English Central
EnglishCentral (EC) is a commercial learning platform (CLP) that is ideal for individual learning, in-class language practice, or incorporation into a course curriculum. The website has several legitimate commercials, documentaries, movie trailers, news pieces, and speeches that provide substantial listening and speaking opportunities necessary for language development. Because educators cannot provide adequate classroom time or resources, a CLP like EC can assist bridge the gap. EC is easily available for tablets, personal computers (PCs), and smartphones, and its dynamic platform allows teachers to conveniently monitor and respond to student efforts.
The EC website, which the business calls as as "a YouTube for language learners", contains 15,400 videos covering a wide spectrum of student interests. Some videos were obtained through licensing agreements, but the majority (such as Viola Davis' 2017 Oscar acceptance speech or the recent address to Congress by big tech CEOs) are in the public domain. These are materials of significant relevance to students of popular culture and business, while other videos include science, travel, and food. They encourage students to put in the time and effort required to improve their listening comprehension and speaking skills.
Students find it simple to navigate the website once they become acquainted with it. Students can synchronize their phones with other devices such as PCs by downloading an app from the EC website, allowing them to resume their studies whenever they want. When logging into the EC website, learners can select a video from themes such as Business, Media, Social, and Academic, as well as the level of difficulty of the video (Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced). Users can change the speed at which a video plays, listen to it many times, and review the video's transcript. They can also acquire a dictionary definition by clicking on any word in the transcript.
Website: englishcentral.com
