Taking a Skype Spanish Class with a native teacher is a definitely a more effective and efficient way to learn Spanish than taking traditional group class: you can book a class at any time when you are free; you can take the class anywhere at your comfort -your home, your office etc. and save travel time; you can have the whole attention of your teacher dedicated to your language needs; and the price of a Skype Spanish class is so affordable (as low as USD15/class) that it beats group classes.
So you have scheduled your first class with your Spanish teacher, what next?
In this blog post we will walk you through 4 steps that help you to maximize your gain from the Skype Spanish Class:
1. Check your internet connection and Skype sound quality
An abrupt disconnection is perhaps the most awkward thing that can happen during your class. A poor sound quality would also make you and your teacher unable to hear each other. So the first thing you may want to do before your class is to check your internet connection and Skype sound quality.
To check your internet connection speed click here
The recommended download/upload speeds for Skype are as follow:
Calling: 100kbps/100 kbps
Video calling/Screen sharing: 300kbps/300kbps
(From Skype help page)
To check the Skype sound quality, open “contacts” on your Skype and you will find “Skype test call” which allows you to make a test call to test your sound.
2. Know your goal and level of Spanish
One major difference between Skype Spanish classes and traditional group classes is that it has no fixed syllabus. Your teacher will design your syllabus based on your need(s). So it is important for you to have thought of your goal for learning: do you want to focus more on grammar or on practicing conversational Spanish? Do you have a special aim for learning Spanish, such as for travel or business?
Knowing your level will also be helpful for you to know what your next level to achieve would be. Have you studied Spanish before? How long have you been studying? Have you taken any Spanish exams like DELE? All these information will be helpful for you to gauge your own level.
3. Communicate with your teacher
Talking to your teacher about your goal and your level would be very helpful for your teacher to prepare appropriate teaching activities and materials that help you to achieve your goal. Write your teacher an email a few days before the class!
4. Giving feedback
After the first lesson, it would be good for you to write to your teacher and give him/her some feedback. Telling him/her what you like about the class, and what you think can be improved. Your teacher would appreciate your feedback, and it would also help to work out a learning method that suits you best in the future lessons.
Other than your language gain, Skype Spanish classes can help you to build local contacts in Spain or Latin America, and your teacher can be your important source of information for travel and local culture!
Enjoy your first Spanish class!
Click here to book a Skype Spanish class with our native teachers from Spain and Argentina.
3 free and fun ways for practicing Spanish!