People always say that you need to speak English in the modern age.
Speaking English as a second language can help you find better jobs and improve your career so don't miss your opportunity to learn the language.
How can you learn English and practise it as a non-native speaker?
Should you attend a school where English is spoken, go to a language centre, or work with a private tutor?
Here's some advice on English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL).
How Much Do ESOL Classes Cost?
What is the average cost of English tutoring?
Language courses aren't free, but learning a foreign language is becoming more popular as people see the benefits of speaking other languages.
Whether you're learning English for professional reasons or personal reasons, you'll still need to choose who will help you improve your English.
Searching for "English courses" won't really help much as you'll have too many results to go through and will find it difficult to make a decision.
The most popular search results are often the most expensive options as they have the money to advertise.
What else can you choose?
One-on-one private tutoring is an excellent option for anybody wanting to learn any language.
You can find beginner, intermediate, and advanced lessons to help you improve your language skills.
On the Superprof website, for example, you can find lots of experienced and qualified private English tutors. Look at their profiles and see what their other students think of them by reading their reviews.
The cost of private ESOL tutoring will depend on your level (beginner, intermediate, or advanced), how many lessons you need, and your tutor's qualifications. Look for ESOL tutors who work near you and carefully read the reviews left by their other students.
Keep in mind that the cost of ESOL tutoring and English lessons will vary according to where you live with tutors in certain cities charging more than others.
Generally, tutors in larger cities tend to charge more because their cost of living is greater than those living in the countryside.
Make sure you know how much tutors usually charge before choosing a private ESOL tutor so that you pay a fair price.
In some cases, travelling farther to your private English lessons can save you money so consider broadening your search for tutors if the local options are too expensive.
Don't forget that you can also find ESOL tutors online from all over the world, which means their English lessons might be cheaper.
A tutor's hourly rate will depend on the tutor themselves as well as where they live.
If your tutor is currently a student, for example, they'll probably charge less than a tutor with a degree.
If you want to learn conversational English, master idiomatic expressions, or speak with an authentic accent, it's a good idea to work with a native English-speaking private tutor that focuses on ESOL.
Get More Value for Money from Your ESOL Lessons
Have you made sure that your private tutoring is good value for money?
One of the best ways to improve your English and speak more fluently is by working with a one-on-one private ESOL tutor.
This means you can speak with your tutor about any issues you may have and arrive at each lesson with questions on pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, etc.
It can take a long time to learn any language so make sure that you focus and pay attention in each of your lessons. It's important that you set clear goals and a learning plan for every session so you can make sure that you're progressing as you should with your English.
Here are some tips for getting the most out of your English language lessons whether they're face-to-face tutorials or online lessons.
Focus on Your Weaknesses
You won't progress if you only focus on the parts of English that you're good at. Whether it's verb conjugations, reading and writing skills, English listening skills, technical vocabulary, or difficult pronunciation, you have to work on the things that you aren't very good at in English.
Your private English tutor can let you know which areas they think you should spend more time practising.
By doing this, you can optimise your private English lessons and get the most out of every class.
Do Your Homework
For students who are still in school or at university, you'll likely have homework from your lessons to do, too.
While it may seem quite annoying at first, doing your homework for your private English lessons will help you learn English more quickly.
Your private tutor may even be able to help you with the English homework you get from school and answer any questions you may have about it.
You can even work with a private English tutor to help you with an upcoming English test or exam or revise certain topics and grammar.
Private English tutors can also help with the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC).
Speak English
One of the best ways to get better at any language is by speaking and speaking English will get you into the habit of using the language. Conversation in any language will help you gain fluency and become a more confident speaker of the language.
Pronunciation is an important part of learning a language and will help you to communicate better with speakers of that language.
Make an effort into speaking English well and improving your pronunciation and it'll greatly help you on your way to becoming fluent.
How to Choose the Right ESOL Teacher for You
With so many private English teachers around the world, how do you choose the right one?
We know that taking extra private English lessons is an excellent way to quickly improve your language skills because private language lessons are tailored to you and what you want to learn.
It is also easier than trying to teach yourself as your private English teacher can correct mistakes, guide you, and put together entertaining lessons for you.
You can learn English with private tutors face-to-face, online, or even in small groups with other students wanting to learn English.
Choose Between a Qualified Teacher or Student Tutor
The right choice depends on what you're looking for from your private English lessons and what your budget allows.
You might feel more comfortable learning from a fellow student who's a similar age to you or maybe you prefer the professionalism of a qualified English teacher.
Some students prefer an academic approach in their private English tutorials whilst others like casual conversation to practise their language skills.
For students who enjoy more freedom when learning a language, working with a native English speaker is probably a better choice.
You also need to be consistent with your English lessons. Make sure your tutor can regularly schedule lessons with you so you can get into a good routine.
Which kind of ESOL tutor you choose will also depend on the type of English you want to learn. If you need to learn business English for work, then you will need to be taught by a specialist rather than just do a language exchange with a native English speaker.
You can always learn business English to find jobs, too!
Make a List of Your Requirements when Looking for an ESOL Tutor
A good English language tutor has to be patient with their students, adapt their teaching to the student's preferred learning style, give their students as many opportunities to practise English as possible, and motivate them to keep practising when they get to the trickier parts of English.
So where can you find such an English tutor? It's a good idea to start with adverts in local businesses, tutoring agencies, and just asking your friends and family if they know any English speakers or English tutors.
There are also tutoring platforms and websites such as Superprof where tutors advertise their services to potential students and students can search for tutors for almost any subject or skill.
ESOL Tutoring for Parents Who Don't Speak English
Some parents of pupils learning English also need help with their English, which means they can't help their children with their English as much as they'd like.
Here's Our Advice for Parents Who Are Also Learning English
- Try to learn English with your child so you keep up with them.
- Try to regularly speak English with your child.
- Avoid translating English into your native language word for word.
- Speak with your child's English tutor.
- Buy English textbooks and resources that relate to what you and your child are learning.
- Take extra English classes either online or in the evenings.
How Long Does it Take to Learn English with a Private ESOL Tutor?
The time you take to improve your English skills depends on a number of different factors.
Your Starting Level
Naturally, the less English you know when you start, the longer it'll take you to master the language. Absolute beginners will need anywhere from a few months to an entire year to grasp the basics, whereas if you already have the basics, you can start improving your English more quickly.
Your English Tutor
How quickly you learn English will also depend on the people yu choose to work with. By working with a private tutor rather than learning on your own, you can greatly reduce how long it takes to master the English language.
Of course, this is only true if you choose a quality private English tutor.
Different tutors will be right for different students so make sure you find the right match. A lot of tutors offer the first lesson for free so you can see what they're like and make sure they're a good fit for you and your language learning goals.
If you're looking to improve your pronunciation, accent, or fluency, it can help to work with a native speaker so they can properly correct you.
You'll also want to ensure that your private English tutor uses resources that are right for your level of English so that you're challenged without being overwhelmed.
Your Input
How you learn English depends mostly on you and how much work you put into it.
If you have the time and the drive, you can always work with private English tutors and do an intensive language course.
English is a complicated language and the vocabulary, grammar, and irregular verbs can all cause problems for students.
Rather than struggling with these for ages, why not get them out of the way by doing an intensive English language course?
It takes a lot of practice to speak English well so make sure you're regularly working on improving your English.
By setting yourself weekly goals, you'll find yourself making more progress.
Don't forget to make the most of your opportunities to speak English, even if this is in conversations with strangers.
If there aren't any English speakers near you, you can always practise English with online tutoring. This means you can practise English at home almost whenever you want.
You can learn more English with apps like Duolingo or through quality English-learning websites like the British Council or BBC Learning English.
The internet is full of opportunities to use your English outside of your private English lessons.
Finally, the best way to improve your English language skills is by immersing yourself in the language by spending time in English-speaking countries and communities.
Spending time with an English-speaking host family or as an au pair will give you lots of time to practise English.
Studying abroad also means you can immerse yourself in English-speaking culture while also gaining an academic qualification.
Whether it's the UK, the US, Australia, or New Zealand, going to an English-speaking country will help you improve your English and also impress potential employers!
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