Whether you are a high school student tackling a foreign language for the first time, or you have just moved to America from a country whose primary language is not English, learning a new language can be challenging. Since your native language is such an inherent part of who you are, it can be difficult to shed the grammar rules and pronunciations you are so familiar with and accept an entirely new set of rules.
As the owner and director of the San Antonio, Texas branch of Club Z! In-Home Tutoring Services, Farhan Hussain has had numerous clients who have turned to his tutoring center to help learn a second, third, or even fourth language. And all of them, he says, have shown a great improvement in their ability to speak, write and understand their language of choice. If you have been toying with the idea of learning a new language, here is what you can expect when you enlist the help of a qualified tutor:
Similar to regular tutoring: Just as there are tutors who hold degrees in math or science, there are tutors specially qualified for helping clients learn new languages. If there is no curriculum, for instance, because you just moved to America and are trying to learn English, then the tutor will be responsible for creating lesson plans.
Additionally, the same study and time-management skills will be taught when learning a new language as with any other subject area. You will also be expected to maintain a study schedule, and review what is being taught on a regular basis. The tutor will also still strive to form a bond with his client and cater the language learning process to particular interests and learning styles. For instance, if you retain information better after hearing it spoken, followed by discussing what is being taught, you and your tutor can practice conversing in the language instead of reading it from a text book. Or, if you are artistic, then your tutor will look for ways to incorporate drawing graphs, maps, or scenes into the program.
Set goals: Whether you are the parent of a child studying a foreign language in school, or a world traveler hoping to communicate with the locals on your next vacation, it is important to be upfront with your tutor about what you expect as a result of the tutoring sessions. Before and after each session, Club Z! tutors like to establish any progress that has been made, areas of particular concern, and any independent review that should happen between sessions. This constant flow of honest and progressive communication helps ensure that you will be as fluent as you hoped once your sessions come to an end.
No misrepresentation: While it is important that you are open with your tutor, he should in turn be just as open with you. There should never be any misrepresentation about how you or your child is progressing. If the tutoring is not for classroom purposes, then the tutor will most likely bring his own assessment tests to test you on the language periodically in order to map out improvements and show how quickly goals are being met.
Just like any other form of tutoring that Club Z! specializes in, learning a new language is about creating a better understanding of the information, making yourself comfortable with the subject, and increasing confidence. With the help of your tutor, you will soon find that you can easily order from a café outside the Coliseum in Rome, or discuss the artwork housed at the Louvre in Pairs.
