How to Choose a Private English Teacher

One of the best ways to learn English is to study with a private teacher. In fact, individual classes allow students to have all of the teacher’s attention and to benefit from specialized classes according their educational and didactic needs. From the first class, a good teacher will determine the level and abilities of the student as well as their communicative and practical needs.

But, how do you choose a good private teacher? The market offers many opportunities through specialized sites, agencies, and private advertisements. Anyone can present themselves as a language teacher and the incorrect choice can result in a waste of both time and money. To avoid making the wrong decision, it is necessary to take into account the appropriate requirements for a good teacher, in addition to periodically evaluating your progress and satisfaction.

Knowledge

One of the main aspects to consider is, without a doubt, the teacher’s training and their linguistic knowledge. Many believe that a native teacher is automatically a good choice, but this is not always the case. Being a good speaker of the language does not necessarily make you a good teacher. Rather, a good teacher will have adequate training from the linguistic point of view as well as from the didactic point of view, which they could have obtained through experience or high-level linguistic certifications like the CELTA, which is awarded by Cambridge University. Find a teacher who has a good CV and that demonstrates a good knowledge of the language.

Method

Another important aspect to keep in mind is their method. A teacher who is more traditional, that is, where they limit themselves to presenting the grammar content and providing worksheets, is not up to date and, above all, is not effective. Choose a teacher who knows how to implement different teaching methods and who knows how to adapt their methods to the abilities and characteristics of their students. Each student is different and has a different intelligence, learning style, and rhythm. It is up to the teacher to identify those traits and to organize their class accordingly. Choose a teacher that is adaptable, flexible, and that favours practical methodologies. During the interview, do not be afraid to ask specific questions about their teaching method or to ask that they describe one of their typical lessons. If they hesitate when answering, this means that they are not sufficiently prepared.

Conversation

Grammar is undoubtedly essential for good preparation and a language teacher knows how important practice is. Therefore, choose a teacher that prefers the communicative aspect of language and that almost always speaks English, only resorting to speaking your native tongue for grammatical explanations or clarifications if you do not understand correctly. In addition, a good teacher knows to listen to their students, does not interrupt, and corrects them only when they have finished talking.

Personality

Personality is also important. Choose a teacher that you like and that is never boring. Sympathy is not a sufficient requisite but is, without a doubt, important to help you evaluate classes. A good teacher can adapt their classes to their students’ preferences and knows how to make the class entertaining and enjoyable. They should always be up to date and love what they are teaching. Choose someone who knows how to surprise you and makes every class interesting, beyond the grammatical content and the new words that you ought to learn.

Continuity

A trained teacher never leaves their classes to fate. They know how to develop the program harmoniously and completely. They also know the importance of assigning homework. In each class, they should assign work to the student and will later take the time to verify if the work has been done and correct it.

Are You Ready to Find the Right Teacher?

If you are looking for a private English teacher, choose one that meets the five criteria mentioned above. Take these qualities into account during the course as well, to evaluate the effectiveness of the class from time to time along with your results. If this article has seemed interesting, you could study English with the teachers at ABA English. Besides being native speakers, they guarantee excellent methodological training, availability, and professionalism.