I’m sure there are numerous studies out there, most of us don’t need empirical data to know that the best way to learn a language is to use it (regularly) and if at all possible, immerse yourself in it. So is study abroad the answer? For some, perhaps, but what about those of us who might not be able to afford to spend time abroad schmoozing in somewhat corrugated Italian over interminable glasses of wine and large bowls of cacio e pepe?
Connecting with other learners can always be a useful tool – and for language learning, connecting with native speakers of the target language is just about the best practice you can get. There are a number of services out there that offer online tutoring and other similar means of learning languages, but we recently came across a new(ish?) site that not only offers services for language learners, but also allows teachers to teach with their platform.
Palabea calls itself “the first marketplace that allows users from all over the world to learn languages and share knowledge while speaking via video chat about a topic they are really interested in!”
What Is It?
A Palabea is a video chat about one topic. You can discuss the topic with users from around the globe to help you with your language learning skills but also to discuss something useful and interesting – because really, who wants to speak in semi-useless short sentences like “The teacher assigns the homework”, or “The dog chased the ball”. Language drills may be somewhat useful, but the real magic of language comes in real- time discussion – when you have to find the vocabulary and means to describe what you want to talk about – and palabea takes advantage of this.
As a teacher, you can create palabeas for free and earn money for them. You can generate online lessons via video chat, upload video tutorials, organize a teaching schedule and fix a price for your palabeas. Teachers can decide what and how to teach at Palabea. You can offer language lessons or help in specific areas like grammar, pronunciation or vocabulary, give online lessons, or create tutorial of the subjects or topics you are an expert on. Some of the lessons can be language oriented, or they could focus on other topics like math, history, baking, football, programing or anything you like.
I think that teaching online is a great way to reach out and help students that really want to use English. I know this might be a ‘different’ discussion, but I also feel that this type of teaching might alienate people that a) don’t know how to use the internet b) don’t have a fast enough internet connection for video chat and c) don’t have enough money to use the internet. Surely, helping people learn is great. But does it increase the digital divide? Only those people with the ability to complete the things I said above are able to use this kind of service! How can we include everybody in a service such as this, therefore decreasing the digital divide and giving everybody the same opportunities?