Remi

Is Internet the best way to learn English ?

What's E-learning ?

The recent developpement of communication technologies led to the emergence of the e-learning which is a general term used to refer to all the means of learning whiwh use computer. It started some years ago with educational CD-ROM (remember the incredible 3D visit of Le Louvre in your high school's documentation centers …) and now it's using Internet network in most of the time.

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You won't believe me but an urban legend says that a really important French school of communication uses e-learning to make classes of "e-culture" only on internet with visio-conference class… if it's true, e-learning is the future !

There are a lot of e-learning platforms for teachers like Wikidot where you currently are.

In fact, i think that Internet is a really good place to learn english and it's a good opportunity to already work on it at school. The most important reason why is that most of the websites and of the exchanges are made in English. By surfing, English become an element of the natural environment of the Internet user.

Don't let the technology blind us : computers are not teachers !

However, all that new opportunities also have their limits and the disadvantages. A computer will never be a real teacher. Internet is an infinite place of information, all the knowledge are available but maybe it's too much. At least, the educational contexte is important too and the most clever information system won't substitute a great educationalist.

Let the technology help us : do you know blended learning ?

E-learning is naturally suited to distance learning but it can also be used in conjunction with face-to-face teaching : it's the "Blended learning". There is a definition by the two researchers Heinze and Procter : Blended Learning is learning that is facilitated by the effective combination of different modes of delivery, models of teaching and styles of learning, and founded on transparent communication amongst all parties involved with a course. (Heinze, A. and C. Procter (2004).

It symbolizes well my idea of the e-learning : computers aren't a miracle drug but it's an efficient tool which has to be integrated in educational methods like every modern realities have to be.

And what about me ?

English news are good news

I think that a good way to learn english online is to read news websites like the British BBC or the American [www.cnn.com/ CNN] that are very serious. It also offers a differente point of view about what happen in the world.

Can US TV-shows be a teacher ?

I'm also used to look at US series with english subtitles. I particularly recommend the series of Showtime (Weeds, The L word, Dexter, …). Subtitles are available on Seriessub.

Hip-Hop culture

As my numerous victims know, i like gangsta rap and i learned every thing thanks to internet which is a direct link toward United States. You can start with that short video :

There are also a lot of interesting American websites about Rap music that I read regularly like Rapnews, HipHop DX, …
I learned a lot of vocabulary with rap lyrics. Here is all what you need ! But don't remember that explicit lyrics are not for kids !!

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