Choosing a Spanish tutor is a challenging task, especially if you never faced that problem before. There are lots of features to consider, besides the money aspect. There are many different schools for teaching Spanish via Skype. Each of them can offer the services of dozens of teachers: native speakers and Spanish foreign speakers. How to choose "your own"? We will share with you some advice on how to select your perfect Spanish teacher.
Education Matters
An excellent Spanish teacher cannot be a manager or a doctor. They must have a higher philological education because only the teacher knows how to give the material correctly and effectively with such an educational base. The person who ended some Spanish courses and got a certificate might learn some basic words and phrases in Spanish, but they will not be a great teacher. A person can perfectly know Spanish, communicate in it, but teaching students is an entirely different matter. Pay attention to the professional achievements of the teacher. Do they have international certificates confirming excellent knowledge of Spanish? It is a plus!
Experience of Living In Spain
Did your teacher live abroad or did an internship under any other particular language program? It is a significant advantage. It means that a person has valuable experience of communicating with native speakers. It will be interesting to speak with such a person - you can learn about the cultural characteristics of different countries. The teacher would help you with modern slang, vivid idioms, and professional vocabulary if they had any experience working abroad.
Teaching Experience
Everyone wants to have the most experienced teacher, but not anyone gets that. However, teachers, even with three years of experience, cannot perfectly cope with their tasks. It all depends on the intrinsic motivation of each teacher. Don't focus on the years of teaching. You may find it more comfortable interacting with your peer who has been teaching Spanish for three or five years if you are young and want someone to share your views or experience.
Moreover, each experience is different. It is unlikely to be a reasonable basis for teaching adult students when a teacher has only ten years of experience working with elementary grades. All this time, the person communicating in Spanish with the children led them through the basics. It will be better for you if your potential teacher has been teaching at a Spanish online school for only three years. Such a teacher will be able to give you precisely what you need. Start from your goals when choosing a mentor: if you do not need to learn specific professional vocabulary, a teacher with any experience will do, the main thing is that you like them.
The Role of Spanish in the Tutor's Life
Ask how often the teacher uses Spanish in everyday life. A good Spanish tutor will say that they are constantly studying: listening to music, watching films, reading the news. They will not teach you modern Spanish if a person only uses Spanish in class.
Attention to Your Needs
The teacher should invite you to express your wishes regarding the lessons. Ask you about the intention of language learning and what vocabulary you want to master. The teacher will not develop the correct individual teaching methodology If they talk only about their experience and hastily determine the level of knowledge.
The Tools the Teacher Use
Your Spanish tutor must be a digitally native person, and they should have work experience with Skype or some other communication platforms. It will be a plus if they already worked with some other online language platforms. This way, the teacher has the proper methods and knows how to provide that with the digital tools, services, and platforms.
To Sum It Up
It is essential to communicate effectively in the introductory lesson. After that, you can understand whether the pace of the teacher's speech and his intonation is right for you. Notice how perfect it is for you to communicate with this person. The teacher should be flexible, easy to share with, and interesting for you, so the whole educational process goes smoothly, effectively, and everyone can enjoy that.
