As the Internet grows, there are more and more opportunities to students to study English using a wide variety of types of Internet resources. Especially for English language students in countries where English is a foreign language -- that is, where English is not used in everyday life -- these resources are important, because they greatly increase the opportunities for using English.
One potentially useful Internet activity for language students is "chatting," that is, communicating in real time by typing a message into a computer, so that it can immediately be read on other computer screens, even computer screens in another part of the world. Some sites on the Internet are specifically intended for non-native English speakers, and they provide opportunities for non- native English speakers to communicate in English.
The opportunity to use language in interaction plays an important part of language learning. The more the learner interacts, the more language he/she has an opportunity to learn, and the more language he/she learns, the more input he/she can solicit in order to learn more language.
However, many language students, particularly those in foreign language situations, do not have the opportunity to use English extensively outside of the classroom. In addition, language learners in a foreign language situation may have difficulty even seeing English as a means of communication.
Even non-native English speakers who live in an English-speaking country may feel that they do not have enough opportunity to use English, or may prefer chatting on the Internet because it is less stressful than using English face-to-face.
For language students who wish to be able to communicate in English on line, the Internet provides an important opportunity to learn English.
In general, to use the Internet is to communicate. The main purpose of the Internet is to connect people all over the world to share information, experiences, and opinions. Because the Internet is a natural resource (i.e. not a textbook created for the purpose of teaching a language), it contains real language. As students navigate their way around the primarily text-based Internet, they must read and write in English, which helps them acquire the language....
