Are you tired of not having anyone to practice your foreign language with? Are you feeling isolated? These are common feelings for language learners. Learning a language online doesn’t need to be this way, in fact, elearning can be one of the most invigorating ways of picking up a language but the need for a support network is of utmost importance. After all, what the internet gives us is access. We have at our disposal 24 hour access to language learning material and the possibility to practice whenever and wherever we want. We need to remember we are carrying a little computer around in our pockets and whether we are in an airport or sitting around at home, we can use our smartphones to work on those tricky language skills.
An effective language learning community is one that promotes collaboration and teamwork. There is a need for all its members to share not only their expertise, but also their doubts and fears so that through teamwork, these issues can be resolved in a way that does not just help the individuals, but the community as a whole. An effective and collaborative community does not create followers, it creates numerous leaders. This is what we are trying to get across when we say a community, the group is not restricted by the limitations of a teacher, it can bear the fruits of having a large support network and the people from within the community can grow as a whole.
So how is a community like this formed?
Two factors are needed. The first we have already mentioned and the second is the most difficult to achieve. The first thing needed is a platform to be able to connect people, and this platform is the internet. The internet, after all, breaks barriers. Location and timetables are no longer barriers to learning as people can learn from the comfort of their own homes and at the time of their choosing. The second is a tricky one to solve; time. When we refer to time, we do not mean availability, when the learners can practice. We are talking about the hardwork and effort involved in creating a reliable platform, full of learning resources and content that can be relied upon. We are talking about the experience required to create a name for oneself that people know and trust, this process takes years!
In 2014 Intercambioidiomas put into place a 5 year plan, in which its members sought to create a platform that was useful for anyone and everyone who wanted to learn a language no matter where or how they lived. Its CEO is from a small town, and the main idea behind it was to create the language learning resource that he had always wished had existed when he started learning Spanish 12 years ago. We do not only aim to help customers, but anyone who wants to learn a language online or is looking for a free language exchange; and for this reason we have provided a huge range of free language learning material that is available in PDF. We have been creating a wide range of resources for general language learning and also exam preparation for years now. What we wish to share is our experience and to help you all save time in the language learning process. A sense of community is a huge barrier to learning and a key aspect of pedagogy that is often overlooked, Intercambioidiomas might just be the answer!
