Have you ever paid for English classes at a language school?
What was it like?
Did you improve? A little? A lot? Not at all?
Would you do it again?
The reason I’m asking is because last week some of you told me your dream method and 23% chose language classes at the British Council.
For me, that was a real mystery because when I was giving private lessons in Prague and I met a new student it was always AFTER the student had been to the language schools.
They signed up for lessons at Berlitz or Wall Street English, and even at the British Council, they sat in a classroom with a bunch of other students, and after a few months they realized they were spending a lot of time but not making real progress.
So they called me.
That was my personal experience.
Here’s what the research says:
In 2001 the U.S. Department of Education tested immigrants who didn’t speak English as their native language.
They tested their English after they just arrived, and they tested it again some time later. Now here’s the surprising discovery they made:
Students who did NOT take English classes improved more than those who did.*
Wow!
Not good advertising for the language schools….
And now it’s your turn!
Have you paid for lessons at a language schoo?
Please share your experience below.
Thanks!
* https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2001/2001464.pdf
Well I paid for some English classes. It helps to be more confident and keep practicing the English by speaking and listening. From that classes I knew new words that I’ve never heard before. Overall, it could help and improve the English language but not to high level.
“but not to a high level”… I agree. Thanks
Thank you it’s good point,I’m agree with you, and this problem could be in programs or the methods or teachers them selves.
Hi. I had a lot of experience with on-line english school. Skyeng (russian) – it is good for start (begiinner, pre-intermediate, intermediate). This school made on Oxford workbook. It is interesting platform, cause it has instruments that measuring you progress. But the problem is that you repeat class as it was at school. Another problem is temp. Are you faster, or slowly – doesn’t mention – plan will not be change. More precisely, only the teacher can change it, and he is not always able to do it on the go. When you need more reading or speaking – you have to do exercise. but you haven’t enough time for all english activities in a real life.
The next one was – EnglishDom (on-line school) – it was better for me cause i had more time for speaking with a teacher, and only a few time for an exercise.
The next one was – EnglishTochka. They was a good idea – daily phone call! Every day a teacher called me, and we had phone dialog fo 15 minutes. But they was video lessons, that wasn’t effective. Of course, you can rewatch lesson more than one time. But you don’t do it.
The next one was Slava Titiov banana english club. This is good idea. You have a short lesson every day, and short homework with back short message from your teacher. It’s more effective than one or two lessons per week without back resume. What was not good for me – that so much talking is in Russian. I Think it is good for beginner.
And now it is Mr.Vig short storys, and really akcent on habit. I agree. It is the main goal. And making english habit – is real challenge.
Sorry, for mistakes in previous message . As you advised, used Grammarly service to correct it. it’s the result:
Hi. I had a lot of experience with online English school. Skyeng (Russian) – it is good for the start (beginner, pre-intermediate, intermediate). This school made on Oxford workbook. It is an interesting platform, cause it has instruments that measure your progress. But the problem is that you repeat the class as it was at school. Another problem is the temp. Are you faster, or slowly – doesn’t mention – a plan will not be changed. More precisely, only the teacher can change it, and he is not always able to do it on the go. When you need more reading or speaking – you have to do exercise. but you haven’t enough time for all English activities in a real life.
The next one was – EnglishDom (on-line school) – it was better for me cause I had more time for speaking with a teacher, and only a few time for an exercise.
The next one was – EnglishTochka. They were a good idea – a daily phone call! Every day a teacher called me, and we had phone dialogue fo 15 minutes. But they were video lessons, that wasn’t effective. Of course, you can rewatch a lesson more than one time. But you don’t do it.
The next one was Slava Titiov banana English club. This is a good idea. You have a short lesson every day, and short homework with a back short message from your teacher. It’s more effective than one or two lessons per week without a back resume. What was not good for me – that so much talking is in Russian. I think it is good for a beginner.
And now it is Mr.Vig short stories. He makes aсcent on habit. I agree. It is the main goal. And making English habit – is a real challenge.
I never experience attending language school as none exist in my home country. But I think i can see both the pros and cons.
I would agree to some of the testimonies that an institution that allows more dialogue sessions will surely bring greater blessings to students.
Enrolling language school is one of the available ways to learn English. Every way has its own advantages and disadvantages. Enrolling language school was the only affordable way to learn English back when I was a teenager. When I immigrated to Canada, passing certain language level by taking an exam for specific English class was one of the requirements to enroll specific major in college/university.
Remark
I am learning English language, I speak it, but noticed that I have some difficulties to catch information when the Native speakers American English are making a conversation. During my second year at the University. We had a course which is called Listening and Comprehension, that was very difficult for me. And still now I notice. This weakness. I need an advice to treat this sickness. Please.
Well I also paid for English language class. I observed that the method of teaching was not good. They had been writing to us grammar, vocabulary but didn’t practice speaking.As a results I could not speak in the same language. I am agree with you.
Thank you it’s good point, It helps to more confident and keep practicing the English by speaking and listening. So please shear me regular for this section.
Hi there,
I have attended several language schools. When I was at a secondary school I signed up for a course at Berlitz – and it helped me to gain the confidence and improve my marks at school. So over all it was beneficial.
During my university studies I have attended several Summer language schools organised by my uni. These were three-weeks intensive courses. And they were very helpful as well – also because of the fact that there were also native speakers taking their sort of TEFL course, so we had our lessons in the morning and early afternoon and then there was also a free time programme in the afternoon and evening where we could take a part in different activities (sport activities, trips, games, parties etc.) together with those native speakers and we could communicate with them in real life situations. My last year there I also took that “TEFL” course, so my classmates were mostly English speakers, and that was really good.
I have also studied another language at a language school – and that experience was not as good as the previous ones. I was as an exchange student in Sweden for one term and when I came back to Prague I wanted to keep the language I had learnt there so I started to go to a Swedish course – but I didn’t learn anything new and just used what I remembered from my stay in the country and slowly forgot most of it.
In the last few years I have been thinking about taking a course at British Council… so maybe one day 🙂
No, I have never vomited in the United States. I live in Somalia, a country plagued by conflict and war. I am very interested in learning English. I have seen advertisements. Many people praise you. My life is based on less than a dollar a day. Please, I can’t afford to pay for your education. Please help.
I improved my English a little bit but still need your support or more exercises. I think also that I don’t the same level as my colleagues and this could be one of the reasons why I don’t attend the society class, dispute my difficult management of my time cause of hard work.
I really agree to your rules, Mr. Vig. And thank very much for that. Now I am trying to explain those rules to my students in Public school, in Cambodia. You know, all students in each public school in Cambodia cannot speak English even they have learnt it for 12 school years. And if you do me a faver, please tell me more how to improve their English so that they can use it by their needs.
hello, my name is Fely Eilinger and i am from Philippines. i learned English at the school but just a little bit. in order to improve my English i tried to read books and magazines. if there is a word that i don’t understand i searched it in the dictionary. i know my English is not yet well improve and i wanted to learn more. thank you for your help.
I have never stayed or visited America &UK. I have learned basic English Grammar rules at school.My problem is carry out conversation with confidence with seniors.I am afraid of being Judged.
I want to get rid of this fear.I have found many good suggestion from MrVig vitamins 😊.I think it is very important who is listening and talking to us.Conversations are successful when carried out due to some need and people are not familiar to each other.The main purpose of their conversation is to fulfill the need.
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Yes , I invested money for spoken English classes. If that could have been helped me I never would have been subscribed your English page.(please someone correct my English grammar here)
I have been to language school but it didn’t work for me … i want to learn more but now i am scared from lnguages school. They do just time with students nd earn a huge amount of money from them
I agree, language schools, for the most part, do not help students.