Why not go see the latest movie of Mission impossible or James Bond, nothing can be more English than that. Learning English can be fun too, watch a movie and try to remember your favorite lines. Repeat these lines to a friend and have fun sharing your insights about the movie.

Last but not least, always remember to learn English by practicing it with a classmate or a friend outside your school. Try to have a conversation with somebody who is fluent with the language so at least they can give you some tips and even teach you some new words to widen your knowledge of the language. Have a great and casual conversation with someone, hang out with them and really immerse yourself with this exercise and before you know it, you are already speaking English better that you were yesterday! Sometimes when you do something fun while you are learning, it becomes a very easy task to do.

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Learn English Online - Why is it Better?

Learn English Online

To learn English online, you need not worry about where to find the right site. Learning the language online has never been easier nowadays. The learning environment has drastically changed ever since the internet hit the globe. Today, there are literally thousands of websites dedicated to online English learning. Some have very basic programs while many more have sophisticated and effective learning methods that will surely make you speak native English in a very short time. This sites are truly dedicated to make you learn English online in the most effective and comprehensive way.

But why do so many people choose to learn English online when there are many schools and Universities offering the same course in their classrooms? If you choose to learn to speak English in a classroom, you have the advantage of being able to communicate with your classmates in a totally conversational way. You get to build your confidence as you speak with them and your understanding of the language will also improve as they speak with you. Many have argued that in a classroom setting, your daily communications with your teacher and classmates help you improve your skills and learn co-dependently at first. Then, as you progress, you will learn independently. There are also those who argue that in a classroom environment, there is more interaction between the teacher and the students and the learning process is set in a consistent and regular pace throughout the session. And the debate goes on and on.

Looking at it closely, there are also many advantages in choosing to learn English online versus the traditional classroom setting. There are now millions of students enrolled online and the number is growing rapidly each year. Below are just a few of the many reasons why many are now opting to go avail of English lessons and courses online instead of enrolling in a classroom.

1. Whenever, wherever: This is probably the first and most important reason why many have chosen online English courses. Students taking English lessons online can go to class whenever they want, wherever they are! They can learn to speak English in their most convenient time at the most convenient place! This means that they can do other work first-like go to the office, attend to their children or render voluntary work-and then go and learn to speak English after.

2. Open and available 24/7: Because the site is an online global site, then course materials and sessions are always available 24 hours a day, seven days a week! Students have the freedom of getting their English lessons, discussions, explanations, comments and recorded conversations even if they have been absent for the past five sessions! Compare that to a classroom setting! Be absent for five sessions in a classroom and you loose a lot of the lessons.

3. Better interaction: Many have argued that online English learning discourages participation and interaction. But contrary to popular opinions, choosing to learn English online allows a student to have more interaction with their peers! In a classroom environment, only the most talkative student has a say about everything. But in a controlled online learning environment, everyone has a say and can learn to speak English through discussions because the online teacher is the moderator and controller of the English class time.

4. Shy students have a chance: Because everyone has a chance to speak in the online classroom, speaking English will be much less intimidating to the students. Many virtual classrooms practice anonymity so that all students have a level playing field. Everyone can learn English online no matter what gender, race, or age they are. Discrimination is not an issue in an online English course.


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4 Easy Ways to Learn English Online

4 Easy Ways to Learn English Online

When you learn a new language the only way to improve is to practice, practice and practice! However it can often be boring to keep studying from books so I'd like to recommend some interactive learning methods and resources - all using the internet.

Chat Your Way to Better English

Chatting with others, either native or non-native speakers of English, is a great way to practice your written skills in a stress-free and uninhibited environment. This is a particularly good method if you're shy about speaking English as it will allows you to be anonymous online and will build your confidence to eventually speak the language face to face. By joining a chat room like TheChatPage.com you can discuss any special interest topic you like, or write posts in the forums. Having an email pen pal can also be a fun and effective way to practice English and make friends.

Online Grammar Exercises

For a more fun and interactive approach to practicing grammar exercises, try one of the many online grammar exercise sites available on the internet. You will find varied exercises and quizzes for most grammar points where you will be given corrections to your answer and useful explanations. Joining an EFL community will also give you access to volunteer EFL teachers who are available to answer all your grammar questions. Being part of a community such as EnglishForums.com is also excellent way to meet and communicate with other English learners.

Online Radio

Understanding native speakers and their accents is often one of the hardest parts of learning English according to EFL students. A great listening exercise, particularly for advanced EFL students, is listening to English radio stations online. Radio hosts often speak quite fast which makes this exercise rather difficult; however, this will help sharpen listening skills and be very good practice for phone conversations or meetings with native speakers. It is also an excellent way to pick up new words and learn about a variety of cultural topics.


Podcasts

If you don't have constant access to the internet, downloading podcasts is a great alternative to listening to radio. The advantage of a podcast is that you can listen to it at your leisure until you feel you have completely understood the topic. You can also pause the audio while you look up new words or take notes on the subject. There are some great sites available which offer podcasts specifically to EFL learners. The podcasts often come in manageable 15-20 audio files, complete with full transcripts, additional vocabulary, cultural explanation, general notes and sometimes comprehension questions. This additional information means podcasts are effective language learning tools even at a lower level of English.

These resources should enable you to practice your English in a more inventive way rather than relying on books and classroom time. Of course face to face interaction is really important but these are excellent alternatives and will contribute to acquiring more fluency and confidence in your skills.

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