The modern man does not always have time to attend foreign language courses. Innovative technologies allow you to improve your knowledge without leaving home. Many people prefer to learn English via Skype. Is such approach effective? What points to pay attention to? Find out the answers to these questions right now.
The advantages of learning English via Skype
Learning a foreign language virtually has the following advantages:
Saving time and money spent on travel.
Reduced likelihood of being late. Time is spent more effectively.
A convenient option for people with an active lifestyle. If the standard schedule does not suit you, it is possible to make an agreement with the teacher about the lesson in the late evening, at night or in the early morning.
There are no territorial restrictions. If you want you can find a teacher – a native speaker (but he should have a linguistic education). Large selection of proposals also helps to save money.
Individual approach of a teacher. In most cases English via Skype is studied one-to-one. The teacher does not have to pay attention to different people. Individual lessons with occasional group conferences are optimal.
In most cases, schools provide all the study materials. Since assignments need to be done electronically, the teacher is sure to send the necessary textbooks, notebooks, etc.
The opportunity to get advice quickly. Problems with homework? Just call the teacher on Skype and ask a question.
Closer contact. It has been noticed that in online classes students become more relaxed and behave more naturally.
Who is suitable for learning English via Skype? It is quite a good solution for high school and college students as well as for adults who have at least a basic level of English.
Disadvantages of learning English via Skype
Even innovative methods have their negative sides. The most trivial problem is periodic problems with the Internet connection. If you are serious about learning online, take care to find a good provider and don’t forget to update the system on your computer. Practice communicating on Skype with your friends in advance.
Another problem is the lack of visual contact between the student and the teacher. Of course, you can turn on video communication, but this will not allow you to fully understand the true mood of each other. Sometimes people for a long time can not find a teacher with whom they would have a full understanding.
As mentioned above, when learning English via Skype, oral skills develop well. With grammar the situation is somewhat worse. It takes willpower and self-discipline to allocate more time for self-study. This is especially true if you are intensively preparing for the GMAT, IELTS and other international tests.
Virtual training is by no means suitable for beginners: you need at least some knowledge base to communicate online. You should not choose this form of learning for children, because during the lessons, the teacher must show pedagogical abilities. This is impossible without real interaction.
There is another important minus: communicating only virtually, you know nothing about your teacher. There is a risk of encountering dishonest crooks or incompetent specialists.