Learning English as a Second Language: 5 Effective Ways to Use the Internet in Burkina Faso
There are many ways to Learn English as a Second Language: you can go live in a country where the language is spoken like the UK, USA or Australia, attend a formal language class, get a private language tutor or use books and written materials. Other ways to learn ESL is to listen to CDs or audiocassette tapes, watch TV, movies and watching television , memorize phrase books, use the Internet or employ a combination of all the above. In the year 2000 there were 10,000 internet users in BURKINA FASO. This year there are approximately 80,000 internet users in BURKINA FASO. This is a growth in internet use of 700.0 % from the year 2000 until the present so the internet has been a viable option for a while and if the trend continues will be the overwhelming option for most ESL learners.
Native speakers of the language may not be available in Africa. One answer of course, is the internet. Plug “foreign language courses” into an internet search engine like Google or Yahoo and more than 6 million hits instantly come up. From tuition to free ESL teachers , thousands of listings lay before you only a mouse click away. How exactly then, can the internet be used to tackle learning a foreign language? Start off effectively by using these six ways:
1. Do an initial evaluation
The first thing you may want to know is where you are in the scheme of learning the language. An initial language skills evaluation is in order; are you a true beginner? False beginner? Intermediate level? Higher? English proficiency diagnostics tests are free online. With the percentage of internet users on Africa is 0.2 % percent. Most students could and should go online every quarter and check their language learning progress.
2. Become familiar with language learning strategies
How do YOU learn? Knowing this can make the daunting task of foreign language learning less like study and more like play. Are you a Visual – Spatial learner who likes pictures, drawings, graphics and extensive use of color? Then watch some ESL videos! A Musical – Rhythmic type that would benefit from having your lessons and materials set to music, rhythm or rhyme? Perhaps you’re the athletic type who’d derive more success with learning by motion, movement, mime or even dance? Playing the works of Mozart in the background while studying has been shown to enhance learning in a number of areas.
3. Practice reading skills
Literacy is one of the 21st century’s most innately valuable compound skills. After all, you’re reading THIS now, aren’t you? Few would wish to be illiterate in their new foreign language so practice of reading skills is paramount. Online newspapers, magazines, newsletters and blogs can provide the needed practice and learning materials. Currently there are 80,000 internet users in BURKINA FASO that have access to internet based reading materials so there is not excuse not to get some reading done every day.
4. Help in developing listening skills
Considered to be the most difficult of the language skills to develop, listening cannot be taught. Rather, you must practice, practice, practice and then practice some more. This is where all you 80,000 internet users in BURKINA FASO have to take advantage of the internet as a resource. There are many videos online that you can watch repeatedly to grow you listening skills. Start with online English lessons that have a chat room but also go over to YouTube.com and search for listening and/or pronunciation. There are thousands of videos just for ESL students. Look up your favorite English songs and find a music video with subtitles. You can even download the video for repeated viewing later on .
5. Playing games and having fun
In Africa everyone likes games and having fun but then again who doesn’t? Besides ESL websites there are many crossword puzzle and scrambled word websites that are a great place to practice your English while you play games.
About the Author
George W. Bellas MA has his Masters in TESL with 18 years experience. He has been a Fulbright Scholar to Turkey, where he did ESL video materials development and in-service teacher training. He is the creator of English4All, a free website fro learning English as a Second Language. He is also the Managing Director of Global Span TV an ESL educational services charity.
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