I’ve been teaching Spanish here in the UK for almost five years now and am thrilled to see the number of students I teach increase year upon year. Since the beginning of 2016 I started to transition existing students over to OnLine lessons and offer OnLine lessons as a first option to new students. Some students embrace the change, others are more reserved. But what are the Pros and Cons of OnLine teaching? And why do I recommend it over face-to-face in person lessons? This blog post answers those questions…
Pros
Convenience – This is the No#1 Pro for both myself and students. As OnLine lessons are so much more less-time consuming. OnLine Spanish lessons allow you to login with your tutor anywhere, anytime on any device!
Eliminate travel time – With OnLine lessons you can totally eliminate travel time to and from lessons, whether that be the student or the tutor. With OnLine Spanish lessons you do not need to move from the comfort of your own home. So no more getting stuck in the after-school rush-hour traffic – bonus!
Reduce costs – Less travel time means less money spent on petrol 🙂
Environmentally friendly – No commuting means your car will not be polluting the environment with fumes. Yay!
Less stress – We don’t need to worry about delays or any of the many other unforseen things that can (and do) happen en-route to a lesson.
Ease of use – Online lessons are sooooo easy – Students simply log in, do a quick sound and video check… and hey presto the lesson begins. Yay! What could be simpler?!
Consistency – With all the resources being available OnLine Spanish students can be more consistent with their learning as they can access all the resources they need at any time of the day!
Improve computer skills – With OnLine learning Spanish students will become more comfortable using a computer and will also learn how to use different software, which in-turn prepares them for their future.
Widen friendship circles – With OnLine group lessons (I run group lessons for adults and children age 7+) students are connecting with others all over the UK and the World. Exposure to different cultures enriches language learning.
Cons
Erm…sorry can’t think of many at all except…
Initial expenses – the requirement of a computer & internet connection which most housholds have these days anyway!
Social situation – you may prefer having someone in person in front of you, but remember that the time it takes to open the door (and see them out) uses up precious Spanish language learning time.
How do OnLine lessons work?
I use an online conferening platform called Zoom . It works for me and my students and as I have group lessons that I hold online I pay for a premium account. The sound and video quality are excellent (far more superior than Skype) and it gives me the option of recording the lessons, sharing the screen and has chat too 🙂 Students access the lessons from Laptops, PCs, Tablets and SmartPhones, all they need is the private ID number I send them.
Lessons follow the same structure as face-to-face in person lessons and I even use many of the same resources but with the added bonus of all of these resources being available to the students online after the class in my OnLine classroom with Edmodo. I use Flashcards via Quizlet for vocab which allow students to test themselves and practice in between and prepare for lessons.
If you’re interested in learning more about OnLine Spanish lessons with me, then do get in touch kelly@adventuresinspanish.co.uk or leave a question or comment below. Alternatively visit my Website to find out more about the OnLine courses I run.
Adventures in Spanish Blog 