If you want to learn English online, you can now arrange online lessons that can be conducted wherever you are in the world. With English being one of the primary universal languages in the world, the need to communicate effectively in English is undoubtedly an invaluable skill. Learning a language, although satisfying, is not an easy task. Many times, I have met people who have told me that they wish for nothing more than to be able to speak a second language, but they just can’t find the motivation, time or ability to do so on their own.
Knowledge of the English language is very important in ensuring the success of a student in an ever-growing international world. As an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher, I can confidently say that it’s easier now, more than ever, to learn another language, especially the English language. You no longer have to learn and study it alone, and even one to two hours a week can drastically improve a student’s ability to use English more freely and creatively.
Additionally, you can save even more time by learning English online with a tutor. With all this amazing technology you can connect with anyone, even an ESL tutor, simply with the click of a button. You can learn English without even having to leave your home. The issues of finding motivation, time or support are no longer problems anyone has to face.
I currently have one online student who shows great enthusiasm at the prospect of finally understanding and resolving all her previous English mistakes with my help as an ESL teacher. With the support of a tutor, improving her English is no longer a frustrating chore that she must find time in the day to tackle herself.
I love seeing her moments of pride and joy during our lessons, especially when she has mastered what previously was a continuous grammar, spelling or pronunciation error. With my help, she has also identified mistakes that she herself did not realise she was making. After working with my student online for only a couple of weeks, I could already see improvements in her writing and her reading skills.
A typical online lesson with my student involves dictation, listening to audio books, reading out loud, writing tasks and grammar activities. These are all vital tasks that I feel my students need to complete in order to improve their overall understanding and use of the English language. However, sometimes a student simply needs to have an informal conversation with another person, in order to help with their confidence and speaking skills.
Even with great motivation and time, I feel that it is only with support from another person can a student be pushed past that final hurdle of complete confidence and fluency of English, and any language for that matter.
My advice for anyone who is considering learning English online with a tutor, is to just enjoy it and to utilise your tutor as much as possible. Trust your tutor and don’t be afraid to make mistakes in front of them. You are a learner and therefore, bound to make some mistakes. This is perfectly normal and if anything, makes your tutor happier, as they will then be able to identify your weaknesses and help you turn these into strengths.
Make what you want to accomplish known to your tutor, there is nothing wrong with taking control of your own learning and linguistic direction. Not all students are the same, therefore, what each student needs and desires can be very different. Some students need to focus on their speaking skills, whereas others may speak fluently but have trouble with their writing skills. Make what you need clear to you tutor and I guarantee you that they will use all their experience and knowledge to tackle that area, in order to facilitate your transformation into a well-rounded user of the English language.
Use your personal language textbooks and grammar books in lessons. A good practice method is to complete tasks in these books, so that your tutor can then go over them with you during the online lesson. Listen to your tutor carefully when speaking and then try to imitate them when reading to yourself or aloud. Imitation, although a gradual process, is the best way of improving your English pronunciation. If you know of any bad habits you have concerning your English, inform your tutor in the very first lesson. By making them aware of this, they can then plan relevant activities and tasks to ensure that you cease to make these kinds of mistakes.
Even if you learn English online with a tutor, at times you will still need to be independent in your acquisition of the English language. Therefore, attempt to master and use what you have learnt in the lesson every week. This could either be a grammar rule, new vocabulary or even a tense that you do not normally use on a daily basis. As I have stated before, learning a language is difficult for anyone; so take advantage of an online ESL tutor’s knowledge and experience, to make it a little less daunting, but just as satisfying as if learning it on your own.
by Vanessa C: private home and online English tutor