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The Future Of E-Learning

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:13:41 -0500

More and more people around the globe are looking to learn English as a way of improving their skills to find a job and travel to different countries. English, regardless of whether it is American English or British English is spoken on every continent.

The United States, Canada, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Australia, South Africa and many other countries has English as their primary language. Even throughout many parts of Europe, English is still spoken as a way to communicate with tourists.

Learning English is extremely important but it’s not always taught in school. As a result, e-learning is becoming more and more popular as a way to learn English in order to succeed in life. Online English is taught in many different universities and online programs that break down the English language easily. Vocabulary, grammar and much more are taught in depth so that a person can ultimately read, write and hold conversations in English.

For the most part, e-learning focuses on American English because it is what is commonly found on websites and it is easier to teach. There are still universities and other e-learning avenues that teach British English, too. As a result, when someone is ready to take online English, they must decide which type of English they want to learn.

It’s best to understand exactly what the language will be used for. Travel should be American English because the British colonies can understand American English but it is not always true the other way around. When it comes to business, most companies converse in American English, unless the company was founded in the UK.

Further, when exploring e-learning and learning English online, it’s a great way to understand the language at a pace that is comfortable for anyone. There is no teacher that has to slow down for one student or speed up to keep pace with the rest of the class. Should anyone find themselves struggling with learning English, they can simply repeat the lesson without disrupting anyone else.

There are many kinds of e-learning instruction modes for English, so one must look at all options and choose one that is based on the type of learning that one works best in. There are audio learners who enjoy hearing the conversations and listening to the pronunciation of every word. There are also visual learners who want to see pictures of the different vocabulary words. However a person learns, it must be considered when choosing to learn English over the internet.

The future of e-learning is upon us. People want to learn this language and they can now do so on their own schedule and at their own pace. American and British English can be taught over the computer to make it easier for people to succeed in business and expand their horizons.

Is Online Learning More Beneficial than Traditional Learning?

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 01:15:43 -0500

Nowhere has it become more evident that we live in a global society than in the online learning environments, often showing that online learning can be more beneficial than traditional learning. There are many reasons why this is quickly becoming true.

Consider that many people live in remote areas of the world and do not have the ability or means to reach a formal brick and mortar university or school to learn, for example, English. Computers and the internet make learning English possible for thousands of people, globally, who otherwise might never have a chance to gain an education.

Additionally, many students find themselves, for one reason or another, unable to complete their basic education which would allow them to graduate high school and move on to university studies. But, with the advantages offered by online learning, these students are able to not only resume their education, but to gain the diploma necessary to pursue higher and advanced degrees. Many are able to take learn English online, even if it is a second language.

Likewise, many non-traditional students, meaning students who are already in the workforce, need to be able to improve themselves without having to take a leave of absence from their jobs, or to give up the job all together. Online learning is more beneficial than traditional learning in that it offers the student a way to keep their job, continue to provide for their family, as well as continue their education.

Learning English online may be one of the better benefits to learning online in that it offers the student the privacy that they need when learning a new language. For those who are already English speaking, learning English can mean more than learning to speak English. It will entail learning how to read and write English as well.

Online English can be done at the student’s own pace. Many who take online classes are delighted with their ability to pace the class according to their schedules. This type of self-pacing is simply not possible in a real classroom. This affords mothers who have small children, to study and learn in the evening when the children are in bed. It allows the working parent the ability to keep their job while working toward something better on a schedule that works for the entire family.

For those trying to learn English, online learning is more beneficial than traditional learning in that one can tailor the lessons to one’s own learning style. Perhaps you are a learner that does better when you hear the words pronounced for you. But in a traditional classroom, it is difficult to receive the individualized attention you need. Learning English online gives you the option of having the words or phrases said for you, over and again, as many times as you need it too. Join the global society and take an online course. See if it doesn’t change your mind, your perspective, and your life.

Learning English, When English Is Not Used In Your Country

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 07:26:02 -0500

English is a difficult language to learn if it is not your first language or a language that is commonly spoken in your country. Linguistically, it takes forms from many different languages, such as Germanic and Latin, making it extremely difficult to understand at times. Additionally, if your native language is entirely different, such as a tonal language like Japanese or Mandarin, learning English can be especially hard.

Challenges of Learning Non-Native English

If you live in a country where English is not commonly spoken every day, then it can be particularly hard to learn this language. For instance, in countries like South Korea or Indonesia, English is not a language you can expect to hear in everyday life

One of the benefits of living in a country like India, where English is integrated into daily life and taught as a second language, is that you have the ability to hear and listen to the cadence and pronunciation of English words as they are spoken.

Learning a foreign language is often about being able to translate what you are hearing into something you can understand and then being able to mimic it when you speak the language yourself. If you do not hear the new language regularly and have the opportunity to practice speaking it yourself, then it can be especially hard to learn a new language, such as English, correctly.

Differences Between British and American English

Foundationally, there is little difference between British and American English. Like many languages, there are regional differences between these two forms of English. For example, the words used to describe things may be different. For example, in England a large truck is referred to as a “lorry” and in American English it is referred to as a “big rig” or “18-wheeler.”

It is not necessary to take an online English course that is specifically targeted at learning either British or American English. Instead, it is important to understand the foundations of hearing and speaking English.

Methods of Learning English as a Second Language

One of the methods that is commonly used today to learn non-native English is Online English Courses. This can be a wonderful way to learn English is you do not have access to native-English speakers on a regular basis.

Look for online English courses that provide you with videos and audio files, so you can listen to native-English speakers pronouncing the words correctly. Another feature to look for is the ability to consult with or talk to native-English speakers so that you can both hear English being spoken correctly and be corrected as you learn to speak the language yourself.

Students who want to learn English and are from a country where it is not spoken regularly face specific challenges when learning the language. They benefit most from online English courses that provide them with the opportunity to hear English being spoken frequently and the ability to speak with native-English speakers. These features allow them the ability to hear the language spoken correctly and to make mistakes and correct themselves in the learning process.

A Quick History of British English

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 06:37:59 -0500

In geographical or land mass terms, Great Britain is not what you would call a very large country. The sum of its parts (Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland) makes up a population of slightly over 60 million people. What Great Britain has though is a long, storied history, and that can be evidenced by the number of people who speak English across the world. The language is in fact the 3rd most popular in the world, coming in behind Mandarin Chinese and Hindi, which just so happens to be the language of the most heavily populated areas of the world.

If you want to get really specific though, British English is the official language of the island, but even that has to be considered something of a loose term, given the number of different dialects that make up the country. It’s not just the dialects and accents of each of the countries that make up the UK, as each of those individual entities also have regional dialect that can differ wildly from city to city, even those separated by no more than an hours’ worth of driving. This may be a little distressing to those who are looking to learn English, but while slang can dominate many areas, you will still be understood by speaking the English that you are taught.

Where there is conformity in British English is in the written word, where the dialects and slang terms are cut out, which means that when you are learning English, what you see written in your study books will be the same as how it’s written in books in the UK. It may be confusing to some why a country that is so small can have such a wide and differing variety of dialects, but that can all be traced back to the history of the British English language, which was altered and adapted over the years by different cultures who came to battle and conquered the existing residents.

Entire tomes have been written on the evolution of the English language, and to try and encompass all of it in this small space would be impossible, so let’s instead look at the key moments that played a major part in the development of British English as we know it today. English was brought to the country by residents of Germany and northern Holland, and is a West Germanic language, also influenced by Anglo-Frisian dialects. This eventually led to changes in the Celtic language being spoken a large majority of the population .Some of the more remote regions maintained their own language, due to distance from the Germanic influence, but it all changed again with the Anglo-Saxons who developed the Old English language, which became very common throughout. The true mix of dialects that we know today came from Scandinavian influence, with the Normans injecting their own form of the language into the mix, which created a huge mix of dialects and accents that exists to this day.

As mentioned earlier, that is a brief overview that doesn’t come anywhere near to capturing the full evolution of British English. For that, you are going to have to pick up one of those weighty historical tomes.

Traveling Around Europe While Learning English

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 06:17:33 -0500

If you like to travel internationally, especially throughout Europe, then you are going to want to learn to speak English. Whether you learn British English or American English it will come in handy because in most modern cities, especially those with many travelers you will find many people that speak English.

One of the cool parts of the modern world is that if you have a lap top computer or a smart cell phone you can learn English online from anywhere. With just a couple of clicks you can be not only learning, but speaking British English without much effort. Learning English online is the easiest way to learn because you can go at your own pace and you do not have to worry about others in a class laughing at your mistakes.

Another benefit of online English courses is that they are normally reasonably priced and convenient, because there will be no specific class time. If you want to learn English a 3 am, then learn English at 3 am. No matter what your schedule you can get it done and then use what you learned tonight, tomorrow in the streets of where ever you find yourself.

This may be the best benefit of all; you can actually learn English while traveling around Europe, now you have almost no reason not to take that trip to Europe, and there will be no needs to brush up on your English before you leave. Imagine you can begin to enjoy your vacation without waiting for anything.

With the advent of smart phones there are also translation apps, where you speak in your natural language and it will automatically translate into English, while this may seem like a crutch in your quest to learn British English, they can really be a wonderful tool.

One of the biggest problems with learning any language, let alone British English, is that what you learn is not always the way people speak in real life; in conversation. This app allows you to actually hear the way the translation should sound, thus adding to your understanding of English.

Learning English can take a long time, however you can still learn online English while traveling around Europe and what could be better than that. Do not forget the best benefit of learning English while traveling around Europe, since you will learn so much, you will always have an excuse to come back, in order to learn more online English.

Traveling around Europe used to mean months of training in the art of speaking English, now you can learn English online while you travel. There will be no better feeling than returning from your trip to Europe with a greater knowledge of how to speak English, and think you learned it on holiday.

Check out the Europe Travel page on ESLGroups.com.

Learning English? Computer Games Can Help

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:32:39 -0500

It's a common perception that video games, especially modern video games have a negative impact on society and apart from teaching basic hand-eye coordination and motor control, only teach how to kill, hurt and harm.

With this said however, is that all computer games are good for, should they be treated as 'junk food' with no real value and only seen as a once in a while treat? The vast majority of games these days offer the player the choice to play either against the computer or against other players - real players. This is where a player could learn real natural English and of course plenty of slang. While playing online it's also possible to make friends and acquaintances and this is especially true if the player joins a clan (a group of players with similar interests).

The great part about playing online is there are loads of other players from all over the world doing exactly the same as you and lots of these players will not be fluent in English, so you won't be alone in practicing.

The trick to 'speaking' English successfully in an online game scenario is to not be afraid of making mistakes, spend some time looking at what other gamers are saying and writing and at the same time try and work out why they are saying what they are saying, if it's a good fame, it shouldn't be too difficult.

Some of the slang used in an online gaming environment can be pretty difficult to understand, especially some of the abbreviated words and sayings but given a bit of time and practice they will become easier to understand. You can also pick up clues about what people are saying judging from the context of the game, if the game is going good for your team people will be using positive slang, if it's going bad, negative slang will be used.

Another way to practice your English in an online game would be to start your own clan (basically, your own team). This can be a complicated process, needing your own server and (usually) your own website but overcoming these technicalities and setting up your own clan can not only be great for your English practice but also great fun! Don't forget to give your clan a good name to attract people to it.

One thing to be aware of is a lot of online games involve curse words (or swear words in the UK), this is just 'part 'n parcel' of playing games online. There are some clans that like to keep the playing clean and it's always an option to join one of these servers.

The online game community is a great way to practice your English and 'meet' other English speaking people from all over the world and there are some great games out there to play. If you have the opportunity go online and try chatting to other English speakers, explain you are just learning English - I bet most people will be understanding and pleased to help!

Here's a short list of online game slang to get you started:

LOL - Laugh Out Loud
ROFL - Roll On Floor Laughing
Woot - We did well, we won!
GRATZ - Congratulations
WTG - Way To Go
OMG - Oh My Goodness!
GG - Good Game
IAMF - It's All My Fault

This is a short list there are many many more 'gaming' words out there...do you know any others? We'd love to know...

8 Common ESL Speaking Mistakes

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:50:42 -0500

English as a second language, known as ESL, can be very difficult. When you learn English, you need to make sure that you learn how to speak it properly to avoid the 8 most common speaking mistakes. These mistakes can be avoided regardless of whether you learn British English or American English.

1. Placing the adjective at the end instead of the beginning. One of the easiest ways to figure out if someone is an ESL speaker or not is to hear them say “car blue” instead of “blue car.” The adjective is reversed, which is very common. When you take online English courses, you can avoid this mistake.

2. Not using “the” throughout the sentences. This is another very common mistake, but if you learn English with various activities throughout your education, you’ll never forget to say “the.”

3. Using “in” and “on” incorrectly. Learning how to use these two words can be confusing when you’re learning English, but the course that you take should give you enough exercises on speech and writing to quickly pick up when this should be used.

4. Not using intonation. Throughout many parts of the world, there is no difference between a sentence and a question. With British English, you should use intonation to vary up the patterns of speech. Hearing practice conversations will help you to pick up when to use intonation.

5. Mispronouncing common words. When you learn English, it can be very difficult to figure out how to pronounce some words because the same rules are not always followed in regards to when certain letters are paired together. Words that look like they rhyme often do not because of the way they are properly pronounced.

6. Not using contractions. Contractions are a sure way to tell if someone is an ESL student or not. Online English courses can teach you how to speak in contractions so that it sounds more natural. Instead of saying “do not” you will then say “don’t.”

7. Using the wrong tense. The tense can be very hard to learn in any language. Online English courses will focus a lot of energy on this so you know about past, present and future tense whenever you speak.

8. Not using “he” “she” or “you” in a sentence. Many languages have this part of speech built into the way a verb is conjugated. In American and British English, it’s not quite the same. You need to make sure it is obvious who the subject is so that everyone knows who you’re talking about.

Learning English can be very easy as long as the courses you take teach you everything you need to know. The more activities and exercises you can do, the easier it will be to avoid these 8 mistakes. ESLGroups.com online English courses help you with natural English conversation, find out more here.

Top 5 ways to learn English

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:09:07 -0500

English is a language widely used around the world. It may not be the local language of people of that particular area or country but it's a fair bet knowing English will help you 'survive' in that country. This is a perfect example (but not the only one) of why learning English is such an import part of ones life.

There are many ways of learning English language. Many institutions offer language courses at different rates. The academies are not suited to everyone. Some people find them expensive, some think they waste a lot of time, while others consider them tiring. There are a few ways in which one can learn good English without anyone else's assistance.

If you are a beginner, start with learning the English alphabet along with phonics, keep it simple, try focusing only few words and letters at first and slowly build up from there, learn easy words then move on to simpler and smaller sentences. Once you have started reading and making sentences you should follow a few tactics that can help you excel.

Try and make a habit of reading, develop an interest in novels and other types of books and try reading them on a regular basis, nothing too difficult at first, the most important factor is the material you're reading needs to be interesting to you. This doesn’t have any hard and fast rules; you read in the morning, noon or at night that is absolutely your choice - whenever you get time. The best time however is before going to bed, that's when you have the least amount of distractions when your mind is relaxed and you can give maximum time to reading. If you cannot inculcate the consistency of sticking to a book you may start reading daily newspapers. If you're pushed for time, this can sometimes be a better option, newspapers are shorter, quicker reads and have the added bonus of keeping you up to date with the latest news - newspaper language is idiomatic so it will be helpful in that way too.

Watching English movies is also an effective way of learning English language. You get to learn exact pronunciation and different ways of using same sentences. Movies enhance your colloquial English but many authors and people associated with literature think they use slang and spoil the true English. They are of the view that language in movies is often grammatically incorrect so beginners shouldn’t learn from them. On the other hand, many people believe that watching movies can help a learner learn natural English and help speak English in a more fluent manner.

The best way of polishing your English and keeping it in check is conversing with friends and other students learning English. When you're a beginner you may hesitate speaking in English but you should still try because learning from mistakes is the learning that lasts forever.

Another way to help learn English, especially reading is to read English blogs...just like this - good job!

The Learning English Puzzle

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:25:26 -0500

English is the most popular (as a second) language in the world. Wherever around the globe you travel you will see that English is spoken or at least understood by the local people. It is therefore beneficial to learn English as a second language if it is not your mother tongue. If you are familiar with the basics of English conversation the chances are you could 'get by' in the majority of the worlds countries.

To learn a language (for example, to learn English) you must first look into the grammar or basic rules of that language. Like all other languages, English also has its set of rules and regulations that must be understood (but not necessarily mastered) in order to speak, read and write it fluently and these rules can sometimes lead to confusion and frustration. One way to avoid this frustration is to take your time when learning English, it's not something that's happens overnight but it is something that comes naturally when practiced a lot.

In many countries English is legally taught as the second language in educational institutes (including the USA), even if someone is not able to attend English lessons in schools they can now attend online English classes (we know a great site for online English lessons ;). The online English option is one that more and more English learners are choosing, mainly for the convenience, quality and price. Just like a 'brick and mortar' course, the English learner follows instructions from an ESL teacher by listening and repeating, focusing on pronunciation and intonation.

English is a relatively simple language, the twenty letter alphabet is not as complex as some other countries (such as Germany that has 30 letters in their alphabet). Once you have learned the use and correct pronunciation of these letters your next step is to be able to read and spell the words correctly, again, this is a task that can take some time, so patience and practice are needed.

One tried and tested method to improve all aspects of learning English is to watch English movies and watch English TV shows. Subtitles are a great aspect of TV, trying to read the subtitles can not only be great fun (especially if doing so with a friend) it can also help improve reading and what's more it can help with speed reading. English movies are also great for developing listening skills, what's interesting with listening to English TV is over time students learning English can detect changes in dialect and it's interesting to try and work out what country or region the speaker is from. Another 'gold nugget' that is often overlooked when learning English in this way is the listen and repeat method, the next time you're watching an English movie, try pausing it occasionally and repeat what they (the actors) are saying, listen to the slang they use and when they use it and more importantly - how they use it (in what context).

Learning English is a long process, there is a lot to learn but it's also a great language to learn and one that will enhance your life once you've mastered it. Try and incorporate the act of learning English into your everyday life, listen to English TV and radio, try giving yourself a small list of vocabulary words and over time build on these by using them in simple sentences. Another popular tactic to learning English is to form a small club or group with other English learners and learn together. The most important object of the process is to find a method of learning that suits you and fits your learning style, if you don't enjoy learning in a certain way stop and try another, the learning process has to be one that's enjoyable as well as profitable. Learning English (or any other language) is like doing a jigsaw puzzle with lots of separate pieces that have to fit together to show the finished image.

A Story About American English Vs. British English

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 10:19:31 -0500

The difference between American English and British English can often lead to confusion, inadvertent insults, and downright hilarity. We speak the same language, but its colloquial meanings can sometimes be altogether different. Sometimes you need to meet a British person to really learn English.

Here’s a true story. When I was a college sophomore, I was friends with a girl named Alice. She stayed in the dorm room next to mine and was a British exchange student from Kent. She was not a bad looking girl, but she was no great beauty. I often wondered why there was a constant stream of male visitors at her door.

One evening, as Alice and I walked across campus to the cafeteria together, she commented on how friendly she found the American boys. As it turned out, Alice had been inviting the boys from the floor below ours to “Come around and knock me up any time at all.”

After I recovered from the fits of laughter, I mustered up the courage to ask Alice what she meant; then I needed to break some news to her. You see, in England “knock me up” means that you have extended an open invitation to knock on the door and visit unannounced. It almost pained me to tell Alice that she had actually, unknowingly, invited all the boys on the third floor to come and impregnate her.

From then on, Alice carefully considered her words, or at least until she returned home to Kent with a great story to tell.

The difference between American English and British English also caused a bit of confusion the first time Alice came with our friends to a Saturday afternoon football game. She raved for a week about how much of a huge football fan she was, and how she could not wait for the big game on Saturday. Imagine her chagrin when she realized that she was at an American football game, and not a soccer match. We spent much of the game laughing as Alice tried to follow the rules and intricacies of football.

Alice was also in my Creative Writing class. She found herself often offended to receive her papers back marked up with red ink. Her British spellings were often marked as misspellings by our professor. For example, Americans spell the word “color”; the British use the spelling “colour.” Alice encountered the red editorial markings and had points deducted for her spellings “flavour” and “savour.”

From that point on, Alice went out of her way to challenge the professor at every turn. She lost her argument every time, but she was entertaining. Imagine, an English professor at a college level deducting points from a British native. It was comical. Alice made it her personal mission to educate the professor about the difference between British English and American English.

Alice was a joy to know in college. She truly enriched my education. Although she came to America to study, she taught me lessons I will always remember about the differences between American English and British English.