Are you used to learning online?

The November edition of Spotlight shows you how to get started learning online. We've got a list of links to download as a PDF. This month, we'll be introducing new ways to make the most of the Web for English. To start off, we'd like to encourage you to meet some of the people who write online activities for learners like yourself. Many are English teachers, just like the online writers here at Spotlight.

The way we used to learn online was to do interactive tests and download materials published professionally. But the read/write Web, or Web 2.0, with its new, free applications, has made it easier and easier to write blogs and wikis, and create and upload files. Teachers are now publishing their own, up-to-date multimedia lessons, inviting you to join in the kind of activities and discussions you are used to having in a regular English class. This means you have a far greater selection of lessons and can practise your English much more actively than you used to.

Nik Peachey takes things a step further: He thinks you'll learn even more by creating your own media. He shows you how to download free software, write and record yourself in English, and upload your files to platforms like YouTube. If you like technical challenges, you'll quickly get used to doing his motivating Daily English Activities.

This week, compare the things we used to do online with the things we are getting used to doing today, and pick up some online tips on the next page.

Anne Hodgson