Common to all good language tutors is a lifelong passion for language instruction and dedication to making language learning possible and enjoyable for students of all types. But there are also four other key attributes that you should pursue when hiring a lanaguage tutor.
Whether you are studying for a standardized test, preparing for an overseas trip, or writing an essay, mastering a new language can seem challenging, but with a supportive and discerning tutor helping you through the process, it doesn’t have to be.
If you are embarking on a new language, consider these attributes as you look for a language tutor:
1) Flexibility
With so many language teaching and learning strategies out there - total immersion, grammar-translation method, task-based learning, or situational teaching - you need a tutor who is flexible and can work with your learning style.
2) Creativity
New languages don't come easy to a lot of students. A powerful language tutor is willing to present a lot of different types of exercises and activities to make sure that you are able to grasp the concept. If a tutor is stuck in his/her ways, there's no way you'll be able to crack a troublesome rule.
3) Perception
Like any academic tutor, a language tutor needs to remain one step ahead of the student to make sure that they can spot grey or sticky areas in advance. As you work with someone over an extended period of time, you start to learn how their brain works and what kinds of concepts are the hardest, in order to pre-empt any frustration along the way.
4) Support
Any language tutor knows that learning a new language can be intimidating. Students say: I'll never be able to speak! Then a few months later, surprise!, you are a regular Don Juan wooing Spanish ladies with fluently spoken verse. To master a new language, it is important to work with someone who is supportive and patient, and who can effectively help you overcome any grammatical or memmorization hurdles.
Comments