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English as a Second Language (ESL) is available in many forms on the Internet, and cost runs from free to expensive. The quality and effectiveness doesn't always match the price. Some excellent ESL online programs are very inexpensive, if not altogether free. And some expensive programs are worth the added expense. I'm not recommending any online program or school. I recommend that prospective students do their homework, studying the merits of each interesting opportunity.
There are several key elements to watch for in ESL programs from online:
- Audio: ESL on the Web is best when you can hear it. If the program doesn't have audio clips (sound files) with recordings of native speakers of English, leave it immediately.
- Authenticity: As I hinted above, the voices should be of native speakers of English. There's no sense in studying improper pronunciation or ungrammatical forms.
- Scope: The best online ESL programs will include lessons for a wide variety of settings - arrival, transportation, dealing with money, telling time, describing family, etc. There will also be some description of social considerations, such as when to use informal expressions and when not to.
- Linguistic Considerations: The last refinements in English for the ESL student are intonation and pronunciation. Only the very best online ESL programs online offer instruction that goes beyond sound bites and considers how English expresses emotions, the importance of the "schwa" sound, or the negative effect of foreign-sounding English. If you can find a program that includes these things (and I couldn't), try it.
- Cost: The cheapest and most thorough online programs are offered through colleges and universities and might not show up via a Web search. Dig into the offerings of large university systems like the State Universities of New York (Suny.edu) and California (Calstate.edu) before paying for any course.
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