Learning a new language is one of the most challenging and rewarding things you can do. As an expat, you might not have much of a choice in the matter. Learning a new language might be a requirement for the job. It may be a necessity for navigating life in a new country. Or maybe it is something you always promised yourself you would do to make your time overseas as rich and memorable as possible.
No matter your motivation, it鈥檚 nearly impossible to do on your own. Working with language tutors is imperative, but the choices can feel overwhelming. Here are the pros and cons of several different options.
Enroll at a Language School
Language schools offer the most structure. They are the perfect learning environment for someone who thrives on routine and deadlines.
The language tutors have teaching credentials, experience, and references. And their curriculum is balanced. It includes grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, and conversation.
Some language schools issue report cards and completion certificates. This is great if you鈥檙e studying a new language for both personal and professional reasons.
However, language schools are not for everyone. The formal curriculum may be very dry and unimpressive. As such, it鈥檚 not the best environment for someone who needs a relaxed, social, stimulating environment to learn.
And, of course, language schools can be expensive. They鈥檙e not necessarily the best option for an expat on a budget.
A less expensive, more flexible option is to hire a university student. University students frequently moonlight as language tutors.
It鈥檚 common to see ads offering their services on bulletin boards, in the student newspaper, and in online forums.
For many expats, working with a university student is the perfect solution. Young students can identify with expats.
They know what it鈥檚 like to be in a new place and start a new, challenging phase of life. University students often speak multiple languages, which is very helpful for bilingual expats looking to add another language to their skill set.
And students can even serve as de facto tour guides if you want your lessons to take place at a different museum, cafe, or public park each week.
But working with university students isn鈥檛 ideal. Their exam schedule could interrupt your routine. They might transfer or graduate in a semester鈥檚 time. And there will be no report card or certificate at the end.
Find Tutors Through Your Network
University students aren鈥檛 the only 鈥渦nofficial鈥� language tutors out there. Not all expats live close to a university 鈥� or identify with the younger student demographic. But there are plenty of alternatives if you know where to look. Start by accepting the help that you鈥檙e offered.
When you move to a new country, you鈥檙e bound to run into people who generously say, 鈥淟et me know if there鈥檚 anything you need!鈥� Take them up on that offer. Ask the neighbor across the hall who they would recommend for language tutoring.
Follow up with the HR rep at your new job and get a list of resources. Take the boss鈥檚 spouse up on their offer to socialize. Invite them out for coffee and do a little brainstorming.
A retired public school teacher, a stay-at-home parent, a struggling actor, or a freelance writer may appreciate the opportunity to supplement their income and share their culture.
Just be clear on what you鈥檙e expecting from the arrangement. Do you want structured lessons with vocabulary, grammar, homework, and assignments? Are you okay with helping them improve their English while they teach you their native tongue?
Take Online Language Lessons
You can also work with a language tutor from the comfort of your home. Online tutoring and language lessons are becoming increasingly popular.
Your arrangement could be as simple and informal as meeting over Skype to practice your vocabulary. You could hire a private online tutor from a reputable service like .
Or you could enroll in a more formal program like There are even amazing language apps that help support learning a new language. Working with an online tutoring program has several advantages.
Your lessons continue uninterrupted when you travel out of town. You can schedule lessons very early or very late in the day. And you don鈥檛 worry about transportation, the weather, child care, or interrupting your workday.
Depending on your preference, you can easily have several short lessons each week instead of one long session. You can even do it in your pajamas!
Therefore, it鈥檚 the perfect setup for someone who learns best in their own comfortable home environment, and it can be very accommodating for an expat who prefers several short lessons a week instead of one longer session.
However, online tutors don鈥檛 force you to get out of your comfort zone. You are rehearsing what to say at a cafe, but you鈥檙e not actually doing it in real time. It lacks the immersive experience.
Online learning might be affordable and convenient, but you run the risk of only absorbing the information on a theoretical level.
You still might find it hard to test your new skills in the real world. In conclusion, this option might be best to supplement working with a tutor at a language school or in a public setting.
Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Language Tutor
No matter which style of study you choose, there are a few key points to consider when approaching a new language tutor.
Ask prospective tutors what a typical lesson will look like. How do they structure them? Do they assign homework? Will they correct it prior to your next lesson?
Does your prospective language tutor have a background and training in teaching grammar? Grammar is a difficult subject to teach, even for native speakers. Without it, your tutoring sessions are essentially conversation practice. And that is still extremely valuable! But you should be paying less for conversation sessions than for language lessons.
Can they provide references? Can you speak to a previous client about their experience? What did they find the most rewarding and the most aggravating about the experience?
Can they pass the initial meet-and-greet? Do they show up on time? Do they actively listen to you? Are they organized, polite, and personable?
Learning a new language and finding a great language tutor can be awkward, but it鈥檚 also very rewarding. A good tutor should put you at ease and make every step of the learning experience an exciting one.
Vanessa Chiasson is an award-winning Canadian travel writer with over ten years of experience. Her work has appeared in major publications, and she draws on living in France, Ireland, England, and Malawi to bring global insight to her stories.
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