So, you want to learn English online?

You can learn English by searching Google and looking over the internet for free materials - there are lots. But the difference is that an online course will be more focused and concentrated.

You also need to be sure that the person or company that has produced the information on the net is qualified and knows what they are talking about.

Know your level. If the lesson is too easy, you’ll be bored. If it’s too hard, you won’t learn.

Additionally, you must sign up for the course when you have enough time to devote to it. If you’re only giving it half your attention, you won’t get much value from what you learn.

If you want to learn to study online, you have to set boundaries, limits, and goals for yourself. There’s nobody to to tell you off if you don’t meet your objectives for the day. Learners can partner up with a fellow student and the can be ‘accountability partners’- you have to check in with each other once a week maybe and hold each other accountable for the work due and progress made. And provide encouragement for each other!

If you want to gain knowledge, you have to pay attention to the process of learning - think back to your school-age years.

Curiosity is only the very first step. You also need to pay attention to persistence if you want to gain mastery of the topic.

Which type of learner are you?

There are 2 types of learners:

1) self-regulated learners (where the student plans for a task, monitors their performance, and then reflects on the outcome)

2) intrinsically motivated learners (fascination with the subject, a sense of its relevance to life and the world, a sense of accomplishment in mastering it, and a sense of calling to it)

Students need to have a strong sense of self-efficacy or be confident that they will be successful at the activity. Learners need to remember that if they were unsuccessful once, it doesn’t mean that they will always be unsuccessful. Bounce back!

It can be helpful for a student to see others like themselves being successful at an activity they want to master. Hold a vision of the future you in your head and imagine yourself successful. Really allow yourself to feel how it feels to be this person. If you keep this image in your head, it will help you find your ‘why’ and give you the impetus to keep on studying when things get difficult.

What is the end result that you desire?

• Master a specific skill

• Improve your competence in a specific area

• Get ready to obtain a certification

• Expand your knowledge about a subject

• Feel more comfortable conversing about a topic

• Gain a rudimentary understanding of a subject

Each of these goals will require different levels of devotion and course complexity to achieve.

If you’re clear about your expectations, you’re far less likely to get disappointed when the course ends.

Beforehand you decided what you wanted to get out of your online course. Now you need to learn your instructor’s objectives and goals. Remember - your goals and the instructor’s must align. Read as much as you can about the course before you sign up. If necessary, contact the instructor to find out about the material’s objectives. You can then make an informed decision about whether it’s right for you.

Learners need to know why what they are learning is important. Helping connect the new task or knowledge to their interests is always helpful. Or just showing how it relates to their world will also work. What is it used for? What can you do with the results of the task you are attempting?

It’s important to have some freedom in crafting their learning - give learners some choice in what they want to do and when.

So, that’s it for the moment. In part two, we’ll be looking at what to do during your online course to get the best out of it.

I hope you continue enjoying your English language learning journey with World Language Explorers.

See you again soon for part 2 of Tips for Success in Your Online Classes!