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How to choose the right language school for you

The search for a good language school is not as easy as it may seem. There are an unbelievable number of language schools on the market, you only have to type the phrase "language school online" into Google to see an endless list of positions. So, how do you go about deciding on a language school, a good language school.


We will try to give you an idea of some of the aspects of the language school's offerings that are worth looking at.


Master a new language at the perfect school! Our guide reveals the secrets to finding a language school that fits your goals, budget and learning style. Find out what to ask, what warning signs to avoid and how to find the best language school.

three person at a table


Price


Certainly, many people looking for a good school look first (possibly second) at the price list. When it comes to hourly rates, you can encounter lessons starting from around 50 PLN / 12EURO/USD per hour, all the way up to 200 PLN / 50EURO/USD per hour. You need to be very careful when basing your choice on this element of the offer alone.


The rate per lesson is influenced by many elements that students do not see. The biggest of these is the remuneration for the teacher, i.e. a small rate per hour translates into mediocre remuneration for the hard work of the teacher. A small salary for the lecturer translates into quality teaching. Experienced and directionally educated teachers will not be willing to work below a decent, decent salary; consequently, the school can probably employ students or people not fully qualified to teach (without language studies, without pedagogical, didactic or methodological preparation).


Other factors that affect the hourly rate include fees for the use of learning materials and other teaching solutions, online platforms, websites, payment intermediaries, bookkeeping, maintenance of the school administration and taxes. As you can see, there are many components to the price per hour of tuition.


Some language schools compete on price rather than quality and so, for example, if a school offers one hour of lessons for 50 PLN / 12EURO/USD, we can imagine how much the staff of such a school earns and what quality of teaching they can offer.


However, you should not overpay for learning a foreign language. Unfortunately, some owners or managers of such schools are guilty when setting their price lists, and so you may come across prices of individual language lessons in excess of 110-120 PLN  / 35 EURO/USD, which are not necessarily justified.




Teachers


Another element to look at is the teaching staff. Schools should indicate whether the teachers they employ hold a university degree with preparation for language teaching. For example, a graduate in English philology may be qualified as an expert in a particular language and have considerable knowledge of teaching a particular language (if they have, of course, pursued such a field); such studies include subjects such as practical language learning, linguistics, practical grammar, contrastive grammar, descriptive grammar, literature, history and knowledge of culture and language, (neuro)didactics, methodology, psychology, pedagogy.

In the case of staff, the experience of the teachers is also important. Teachers with the right education and a lot more experience will simply be better paid.


It is also worth looking at the opinions of current or former students of a particular school. If a school doesn't necessarily want to brag about its feedback it may have something to hide.


A good teacher should be friendly, supportive and understanding in the teaching process and should never judge their students. You can also recognise a good teacher by whether he/she recognises the learning type of the student, adapts the method to the student, motivates and supports him/her in the learning process - and above all is just a decent person.



a teacher and a student standing by a whiteboard


Contact and administration


Another aspect is the service and contact with the school. It is worth looking at whether it is easy to find contact information for the school on the school's website (telephone number, contact form, etc.) and whether it is easy to get in touch with the school.

It is worth looking at the elements of the website. Does the school comply with legal requirements and inform you of its privacy policy and terms and conditions.

Also, for online courses, technical support is an important element. This is an important element as not everyone is necessarily familiar with certain technological solutions and may need such support.




Contracts


It is also a good idea to find out whether long-term contracts with possibly hidden fees are signed when enrolling for a course. If a school tries to oblige its clients to sign long contracts, it may be hiding certain elements of the cooperation that may come to light during the course.


It is best if a school does not force its clients to sign long-term contracts by offering flexible short-term billing/payment arrangements of no more than three months. This gives you the opportunity to test the school and the teacher and, if necessary, safely stop taking lessons. It is also a good solution to have a no-obligation trial lesson, where you can familiarise yourself with the teacher and the system and teaching method used by the school. The rules should be clearly defined, with no hidden fees (for example, for breaking the contract).




Offer


It is worth looking at what the language school in question offers. Does it clearly state what is offered. How long one lesson lasts. What is included in the price. Whether the teachers are qualified (see above), etc.


It is also important to know at what level of language proficiency the language courses are offered; for which age group. Whether general language is on offer, or perhaps Business English, study for two, group study, or perhaps courses typically tailored to individual needs. And whether the school offers additional support in the learning process, for example through language consultations, free learning materials or a learning app and a transparent account on its website.



Promises, promises


Many of us have seen adverts offering visible and big learning results after just a week or a month of learning. Let's be honest, this is not true. No professional teacher will guarantee such results after a very short period of teaching. It is worth delving into the magic method described and finding out whether specialists, linguists actually confirm such a method.


Believe us or not - there are no magic methods and no shortcuts! If this were the case, there would be no language schools and no need for language teaching by professionals, these are simply tricks which it is better not to fall for and discourage language learning, because anyone can learn a foreign language, just that without tricks and promises.




writing on a pavement "passion led us here"



Conclusion


When looking for a very good educational offer, it is worth taking a look at the above-mentioned elements in a particular school. If we choose a school with a fair rate for lessons, appropriate staff and administration backed by opinions and experience, and transparent conditions of cooperation, we can be sure that our choice will result in effective, satisfying and enjoyable learning of a foreign language. However, it is important to remember that even the best language school cannot guarantee quick and miraculous results after a short period of learning, because learning a foreign language is a process that requires time, a good teacher and a lot of work. The truth is that it takes some time to determine whether a particular method is good for us, and we need about six months to see results.


It is not worth deciding to enrol in a course at a particular school if it offers out-of-this-world methods or results, or by relying solely on one element of the offer, such as price. There are many elements to a language school, what it offers and what it delivers. Therefore, it is worth examining the offer carefully and contacting the school before purchasing hours or a course, in order to clarify any doubts, discuss the teaching at the school and find answers to all your questions.


After analysing the offer, checking out the school and talking to its representative, and possibly having a trial lesson or two or four, you can make a sound decision and decide whether the language school is right for you. Remember that from the very beginning the contact with the school and the learning of a foreign language should be done correctly and by experts.


Learning is a long-term process; by taking the right steps and familiarising yourself with the learning process, you will be able to learn at the right school and in the right form, which will translate into results and satisfaction with your learning.


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