When it comes to learning English, there are many resources out there that can help you, and with advances in technology, there are now more resources available online than ever before. Armed with smart phones, ipads, laptops and gaming devices, our students have access to so much that it can be overwhelming at times. Therefore, we have summarized below some of the online resources that are available to young learners today.
We always encourage our students to watch movies or shows in English with English subtitles. Streaming services like Netflix offer this capability. This can be a great way to improve listening comprehension and speaking skills for everyday situations. Quite often, our European students don't realize that we are using vocabulary they already know because the words are pronounced differently in English. Many also find it challenging to know where to place the stress on an English word. Listening to the English being spoken while reading the English subtitles will help bridge these gaps. Watching and listening in another language requires a lot of focus and attention; so, watching episodes or movies in short parts can help to take in more of the language. Noting new words and pronunciation as they appear can also help with the learning process.YouTube also offers a lot of content that is fun and accessible for all language levels, including music and videos on various topics of special interest. Adding on a brower extension like the ‘language reactor’ can help to sift through the content and enhance the learning experience through subtitles and a pop-up dictionary.
Language app's such as Duolingo, Babbel, Rosetta stone and Memrise to name a few can also be a great way to learn new vocabulary and basic grammatical structures. Many of the app’s have ways to keep track of one's progress to help maintain motivation.
A bit more controversial are online games because of the amount of time being spent in front of a screen. The important thing here is to find those games with high educational value like the recently released Minecraft ‘adventures in English with Cambridge’. There are also many other video games that can be switched to English in the settings, and some video games have characters who speak in English or features that allow for communication in English with other players from around the world
Accessing online content on topics of interest can help to maintain motivation and ensure continued learning. National Geographics, for example, offers interactive games, activities and videos on animals, science and history. These topics might interest some students. PBS is another organization that offers video and game content through which younger children can learn and practice English.
Although technology can be very useful in learning English, it’s important to remember that it can't replace everyday human interactions and should be used alongside real-life experiences. Immersing oneself in the English language and practicing it in situ is required for mastery. Communicating fully with other English-speaking people should be the goal and not the acquisition of vocabulary or knowledge of grammar rules.
