Can online learning help Croatian ESL students achieve better fluency

The Internet and online learning have proved to be extremely popular, not only among the young. However, focusing on these recent advantages of the modern media requires some evaluation and warning. Hoping to master a foreign language using your PC to solve exercises given on thousands different web sites is an illusion created by marketing and advertising. The truth is that one´s language competences will be improved, but the evident problem is a lack of explanations and exercises which would help Croatian ESL (English as a Second Language) students. The differences between the two languages are enormous, Latin script being their only common feature. In spite of the disadvantages mentioned above, CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) can provide numerous benefits. This paper deals with these benefits, motivation and a positive effect on students´ approach to language learning and provides some hints regarding reservations about CALL. It also points out why learners´ autonomy is an important issue, deals with massive resource of authentic language, and gives reasons why such learners are more likely to continue learning once their classical course/school attendance has been completed.