In the digital age, the options of learning new things, including languages, have massively broadened. There are countless applications that provide language lessons. While these may seem convenient and cost-effective, they can’t really substitute the value derived from learning with a teacher. In this post, we aim to compare and elaborate why taking a course with a teacher is often a better option.

Personalized Learning Experience

One of the key reasons why taking a course with a teacher outshines learning from an app is the personalized and tailored learning experience. A qualified teacher can adapt their teaching techniques based on the learner’s needs, challenges, strengths, and weaknesses. They provide a unique, dynamic learning plan that a static app cannot offer.

Instant Feedback and Guidance

When you learn with a teacher, you are met with instant feedback, corrections, and guidance that you won’t get from an app. This real-time interaction and correction greatly influence the learning outcome. It ensures that you do not continue practicing or speaking with incorrect pronunciation or grammar, which can easily happen with self-learning methods such as apps.

Support and Motivation

The journey to learn a new language can be rigorous and demotivating at times. Having a dedicated teacher ensures that you are supported and motivated throughout your learning process. They celebrate your achievements, help you push through challenging phases, and keep you motivated. This human element is something that an app can never bring to the table.

The Interactive Aspect of Learning

Often, learning a new language with a teacher involves interactive exercises and activities like role play, discussions, simulations, etc., which are exciting and can significantly improve your speaking skills. These activities make the learning process fun and engaging. On the other hand, learning from an app can become monotonous and boring after a while as you repeat the same pattern of lessons.

Intercultural Competence

Besides language, a professional language teacher often brings important knowledge about the culture and history of the language you are learning. This cultural immersion is crucial for understanding the nuances and richness of the language. Such cultural competence is generally missing when learning a language through an app.

To conclude, while apps can offer convenience and economies of scale, taking a course with a teacher has a far-more-reaching positive impact on the learning experience. It increases learner engagement and results in a richer, more comprehensive knowledge of the language and its cultural context. The personalized learning, instant feedback, motivational support, interactive learning experience, and cultural competence a teacher provides are invaluable and unmatched. Hence, it is recommended to opt for a course with a teacher instead of utilizing an app for learning. After all, language learning should be an enjoyable and enlightening journey, not a monotonous task.