The Internet and web technology have given students and colleges the opportunity to take online degrees such as an online business degree and online marketing degree in a distance learning environment, while either looking after a family or while working in full time or part time employment. Web technology is continually improving to make online classes, access to research materials and communication between student and teacher easier to do.

E-learning often takes place in what is often described as the ‘Virtual Learning Environment.’ The virtual learning environment is not intended as a replacement for traditional colleges, but is an alternative that has a good impact on the way students can study through distance learning courses.

Affordability is also a key factor in the popularity of e-learning, with fewer costs associated with traditional college based learning such as travel, distance learning courses such as an online management degree are therefore made more widely available.

Although it is possible to take a degree online, many colleges make e-learning part of existing campus based courses, where it is practical and demanded. This aspect of e-learning – where colleges provide courses according to the needs of the student – makes it often a personalised learning experience for the student.

E-learning also benefits employers, allowing staff to study without taking time off work, or taking less time off work compared to a conventional college, therefore saving on valuable work time and company expenditure. E-learning allows learning to be flexible, based around the needs of the student, and colleges offering online degrees and distance learning understand the needs of the student with professional and family commitments.

Much progress has been made in the development of e-learning teaching tools, to enable students and teachers to get the most out of their online degree.

E-learning can often involve a combination of communication technologies, especially in what is often referred to as the ‘virtual classroom.’ With a range of communication technologies available to students, such as WiFi and mobile telephones, content, classes and communication between student and teacher demonstrate that e-learning is both functional and versatile, and can adapt efficiently to suit the needs of the student.

Of course, e-learning technologies cannot replace the self motivation and discipline needed by students to be successful in their online or distance learning degrees, but can certainly encourage students who may otherwise have not been able to study for their online degrees where it not for the convenience of e-learning. The differences in how colleges approach the learning needs of students because of e-learning have certainly impacted in a constructive way, helping colleges develop their distance or flexible learning courses for the benefit of students.

Sarah Maple writes about marketing courses and distance learning.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sarah_Maple

To begin with you need to determine how you learn best. Also you need to consider when and where you will have time to learn Italian. Once you understand your style it can give you a starting point as you look into the different language programs available for you to use.

Traditional Class Room Italian Language Learning

In the past learning a foreign language often meant sitting in a class. This approach has worked many people still recall a few words of German or French from High School. But is this approach the best way to learn? Most people do not have time for a class room setting. Getting to a class just will not fit in the schedule. This is where the many self paced programs can work out perfectly for you.

Learn How to Speak Italian Through Immersion

One way to learn to speak Italian is to move to Italy for several months. But the reality is you probably do not have the time or budget to learn this way. But if you do it would be a wonderful experience. But the reality is most people can not do that. For some they just want to learn some of the language before their vacation. For others they need to know some Italian before they get there for business.

Immersion is still a great way to learn another language. Not only that but you will also come to know the culture very well – a very rewarding experience.

Audio Programs Help You Learn to Speak Italian

If your preference is for an audio style of learning you will find many options to suite your needs. Just set aside 30 minutes to an hour each day and you will find that you are learning Italian quickly. While audio only might not seem very modern compared to the programs with video and lots of graphics these programs are effective. Again, consider your learning style and where you will be able to learn.

The audio style learning usually immerses you in simple local conversations and build up to more complex conversations over time. This method does work great!

Multimedia Italian Language Programs

These programs have all the bells and whistles. Many of them are software programs that you can use it on your computer. If you have a laptop you can easily learn Italian where ever you are. Being able to learn Italian fast is what you are after and that is what they programs are geared towards. These systems appear to be the pinnacle of language learning with all the bells and whistles combined to help you grasp and excel in learning your language of choice.

Learn Italian Fast – You Can Do It!

Once you decide which style or program will work best for you then go get it. Some of the programs you will need to order others you will be able to download right away. Either way you will learn Italian fast. But only as fast as you stay with the program. It is not so much which program you choose but if you stick with it!

If you have been wanting to Learn How to Speak Italian now is the time. You can Learn to Speak Italian beginning now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jacob_Rosenthal

Of course when giving this advise I have not lost sight of the fact that not all parents have at their disposal the chance to send their child to a school where the language they want their child to learn is spoken either because they do not live in a country where it is spoken or they don’t have the funds to send their child to a school in which all subjects are carried out in that language. It is to these parents that I suggest that constant exposure to that language by all means at their disposal would be the most appropriate. When I say this I have in mind that parents naturally if they speak the language in question should do so with their children; this basically being the way most people get to speak a language at the start; from their parents.

However to those parents who are not speakers of the language they wish their child or children to learn then I would suggest exposing their child or children to that language by way of television such as “Cartoon Network” or perhaps films on DVD. As an idea to follow first have the child watch the film in his or her first language and then in the second one; repeating this process as many times as possible everyday. To many parents it may seem that their children only waste time when they sit in front of the TV set and to a large degree they do but time spent watching TV need not be a waste of time specially if it can help their child learn a foreign language. I recall in my many years as an E.S.L. (English as a Second Language) teacher; a five year old child. It was this child who spoke fluent English. Naturally making grammatical errors but then again what child his age does not. Regarding his accent I can say in earnest that this child from Warsaw, Poland spoke English with no traces in his accent that would have given away even to a foreign accent trained ear like mine that he was not an American. One might think as I did that this child had spent time in America or another English speaking country or that his parents were English speakers but when I asked the child’s mother she informed that this child had neither set foot in an English speaking nor did she or her husband speak any English what so ever. As far as lessons were concerned he had only had those which were offered at the public school which he attended which did not exceed those that would have taught him the very basics. My curiosity took over my actions at this point making me ask how it was possible for their son to speak English fluently like any American child his own age even without the slightest trace a foreign accent. To this question I was met with the answer that this child watched “Cartoon Network” in English practically 24 hours a day.

If there is an unfortunate side to learning languages it is that those who did not start at a very early age in life for the most part will always be at a disadvantage to those who did. They will tend to speak with an accent that will classified as foreign and for the most part struggle with grammar however I say this not with the aim of dissuading but of informing those who start past the age of 10 that they will have to work harder. Of course this is not to say that they will not learn and learn well but perhaps certain nuances of the language will be lost to them.

Many are the reasons for wanting or needing to learn a language from living in a country to seeking a job to so many others that I will not go over all of them however as many as there be reasons there also be methods. If the later be the case I have found that the “target method” to be the most efficient when the matter be simply learning to communicate. As this is what most people seek to get when they study a language. By communicating I have in mind learning how to understand and be understood in a second language which by its own virtue does not concentrate so much on grammar’s rules but on how one should speak a language using correct grammar without the need to necessarily go over a lot of rules that would not necessarily make one a better speaker. I in my fourteen years as an ESL (English as Second Language) teacher have come to discover that those who know more rules regarding for instance when to use “present perfect” as opposed to when to use “past simple” do not always speak more grammatically correct however it is important to have a basic understanding of the tenses if one is to use them correctly. During the course of this time there is a lot I have taught my students but also a lot which I have discovered for myself from both my students and from teaching them and here are some tips which I would like to provide those who are seeking to learn a language:

1. Find a teacher or a school; this is of more importance to total beginners as languages are not like history which can be learned solely by reading it. Languages require the spoken part which involves learning how words are pronounced in languages that are not always systematically phonetic so for this reason I recommend getting a teacher. For total beginners I also suggest starting in a group because at the start what people are most in need of is repetition. For instance a teacher might begin with each student saying “My name is ___.” and if there should be 20 students in the class then we should hear this sentence repeated just as many times and therefore making it more provable that the sentence will stick in our mind then if we had just heard it repeated twice. Granted groups advance more slowly but the speed in which we cover the material is not the issue but what is, is how much of it we absorb and I noticed specially when I was studying French and Polish how much easier it was to learn things because of the repetitive nature to be found in groups.

2. When learning a second language we must think in the language we are trying to learn. There are those however who may say that for beginners this is the neither possible or recommendable but to those I would say that on the contrary it is. The reason I say this is for instance if a person is learning Spanish and the first sentence he is presented with is “Yo me llamo ___.” (My name is ____.) then he or she should say this sentence not translating in to English and then repeating it in Spanish but knowing what the sentence means and simply repeating it. This method perhaps may be slower at first but will pay off in the future because if the student can say the sentence in the language he or she is learning without having to translate in his or her mind this will make it possible for that student to become fluent as that person will be able to speak without thinking of the words. Fluent speaking is when a person gets an idea and can put that idea in to words without thinking of the words because they come automatically. Naturally this does not mean that if a person speaks a language fluently he or she will speak that language correctly as these are two different things. Fluency dealing with how much time passes from the moment the thought enters the mind to the moment the words come out and only this. Many of my students on many occasions have asked me how can they think in the language they are speaking and to them I tell the following. When speaking or repeating a sentence or word in a language one should pretend that the only language one speaks or knows is the language one is trying to speak. In other words one should forget all other languages that one may speak and if one does so speaking a foreign language fluently will be easier ; reason being that translating as one goes along slows one down. This even holds more true when listening to a language for if we had to stop and translate every word in to another language that is being said to us by the time we translated the first word the whole sentence would have gone by so with this in mind I say we should only think in the language we are speaking or listening to forsaking all others.

3. To learn a language when we wish to translate a sentence what we should do is translate the general idea of the sentence and not word per word but as a whole for it is there where we see the general idea. For instance in Italian we say “Io me chiamo Gianni” which when translated word per word would be “I call myself Gianni” which in English does not have the same meaning. This however if translated not word per word but the general idea we would get “My name is Gianni”. The reason this stands as truth is that every language is different and not only that words are different but their grammar. Grammar being the order in which we place words. Sometimes however it is not a matter of grammar which in an of itself differs one language from another. As an example I can give that Polish only employs three tenses (present, past and future) and does not have articles, definite or indefinite but the way people speak. For instance in French it is correct to say “J’ ai 40 ans” which when translated directly in to English would be “I have 40 years” which in proper English would be “I am 40 years old”. This proving my point that is not always a question of grammar but of the way people in different languages speak this making it that the same thing is expressed in a different way. As an added example I can give that in Polish the sentence “happy birthday” does not exist but in its place Polish people say (from a literal translation) “all the best wishes”.

4. Never ask why! In languages it is not important to know why Polish does not use articles or why English does not have articles that differentiate genders like French which has them in the form or “le” and “la” or why Spanish and Italian do not use the letter “k” to spell any of their own words. What is important is to understand how the language is and speak it as such and not waste time analyzing why it is one way or was made one way and not another. Knowing this; if we could even find out why will not help us speak the language we are trying to learn anymore then knowing why most of us have two instead of three eyes would help us see better. So in short do not worry about why it so just accept it and speak it or write it as such.

5. Languages do not require thinking or least none that be analytical but the ability to understand a situation and repeat the sentence that explains it to another person. For instance when we say “This is a pen.” we establish what something is and if the object we were establishing were a table then the structure would be the same “This is a table”. These two sentences only requiring us to change one word but not the structure which should not change since the situation has not.

6. Do not be afraid to make mistakes. When learning a language mistakes are as unavoidable as is falling down to a child who is learning to walk. If that child or his parents were afraid of their child falling down that child would never learn to walk; same thing with languages. I always tell my students that if they can not avoid mistakes at least they should try to learn from them. One of the reasons people are afraid or perhaps embarrassed about mistakes is what other people might think. This if one logically thinks about should not represent a problem as those who are mindful will understand that the person who is speaking is not a native speaker of that language and will not only understand if that person makes some mistakes but will not think less of that person for doing so.

7. Using good grammar is not the most important thing! Unless we are teachers of that language or writers in that language; then grammar is not the most important thing if we just want other people to understand what we are saying. Grammar only becomes an issue when we are misunderstood or not all. For instance if I heard someone say “I had bought a book, yesterday” I would understand that this person bought a book yesterday. This despite the fact that he or she used “past perfect” in a situation when he or she should have used “past simple”. So my advise to those who are speaking a foreign language is to not worry about what is grammatically correct and just to speak.

8. Practice as much as possible! To learn a language well we need to have at least 20 hours of contact a week with the language. By this I mean taking lessons but they are not enough. For instance if a person took piano lessons this would not be enough to learn the piano as that person would have to have a piano he or she could practice on at home otherwise lessons would not be so beneficial. Having said this what I recommend to those who do not live in a country where the language they want to learn is spoken is to look for as much contact with the language in question as possible. May be in the form of watching television in that language, making friends with people who speak that language or just having a romantic acquaintance that would also contribute to one’s linguistic needs apart from all the rest.

9. The four parts to languages are the following: the spoken one, the read one, the written one and listening. To practice the last one all we need is to watch films in that language maybe even with subtitles. With regard to reading this we should practice for the reason that it is the best way for us to expand our vocabulary in the language as we have time to look up the words we do not understand. Writing should be improved by reading because after seeing the words many times this should teach us how to spell them. The speaking perhaps is the hardest to practice as it is most advisable to not do this alone as this would force one to answer oneself.

In all my years as a language teacher and learner of languages it has been my experience that has taught me that when speaking or learning a language as in life all we can do is our best and hope for just that so with this in mind I leave those who should read this with the following thought. It is better to speak a language badly then not at all because if we really think about it how many people speak a language with grammatical perfection even their own let alone a second or a foreign one.

My name is Gianni Truvianni, I am an author who writes with the simple aim of sharing his ideas, thoughts and so much more of what I am with those who are interested in perhaps reading something new. As for the details regarding my life I would say that there is nothing that lifts them above the ordinary. I was born in New York City in 1967 on May 21st and am presently living in Warsaw, Poland because my wife happens to be from this particular country that was also the birthplace for my only daughter. My daughter being the star of “Little Opera Singer” which was my first ever completed story.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gianni_Truvianni

In this article, I am going to show you some of the basic principles and secrets behind learning to speak Spanish fluently and the program that literally saved me months of tedious trial and error.

After following my advice and approach, I personally guarantee that not only will you be fully prepared for that trip to Spain, but your friends and family will be stood in shock as you impress them with what is considered to be a flowing, sexy and exotic language!

After all, your dream vacation can be ruined if you can’t grasp the language properly, and can also get really frustrating (both for you and the Spanish locals!)

The approach I am going to share with you really saved my skin because at the time, I was planning a trip to Spain to work as a holiday rep, and I quickly realized that I hardly knew a word of Spanish!

I always dreamed of the gorgeous Spanish sun beating down on me, sipping those cocktails and getting involved in the local Spanish culture. But because of my poor Spanish, I knew I had to learn quickly, but obviously I didn’t want to skip the fundamentals either.

Therefore, I had to make sure I had the right attitude, along with a step by step approach to learning to speak Spanish that guaranteed I didn’t miss any of the fundamentals.

I also needed a solid grounding in Spanish that I was able to build a solid fluency on top of for the months to come.

Why do you want to know how to learn to speak Spanish fluently, and does it matter?

You’re probably wanting to know how to learn to speak Spanish fluently for different reasons than I was…perhaps you’re planning a vacation, or perhaps you’re looking to buy a property in Spain?

Whatever your reasons for wanting to know how to learn to speak Spanish fluently, I can assure you it’s surprisingly easy when you follow the right formula. If you’ve ever tried to learn Spanish in the past and failed, don’t worry! It’s not your fault, it can be hard when you don’t take the right approach, and even the quick learners have been known to fail because of poor learning resources in the past.

Is it important to learn Spanish quickly?

Obviously, the quicker you learn the better because these reasons for learning the language are time sensitive (i.e. the holiday is booked, the long term plans are in place etc).

So if that’s the case then you need to get on the fast lane mi amigo!

One of the problems you might face when learning to speak Spanish is that not only can it take months of tiresome repetition, but if you follow the wrong formula, you could end up developing bad habits and worse still, actually mispronounce words (and might end up offending the Spanish locals!).

The best way to learn how to speak Spanish fluently is by visual and audio aid. It is a proven fact that humans learn more quickly and more consistently through multiple modalities.

In particular, audio “follow me” styles of learning are by far the best platform, with practical exercises you can do as you go.

Sure, repetition is always going to be involved, as that is the only way to learn any new skill. However, the real benefit of picking the right formula to lean a new skill such as speaking Spanish, is that the repetition will be minimal, and the entire experience of learning to speak Spanish will be fun, not like some stuffy old school lesson where your attention is hard to maintain!

If you’re serious about learning to speak Spanish, you already know that time is against you (particularly if you’re planning a trip to Spain for whatever reason).

However, the worst thing you can do is keep putting it off and dragging it out as your ability to learn to reach a level of fluency in Spanish will become near impossible to reach as the long, drawn out delays in your learning will cause you to get bored and again, cause you to easily lose your attention span.

Once your attention is lost, you might THINK you’re learning, yet in reality your brain will be simply “passing it through” and not absorbing the information as it should.

Therefore, this is why I not only recommend a system that teaches you quickly and enjoyably from day one, but that you also make a commitment to sticking to your learning.

If you follow this approach, you will find that you will be able to learn to speak Spanish far more fluently, and you’ll also pick up the pace far more quickly too.

What are some of my options for learning how to speak Spanish fluently?

Typically, there are a few ways to learn any new language. The old fashioned method is a book. This is probably the worst of all options because of the lack of interactivity it offers. As I already mentioned, the best way to learn is through “follow along” style courses.

So, with that in mind, you could also try an audio course. This is a far better option as you will be able to immediately learn how to pronounce words properly.

The other way is via private tuition, which is one of the best ways. However, it is certainly not the cheapest! What’s more, is that private lessons will drag out longer than they need to and are not always convenient. You want to learn when you feel like it, when you have the time, right? So, what’s the solution?

The ultimate way, above all of these is to combine both written AND audio modalities, with access to a REAL person for backup tuition at a time that suits YOU. See the bottom of this article for my recommendation on the only course that you can get immediate access to this type of learning online.

So if you’re ready to get into the good stuff, and you’ve set your mind to the right mental attitude, you’ll be in a prime position ready to discover how to learn to speak Spanish fluently without delay, distraction or boredom!

Let me leave you with a powerful learning philosophy…

‘Through learning we re-create ourselves. Through learning we become able to do something we were never able to do.’ – Peter Senge

So, are you ready to re-create yourself? Are you ready to do something you would never have been able to do, like speak Spanish fluently for example? Go get ‘em amigo!

Ultimately, learning to speak Spanish can be VERY time consuming or it can be a simple 1-2-3 system. If you want to really impress friends and family and enjoy all your future trips to Spain, then I highly recommend that you take a look at the same system that I used to pick up the Spanish language in LESS than 8 Weeks, not 8 months!

It’s called Rocket Spanish and is a proven best seller (and I can see why!). You can learn more about this system at [http://www.trustusreviews.com/learnspanish] and see for yourself how easy it is to learn fluent Spanish without the headache!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=NJ_Brighton

I am reminded of the military industrial complex President Eisenhower warned us about so many years ago. I now say to you beware of the education industrial complex that impacts every aspect of our children’s existence. Schools now outsource what used to be counseling, teaching and discipline to the police and the courts. Whole industries, bodies of law and regulations are being built on the backs of our children. Americans, indeed, have been convinced that on the education industrial complex can educate their children.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The time has come to take back control of your own or your child’s educational development. Americans have bought into the propaganda that would have us all believe that learning is hard. And, Americans have been trained to believe that the only people who can teach kids are certified teachers; members of the education industrial complex. On the contrary, learning is natural, easy, and cannot be avoided.

We are well and truly brainwashed. Eric Weiner tells a story in his brilliant book “The Geography of Bliss”. The story concerns and experiment in which a dog was placed in a cage. First, One side of the cage was set up to deliver an electric shock. The dog would then go to the other side of the cage where it found safety. Then the dog was put in a cage where he would be shocked by both ends of the cage. Weiner tells us that the dog was returned to the cage where he could not escape the shock but there was a low fence which provided escape to a completely safe cage. The poor dog did nothing. While there was safety on the other side of the cage the dog could not comprehend it. Americans, the most independent creative people on the planet, have accepted their educational fate and that of their children.

The safe ground of independent learning is over that low fence. But we have been so brainwashed that Americans have come to think that there is no hope so they stay in losing situtations and appallingly bad schools.

The time has come for a new “manifesto of education against the education industrial complex.” And so we begin stating the Manifesto.

Formal instruction is not the best way to learn. Children in school are held to the pace mandated by the school district whether they are ahead, behind, or right on track. The fact is that we learn best when we are developmentally ready to learn. The child who learns to do long division at eight and the the child who learns long division at twelve are equally skilled at the age of fifteen. But the one who learns at twelve is often labeled learning disabled or slow. That label sticks with the kid. The kid even believes it. The label then defines the child instead of the actions of the child providing the defining characteristics of the child.

Age means nothing when it comes to learning. Never believe that there is a single right age to begin learning any particular subject or skill. Nothing matters less than if a skill is learned at ten or fifteen. The end result is the same. But there are children who need to start later at something than they could if they were in school. Nothing is wrong with them. But, the education industrial complex will tell them something is wrong with them. They will receive the latest label so the school can get a bit more money for that category.

School often destroys the most creative and effective people; both teachers and students.
We are in the era of the standardized, high pressure test. Even the most brilliant teachers are told exactly how to teach, when to teach, and how to teach. There is no room for creative teaching techniques because of the pervasive belief that you can force feed all children the same educational diet at the same time. Children are excruciatingly bored because the work is invariably simplistic, unreasonable, and is being done for an exterior motivator only; the good of the school through the test scores.

There is no limit to what can be learned independently. Teachers do not actually teach anything. The best ones use the natural novelty of a subject to motivate someone to learn. They can also tutor motivated students. But they cannot actually cause learning. The worst ones destroy all motivation to learn. Bad teaching may cause a child to become so damaged that the child may come to believe that learning is impossible.

Independent learning’s best friend is a good library Libraries contain everything needed to facilitate any kind of learning. One can locate texts, original sources, serious books on a subject, popular books on a subject, magazines, dvds, videos and computer resources of all sorts.

Follow the question All learning evolves from a question. Each question leads to many other questions. Following the question leads to the entire world. Develop new questions as you answer other questions. The process works like the internet. Questioning leads out into a web of learning the will only stop when you want to stop.

Concentrate on the story Subject matter like history is best learned by focusing on the story. Dates are wonderful. But we remember facts in a context that has meaning. A few years ago I saw the movie “The Patriot”. I can almost recite the story. I can also see the scenes, feel the emotions portrayed and quote some of the lines. Facts out of context are almost never retained. Facts in context presented in an entertaining way contained in a web of connections are almost always retained.

Concentrate on the practical use Recently I met a young man who had failed algebra miserably. He could not make any sense of the use of equations. They had no practical purpose in his mind. We started with something very simple. I had him set up a simple equation to determine how much a fence repair job would cost. He had to determine how many boards would be used, how many nails would be used, and calculated the cost of the job by setting up an equation. At the end of the session he understood they why and how of equations. He had a practical use for Algebra.

Teachers can’t actually teach anything, they can only coach Just forget the idea that anything is taught. You are the only one who can learn. Every individual now has the power to select the way he or she best learns. After thirty-six years I know that I never taught anyone anything. I did coach and tutor. But at best I was an information provider. When the era of high stakes testing came into being I knew the joy and fun of learning was over. The next step in my growth was the realization that no matter how many notes I gave, how brilliant my lectures were (and were they ever brilliant), or how elegant my lesson plans were I really didn’t teach anyone anything. I realized that my best function was that of a coach, guide and tutor.

The world is now the classroom In the not too distant past there were few options to learn a new skill. Now the options are almost limitless. The internet brings the entire universe of knowledge into each and every home. Certainly, you won’t learn to perform brain surgery from the internet. You learn that from a coach. Formal settings still exist for information best learned with a learning coach. Libraries are now available free of charge in every community. And they are no longer your dad’s library. They provide films, cds, programs, computers, classes and a wealth of other resources. New and used bookstores, eBay and stores such as Amazon provide access to anything ever published. And digital projects like Project Gutenberg provide rare resources that are difficult to acquire anywhere else. Then there are natural areas like parks, refuges, historical displays and many other things. Yes, the whole world is now the classroom.

The learning singularity is here now. A singularity occurs when many different pathways converge on one point. The pathways to learning any discipline or skill represent a spider’s web. The center of the web is that which you want to learn. The strands represent the myriad paths one can use to reach the singularity which is where and what you learn. Now, I think I will travel this strand right here.

John McGeough is a professional teacher, change agent, and child advocate since 1973. John has had the career of a renaissance man. He has been a professional trumpet player, a professional conductor, a successful music instructor, a biology teacher, a successful middle school music and science teacher. He is now a youth pastor serving children of all types from his ministry. He is committed to making the world a better place for children from all backgrounds. John believes that the era of mass education is dead. It just hasn’t laid down yet. John believes in the concept of the independent American responsible for himself, making decisions for himself without the help of pervasive government interference.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_McGeough

In Europe, Spain is a popular tourist destination or place to settle for retired people, so a grasp of Spanish would improve your time spent in the country.

So, if you have decided to learn Spanish then, like most people you want to learn it fast. The best part of speaking a new language is being able to speak to people. Until you can do this with a degree of comfort, you may find learning Spanish boring or dull.

Learning vocabulary is never that exciting as we are not used to learning a language through rote methods. Learning grammar is even worse because it may have no intuitive sense to it, so you have to learn it as a set of rules.

Learning grammar and vocabulary via these methods are alien to how we learned our native languages. We picked them up through repetition and ultimately a desire to use the language.

This is obvious when you see a young child or baby learning their native language. The child hears his mother speaking words. Eventually he gets the meaning of the words. He soon wants to take part in the conversation. He has the desire to take part.

He may make fumbling attempts to speak the language initially. He watches as his mother forms the words and tries to copy her. Eventually he can say a few words. They may not sound exactly right but he refines the pronunciation by watching and listening to people around him until it sounds right.

When he gets to the stage where he is forming simple sentences then it is safe to say he understands all the basic building blocks to learning a language. From this point his ability to speak will increase at a rapid rate.

He will start using new words in basic sentences and get positive responses from the people around him. His confidence will soar and he will become quite adventurous. He will listen to songs, watch the TV and listen to his parents and siblings. His lifelong trip to learning his native language has started. You never stop learning a language.

This method is replicated when learning a new language by immersing oneself in the language. Immersion learning typically involves going to a country where the language you desire to learn is spoken.

As scary as it may sound you are a baby again, in a country where all the words make no sense. (well it’s probably not that bad, as you may already have some idea of basic words and you can still communicate through body language and pointing) But the main learning strategies are established in this method.

You are exposed to the language all the time. In order to communicate you have to speak it. In order to speak it you have to have the desire. And believe me, if you are living in a country where you don’t have the language you have the desire.

All the barriers, like looking stupid or not knowing how to say something, drop away when you know that you have to speak to communicate. You understand the reason for learning a word or a sentence. It jumps out of a textbook and has a real application.

Learning a second language is never easy and you will feel like an idiot at times. However the desire to communicate should get you through. If you take classes in a Spanish speaking country you will also have the support network to help you through these tricky times.

So in my opinion the best way to learn to speak Spanish fast is to go to a Spanish speaking country and take a course. If possible stay in the country after the course has finished. Ideally, you should work and live there for a few months. This will do wonders for your understanding of the language. Continue to study the language. You never stop learning.

If you can’t fit in an immersion course, an alternative could be a self study course. Courses such as these give you the chance to learn in your own time at home. Visit http://rocketspanishreviewed.com for reviews of popular courses, including a detailed rocket Spanish review and comparisons of Rosetta Stone and Michel Thomas. The site has lots of advice on how to learn Spanish effectively.

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The answer to what the best way to learn Spanish is – it really depends on you. This sounds like a cop-out but think about it, every individual is different and the way the learn Spanish will be different. What you find most effective may not be the same for the next person who is trying to learn Spanish as well. Because of the fact that different people are more sensitive to different ways of learning, it makes sense that you find out which teaching methods suits you the most and then you can focus on that specific way of learning. Once you have discovered the most effective way for you to learn Spanish, the rest requires persistence and self-discipline.

You have to ask and be honest with yourself when it comes to the best way to learn Spanish because it’s only through self-awareness that you get an idea of which teaching method is the best way for you to learn Spanish.

Here we look at three different learning methods of learning the Spanish language. You may find that to find the best way to learn Spanish for you is to at first try all three ways especially if you have not experienced these methods in practice. And depending on which method of teaching, the effectiveness of each may be dependent on the teacher who will be teaching you and on how good you are at self-disciplining yourself to keep a learning schedule. You may find that if you combine these methods, you may get all the possible benefits of each method. It depends on you.

Learning Spanish in a classroom

Many people find the traditional classroom style of learning an attractive option because there’s a Spanish teacher who instructs the class of other like-minded individuals who want to learn Spanish as well. The fact that a class is set at a particular time and place and involves meeting other people is that it encourages you to attend and be part of a team. If you’re the type of person who finds it easier to learn as part of a group activity and like the idea of being able to socialize, the traditional classroom style of learning is more for you, helping to keep you learning Spanish at a steady pace and where all you have to learn is planned, organized and delivered to you. All you have to do is be there on time, learn and do the necessary homework.

Learning Spanish independently

When it comes to learning Spanish, going the independent study route can be another attractive option especially for those who have little time to attend Spanish courses that are classroom-based because of work or family commitments that dictates that your time tend to be too hectic and unpredictable to guarantee that you can attend classes at a specific time a week. The most common way and best way to learn Spanish the independent way is by learning from Spanish language CDs that can be easily listened to in the car stereo or on an mp3 playler when you’re on the move or waiting for the train or a period of time before you go to bed. The benefits of the independent study style of learning Spanish is that you can listen to the same chapter again and again; and you can stop the CD when you need to and start again when you can learning Spanish at your own pace; however, this method of learning requires you to discipline yourself so that you keep at it.

Learn Spanish through immersion

The immersion style of learning is getting to be a more popular option as people are traveling more and the desire to learn not only Spanish but the culture and in turn the country where the Spanish language originated. Immersion in the Spanish language usually involves living and possibly working in a Spanish-speaking country and learning Spanish through everyday interactions with native speakers. Of course, being able to watch Spanish television, Spanish soap operas and films will only help to strengthen your learning.

You need to find out which learning style is most effective for you to find out the best way for you to learn Spanish and there’s nothing wrong with combining the different methods or using other methods such as one-to-one tuition. Good luck with learning Spanish!

Penny Roberts writes on numerous subjects. One of which is on various aspects of travel such as Krakow, Spain and the Spanish language at The First Leap website.

[http://www.thefirstleap.com]

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Learn to Speak Spanish Online

Learning the Spanish language online is an excellent option that has a number of rewards over some of the older, more conventional methods of learning Spanish, or any other foreign language for that matter. One of the most beneficial things about the Spanish language courses that are on the internet, is the convenience factor.

You can access them at any time of the day or night that works with your particular schedule. Also, you do not have to bother with travel, parking or weather, which are issues you have to deal with when enrolled in a conventional classroom setting.

Another benefit of learning to speak Spanish online is that you are able to learn as well as work at your own pace. That way you don’t have to stress when it comes to keeping up with the other people in the class, or becoming frustrated when others in the class are not comprehending as well as you are.

Research has demonstrated that those who study and learn Spanish online really are able to learn Spanish very effectively and the results are really similar to the competency levels of those who learn in a setting of a classroom. One reason for this may be that the online learning environment allows for additional methods of assistance that are not ordinarily found in the classroom.

Some of these additional methods are: interactive games; extra levels of vocabulary as well as grammar exercises; interactive lessons; and audio clips from native speakers. The research has also suggested that when people can utilize diverging methods in their language studies, and an element of fun in the process, they are better capable of retaining what they have learned.

Beginning The Right Way

Even so, what is most important is that you select a course to learn to speak Spanish that fits your requirements, your personality and your style of learning. Even if you have a good friend who has successfully learned a new language employing online courses, that does not mean it will be the right fit for you.

For the majority of people, finding the combination that helps you to learn as well as keeping you motivated, is the most significant element. Realize your strengths and weaknesses in your style of learning and then discover a Spanish study course to match.

Making mistakes is a normal part of any kind of learning, but even more so when you are learning a language for the first time. Forget about having to perfectly enunciate the words or conjugate verbs precisely when you are just beginning.

It is better to begin attempting to speak out loud and learn from your mistakes instead of waiting until you think you can speak perfectly. When it necessitates how to learn languages, the more mistakes you make the better since you will learn from your mistakes and advance your Spanish speaking abilities.

As you are learning, you should recognize that you should focus on the fundamentals first and master the most crucial words and phrases first. After that point, you can move on to more advance grammatical constructions.

Nonetheless, if you are attempting to learn some words and phrases for a trip, then it is more significant to focus on vocabulary and pronunciation instead of grammar. The individuals who are natural Spanish speakers are in general very kind as well as forgiving of people trying to learn and use their language.

The more you can surround yourself with the Spanish language, such as watching television and films or listening to Latino music, the more rapidly you will learn how to speak Spanish. This is called immersion training and it will assist you to tuning your ear to the sing-song sounds and rhythms. The more you are capable to immerse yourself in the Spanish language, the quicker you will learn to speak and understand the vernacular.

Listen to Korbin Newlyn as he shares his insights as an expert author and an avid writer in the field of Spain travel. If you would like to learn more go to Travel Spain Barcelona advice and at Properties In Spain tips.

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“One needs perhaps 20,000 words to begin to sound somewhat native-like, but 100,000 words should be the goal of the second-language learner.” (Winitz)

Imagine that! You need only a mere twenty thousand to begin to sound somewhat native-like, but your goal should be 100,000 words. No wonder so few Anglo-Saxons in the North American continent are bilingual. That little bit of linguistic trivia is enough to make anyone to run in the opposite direction when the subject of learning a second language is broached. And, it is no wonder why the dropout rate of students who attempt to learn a second language is so high.

Believe it or not, once we reach about the age of 12 and begin morphing into adolescence, emotion becomes a huge factor in Learning a Second Language failure and dropout rate. Suddenly, the fear of looking stupid in front of our peers becomes the motivating factor for everything we do, including when confronted with the idea of becoming bilingual. It is commonly believed, and really based on some very outdated and inaccurate science, that the younger you are the more likely you are to become bilingual when put into a foreign language environment. The false reason offered for this is that the older you become, the harder it is to learn.

“There used to be a theory on “brain development” from the 1960’s which taught that there was a “crucial period” an individual had before the brain lost its “plasticity,” making learning a second language too difficult.” (Lenneberg, 1967)

Modern studies have shown though some differences between how a child and an adult learns a second language do exist, the older learner has the distinct advantage. The adult learner of Spanish can learn the language faster because of the following:

The adult’s maturely-developed brain has the superior ability to understand the relationship between semantics and grammar.

The adult’s brain is more mature in its ability to absorb vocabulary, grammatical structures, and to make more “higher order” generalizations and associations.

The adult learner’s better-developed brain is better at “putting together all the pieces” with a more developed long-term memory.

The biggest obstacle for the adult is the emotional factor. Adults have bought into the myth that they just cannot learn a second language. They are also afraid of making fools of themselves. They believe the myth that they are “too old.” I have often thought this is the reason children seem to learn Spanish faster than adults do-they do not have to contend with the embarrassment factor.

If the monolingual adult could get past the affective problems in second language acquisition, then the motivation soon could be crushed by the attempt at learning the vocabulary necessary for fluency.

I recently received a letter from a reader who said he has taken Spanish classes for more than seven years and still can’t speak the language. He scores very high on written tests when tested for grammar competency but can’t speak the language or understand what’s spoken to him. His vocabulary, he told me, is so abysmal that it makes his speaking and understanding extremely difficult.

This is a common theme I hear too often.

C.A. Mace, author of Psychology Study (1932), was the first to postulate, in his book, a practical application of an idea called, spaced repetition.

Spaced repetitions, or graduated intervals, is a learning technique in which increasing increments of time intervals are used to review material you want to remember.

“There has been a great deal of research on how different spacing of repetitions in time affects the strength of memory and how the resulting findings could be applied in the practice of effective learning. It has been predicted, and to a large degree confirmed, that by changing the spacing of repetitions, a substantial gain in the effectiveness of learning might be obtained” (e.g., Bjork, 1979; Glenberg, 1979; Glenberg 1980; Clifford, 1981; Dempster, 1987; Bahrick, 1987). — P.A.Wozniak, Economics of learning, Doctoral Dissertation, University of Economics, Wroclaw, 1995

Sebastian Leitner, a German science “popularizer,” invented a learning system using flashcards based on the Spaced Repetition principle.

“A widely used method to efficiently use flashcards was proposed by the German science popularizer Sebastian Leitner in the 1970s. In his method, known as the Leitner system, flashcards are sorted into groups according to how well you know each one. This is how it works: you try to recall the solution written on a flashcard. If you succeed, you send the card to the next group. But if you fail, you send it back to the first group. Each succeeding group has a longer period of time before you are required to revisit the cards.” (Wikipedia)

Paul Pimsleur, applied linguistic teacher and researcher, applied the spaced repetition principle to second language acquisition. Pimsleur’s highly successful audio-only second language learning system was reviewed by Paul Nation, Professor in Applied Linguistics at the School of Linguistics and Applied Language Studies (LALS) at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Professor Nation concluded that Pimsleur’s application of the spaced repetition in his language learning programs had been verified in the research done before Pimsleur’s 1967 essay detailing his research findings.

In Pimsleur’s language learning system, you do not use rote memory to learn anything. The spaced repetition of vocabulary and natural grammar is programmed into the individual lessons.

You experience an immediate psychological feedback because you have learned as much material in a mere thirty minutes as you would have doing hours of boring rote-memory work using a traditional grammar-translation approach.

The Pimsleur systems are never touted as terminal programs. In other words, the program is just the beginning of one’s language learning adventure. You get a huge boost using a program that guides you into a level of spoken fluency with no affective problems or motivation-killing boredom.

And how does one master those 100,000 vocabulary words? The Leitner system. You can Google the term “Leitner system” and get 758,000 pages showing you how to make your own Leitner system for just about any material you want to learn.

Sources:

Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning; Stephen D Krashen; University of Southern California; Copyright © 1981 Stephen Krashen

Why Can’t I Speak Spanish?: The Critical Period Hypothesis of Language Acquisition; Stephanie Richardson

The Silent Period Hypothesis; Taeko Tomioka; SANNO Junior College

jMemorize is a free open-source Java application that manages your learning processes by using flashcards and the famous Leitner system. http://jmemorize.org

Living in Guanajuato Blog

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Essentially open learning means that the student is not restricted by required attendance in a classroom or other meeting place and that to some degree the student can study and learn course material at their own pace. Open learning is a part of many distance learning courses and e learning courses. However, not all distance learning courses and e learning courses are necessarily the same as open learning.

Distance learning helps many people to attain degrees or certification otherwise. Distance learning is a program that allows students to complete course work without attending actual classes. Distance learning gives students a much wider variety of courses they can take.

Traditionally, distance learning courses have been correspondence based, but increasing use of the internet and other communication technology has created several other types of classroom environments. One popular type of distance learning course may mix elements of traditional classrooms with the benefits of distance learning courses, but it can also be exactly the same as a normal classroom with no teacher physically present in the room. These distance learning courses are referred to as Live Interactive Television. In distance learning courses that use Live Interactive Television, the students meet periodically in a classroom at an appointed time and a teacher is filmed at a separate location, but due to a live feed, students in other locations can participate and interact with the teacher. This allows students in remote areas to take advantage of teachers they normally would not have access to. These classes may meet once a day, once a week, or any other number of appointments throughout the course. With a class such as this, even though it does require a scheduled class time, it can still be considered a type of open learning class if the Live Interactive Television sessions are not the bulk of the class work.

Other distance learning courses that are becoming very popular include e learning courses. E learning courses are courses that are administered over the internet. All the course information is provided online and there are typically no scheduled lectures that require physical attendance, but recorded lectures may be made available online. E-learning is one of the most popular forms of open learning because the only requirement is having an internet connection.

Many different open learning courses are currently available and more are being created all the time. Open learning courses allow people to advance their education who could not do so without open learning opportunities.

Nic Haffner like to provide his readers with elearning solutions resources by publishing elearning articles and information.

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