We live in the information age.

Unlike in the 19th and 20th centuries when people were primarily needed to dig, manufacture and assemble things with their hands and sweat, over the past 30 years or more we’ve boldly transitioned into a global society in which knowledge and information are the standards by which we employ people for jobs in the future.

Because of this quantum shift toward information and globalisation, we need to become global citizens who can do business in languages that lead the world in commerce, technology and science. Today that language is Mandarin. While English is still the world’s lingua franca, Mandarin is the language that will compete with English in world markets as China extends its influence with mega projects like the ‘Belt and Road’ and so many more.

For this reason, it has become essential for successful international business people to learn Mandarin. In the past, this might have meant signing up for a language course at a private school or organisation where you would need to physically attend classes perhaps several times a week as part of a class of, say, up to 30 people or more. Often, this meant scheduling conflicts that would cause you to miss classes.

Today there is a new way of teaching and learning Mandarin that takes advantage of new information age technologies, helping millions of students across the globe. It’s called one-on-one e-learning, or (on-line learning) and it’s growing fast. But, why is it so effective? What are the advantages of learning Mandarin online?

Let’s take a closer look at the major advantages of online learning for those wanting to study Mandarin.

Online e-learning environments make use of a wide range of effective tools like videos, audio, interactive grammar correction tools, automation, chat boards, telephone, instant messaging, webcams, and many more. Teachers are applying new technology advancements to help keep students motivated to learn. Also, when making use of online multimedia, a student’s retention rate increases and teachers can correct mistakes before they turn into wrong habits.

Traditional classroom environments, due to their generally larger size, mean that you may not get the opportunity to slow down or even repeat parts of lessons without disrupting the teacher and the lesson. By contrast, online courses give you widespread freedom to focus, slow down and work on specific issues in Mandarin until you are satisfied you’ve mastered it. This ability to learn at your own pace creates a non-threatening, comfortable and safe environment, as well as ensuring a more comprehensive education in the language.

Online courses are adopting renaissance approaches to learning Mandarin. Today there is a whole host of lesson plans and multimedia tools to bolster skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking the language. In this setting, the teacher still plays a key role in fostering growth and understanding of the language, but the addition of other tools and resources help students learn and grow faster and more thoroughly than ever before.

Today’s Mandarin lessons operate from advanced computer programs, allowing online access to courses anytime, anywhere. This means that you can brush up on your tones and vocabulary during, say, your lunch break, or practice reading characters on your home computer before you head off to work. Now instead of unfocused ‘net-surfing’ late at night, you can take advantage of this time to work on your Mandarin. Online language courses like Mandarin are also the perfect on-the-go mobile teacher. Whether on the bus or train you can do your homework en route to and from anywhere. They're no more heavy books to lug around; it’s all on your phone.

The interactivity elements of online Mandarin learning set it apart from the traditional classroom experiences. Now, right at your fingertips, you have ‘click-to-submit’ review quizzes, automated games, plus a whole array of other computer activities. As a result, e-learning in Mandarin often blends tried and true learning tools with a highly interactive interface. If you learn better through the immediate gratification of instant quiz results and activity feedback, online Mandarin classes are certainly worth signing up for. Of course, when you subtract the time needed for language instructors to grade exams and worksheets, this too can accelerate the learning process, allowing you to help set your overall pace for language learning.

So, with the growing number of online Mandarin language learning sites out there on the web, which one can you choose to give you the best value for money?

LINGUABOX

LINGUABOX has formed six years ago in response to the pressing need to help train learners of Mandarin with effective online courses and highly researched methodologies. Founded by two highly experienced native Mandarin-speaking instructors from Taiwan, LINGUABOX took the online language industry by storm with its unique focus on individualised, bespoke training.

They recruited the finest instructors and still allow students to change teachers if they so want. 

LINGUABOX courses incorporate adaptive experiences for sharper learning including real-life circumstance, which has been proven to be the proper way to learn a language?

Students are taught using a host of interesting games, songs, stories and situational exercises, creating a new, fast and effective learning curve.

LINGUABOX as well as adopts an advanced conferencing system that is custom-tailored to make a revolutionary difference in clarity. They’ve eliminated video latency, which has long been a problem with many online learning systems. Students enjoy the excellent sound quality. You hear, see and learn everything as if you were in the same room with your teacher!