5 Tips on How to Get the Most Out of Your Online Language Course (Group Lessons)
In the previous blog post, we discussed the tips on making the most out of your one-to-one online language lesson. Besides private lessons, many online classes are held as a group.
In this article, we will cover advice on what you can do to get the full benefit from group lessons.
Participate in in-class group activities
A key benefit to online group classes is that it allows group exercises. During the lesson, the teacher might arrange a session for group discussion, and provide assistance alongside. Throughout the exercise, you get to learn from each other through examining each other’s language. Make sure you are actively involved in those group activities as they are helpful practice in improving your language fluency.
Pay attention when your classmates ask questions
Be all ears when your classmate asks a question during the class. Asking questions is a part of learning, the more questions you ask, the more answers you will get. When one of your classmates asks a question, it might relate to a doubt you may have as well, or even a question you didn’t think of. It’s a good opportunity for you to clarify what you have learnt. By all means, you should also raise questions but you ought not to neglect the importance of learning from other’s inquiries.
Create a study group with your classmates
Language practice has to extend beyond the classroom. With time limitation in class, it is often encouraged by teachers that you practice on an extracurricular basis. Being a student in group lessons, you don’t have to spend extra time finding the right person to practice with you because your classmates are already your best study buddies. They strive for the same learning goals and studied the same material as you, so why not apply what you have studied with them? Befriend your classmates, exchange contacts and schedule regular practice session with them.
Share notes with your classmates
Jotting down notes during a lesson is fundamental for your learning as you need them for review after class. The notes serve as reminders of significant subjects. Sharing and exchanging notes with your classmates is a mutually beneficial practice to supplement and enrich your notes. The vocabularies, sentence patterns, commonly made mistakes can all be marked down into your notes as a guide of learning.
Find the right teacher
Just like for a one-to-one setting, it’s important to make sure the teacher’s personality and teaching style suit you. Even though there are reviews provided on websites, it’s still better to do your own research since different people have different preferences on learning approaches. Some might prefer a stricter teacher to keep themselves disciplined, some might prefer a more laid-back teacher for a less stressful learning environment. On FluentUp, our language schools would already have done the screening for you to ensure that all teachers are highly qualified. Furthermore, many schools offer free trials that allow you to try before you buy. This allows you to find the right teacher for you in no time!
Check out our first part of the article where we discuss how you can maximise your learning efficiency from one-to-one lesson. Some tips are also applicable to group lessons. Don’t miss out!