In fact, some folks would argue that the traditional classroom is awful for teaching foreign languages because there is no opportunity for immersion in an environment which relies on entirely on that language.
For example, my niece minored in Spanish at the college level after taking 4 years in HS.
When she went to Spain for a semester abroad, she found her classroom learning didn't translate into real language proficiency. In fact, she learned more Spanish in a few months than she had in MANY years of, frankly, wasted classroom time.
From what I am hearing, distance learning needs to be integrated with something akin to a "homeschool program" wherein a parent or mentor is needed for young children. To say that distance learning cannot work because of age would bring into question the success that "homeschooling" has demonstrated.
That said, it is obvious that some work, lab sciences, for example, would require a deviation from the standard.
I think the entire effort here is to "rethink" the idea of learning so as to break the old paradigms that have become stale and wasteful and to rethink the entire concept of education and learning.
We have new technologies and new ideas.
IMO this idea of moving students forward in age groups without regard to their different interests and abilities (that themselves vary over time) is DEAD!
I do definitely agree that languages can be taught outside a traditional classroom; I’m not sure that “distance learning” is an effective method (because of the lack of chances for practice). Sorry for the confusion — I was just responding to the part about distance learning.
I also am totally with you that we have a lot of technology that can be very effectively used in education. Video conferencing and “field trips” (like those to colonial Williamsburg) provide amazing opportunities for kids.