Online Language Learning SUCKS!

We have all had a very, very, very busy week or two. A lot of us traveled for Spring Break, and then we were all informed that we would be expected to return home as quickly as possible after our break, due to the hastily spreading Corona Virus (COVID-19). We quickly said goodbye to those friends and colleagues that we could, before being ushered off-campus by our parents. But alas, it gets worse: not only do we miss out on spending time with many of our friends and loved ones, but now we are being told to continue classes digitally from the security of our own homes. Being forced to take online classes is a huge bummer for most students, but it is even worse than it might first seem for those of us who are studying a foreign language.

Learning a foreign language is really hard work, especially when you're just starting. Those of us who decided to start learning a new foreign language this year find ourselves buried in the complexities of grammar, learning pronunciation, learning to read and write, and learning basic vocabulary. The difficulties we experience are compounded by the difficulty in picking up a new foreign language and the difficulty in transitioning to an online environment in which instructor feedback is less in-depth. This is sure to dampen the language learning experience and limit the benefits of learning a new foreign language. Without a doubt, students are going to struggle to keep up with rapidly ongoing new content and with students being scattered across different time zones, students are having to make massive adjustments to ordinary life in order to accommodate for their new schedules. Worst of all, students are losing access to their professors and to each other, decreasing access to practice materials with practices like simple oral or listening drills being much harder to coordinate.

Language learning is by definition not a passive process, it takes a lot of time, motivation, and practice in order to excel. The problem with moving classes online for foreign language students is that it affects how much time you can put in, it can diminish motivation, and it makes practicing much more difficult; it takes an active learning process and makes it pacific. This is dangerous for a foreign language learner, as it makes it much easier to fall behind, the effect of which being that catching back up will only become harder and harder the further behind you fall. It is unfortunate that we have to be put in such a situation, but of course, it goes without saying that we have no other choice given the rate at which COVID-19 is spreading. It is important to stay safe and to stay indoors, despite the difficulties that might pose on your language learning journey, and at the end of the day if you are dedicated and passionate enough about your foreign language of choice the hurtles presented to you today will be easily surmountable.