Live Mocha

Website: www.livemocha.com Mimi had mentioned this language learning website in class, and since I am trying to learn Russian right now, I decided to give it a try. Before I created an account, I looked around on the website, read about their method, and checked out the FAQs. After having done all of that, I made the decision to create an account. It was free, so I really had nothing to lose. When you first create an account, you are asked what your native language is, and what language you wish to learn. After that, you are asked at what level you are in the target language. You are then enrolled in a course of study based on the level you chose. For example, I indicated that I am a beginner in Russian, so I was placed in Russian 101. The courses are designed in units; three for each level. Russian 101 has Units 1, 2, and 3, Russian 102 contains Units 4, 5, and 6, and so forth. Livemocha's approach to language learning is based on the Whole-Part-Whole learning model. I am not sure if anyone is familiar with this approach, but it was new to me so I had to read about it first. There are three steps involved in this method: demonstration, deconstruction, and practice. So first the students watch or listen to native speakers involved in a conversation. In the next step, the situation that the students saw in the demonstration is broken down into its vocabulary and grammar points. Lastly, students have a chance to practice what they have learned using interactive activities. The experience that I have had so far with livemocha has been very positive. The model they have adopted works very well for me, and I think it has helped me to learn a lot so far. Another great thing about livemocha is that you have access to instant feedback on your progress. You have the option to receive help from native speakers For example, one of my assignments was to create five sentences. I wanted to make sure I did it correct, so I sent it to one of the native speakers in the livemocha community. I usually get feedback within 5 minutes and it is very encouraging to see a "great job" or "keep it up" message in my inbox. I think this website is a great tool for the classroom because it can be used to supplement the teaching that goes on in the classroom. I would recommend this program to language teachers because it can really help struggling students or even those that want to challenge themselves.