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How to Learn a Language with an Online Teacher | Langu blog

How to Learn a Language with an Online Teacher

How to Learn a Language with an Online Teacher

How to Learn a Language with an Online Teacher

Are you new to online language learning? Have you thought about Skype lessons in the past but not quite sure how they work? Here are some top tips to make the most of your lessons with your online language teacher — and to make sure your lessons are useful and stress-free!

1. Choose the right teacher for you

Studying a language online gives you the benefit of having an almost unlimited range of teachers to choose from. Use that benefit to make sure you choose one whose teaching style works for you and whom you simply like, so that you can look forward to your lessons rather than dread them. After you've selected a teacher you like based on their profile, it's a good idea to arrange an introductory lesson first. 30 minutes is plenty of time to get to know your teacher and ask them all the questions you have about their teaching style and experience. 

2. Use your trial lesson well

The trial lesson is a great opportunity to discuss with your teacher your specific needs and goals. Are you preparing for a specific exam? Or do you want to practice conversation to break your language barrier? It is also important that you be clear about how intensive you want your course to be - whether you want a lot of homework and a lot of self study, or whether you prefer slower-paced and more relaxed type of lessons, just to keep your language ability fresh and make slow and steady progress. The more detail you discuss, the better learning plan the teacher will be able to prepare for you.

3. Don't think of it as 'online'

Language lessons aren't so different than than face-to-face lessons. It's just that they're more convenient, usually cheaper, and to give you access to fantastic teachers who do not live close to you. Even though they're online, your Langu classes are supposed to resemble a face-to-face meeting as much as possible. As a matter of fact, they ARE conducted face-to-face, with the only difference you see your teacher in 2D rather than 3D. Make sure you create comfortable and work-like conditions where you can pay attention and focus on the language. And definitely don't turn off your camera! If you and your teacher can see each other's faces as well as hear each other's voices, very quickly you will feel like you're together in one room rather than miles away. Make yourself a nice coffee, sit in your comfy armchair and enjoy!

4. Come up with a solid note-taking system

Your teacher might share a lot of materials with you: they will type on the whiteboard during the class, and you will also have your own notes that you take during and between classes. It's very easy to get lost in all these different materials! The key is a solid system. Have a folder where you save all the documents and notes regularly, immediately after each lesson. One idea is to have a word document with all the lesson notes, with a clear header on top of each set clearly stating the date, and having folders for other materials, labelled e.g. "grammar", "reading exercises", "writing assignments", "vocabulary", "tests" etc. You need to come up with a system that suits you best, but it's important that you start the system after the first lesson so that you don't get lost.

5. Set up your schedule and commit to it

Setting up your schedule in advance makes it more likely that you will study regularly and reach your goals on time. During the first lesson, discuss with your teacher how often you want to study and agree on specific times. Scheduling lessons in advance will save you time every week to arrange a new time and it will also keep you more committed to your plan. And it's great for your teacher, too - they will have time to expect and prepare for your lesson. Of course, you can reschedule a lesson if something comes up, but having a regular schedule helps you stay committed to achieving your goal. 

Happy learning!! ?

Kategorie: Founders' Posts, Language Learning Life, Posts in English