Technology is Revolutionizing the Learning Process (Photo by Ingo Bernhardt via Flickr, Creative Commons Attribution.)

Learning another language doesn’t always seem easy. With thousands of words to remember, verb tenses to practice, and, not to mention, getting the accent and intonation right it often seems a daunting task. But it shouldn’t be. Today, with all of the advances in education and technology, learning a language should be easy, cheap, and fun. The internet has revolutionized language learning and it is ALL to the learner’s benefit. While travel and immersion are undoubtedly the best ways to learn a language, I find it incredible that without leaving one’s home proficiency can easily be achieved.

All of this isn’t to say that learning a language is simple, because it does take a lot of time and effort. But we are all so lucky to have options– blogs, podcasts, websites, online classes, etc.

You might be wondering, with all of these options why should I take classes using Skype? Will it really help? Is it worth the money? I’m positive that it is… I myself have taken Portuguese classes by Skype! Here’s why:

1. You connect with a native speaker. Maybe in big cities it’s easy to find native speakers of many different languages who are willing to teach classes. But if you live in a small town (like I did for many years) it’s impossible. The only options are traveling to the city and spending lot’s of money, or settling for a non-native (which isn’t necessarily to say a worse teacher). Skype solves this problem by allowing easy contact between people anywhere in the world.

2. You can take classes anytime, anywhere . How many times have you just been too busy to sign up for classes at a language school? I remember signing up many times and then not being able to make it to class. I felt terrible, disappointing both myself and the instructor. With Skype all you need are 45 minutes every now and then and you can practice English from the comfort of your home or office.

3. You pay per class– not per month or semester. While every teacher or company have their own rules and policies there is no reason you can’t find someone (like myself) who offers lessons on a class by class basis. Simply buy a class when you are available– it’s that easy. Classes are recommended on a regular basis to really see results, however in today’s busy world something is better than nothing and this method offers that possibility.

 4. It’s Economic! Not only are classes through Skype usually offered at a lesser price because of the reduced costs of real estate and travel to the teacher, they also save the student the costs of traveling to class. Whether it’s metro, bus, or car, commuting to and from a language class costs you time and money.

5.  It’s safe. It may sound silly but it’s important. Teaching through Skype offers a level of security for both the teacher and student that private in-home classes lack.