I have been debating on whether to hire a tutor from Italki that has the Madrid accent, since here in the USA all we have is the accent from Latin America. But, I want to be able to communicate with Spaniards when I study abroad in the spring of 2017, so I would like to get used to the accent from Spain (and preferably Madrid because it's the easiest accent for me to understand). However, my funds are limited so I kind of want to make sure that I invest my money wisely.
My questions to everybody who has paid for a tutor here on Italki and set up Skype lessons are:
1. Were (are) they worth the money? How much did (do) you pay?
2. How long did you use your tutors for?
3. How many hours per day/week did you use the tutors for?
4. What other activities were you doing to learn your language when you used tutors?
5. Did your tutors give you homework assignments or any other generic practice material to look over in your spare time?
6. Anything else that I should know about tutors based off your experiences.
I love to meet people on here and talk with them, although it's been so long since I've spoken Spanish consistently that I'm nervous about speaking Spanish now. That has to change because next semester I will have two classes that are only in Spanish.
What I have found with language exchange partners is that they never correct my grammar. I can talk for hours with them, but they never stop me and say "no, you said that wrong. This is the right way to say that." I know that gets kind of annoying to do in casual conversations, but I will never know I'm doing something wrong if nobody tells me.
Any opinions on tutors here on Italki, please let me know. Did the language that you were studying improve to a high enough level to make tutors worth the investment?
Hi Kyle,
I think you're worrying far too much about this. You can just hire a tutor/teacher and take it from there. There's plenty of information on each profile (some of which already answers your questions), and the only serious issue I've had with taking lessons on italki is finding the right time for the teacher I want. :D
If you're nervous about speaking Spanish (ie. being understood when you speak because your Spanish has gone rusty), then you really shouldn't be thinking about focusing on a specific accent. Leave that for a later stage.
It's definitely worth hiring a teacher/tutor, and make sure you specify that you want your mistakes corrected. One little problem with "just chatting" is that your partner might not know how to guide you. You should rightly expect that your tutor should guide you and give you feedback. I've found that the tutors here can be just as professional and organised as the italki teachers.
Aside from that, remind yourself that you are the learner and your progress depends entirely on you. Lead a horse to water, and all that. ;)
Best of luck!
I agree with Peachey 100%. To expand on what he’s said, there is absolutely no commitment — unlike most schools and websites that push (or require) you to pay for an entire month (or year) or courses in advance, without even meeting your potential teacher (sort teachers). It’s incredible to me that anyone would hesitate for a second before coming to italki.
Besides the lack of risk, another italki advantage is that there is so much information on each teacher that someone who knows what he’s doing can easily tell who the most suitable teachers are. (Btw, the classic interface provides a bit more statistical information regarding lesson history and community activity.)
In my experience, just about any teacher or tutor on italki is better than playing the lottery at a local “language institute,” and a little time spent reading profiles will pay off handsomely. From what you’ve described, I can immediately think of a tutor who might suit you very well. I only know him from his profile and italki activity, and we’ve had no communication whatsoever, it’s just that when you’re really good at “reading” teachers and students, you can pick up on these things right away. Here’s his url, I hope you find what you’re looking for one way or the other.
In addition to hiring a tutor to get used to the Spanish accent, you can watch movies from Spain and listen to radio stations from there. Listening to a variety of voices will help you get used to the different accents within the country.
A tutor will be good to practise listening and speaking as well as teaching you vocabulary. Some words from Spain are different than what are used in various latin american countries.
