An idea

[Jagos]

Currently, I was thinking about forming a website built around language.

As I see it, it's going to be a place that people go to in order to learn a language with a little more hands on experience.

There will be other subjects and there's a lot happening in the background.

I won't go into too many details, but I was wondering if anyone would be willing to learn if such a site went up.

Feel free to ask questions. I should have the site set up in (hopefully) a three month time period.

[rpgdemon]

How would you teach someone the language?

[Jagos]

It'd be set up similar to a school semester. There would be a teacher who gives you the content and resources.

The content would be from a number of sources including Youtube as well as a few other places like Live Mocha. If the teacher can't answer a question, it doesn't mean there's not a bigger community that you can't get the answer from.

Note, this also includes homework. I figure classes could be 1 1/2 hours long if need be, shortened or lengthened if someone wants to stay over or time doesn't permit.

[Magus]

Hmmm. On the one hand, the only language worth learning is English. On the other hand, one must know the languages of ignorance in order to teach people the true language of English.

Are you going to charge anything or will it be financed through ads?

[Jagos]

No, don't plan on charging.

It'd be either ad based or donation based. Haven't quite decided on that part.

If anyone is interested in teaching languages themselves, I'd love to talk to them.

Bear in mind, while I talk about languages, the idea is extending to other areas as interest increases. Maybe someone wants to learn how to use music software or how to program. Just at this current moment, I'm working to base the curriculum in what I know as a language.

[Kim]

I'd be up for taking classes on that site. I wouldn't be able to teach, but if you needed help with non-teaching stuff I'd at least see what I could do to help. I like the idea.

[Pip Boy]

If you're offering online classes for "languages" you might get people to throw in a few programming languages as well. While there may be an obvious large difference between the two, the way they're learned isn't all that different. Grammar, syntax, nouns, verbs, conjugations... they're all there in some form or another.

[Magus]

How would it work? Would it be more like a study group with a tutor or are you looking for people who have degrees in languages? I mean, the tutor is good enough in a way, but are you expecting teachers to plan actual lessons for the group in order to teach them the language or is it more where you have access to basic knowledge and you get together to help your fluency?

[Jagos]

Currently working on the logistics. Basically, it's going to be part forum, part social gathering with a teacher that is in a field of study.

In my case, I'm teaching Japanese to others.

As I have it planned, I'm making a lesson plan for these people as well as ensuring their development by making materials for them to use such as Youtube videos of hiragana and katakana (with me writing it through Camtasia). Some things are easier to teach than others. Again, this idea has just barely come up and I'm still ironing out all of the kinks to it.

There is a system in place to give people a chance. What I see as a fallacy on most websites is that they don't offer a personal touch. So that's what I'm looking to give to a community based around an interest. No degrees are required, but if you want to teach a subject, it'd be preferable if it's something in the arts and sciences. In other words, I'm not really interested in having teachers teach Modern Warfare 2 tactics.

Currently, the interest is Japanese and music. So as you learn more, you'll find out more about both Japanese culture as well as Japanese writing.

[rpgdemon]

How are you gonna differentiate between teachers, and people who are spreading misinformation? Or the people who are terrible at teaching?

I mean, I know french, and I can speak french, and I'd be able to make up a curriculum to teach how to get angry french people, while pretending to teach actual french. What's to stop someone who's a jerk from doing that?

[TDK]

That seems like a huge time investment just to piss people off.

Oh wait, this is the internet.

[Bob The Mercenary]

Why don't we make our own language and teach it? I'm sure you'd get extra points for conjugation and verb tenses.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

We can get Blues to teach Bluespeak.
And I can teach SMB tpying.

[Jagos]

How are you gonna differentiate between teachers, and people who are spreading misinformation? Or the people who are terrible at teaching?

I mean, I know french, and I can speak french, and I'd be able to make up a curriculum to teach how to get angry french people, while pretending to teach actual french. What's to stop someone who's a jerk from doing that?

There would first be a limit on how many people can be taught on a class.

Again, I can't go into all details at this time since the idea is still being fleshed out.

But just like a school system there are people to focus on just those very problems such as deans or teachers.

And no, Klingon, or Bluespeak. I want people to come back. XD