Learning a new language is a daunting task for most adults. For years, these skills were gained primarily through full immersion experiences or in structured classroom environments where verb drills, grammar and writing exercises, vocabulary lists, pronunciation guides and conversation practice were used to teach mechanics and syntax. Beginning in the 1990s, auditory and visual products, such as tapes, CD-ROMs and DVDs, were added to language instruction toolkits to introduce students, whether enrolled in a course or engaged in self-directed learning, to other authentic or practical aspects of a culture. Most recently, language instruction has become both affordable and accessible thanks to the growth on the internet and popularity of Web 2.0 and social networking technologies.
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