How to learn conversational English online
How to learn conversational English online
With the development of the Internet industry, learning English has become more accessible. But making the right choice of an effective online resource is not easy, as over the past five years, Skype courses have been gaining popularity, and a growing number of schools and sites offer distance learning.
Content
Methods and stages of language learningHow to choose English courses on Skypeconclusions
Methods and stages of language learning
Skype Conversational English courses involve a variety of methods:
discussions – when the accumulated knowledge of the basics of grammar is used for the correct construction of statements;testing – after passing a certain topic, diagnostic training tasks are offered to consolidate the material;consistent systematized vocabulary development – each lesson contains grammar and vocabulary. After a month of training, you can consciously, without rote cramming, master about 400 English words and more than a hundred expressions, each topic has its own lexical base;viewing authentic video material and listening to audio recordings;modeling of plots – the student offers options for the development of given initial life situations;news review – the listener in English retells messages selected from special podcasts to the teacher;reading – promotes visual memorization of printed phrases and words, which improves writing and speaking skills.
After checking knowledge, the tutor determines which methodology is best for a particular student to study. Usually, no more than three basic learning techniques are used to overcome the language barrier.
Learning spoken English on Skype is divided into three stages:
80% of the time is devoted to talking, 20% – reading any literature in English. You need to do this every day.This is followed by « academic English ». A letter is added to reading and conversation. Read and ponder what is written. Start with a variety of topics, progressing from easy to hard. The information will be systematized on a subconscious level, the vocabulary will be significantly replenished, and you will be able to talk on simple topics.After mastering spoken and academic English, change the formula: now read 80% of the time, and spend 20% talking.
It is important to follow the sequence, and then in a year a solid stock of English phrases will allow you to communicate freely with foreigners.
How to choose English courses on Skype
Courses can be selected in several ways:
Based on reviews on the Internet. But you need to be careful, as they do not always correspond to reality. Pay attention to the details described, the more detailed one of the students tells about his studies, the more likely it is that the experience is real and not written to order.Help from friends. Do not be lazy to find out if your friends and acquaintances have studied spoken English on Skype. If there is such experience, they will advise a suitable option and explain the details.
What you need to pay attention to when choosing online English courses:
Ask for the professionalism of the teachers. It is desirable that the tutor has experience of working abroad, higher specialized education, reviews in the profile. Learn about the lesson method. It is important that 80% of one lesson is devoted to speaking. This will help you learn English as quickly as possible.Find out what is included in the tuition fees. Online training in conversational English on some services is free. However, paid lessons with a tutor will help you achieve better results. It is good if their cost includes not only dialogues with the teacher, but also teaching materials to reinforce knowledge.The schools’ websites have a fixed price with a payment method. Some courses require calculations for several lessons at once, clarify this nuance so that learning spoken English is as comfortable as possible for you.Ask if the money is refunded, when you can work out the missed classes, is it possible to cancel the lessons without debiting the funds from the account.Find out from the graduates of the courses how their training went, whether they received enough knowledge.
On the sites of Internet courses, all this information is publicly available, do not be lazy to devote time to viewing it.
The most promising and highly qualified schools.
| School name | How is the training going | Availability of free lessons | Availability of individual lessons with a tutor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skyeng | 75% of the lesson is occupied by communication with the teacher, 5% of the time is devoted to writing, listening, reading, vocabulary and grammar, the entire array of materials being studied is stored on the Vimbox platform, where classes are held. | The first lesson is free, the rest are paid according to the school’s rates. | Yes |
| EnglishDom | The tutor devotes most of the time to live communication with the student, which develops listening comprehension skills and the ability to express one’s thoughts, and additional teaching materials are issued to gain knowledge in the field of writing, grammar, listening, vocabulary and reading. | Introductory rock is free, further education is paid according to the school’s rates. | Yes |
| Melene | You will learn English on Skype, you can choose classes with a native speaker or a Russian-speaking tutor, the main part of the lesson is aimed at communication, they will help you get rid of the accent, put your speech correctly, and your vocabulary will expand significantly. | Introductory lesson – free of charge, then – at the rate of the school. | Yes |
| Ninnel | Individual lessons are conducted with a tutor via Skype, the main part of the lesson is aimed at communication, which improves listening comprehension skills, develops the ability to express one’s thoughts in English. The student receives free educational materials in digital format to reinforce the acquired knowledge. | An introductory lesson is free, then tuition is paid at the school’s rates. | Yes |
| « White Rabbit » | For the free expression of thoughts in English and overcoming the language barrier, the tutor most of the lesson talks with you on specific topics, also attention is paid to such important components as Grammar (grammar), Listening (listening to English speech), Reading (reading), Writing (writing) … | A trial lesson to determine the initial level of English and learning goals is free, then – at the school’s rates | Yes |
| Go International | The learning process includes expanding vocabulary, developing listening comprehension skills, increasing the general level of proficiency in a foreign language, overcoming the language barrier, setting the correct pronunciation, gaining in-depth knowledge of grammatical norms, role-playing games, topics for discussion and dialogues. | An introductory lesson is free, further education is paid according to the school’s rates. | Yes |
| PROLeed Lingua | You start speaking English from the first lesson, which helps to quickly overcome the language barrier. The school uses author’s teaching methods and innovative « chips » that help to quickly assimilate new information, interactive presentation of the material motivates students. | A trial lesson is free, then tuition is paid according to the school’s rates. | Yes |
| LinguaLeo | The service allows the user to study independently with the program prompts; lessons with a teacher via Skype are also possible. The site has collected a huge amount of training materials and assignments that will help to significantly improve the level of proficiency in spoken English 123helpme.me. | Training can be free or paid – it depends on the chosen course and the type of account. | Yes, but only with a paid account. |
| Puzzle English | A fascinating interactive platform for learning English contains a huge array of educational materials, you will study on your own with the help of games, watching movies and TV shows, listening to music and other boring tasks. There is also a course that allows you to view online classes of a teacher with students and complete assignments. | There are paid and free accounts. | No. |
conclusions
Conversational English courses on Skype are a full-fledged analogy of home tutoring lessons, only in a light version. The schedule is built with a focus on the student’s employment, the teacher adjusts to his desires and capabilities.
There are no outdated school rules, solid grammar: each topic is worked out on simulated life situations, in dialogues, discussions, on video and audio material. Homework also includes oral assignments.
Courses are cheaper than offline classes with a tutor, and there are often good discounts. All conditions have been created for a comfortable and easy learning of the English language.
