Online lessons may be the best solution for you if you want to learn English as a second language or improve your language skills. But finding the best online language teacher can be challenging because there are thousands of online platforms and millions of online teachers.
Knowing the advantages of online language learning, where to find a professional teacher and the characteristics of quality teachers will help you make the right decision.
5 steps to the best online English teacher
Here’s how to find the perfect online language teacher for your language needs:
Step 1 – Learn about the benefits of learning English online
Not only is teaching English online a modern way of learning a foreign language, but it is also incredibly useful. The most important advantages include:
- You do not need to be resident in an English-speaking country.
- You have to pay less than personal private lessons.
- You don’t have to travel to work, and neither does the teacher, which will save you time and money.
- You have the option of choosing video-based or audio-only calls, depending on how you feel as a beginner or an advanced learner.
- During the conversation, you can use various online tools such as translators or dictionaries.
Now that you know why having an online language teacher is a good idea, let’s find the best one for your needs.
Step 2 – search in the right places
Just because there are many online language learning platforms today does not mean that they all have excellent language teachers. That’s why it’s important to know where to look for your perfect English teacher online.
Some of the best language learning websites are LiveXP, Preply and Italki. These platforms are known as the best of their kind because they have excellent teachers who can help you learn English and any other language effectively and quickly.
Step 3 – Traits of great online language teachers
A good teacher is aware of the learning process in the brain. This means that they will use appropriate techniques, give you valuable advice and expect realistic results from your language learning process.
- They know that it’s impossible to learn all the new vocabulary and you won’t feel bad about it.
- They connect with you to find out which learning method is best for you.
- They know that learning through associations, jokes, mnemonics and patterns is effective.
- They reduce the amount of homework if you notice that you are exhausted and even encourage you to rest as this is important for effective language learning.
- They truly love the language they teach. They show this by talking about comedians, musicians, poets or writers and know a wide range of idioms and sayings.
- They are passionate about teaching languages and can’t wait to share their knowledge with you.
Step 4 – Factors to consider
When choosing a teacher to help you learn English online, keep the following factors in mind:
- If you want to learn American English, choose an American teacher, not an Australian or British one
- If you feel more comfortable talking to a man or a woman, choose a mentor of your preferred gender
- Determine how much you want to spend on a tutor and find out how much they charge
- Check for sufficient experience and/or relevant education and certification
- Read their reviews to find out if they are effective
- See if they offer trial courses as this can help you figure out if it’s a good fit for you
Step 5 – Questions to ask
Once you’ve found a potential teacher, ask them the following questions to see if you like their teaching style:
What does your typical teaching lesson look like?
Ideally, you want a teacher who will focus on pronunciation and speaking with things like reading aloud, pronunciation exercises, and asking you to perform prepared or unexpected monologues.
Will you give me my homework and when will you correct it?
Grammar and writing should also be included in your learning process, but preferably outside of your teaching time. Your online English teacher should correct your homework before the lesson begins and review it within the first five minutes.
Will you explain the grammar terms?
The best online language teacher can explain any grammar concept so that you can understand it easily. This means that you should not book a lesson with the first native English speaker you find on a language learning platform. However, this may not be so crucial if you just want to practice talking.
Read more Author: Zayn Tindall Zayn currently works as an English teacher at one of the renowned colleges in New York. He even worked as a career counselor for the last 5 years. Zayn likes to spend his free time reading educational books, novels and writing educational blogs and articles.
Categories: How to
Source: HIS Education