Benefits of online English classes for kids

Nowadays, more and more life situations are being performed online. Whether that be doing the grocery shopping, dealing with simple bank transactions, or even checking in with friends, the virtual domain is one that looks likely to be here to stay.

With that in mind, it makes sense to consider the upsides of online education. There are several, which will be explored more deeply below, as well as a brief explanation of each and why they play a role in making online education so effective for today’s modern citizens across the globe.

Learning English online

For many children, learning a foreign language is frequently easier than it would be for their adult counterparts. Many researchers cite the notion of a greater neuroplasticity, or flexibility in the brain, for this to be the case.

So, finding the right course for a child to learn English becomes the next step in that process, and where better to start than by considering the 20 Best Teaching English Online Companies (Comparison) | The TEFL Org being a prime example of just one of those? First off, learning online is actually a comfortable and convenient mode of learning for many global youngsters, who have already come across the basics in their traditional educational settings more often than not.

In addition, using tools and software designed specifically with English learning in mind, alongside a helpful and knowledgeable TEFL (or Teaching English as a Foreign Language) expert, provides the ideal platform for a child to study English effectively. Last, but by no means least, the virtual learning mode means a student can study from the comfort of their own home, without even having to leave the house!

Opening doors

For the majority of global residents, the concept of study is closely aligned with the notion of attaining a better career in the short term and long term. This could be something like transitioning from a street cleaner to become a psychologist, or leaving university to travel the world and becoming a TEFL instructor.

In any case, the parallels are easy to see. As the mind grows through learning, it can feel like more and more doors are opening, and this leads to a greater choice in the present and future. This is an enticing proposition, especially in uncertain times like the world has seen in the last couple of years.

Maintaining healthy habits

Even though health issues such as Alzheimer’s tend to affect the older generation, there are simple steps that can be taken at an early age to minimise the risk of contracting certain diseases by more than 20%. This might take the form of cleaning the house regularly, or studying frequently and often.

Perhaps even 5 minutes of learning another language a day could lead to a huge amount of growth at a later stage, with those smaller time periods adding up over the long haul to produce a positive language production result. Alternatively, having one class of English a week online with a friendly and helpful tutor could be the key to unlocking those tricky grammar issues, or getting one’s head around those notoriously challenging phrasal verbs.

Flexibility

For many learners, the tool of flexibility is one that will be essential moving forward into the rest of their lives. This can take many aspects, like time flexibility. Some children are early birds, and may benefit from waking up and learning some simple vocabulary before they even have their breakfast.

By contrast, there are night owls, who prefer to rise late and stay up even later. For these, an evening session might just be when their neurons are firing, and enable them to study at their absolute best.

Flexibility could also take the form of the lesson itself. Some students need to practice their oral production more, and lessons online should be designed with this end goal in mind. This could lead to fascinating deep dives into topics that light their fire, from cultural traditions to the ins and outs of modern living in their country.

For others, an element of improvement could be in the form of a specific grammar lesson, where the student wishes to delve more into the subtle differences between the gerund and the infinitive, or knowing when to use the simple and when to put the continuous tense into usage. In either case, an experienced TEFL teacher will be able to lead the way and set a good example, showing how to control the language more effectively and accurately.

The affective filter

Many years ago, a researcher called Stephen Krashen studied many learners of other languages, to see if he could understand the reasons why some students seem to flourish while others have a much harder time. Among his many findings was the concept of the affective filter, an aspect of learning a second language that plays a key role to this day.

In essence, the affective filter is the voice in a person’s head that tells them how much attention other people are paying to them. This is unique to everyone, and varies greatly at different moments. For instance, if a student is sitting at the back of the classroom, working on a written composition with their headphones in, then their affective filter is probably quite low.

On the other hand, a child presenting a ‘Show and Tell” at the front of the room, when all eyes are on them, is prone to a high affective filter at that point. Fortunately, online learning offers many benefits, including the ability to turn the camera off if they are feeling a touch shy or awkward.

The last year or two have shown that it is indeed possible to study remotely, and a camera ought not to be a strict component of that regimen. Indeed, when speaking, the experienced and patient TEFL instructor will be more likely to be focused on spoken language when the camera is off, as there are less distractions to worry about on both ends.