The subject of whether you should work with a professional English teacher or a conversation partner to help you improve comes up quite frequently. Before making this decision, you must examine a number of critical variables. Depending on whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced English learner, these elements will affect you differently. We’d like to talk about some of the things you should think about in this blog article.
Know your English level
If you don’t know at least 10-20 words in English, don’t understand basic sentence structures, and can’t compose complete sentences in English, you should get help from an English teacher. The majority of English teachers have been qualified to assist you in learning the fundamentals of the language. If, on the other hand, you already have a vocabulary of more than 500 words and are able to create basic sentences in English, a native English-speaking conversation partner will help you progress to the next level.
What do you think of when you hear the term “English teacher”?
Sadly, we live in an era where words like “teacher” and “expert” are frequently overused. Almost anyone may call themselves an English teacher, just like Yoga instructors, social media experts, and fitness coaches. You can obtain a variety of TESOL teaching certifications and certificates without ever setting foot in a classroom.
A better tactic for a student is to not get too wrapped up in the qualifications of your teacher’s presentation. Is it possible for you to communicate with your teacher? Can they provide you with adequate opportunities to speak English in class? Do they merely teach you the idea of grammar or do they actually assist you in utilizing it in conversations? First, ask these questions and then choose someone to assist you in becoming more fluent in English.
Theory vs. Practice
Another critical point to consider is whether you want someone to teach you “theory” or whether you require additional practice experiences. A formal English tutor might be the best fit for you if you need more help with theory. A Native English-speaking partner would be more appropriate if you are at an intermediate level and wish to practice speaking with some corrections. Most ESL teachers are more accustomed to working with complete beginners of English, so they are more accustomed to giving lectures in which students take notes rather than conducting conversational English classes.
Cost
In any life decision, the cost is always a concern. If you choose an English teacher, you will almost certainly pay more than if you choose a conversation partner. The question is whether the additional expenditure is justified. If your aim is to improve your English fluency, it might be a better investment to choose a Conversation Partner at a lower fee and practice more frequently.
Recommendation from Englishery
Start with a tutor if you’re a newbie. Select a conversation partner if you have already grasped the fundamentals and have studied English for a few years. However, you should always learn from a native English speaker to ensure that your accent and pronunciation are correct from the start. And remember: you can always find someone to speak with, just by joining our Discord group!