E-learning English Courses: "Inglese Smart" and "Effortless English" Distance Learning Courses

Adam Narbutt-Ryan, author of Inglese Smart, is from England and has lived in Rome for 3 years. Narbutt-Ryan's product is available in Italian and is addressed to Italians and other Italian-language speakers. A crucial difference between Narbutt-Ryan's learning approach and the second program described in this article, Effortless English, is the fact that Narbutt-Ryan offers both online and face-to-face learning. Effortless English is totally distance learning based.

If you chose to study with Narbutt-Ryan, you can choose one of the following programs:

• Verbs

• Grammar extra 1

• Grammar extra 2

• Modal verbs (can, could, would, must, have to, might, and may)

• Delexical verbs (do, get, give, have, keep, look, make, put, and take)

• Conversation lessons

• How to prepare for a job interview

• How to prepare CV (resume) and cover letters

• E-mail and other correspondence

An interesting and attractive concept used in Narbutt-Ryan's learning method is flashcards or "Biglietti Smart." Well-known as a learning media/aid, flashcards included in Inglese Smart are available for each of its courses/levels. This method allows you to study wherever and whenever you want. As Narbutt-Ryan says, they are really smart! Biglietti Smart allows you to study grammar, words, verbs, phrases–whatever you want, without any limits.

Inglese Smart provides a variety of flashcards collections, depending on the specific course program. Further, you can use one of these collections: grammar collection (tenses, prepositions, verbs, etc.), word collection (law, business, colloquial, marketing, etc.), and frequently used words (the first 500, 1,000, 2,000 in Italian and English languages). Some of the flashcard collections have more than 2,000 cards. Most students create a personal method of using the flashcards.

Another useful learning tool that both programs offer is “e-mail-a-day." Users can subscribe to the e-mail-a-day program and receive lessons on various topics.

A. J. Hoge is director of Effortless English. Hoge's instructional approach is distance learning based. At the very beginning of his online study trip, Hoge asks you to choose what you want to learn. You can select one of these goals:

• Speak English Easily and Fluent

• Understand English Automatically

• Use Correct Grammar When Speaking

• Improve Pronunciation

• Go to School in Another Country

• Get a Better Job Using English

• Make International Friends

• Understand English TV and Movies

• Feel Relaxed When Speaking

Once enrolled in the Effortless English distance learning program, you will receive an e-mail from Hoge each day. Your e-mail course will start with the first-day topic, which explains how you can understand instantly and learn four times faster. You will be sent one e-mail for each of the following 8 days. Every e-mail will contain a rule. The eight rules are:

1. Always study and review phrases, not individual words;

2. Don't study grammar;

3. A story;

4. Slow, deep learning is best;

5. Use point of view ministories;

6. Only use real English lessons & materials;

7. Listen and answer, not listen and repeat; and

8. How to improve your pronunciation.

Each of Hoge's lessons includes an audio file. With these files, you can choose where, when, and how you will practice and improve your English.

If you need to learn more about language or you just want to feel more confident using what you've already gained, I hope these two examples are sufficient to convince you to select the e-learning method.