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Pros and Cons of Learning English using a Mobile App

ELT Collection English Learning 7 February 202130 June 2020 0 Comment

Featured image Pros and Cons of Learning English using a Mobile App - Pros and Cons of Learning English using a Mobile App

During this time of crisis and quarantine, many people have resorted to mobile apps to learn many things, including the English language. Although they are a valid resource to use, using one of these apps comes with pros and cons which I want to take you through.

The Pros

Flexible Schedules

If you are one of those people that love doing things in their own time, you are not alone, and mobile apps will be perfect for you to use. You don’t have to worry about logging in on time to meet your online teacher, missing a class because you are under the weather, or simply slept in.

Learn Anywhere

You can take advantage of the app even while you are waiting in line at the supermarket, waiting to see your doctor, basically at any place that you are.

Stability

Since most apps use services from trusted companies to stay up and running all the time, you don’t have to worry about them dying or failing on you. Sites like https://internet-vikings.net/servers provide you with further information on this.

Pricing

Although there are free apps, even those you have to pay for will charge but a fraction of what it would cost you to register in a formal language school or institute.

The Cons

Lack of Control

If you have issues with discipline and focus, then the flexibility of a mobile app will work against you. It will be hard for you to stay on track and make progress without that strict structure and routine that comes from studying at a school or with a teacher.

Lack of Teachers and Conversation

The fact that you don’t have a teacher means that you also don’t have someone you can talk to about your particular doubts. Also, the lack of classmates might keep you from developing conversational skills as well as you could when at a classroom where you can interact with others.

Net Down, App Down

Even the most stable mobile app depends on your Internet connection, which means that if your connection isn’t stable and smooth your app’s performance will also suffer. It is an important con to consider if you spend a lot of your time at places with a poor connection, as it will hinder your available time to use the app.

All in all, the pros and cons highly depend on how you are as an individual and what are your living conditions. Don’t feel bad if you find that mobile apps aren’t for you but if they are, don’t hesitate to take advantage of them and learn English during the lockdown.

4 Best Hosting Services for Your Language Learning Website

ELT Collection Resources 19 January 202130 June 2020 0 Comment

Featured image 4 Best Hosting Services for Your Language Learning Website - 4 Best Hosting Services for Your Language Learning Website

When looking for a hosting service to use for your language learning website, you need to keep several things in mind. It would be safest to use companies that have good customer service, enable you to add new domains, the ability to back up your data, maintenance services, and reliability.

Teachers also need to make sure the company is affordable and that it lets you create websites without adding to the initial fee. Come find out what are the best web hosting services with all these features and more.

SiteGround

One of the big advantages of this company is that it offers free use for your students as long as the course lasts. The student packages are affordable at less than £2 a month and it gives them a free email along with a domain, and 24/7 customer support. For teachers and other individuals, the fees are still affordable at less than $4 a month.

Bluehost

This hosting company has plenty of experience with WordPress users and their affordable plans come with all the necessary features for both teachers and students. Bluehost also offers 24/7 customer support, staging environments for free, it comes with WordPress already installed, and all at a monthly fee of less than £3.

CampusPress

Another WordPress-friendly hosting service that they have specifically customized to be used for educational purposes. They perform backups automatically, provide customer support 24/7, allow the creation of online learning hubs and class blogs. Their fees adjust to the size of the customer’s project.

Internet Vikings

This company offers you SEO hosting, which is unique and will help you bring more people to your website. Internet Vikings also offer you the choice between a dedicated server and a cloud-based one, both with excellent customer support.

They have automated backup features and are constantly updating and maintaining their servers to make sure everything runs smoothly. If you want to know more about Internet Vikings’ hosting services, go to https://internetvikings.org/ where they explain what they offer in detail. Keep in mind that choosing the right hosting services for your language learning site means the difference between smooth and troubleless and a problematic failure. All of these companies are trustworthy, and I highly recommend them.

Babbel vs. FluentU – Which One to Choose during Lockdown

ELT Collection Resources 30 July 202030 June 2020 0 Comment

Babbel and FluentU are two of the most popular platforms for learning a language nowadays. However, you might be torn between which one to use and make the most out of during lockdown. Let’s go over some of the features, advantages, and disadvantages that each one has.

FluentU

Available for iOS and Android for a monthly fee of £20 and works with videos in English such as TV Shows, cartoons, and music videos, among others. You can set your own pace and learning goals.

It has a feature to show you the many uses a word can have with easy, understandable examples. It allows progress saving to help you be aware of your improvements.

Despite all these good features, it has the big drawback that a vast portion of its content is aimed at people that already understand the language a bit. Thus, beginners won’t be able to learn on this platform. Additionally, FluentU also lacks help to practice your written English.

Babbel

Also available on iOS and Android, but at an affordable £8 a month, Babble is great for practising vocabulary, learning entire sentences, and basic dialogues. It also has features to help you practice your writing and pronunciation lessons that everybody can understand.

If you are unsure where to start, the platform has a quiz you can take to determine at what level you are.

Although it is a well-rounded language learning platform, the feature that corrects your pronunciation doesn’t work that well with whole sentences. This will keep you from progressing faster, but you can get around the issue by simply turning off your mic and focusing on everything but the pronunciation. In conclusion, perhaps if you want a more formal and well-structured experience and have no problem taking a bit longer to learn, you should use Babbel. For those of you wanting a more organic experience through pop culture and mass media videos, FluentU is a perfect choice.

Online English Learning Resources – What are they and How to Use Them

ELT Collection English Learning 25 June 202030 June 2020 0 Comment

Featured image Online English Learning Resources What are they and How to Use Them - Online English Learning Resources - What are they and How to Use Them

During quarantine where online studying is the most valuable tool you can use, many people are contemplating the use of resources to learn English while staying at home. To achieve these goals, it is best to understand the process form the start.

But What Are those Resources?

There is any number of resources available online to help you learn English in many ways. Some of these can be videos, others are texts, courses, and even interactive sites to learn live. To use any of these efficiently and achieve the goal you have for yourself, there are several factors you need to consider.

Schedule

Since you will need to be constant in your learning, you will benefit from picking the resource that accommodates your schedule. There are some with a flexible schedule and some with a fixed one. The important thing is that you have the time to commit to learning.

Material

Each different resource works with a specific type of material and you need to evaluate which one fits the way you learn better, as that’s the one that will work better for you.

Your Goals

If you want to learn the typical vocabulary used in your field of work, you will need a different focus than if you’re interested in conversational English only. Consider the reasons why you want to learn English, to be able to make the most out of the resource you want to use.

Keep Track of Your Progress

Using tools that many English learning resources offer will enable you to determine whether or not your learning is coming along as you need it to. When you are keeping a close track of your progress, you can tell if you need to dedicate more time to learning, find different materials, and altogether reach your goals.

Online English learning resources come in many sizes and forms, but the correct way to use them starts at choosing the one that fits your needs. Consider the schedule requirements, the material that is used, and if their goals match yours. After you start, remember to keep track of your progress and thus evaluate your performance and that of the chosen resource.

How Easily Can You Learn English? Is it Possible?

ELT Collection Textbooks 20 June 202030 June 2020 0 Comment

Featured image How Easily Can You Learn English Is it Possible - How Easily Can You Learn English? Is it Possible?

If you are an English teacher, you must have heard these questions asked rather frequently and I have too. Here is what you need to answer them.

Survival English

For those of your students that are only interested in basic communication while travelling survival English will do. They would only have to learn some basic vocabulary and the easiest grammar structures to get around simple dialogues.

Functioning English

Provide your students that are only interested in communicating at work with enough knowledge to have conversations. This will work even if their grammar, pronunciation, and spelling aren’t perfect.

Proficient English

Now, for your students that wish to become entirely bilingual, you will have to make sure they learn everything the language is made up of. From grammar structures to vocabulary, pronunciation, and slang, your teaching program should combine all elements to make them entirely fluent.

Is it Easy?

While the English language isn’t the hardest one to learn, your students will have to apply themselves and practice what you teach them frequently. Thus, they will achieve the level they want to have.

As seen here, it all depends on the level of fluency your students wish to achieve. By ascertaining this, you will be able to adapt your teaching methods accordingly. Another factor to keep in mind is the fluency of your student before getting started.

Needless to say, a student who are more fluent will have little to no difficulty in honing their skills. On the other hand, a learner with no prior experience with English may find it more difficult and may require additional resources and guidance.

At the end of the day, it is in the teacher’s hands to make the subject matter as simple and engaging as possible. By connecting with your students, you will be able to make the learning process both fun and easy.