Learn a Foreign Language over the Internet

Individualized learning can help a person of any age move through a subject at his or her own pace. This can be accomplished through private lessons, a mentor, or using the Internet.

There are some excellent free Internet resources for learning foreign languages.

• LiveMocha—Livemocha fuses traditional learning methods with online practice and interaction with native language speakers from around the world. It aims to create conversational fluency. Since launching in 2007, the Livemocha community has grown to over 12 million members from over 195 countries. The site offers both free and pay-for activities. There is plenty available in the free section to make a good start. In addition to the more common languages that are offered, one can also take Arabic, Bulgarian, Hindi, and Indonesian to name just a few.
• Radio Lingua Network—These courses are mostly audio-based, so you can download the lessons and listen on your iPod. French and Spanish are the staple courses of Radio Lingua with free audio and written materials. (You can pay for even more materials.) In addition to French and Spanish, there are courses available that are not as in-depth. These courses are available in 24 different languages, from Catalan to Zulu and Polish to Portuguese.

At least for some subjects, individualized instruction may be the best way to learn. Remember that there are options outside the school setting to learn at one’s own pace.