Benefits of learning Chinese online

[chinese@home]

Many people are always asking me about the benefits of learning Chinese online. They think that learning something especially a language online will take a lot of risks.

Students can "attend" a Chinese course at anytime, from anywhere. This means that parents can attend to their children, then sit down to class; working students can attend classes no matter what their work schedule might be, folks that travel for business or pleasure can attend class from anywhere in the world that has internet access.

Extendibility, Accessibility, and Suitability - Students can proceed through a Chinese course at their own pace and at their own place. They can also access the lessons any time, receiving only as much as they need. Online learning can meet students' learning styles, and the teacher can modify the content, redesign activities, lessons.

Direct access to learning resources - Course material is accessible 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Students have the ability to read and reread lectures, discussions, explanations and comments. Because there are no geographic barriers to online learning, students can find diversity of course material that may not be available to them where they live or work. This is especially true for students in remote rural areas that cannot support formal training centers or for students in their own countries who rarely have access to native Chinese speakers.

Initiative and enthusiasm in learning - The online environment makes instructors more approachable. Students can talk openly with their teachers through online chats without waiting for office hours that may not be convenient. Many of my students often comment that online Chinese learning lets them attend class when fully awake and attend in increments of convenient time block, rather than rigid 2 or 4 hour stretches once or twice a week.