I’m currently taking Mandarin Chinese. Some of you may be wondering how since the only foreign language class that’s offered at Chapman is Spanish. Well, the class isn’t in person, it’s online. 

And that comes with some issues.

Online learning is a lot different than learning in person. You work at your own pace and set all but your most important deadlines, with no face-to-face instruction. There’s also an added layer of complication when considering that the class is on a foreign language.

It’s a lot more complicated to learn a language instead of a subject like math, which has strict rules and doesn’t change no matter where you live. There’s only one correct answer and usually only one way to achieve it, simple enough to put in an online lesson with a rigid structure.

Languages, however, are fluid, with hundreds of different ways to teach them and a multitude of differences in pronunciation and writing. 

Learning online is too limited, with stiff lessons that can’t adjust to the student’s strengths or weaknesses. It also doesn’t help the student retain knowledge with lessons that focus on speed instead of fluency.

There are some advantages to learning online, like the accessibility of remote learning and the availability of teachers who don’t have to be put on payrolls or assigned classrooms. However, I believe the advantages of learning in person still outweigh the benefits of online learning. Acquiring a language happens naturally through exposure and conversation with others who already know that language, something that can’t happen online.

There needs to be someone for the student to converse with, and online learning doesn’t provide that. The lessons simply don’t have the same effect of regular conversation in actually learning and practicing the language. Constantly hearing the language in conversation is essential in learning the particular pronunciation of the language and picking up new words.

Online learning is just not effective in the long run. It can’t measure up to learning face-to-face when it comes to picking up a new language.