By Zarela Cruz
Currently
there is a wide range of options available when it comes to studying languages.
Some websites have a very well structured marketing; others are on the web,
waiting for a chance to catch the learner’s eye offering them a trial session,
course, or update. The question your
students may ask you is: when it comes to languages, which is better: to study
English online or to register in an institution to have fixed-schedule classes?
Let’s
start by listing some of the alleged advantages of studying a language online:
- It saves money.
- The learners study when they feel like doing it.
- They can have access to class from their own phone.
- Weekly tasks can be done at any time during the week.
But,
can we call them advantages? To start with:
Do they save money because they have a sort of token to be used all year
long? It may end up like registering to the gym for a year and attending
sessions just one or two months! What is the gain, then?
It
is true that studying when they are in the mood is more productive, but, what
happens if they are never in the mood? They will not take any lessons, will they?
Everyone
has a smartphone, but how smart is it to study using one’s phone? Unless the
sessions are micro sessions and/or one has permanent Wi-Fi access, it will not
be that cheap in the end.
Let’s talk about weekly assignments now:
Are they going to be done in the last minute? What is the aim of doing homework
then? (See https://languageteachingblogger.blogspot.com/2018/05/is-doing-homework-must.html)
As
teachers with extensive experience in the teaching field, we are definitely in
favour of students attending classes regularly, not only because “Practice
makes perfect,” but also because the learning environment promotes
participation, working in pairs or groups. Interaction in class has obvious
benefits:
- Make a study time part of one’s routine.
- Take notes depending on one’s own learning style.
- Find at least one learning partner.
- Make sure they track their progress.
When they have fixed-scheduled-classes, they
develop self-discipline and they are focused on learning.
On
the other hand, everyone wants to be understood and in class, their teacher
will be eager to help them fix mistakes that can be fossilized if repeated over
and over.
When
working with a classmate, benefits are multiple: not only they may find
interest and academic background in common, but they can socialize in a real
learning environment.
What
is not easy to admit for some people is that not everyone is a natural born
self-learner. Some guidance is needed and functional language requires a real interaction
environment.
To
make the right choice, students should set their aim first: What do they want
to learn English for?
They
must keep in mind their level of English. How long ago did they take formal
lessons? How often would they like to have classes? What kind of student are them?
Has their learning experience as a language student been successful so far? Do they
know other people who have had positive experiences? Are they ready to do their
own research? Once they gather all the answers to these questions, then they
will be ready to choose the most suitable side of the coin for them.
NOW
IT IS YOUR TURN:
Do
you have experience as an online instructor/teacher?
Have you always been a
face-to-face teacher?
Which one do you prefer and why?
References
Retrieved from
Biodata
Zarela Cruz graduated from
Ricardo Palma University as a translator. She also finished her master’s
studies in Linguistics and took some specialization diplomas in the
Teaching of English and Spanish. She has also completed some online
certificates: Teaching the Working Adult, Online,
Hybrid and Blended Education, among other self-study courses. She has
taught different courses, programs and levels and has been a teacher trainer, a
lecturer and online instructor for more than 25 years. She is currently
studying a master’s degree in Translation. This article aims to reflect on
the convenience of taking fixed-schedule courses over online ones.
