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LANGUAGE LEARNING METHODS
main language learning methods
4
Below we outline and compare four main language learning methods.
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They are:
-
traditional classes
-
one-on-one online tutoring
-
immersion
-
comprehensible input learning
ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES
TRADITIONAL CLASSES
ADVANTAGE
ADVANTAGE
ADVANTAGE
Easy to take from the school system
- Cheap prices
- Adopt a qualified learning system
- With peers
- Easy to take from the school system
- Cheap prices
- Adopt a qualified learning system
- With peers
DISADVANTAGE
- Long time span but ineffective
- Need to travel to the centre
- Inflexible time arrangements
- Strict academic settings (homework, exams, materials)
Can be boring
- Passive participants
- Learn in a competitive environment with little cooperation
- Focus on error correction leads to fear of mistakes and loss of confidence
- Exam stress
IMMERSION
ADVANTAGE
ADVANTAGE
ADVANTAGE
- Immerse in a language environment
- Learn about the native culture while understanding the language
- Make friends with native speakers
- Intensive learning
- Learn the most relevant language to your lifestyle
- Easy to take from the school system
- Cheap prices
- Adopt a qualified learning system
- With peers
DISADVANTAGES
- Requires a certain level of language (language threshold)
- Air tickets, visas, and other travelling costs
- Need to adapt to the local culture (e.g. find a host family)
- COVID travel restrictions
- Time commitment
- Requires a large change in lifestyle and flexibility of responsibilities to go away for a long time
- Can lead beginners to guess meanings
- Can be quite scary for beginners
1-to-1
ONLINE
TUTORING
ADVANTAGE
ADVANTAGE
ADVANTAGE
- Relatively cheap prices
- No travelling cost
- Flexible time
- Might find better tutors if there is a lack of local tutors
- Easy to take from the school system
- Cheap prices
- Adopt a qualified learning system
- With peers
DISADVANTAGES
- No systematic teaching materials
- Teaching skills (and price) might vary greatly, quality not guaranteed
- Might encountered frauds
- Lots of potential tutors/teachers to choose from
COMPREHENSIBLE
INPUT LEARNING
ADVANTAGE
ADVANTAGE
ADVANTAGE
- Natural and Beginner friendly learning method
- Online so flexible times
- Taught by experts
- Cultural exchange opportunities
- Small size classes
- Lays foundation for later immersion programmes
- With peers
- Easy to take from the school system
- Cheap prices
- Adopt a qualified learning system
- With peers
DISADVANTAGES
- Requires qualified teachers
- Focus on speaking/listening rather than reading/writing
- Not in-person
- Involve little direct technical grammar instructions