How to Learn Chinese: Are Chinese Online Courses For You?

With a huge portion of the world being native Chinese speakers, and with the commercial rise of mainland China, it's safe to say that learning Chinese is plenty worth our time. And with online language learning improving rapidly, you have to ask yourself, "Should I take Chinese lessons online?" The answer to that question is, "Maybe." This post is going to tell you how to decide if taking Chinese lessons online is the right choice for you personally. To understand your learning situation even better, I suggest that you also read this article, The 3 Types of Chinese Language Programs.

Are you pressed for time?
Most of us have pretty busy schedules these days. If that includes you, you'll want to consider taking Chinese lessons online. Why? Because you can complete your online course from the comfort of your own home, from your office, or from your favorite cafe. Wherever you decide to study, you won't have to commute. You won't have to show up early for class, and you won't have to wait in line behind other students just to get a few minutes of speaking practice with a native Chinese speaker.

Do you want to get the most of your money?
Well, of course you do, but not all inexpensive products are good value. When you opt for Chinese lessons online, this is not the case--they are great value for your money. Why do they offer so much for so little? Because the business model is very efficient. First, the product is digital, which means it takes no expensive raw materials, like paper, to produce. Second, all instruction is pre-recorded, which means that it's not necessary to continually pay for expensive teachers and staff. Finally, there is no need for a classroom, and no expensive rent means much lower costs.

Are you looking for social interaction?
I tend to learn better when I sit down in a quiet place and study on my own. Others, though, get bored or distracted quickly if left alone. If you need social interaction to learn effectively, you may want to consider taking a classroom-based course. If you're more like me, on the other hand, you'll prefer taking Chinese lessons online. Also, I tend to be a bit shy when learning a new language--I get embarrassed easily. Because if this, I feel much more comfortable practicing my pronunciation in the comfort of my own home. How do you feel? If you're a bit shy or easily embarrassed, you should definitely take Chinese lessons online.

Can you make a Chinese language learning plan and stick to it?
When you take Chinese lessons online, you are not given a whole lot of structure. You study what you want, when you want to study it. For some people this is great. They like to set their own schedules, and they are good at sticking to the plans they create. Others are not so organized. You have to be honest here. Are you going to be able to make a learning schedule and stick to it? If so, then you should take Chinese lessons online. If not, you may want to go with something that offers a bit more structure.

Should you take Chinese lessons online?
If you are an independent person who is capable of making a Chinese language learning schedule and sticking to it, then, yes, you should take Chinese lessons online. If, on the other hand, you are someone who gets bored and distracted easily, you may want to consider a more structured option, or at least ask someone to be your study partner. Whatever you choose to do, I wish you the best of luck.

Stop by the Live in Asia Blog to learn even more--and have a little fun!