The pandemic has taught us valuable lessons. We’ve had to adapt and broaden our horizons in many different ways in order to keep things running. And one of the key takeaways is how much we can actually accomplish without leaving the comfort of our homes.
Now that working from home has become so commonplace, many people are also looking for online courses as an alternative to in-person classes. The same applies to online English courses, which abound these days.
Learning English online offers more benefits than attending a physical language school for many different reasons. Aside from saving on transportation, you can more easily adjust the time you dedicate to learning the language and attend the classes from any location.
With that in mind, Cambly’s English team has drawn up a guide on how to choose the best online English course for you. Read all the way to the end to find out how to pick the best online English language institution.
How to Choose an Online English Course
You should be careful when choosing an online English course if you want to avoid wasting time and money unnecessarily. Some of these tips may seem obvious to you, but many students forget to consider certain key factors, only to end up disappointed and frustrated.
Here’s a list of some of the factors you should take into consideration when choosing your ideal online English course. Each one of them will be described separately below.
- Try out the digital platform before signing up
- Find out if the course is also available as a mobile app
- Look into the course methodology
- Take a placement test
- Read everything you can find about the tutors’ qualifications
- Make sure the course offers good technical support
- Ask if the content can be customized.
Try Out the Digital Platform before Signing Up
Although many online English courses offer an interesting learning methodology and quality content, their digital platforms can often be disappointing. So, make sure you try out both their websites and their mobile apps before signing up.
A great option is Cambly’s intuitive, glitch-free digital platform.
Mobile Version
Another factor to bear in mind is whether the platform offers a mobile version of the course. This will make it possible for you to learn English anytime, anywhere!
By the way, Cambly is currently available for all smart devices. Start learning English today!
Learning Methodology
If you want to avoid disappointment after you sign up and pay, investigate what learning methodology the course you’re looking into adopts beforehand. Try to find out if the classes focus on helping students develop a full set of skills, including listening, writing, speaking, and reading.
With native tutors specialized in a wide range of subjects, Cambly helps you develop all the skills you need to become fluent in English.
Tutor Qualifications
You should also assess how qualified the tutors are. This way, you can make sure you’ll be learning from highly qualified professionals who can most definitely help you become fluent in no time!
Cambly’s native tutors from all around the world are excellent at helping students master all aspects of the English language.
Take a Placement Test
Before starting an online English course, you should take a placement test to check your English level. Otherwise, you’ll have to start the course as a total beginner. If you have any prior experience learning English, that would be a total waste of time and money.
That’s what placement tests are for. The one designed by Cambridge University is great and very reliable. And you can take it online!
Student Technical Support
You should also consider whether the course offers good technical support. Remember you won’t be able to talk to anyone in person in order to find a solution to whatever problems you may experience.
So, before you sign up, find out everything you can about the technical support provided both for the digital platform and the course as a whole.
Custom Content
Also, if you’d like to make the most of your online English learning experience, you should look into content customization. After all, each student has their own specific needs. And a huge benefit of learning English from home is you’ll be able to work with the tutors to customize your own classes.
So, before you sign any contracts, ask if the content can be customized, meaning, if you’ll have a say in choosing your favorite topics for discussion and other factors, such as the methodology.
Both Cambly and Cambly Kids allow you to collaborate with your tutors to pick topics for discussion according to your preferences and needs. This is to help ensure you’ll become fluent in English as fast and efficiently as possible.
Cambly Kids
Last but not least, in case you’re a parent seeking to invest in helping your child learn English online, ask the courses you’re looking at if they’re specialized in teaching kids. Cambly, for example, has an entire team dedicated exclusively to children. It’s called Cambly Kids.
The Cambly Kids methodology uses games, songs, and various interactive activities under the guidance of native tutors to make learning English fun for kids. Classes are recorded and made available to parents so they can also watch them, too.
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