Do you want to learn French but can’t afford to go to a school? Find out here how to learn to speak French online from the comfort of your own home!
The novel coronavirus pandemic has imposed a series of restrictions on our routine. With social distancing, classes through online platforms have become popular and some paradigms of the traditional teaching format have been overturned.
As a result, some institutions and private schools are already studying the possibility of maintaining distance learning even after the pandemic. This is the case with many language schools, for example.
You’ve probably wondered how to learn French online and overcome the challenges that this format imposes. In this post, we’re going to talk about this topic and, what’s more, give you some tips on how to make the most of your classes from the comfort of your own home! Let’s go?
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Is it possible to learn to speak French online?
Fortunately, the answer is YES! Even with the social isolation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, you don’t have to give up learning French.
Many people can’t find good French language schools in the area where they live, or they just want the convenience of taking classes in the comfort of their own homes, without having to deal with traffic or public transport at the end of the day. Online French classes are therefore a good option to make your studies more viable.
However, you will need to adopt the right mindset for this learning process, as there are some differences between face-to-face and online teaching. To find out more about the pros and cons of learning French with technological tools, we’ve listed the main advantages and disadvantages of this method below. Check it out:
Main disadvantages of learning French online
Interaction
By opting for online classes, you won’t have face-to-face contact with your classmates and teacher. Although technology now facilitates distance communication, some people still prefer the classroom to be able to interact with their classmates and the environment.
Double discipline
You’ll need to make more of an effort to stay focused in class. Both your home environment and the use of cell phones and social networks during class can disrupt the process, taking your attention away from the lesson.
It therefore takes a lot of care and discipline to stay focused in the virtual classroom and not fall into traps or get distracted by another browser tab, for example.
Dependence on technology
In an online course, you depend on access to the internet, computers, smartphones or tablets. In other words, if you have a technical problem, you could miss the lesson.
Advantages of investing in learning French online
Cost
If you put it into perspective, the costs of online courses tend to be lower than face-to-face courses, as you’ll save time and money on travel by opting for this method.
However, when looking for an online course, one tip is to check whether it has live or recorded classes. In a course with live classes, the experience is very similar to that of a face-to-face class.
Courses that offer recorded lessons, although they may cost less, can compromise your learning – after all, who are you going to put what you’re learning into practice with?
If you’re in doubt about which school to choose, don’t forget to compare the weekly number of hours of live classes between them. Think about it this way: to learn to drive, would only theoretical and recorded lessons be enough or would you need practical lessons as well?
Some schools choose to keep the prices the same for both modalities, but in return they reduce the number of students per class – implying better individual utilization.
Flexibility and mobility
You can follow the lessons online from anywhere in the world. All you need is a device with internet access and that’s it! If you have to travel for work or pleasure, you won’t have to interrupt your learning and break your rhythm. It is recommended, however, that you always attend classes from a computer.
Freedom
You don’t have to consider the “location of the school” criterion when choosing the best institution for learning French. The use of technology breaks down geographical barriers and increases accessibility to information.
Therefore, choosing remote classes can offer you many benefits, but it also imposes new challenges. Want some tips on how to learn French online without falling into traps? Read on.
Tips and guidelines for learning to speak French online
Studying from the comfort of your own home can be great, but, as mentioned, it’s important to be disciplined. So don’t be alarmed! Here are some tips on how to learn French online without missing out:
- Participate actively in class, ask questions, take notes;
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes! Interact whenever possible;
- Take advantage of the time you’ve saved by commuting to study and do exercises;
- Keep your study area clean and organized;
- The previous tip also applies to your virtual environment, i.e. close unnecessary tabs in your browser and disable notifications from applications;
- Tell your family, or whoever you share the house with, that you’ll be busy attending classes or studying at that time;
- Keep the microphone active, this will facilitate your oral interaction;
- Leave the camera on, because body communication and eye contact also contribute to the learning process;
- Don’t neglect the good old notebook. Writing helps you to memorize and also to stay focused in class.
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Technology provides us with many facilities. With the right mindset and the help of qualified teachers, you can learn a new language online without any problems!
We at École Québec are a language school and we can help you learn French online and achieve the proficiency needed to reach intermediate/advanced levels.
With the right guidance, qualified teachers and a different methodology, you can learn in a short time and in a completely virtual environment.
We have more than fifteen years’ experience teaching Québécois French, our own methodology and qualified teachers who have lived in Québec (some of them native speakers). We are prepared to lead you on the path of studying and learning a new language. Count on us!
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