How Does Technology Help in Learning Languages?

It’s something almost all of us pick up from our parents and those around us, this thing we call our mother tongue. We learn it instinctively and through repeated usage, and we hardly give it a second thought. However, development of language skills and excellence in a tongue comes about only when you engage in exercises that further them, like reading, writing and experimenting with other aspects of the language.

A second language is harder to learn for most people, unless they’ve grown up in households or places where they are surrounded by people who speak in two dominant languages. Some of us learn a new language through necessity while others do so because of an interest in the lingo, and the rest just pick up bits and pieces through intermittent usage. Whatever the reason to learn a second or even third language, technology does help in picking up the basics and even mastering it, because:

• It provides us with access to variety of resources: It’s easy to learn a language without a tutor today simply because of the multitude of resources that exist on the Internet and through other technological avenues. You have online lessons and worksheets that you can access for free or at a reasonable cost, some of which are interactive and so much more useful than books. Besides this, social networks like Second Life hold virtual classes for those willing to learn languages, so you can enroll in these just as you would in a regular class.


• It allows us to learn when time permits: When you use technology to learn a language, you don’t have to set fixed times to attend classes or take lessons. You can learn anywhere, anytime. Besides the resources available on the Internet, you have applications that can be accessed using your iPhone, iPod and other smartphones, so you’re always connected and in a position to tap the various opportunities that exist online.


• It provides handy and instant answers: If you’re struggling for a word in the language you’re learning, you now have the answer at your fingertips through online dictionaries and other translation resources. It’s easy to pick up words and phrases that are commonly used and which come in handy when you visit a new country and need to communicate with the locals for information.


• It allows us to practice: Using technology to learn a language means you don’t need other people who speak the tongue to practice your skills and develop them further. With television programs in foreign languages and other interactive tools, you can pretend to engage in imaginary conversations and improve your vocabulary and sentence making skills.

This guest article was written by Adrienne Carlson, who regularly writes on the topic of online degrees. Adrienne welcomes your comments and questions at her email address:adrienne.carlson83@yahoo.com

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