Sol Academy Skype Training

Language Training by Skype is both the perfect alternative and the perfect complement to traditional face-to-face lessons. We have a bank of trainers that can deliver lessons to your specific remit, no matter what time of day or where you are. All you need is broadband, a headset and a webcam.

Skype lessons are also a very effective way of learning: you are naturally drawn towards the screen and your tutor, and focus 100% on the lesson. There’s no sitting back and staring out of the window!

You can follow a complete course online, or use Skype classes to make up for missed lessons on a face-to-face course. Skype classes can also be blended with other forms of language training with Sol Academy – online, off-line, in-company, overseas – to give you a course of integrity, texture, and depth.

Learning Across Timezones

You and your teacher may be in the same city or thousands of miles away!

As one of our Spanish students, for example, you may be working with teachers in the UK, Spain, the US or Latin America. The possibilities are endless. Our trainers are ready to deliver you a tailor-made language course focusing on your needs and aims.

Why Skype?

   * lessons anytime, anywhere – the ultimate in flexibility

   * the perfect way to catch up on a missed class

   * great course follow-on option

   * gives the communicative practice you need to make self-study worthwhile

   * learn with expert native-speaker tutors trained to maximize online lessons

Effective learning with Skype training

Lessons online can be quite different than in a face-to-face (offline) environment, especially the first time. You need to get used to it. After a couple of lessons you will realise that it is very simple, and much more convenient. You can take your lesson anytime, anywhere and also have all the supporting resources available at a click of your mouse. It’s easy to get used to learning online!

A. Prepare yourself for learning a foreign language

Learning a new language requires commitment and dedication. This applies not only to online learning, but also to learning in general. In the online learning environment, however, there is no pressure of other students in the class or of a teacher physically present in the same room. The responsibility lies even more on you. You are the only one who can make the commitment and hold it for the time necessary to learn.

Here are a few tips that will help you making your learning experience effective and fun:

1. Set realistic expectations for learning a new language

Learning a language requires time. Do not expect to be able to understand everything from the beginning. Remember that during the initial period your ear and your mind are adjusting to the sounds and the rhythm of the new language. Also, making mistakes is natural; your teacher is there to help you. As long as you feel you are making progresses, you are on the right path. Make sure you are also enjoying it!

2. Break it into smaller, more frequent, learning moments

You will learn more effectively and retain more if you study often and for shorter period of times. Try to study regularly every week, possibly every day. Take a couple of lessons per week, which will help you not forgetting what you have just learned by the next lesson. You can always find 45 minutes somewhere in the week to schedule your next lesson, this is also an advantage of learning online. The more you practise the new language, the quicker it will become part of you.

3. Practise the language as much as you can

Try to use any opportunity to practise the new language. During the lesson, speak as much as possible. You can only learn a language by practising it!

4. Prepare yourself to work for effective learning

Try to keep the lessons on a regular schedule, make them a part of your weekly routine. It is easy to loose commitment during busy periods, but the advantage of online lessons is that you can schedule them with full flexibility, and in private tuition the teacher will always adapt to your pace and specific needs. Also, try to spend additional time each week to revise what you have just learned or prepare for the next lesson. This will improve the speed of learning, as well as the effectiveness of the lessons.

B. Make the best out of your online lesson

The teacher is responsible for the lesson so, all you need to do is to be there in time in front of your computer. But you can also help the teacher making the best out of your lesson.

1. Pick a quiet room without disturbing background noise

Learning a new language requires concentration. You will be required to reply to questions or express yourself in a language you are not yet comfortable with. Pick a room that is quiet, with no other people around; that will help concentrating as well as not feeling embarrassed of pronouncing new words or trying expressing yourself.

2. Speak clearly on the microphone

Make sure the teacher can understand what you say and can hear if you are pronouncing words correctly. Make sure you are speaking close to the microphone but not too close to have disrupting breathing sounds; a computer microphone can be pretty sensitive and pick up breathing sounds easily. You can practise by making some Skype calls with your friends. You will find out that it is easy and fun!

3. Communicate with your teacher and ask questions if you do not understand

Because you are not physically present in the same room, the teacher might sometimes misunderstand your silence. Communicate with your teacher any problems that may be interfering with your learning, whether it is during the lesson or during your own study. Do not feel embarrassed to ask questions or interrupt if the explanation is not clear. The teacher is there to help you.

4. Don’t be shy or insecure, use the occasion to talk and practise

You need to practise to learn well. One of the main advantages of using a live tutor is the possibility for you to practise during the lesson, as well as being corrected for mistakes you make. Take full advantage of this opportunity! You might feel insecure about expressing yourself in a new language you are not yet familiar with, or talking to somebody who is a complete stranger. Don’t, the teacher is there for you. Also, the lesson is much more fun if you feel you are participating and fully immersing yourself in it!

C. Make use of all the additional resources

The advantage of learning with Sol Academy Skype training is also that you have additional supporting tools all available in one place, at the click of your mouse. Take advantage of all these resources to combine the different skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. They are easy to use and will impact the speed of learning as well as the fun you’ll have with it. And they are all completely free!

1. Maximize your language exposure

You will learn quicker if you increase the amount of contact you have with the language. You should not limit your learning to the lesson, but take full advantage of the additional resources we are offering (homework, podcasts etc). We also hope you will give us input about additional resources you would like to find on Sol Academy Online Training. We want to develop Sol Academy Skype training together with you!

Our Group Courses are available at all levels from complete beginners to advanced students.

Duration depends on the group and the classes are scheduled according to the students’ preference. The contents of these courses are adapted to those included in the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) with a focus on the Business world.

The courses cover grammatical, lexical and practical aspects of the language, with some sessions oriented to teaching grammatical structures and other sessions focused on improving language skills. Most activities are centered in the Business environment such as Business discussions and meetings, interviews and presentations. From the beginning students can practice specific communication situations to ensure that they are ready to use the same learning tools with confidence in real-life business situations.

Private Tuition ( 1-2-1 )

Flexibility is the main feature of this programme. As the only student in the class you can decide how many hours you would like to study per week, the timetable as well as the contents. These classes can include grammar, conversation, literature or preparation for a presentation or an examination.

Additionally these classes are useful for individuals who are in business and are facing the prospect of relocation abroad and need an insight, not only into the language, but also into the culture of their new country.

GCSE Private Tuition

GCSEs are a crucial step in the educational system and are also important for entry into Higher Education and most vocational training in the UK.

Although students may join the courses having already taken GCSE examinations, they may want to add additional subjects to their GCSE portfolio or improve on their grades.

They might also be an international student who needs to gain recognised UK qualifications for Higher Education in order to satisfy university matriculation requirements.

A Level Private Tuition

One of the great strengths of the English educational system is that it provides students with the opportunity to specialise in the subjects of their choice at AS and A Level.

British universities prefer A Levels as they provide the depth required for UK degree courses. In nearly every other country, students have to go through a prolonged general education, and can only specialise when they go to university. A-Levels enable students to receive the intellectual challenge and stimulation of studying fewer subjects in much greater depth before they go to university.

The Advantages of Private Tuition:

1. If students have missed classes through illness or for family reasons, they can cover lost ground quickly and effectively in a one to one situation.

2. The informal nature of private tuition allows a student to express ideas freely and confidently, with a tutor’s undivided attention, and allows a tutor to deal directly with any problems that may arise.

3. Private tuition is extremely flexible as a teaching method. It enables students to work at their own pace. More able students can get through a lot of material quickly without having to wait for others to catch up before the class can move on. Less able students can cover topics they find difficult until they are fully understood.

4. Private tuition encourages an active involvement in the learning process and students have to take direct responsibility for the development of understanding.

5. Private tuition enables students to take a course outside normal teaching hours, such as at weekends and during holiday periods.

6. A great advantage of private tuition is that students can have the benefit of a specialised tutor in a specific field of study and gain in-depth knowledge that would not be possible in a class situation. This might be of particular interest to mature students.

7. Private tuition can also be supplementary to timetabled lessons and act as a valuable boost in areas where students require more in-depth help.

Courses for Children (4 to 11 years)

At Sol Academy, we firmly believe that the best time to learn a language is when you are very young. Our courses for children are a fun way to get ahead with language-learning, for school, holidays, relocation or simply chatting to the grandparents.

Your child will be taught by native speakers, all qualified teachers who have a great deal of experience working with younger children. The teacher will cover the basics and more, with al their work counting towards their Junior European Language Portfolio – a personal record of achievement which can stay with them right through school and which is backed by the Council of Europe and our own National Centre for Languages.

Please contact us for more details.