Things to Know When Considering an Online English Teacher
Learning a foreign language has never been easier than in this new era of technology. With so many platforms offering English tutoring, such as Cambly, VIPKid, LiveXP, Kahoot, Preply, Verbling, and WyzAnt, you can easily find an online English teacher that will help you learn it better and faster.
All you have to do is choose from the variety of options available and you can start improving your English right away, without even getting out of your pajamas.
Even though learning in person is believed to give the best results, online learning has plenty of benefits as well. In fact, it’s the best option for so many people who prefer learning English in the comforts of their own home TEFL Certification.
The question is, are you ready to say goodbye to photocopying boring worksheets and using outdated textbooks, and learn English using cooler resources in a much more comfortable environment?
If the answer is yes, here are a few things to know about the whole process.
When to Consider Getting an Online English Teacher
If you still doubt whether you need to look for an English teacher online, here are a few occasions when getting one is a really good idea:
· When you want to use so many cool resources like online apps, games, quizzes, and YouTube videos that will make the learning process more fun and easier
· When you want to learn in a comfortable environment (what’s more comfortable than your own home?)
· When you want to learn it by speaking with a native speaker
· When you have troubles with learning the language
· When you need help with grammar
· When you want to improve your pronunciation
· When you need help with assignments
· When you want to learn at a faster pace
How to Choose the Right Online English Tutor
If you decided that getting an English tutor online will help you learn the language better and easier, you should know how to make the right choice. Here are a few tips that will help you pick the right one for you:
· Their country of origin — if your goal is to learn American English, find someone that offers American English tutoring, not Australian or British English. Speaking to a native speaker will help you pick up the language, its accent, and pronunciation a lot easier. Therefore, choose a tutor whose native language is the one you want to learn.
· Their gender — the gender has nothing to do with how someone teaches, yet it can help you feel more comfortable when talking to them if they are of a specific gender. This is individual, so try to think if you feel more comfortable talking to a male or female, and take this into consideration when choosing your English online teacher.
· Your budget — choose your tutor depending on how much you are willing to spend on your online English lessons.
· Their experience — pay attention to the number of years of experience, as well as the type of education and certifications they have.
· Their rating — most online English teaching platforms have rating systems, which means you can see teachers’ “grades” and reviews left by previous students. This is a great way to see if they are successful as teachers, so use this information to choose the right one for you.
· Whether they offer a discounted or free first class — some online teachers offer sample classes that can help you see whether they suit you.
Where to Find Them: Top Online English Teaching Platforms
Here are some of the best online platforms where you can find excellent English teachers:
- LiveXP
- Preply
- WyzAnt
- Verbling
- Tutor
- Chegg Tutors
- Noodle
- VIPKid
- Cambly
- iTutorGroup
- Kahoot
Other Things You Can Do to Learn English Faster
Learning English with an online English teacher is even more effective if you combine it with other ways of learning that will keep you motivated between your lessons. This can be anything, from reading newspapers and emails to subscribing to an English-speaking podcast.
Here are few suggestions on how to learn English when you don’t have lessons with a private tutor.
Read Everything You See
This includes websites, paperbacks, books, emails, newspapers, your social media feed, and anything else in English. In this way, you’ll learn plenty of new vocabulary from different topics that will inspire you to start interesting conversations with your teacher.
Take Notes of New Words
Once you see a new word or phrase, write it down in your online notebook by using it in a sentence. In this way, you’ll remember its meaning more easily.
Subscribe to YouTube Channels or Podcasts in English
There are numerous YouTube channels or podcasts on every topic you can imagine. Find a few of them with topics that cover your interests, subscribe, and watch while commuting or listen while driving.
Don’t be surprised if you can’t understand everything at the beginning because of native accents, but don’t give up and you’ll soon notice you understand more and know a lot of new words.
Ask Questions and Find the Answers
Allow your curiosity to help you improve your English by asking questions. You can make a list of questions to ask your online tutor on your next lesson, or try to find the answers on your own on language websites, blogs, or forums in English.
Not only that you will learn something new about your favorite topic, but you will also learn some new vocabulary.
Don’t Be So Harsh on Yourself
When you start learning a new language, it’s only natural that it’ll be challenging at the beginning. Don’t expect immediate results and set realistic goals. Learning English or any other language takes time and patience.
So, if at some point you feel like you’re stuck and that you’re never going to learn it, remind yourself that it may not be easy, but it’ll be worth it. Remember that you’re better today than you were one week ago.
Conclusion
If you’re trying to learn English as a second language, an online English teacher can be of great help and speed up the process of learning. There are plenty of online platforms where you can find the perfect tutor for you and learn the language from the comforts of your own home.
And, don’t forget the other ways of learning English that will help you pick up the language even faster.
