Learning a language is without doubts a daunting task and while it takes time, money and commitment, having a private tutor could be the determining factor to stay on track and keep the motivation high. Although private tutors don’t come cheap, they are not a waste of money. Having somebody who is invested in your learning, who is familiar with, and can empathize with the kind of learning difficulties that you are facing means that you’ll have a much better chance of reaching your goals in your target language. You’ll have a better chance of picking up native-like pronunciation, and you’ll in general feel more motivated to succeed with the discipline of meeting with, and being accountable to somebody. However, without a little hard work, and clever use of your private tutor, you’ll soon find that your investment in your education isn’t as effective as it could be.

Here are 3 avoidable mistakes when you opt for private tutoring:

• Using tutors as your only source of practice. Do not limit yourself to that once-a-week interaction. There are other ways to expose yourself to the language, such as films, radio, native speakers, etc.

Pro tip: Use your tutor as a guide for the tricky stuff. For general day-to-day speaking and writing practice, find a free alternative.

• Not setting a consistent schedule. Whilst it is tempting to schedule lessons when you have time, it can be detrimental to your learning. In my experience as a teacher, the students that attended lessons regularly are the ones who make the most rapid progress.

Pro tip: Set a clear schedule with your tutor and make it your top priority to stick to it.

• Not reviewing past lessons. The time between lessons should be a productive one for a learner. Reviewing old material regularly, noting down questions and asking them to your tutor, is beneficial to your language learning progress.

Pro tip:  Make sure you consolidate and summarize what you have covered during your lesson.

 

If you are stuck in your language learning journey, do not hesitate to give us a shout! We offer a free consultation with one of our teachers, level evaluation, and guidance.