How to choose the best online English speaking course for you?

When you hit Google’s search button for browsing through the limitless options for an online English speaking course, the search results are only confusing rather than being helpful in any way to you. 90% of the browsers will abort their search expedition at stage, only to come back at it later-the outcome being the same as before.

What is baffling that every institution out there makes very common claims- the best online English speaking course in India or in a particular city or town, Learn English in 15/30/n days and so on. These are the organic search results, when it comes to Paid Ads- it gets worse. With paid results occupying more than 80% of your search screen and hyperlinks dispersed across, these Ads prove to be extremely cumbersome.

So how do you zero down on the best online English speaking course for you? And what constitutes the term – “best” in this instance? Rather than delaying your research or feeling disgruntled on choosing another expensive course where the curriculum does not fulfill your learning needs, what is essential is to have a checklist in place.

Today, we offer you a shortlisting framework. A set of steps you follow- a funnel down approach to select an online spoken English course that is the best option “FOR YOU”

Which is the best online English speaking course?

When you are looking to learn English online, your decision is entirely influenced by the following 5 factors:

1) Your budget
2) Learning hours
3) Learning goals
4) Type of classes
5) Online English tutor

We will shortly elaborate on each of these. But before we dive deeper, it is crucial to understand that learning English- be it in a spoken or written format, is more of your responsibility than that of the institution you enroll to.

Hence, choosing the correct course is immensely significant. Since we have seen several of our students spend countless hours, sums of money and are yet bewildered when nudged to speak in English. A wrong course can also impact your confidence levels, affect your learning goals and even delay you on your path to fluency.

Bad experiences thus tend to negatively affect your efforts which in turn stifle your skill development, career growths and other related life experiences. Below are few things you must definitely not trust right away from the internet.

Falling prey to misleading claims- Misleading claims that you can learn fluent English is 30 days or something. There is no standard framework when you are learning a second language as an adult. Your ability to grasp the language faster depends on your training, your individual practice efforts and a lot to do with your mental tenacity. Learning a new language is not as easy and definitely no two individuals will have the same learning curve.
Trusting free resources entirely- Free resources are not bad provided you are able to verify content and references easily. Also, investing all your energy in only free learning material may not be such a great idea- you may take longer to learn than most other students with guided resources, you may get your basics all wrong and not even know about it! Make use of free resources, some of the content out there is immensely helpful, but with a mentor or an English teacher to keep track of your improvement areas.
Research on the course- Don’t fall for false titles like “Best spoken English class in Delhi” or “India’s no.1 Online English speaking course” etc. Be thorough with your research, check for google reviews, social media chatter and other on-page testimonials. Observe for alarming review statements and choose your course wisely. Other commonly observed trend is to simply enroll to a class because it was recommended by that one friend of yours. Its great to follow peer reviews but never fail to do your own research.

These are simple yet crucial steps that will help you in better decision making. It may seem a lot but remember that a checklist makes the toughest jobs easier!

What makes for great online spoken English classes?

Now let’s learn how an online English course will be the ideal one for you.

Learning goals- This means whether you want to learn English online for personal or professional goals. Today, most course offer different options like Business English lessons for job aspirants and working professionals, General English lessons for basic spoken English fluency. Interview prep modules and so on. Define your goal, peruse through course curriculums and shortlist the ones that fit the criteria. Many courses today even offer customized lessons, opt for those as they have shown remarkable results.
Your budget- This is the first thing you will browse from across the options made available to you. Define your budget, how much the course fits in terms of your learning goals, group lessons versus one -on-one tutoring and so on. Contrary to common misconception, private online English courses can be pocket friendly and yet easy on your pocket.
Learning hours- Believe it or not, this is the most common deal breaker for most learners. By learning hours we mean the complete flexibility to attend lessons and schedule them in a manner so that you learn in the best manner at your pace. There is no point chasing deadlines and attending courses at in-humanly hours after workdays or early weekend mornings. The English course should work around your schedule and not the other way round.
Type of classes- This has to do a 100% with your personality. Are you an individual who thrives on social interaction or do you prosper individually? Either ways, you can go for group online lessons or private English lessons.
Online teacher for English- The most significant influencer of your success is the online English teacher. An online English tutor is the one who will guide you towards English fluency. A great English teacher is no good for you if you do not share a “learning rapport” conducive to your personality and learning goals.

Other than the above, also look for “good-to-have” features like certifications, university affiliations that can be helpful on your resume. Hope this article was helpful, till then happy browsing!

“Information is only as reliable as the people who are receiving it. If readers do not change or improve their ability to seek out and identify reliable information sources, the information environment will not improve”

Julia Koller