Rocket Languages Courses vs. In-Person Instruction
Posted on 27. Jan, 2011 by admin in General
If you’re looking to learn a new language, you’ve probably looked into the different options you have in how you receive your language instruction. There are many different methods available out there, from schools, to books, to audio discs, to software. One thing is for certain, there is no better way to learn a language than to completely immerse yourself in it. Unfortunately that usually requires moving to a country where the language you want to learn is the primary one. That is out of the question for most people, so what is the next best option? In this article we’ll examine the benefits, drawbacks and differences between in-person instruction either at a school or with a tutor, and Rocket Language courses, which are some of the best interactive software and audio based courses available.
Effectiveness:
One can argue that in-person tutoring either in a class or with an individual instructor is the next most effective way of learning a language. Speaking to a real person, who can provide customized feedback and help correct accents, pronunciations and offer advice is incredibly valuable when learning a language. The Rocket Languages courses on the other hand can not provide this kind of live interaction. That make up for this by designing their lessons to be as interactive as possible. Rather than just have the student listening to and mindlessly repeating phrases like most audio courses, Rocket Languages courses focus on conversation that the student can get involved in. In this sense, in-person courses probably are more effective, but Rocket Languages courses do a very good job of standing in and providing a level of interactivity that most home-study courses don’.t
Convenience:
From a convenience perspective, in-person tutoring and classes at language schools or colleges are often out of the question for most students. People just normally don’t have the time to dedicate to a learning environment with a set schedule. At a school, you’ll need to take the classes on their schedule, meaning you’ll need to change your own to fit. With tutors, you’ve got a bit more flexibility, but the meetings still need to be booked, which doesn’t leave a lot of room for any potential changes. With Rocket Languages, the schedule is completely in your hands. Because the lessons can be loaded onto your iPod or a disc, you can take them anywhere and work on them anytime. You’re in complete control of not only when you study, but at what pace you progress through the course. Based on this, it is clear that Rocket Languages courses are far more convenient for busy students than in-person learning.
Cost:
The discrepancy between the cost of the two methods of learning is very large. A class at a college will cost you hundreds and hundreds of dollars, and if for any reason you don’t take in the material well the first time, you’ll need to pay again. Schools also often break their classes down into beginner, intermediate and advanced levels, so that to truly get a complete education in a language, you need to take multiple expensive classes. In-person tutors are also costly. Often costing well over $20 an hour, if you see one twice a week, you’d far exceed the cost of a Rocket Languages course in the first month alone. The Rocket Languages courses offer you not only a low one time cost, but they can be repeated over and over again at will because once you’ve purchased one you have lifetime access to the material. The difference is clear, and if cost is a concern, then the Rocket Languages courses are definitely the way to go.
