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¡Hola amigos! Today, I’m going to answer a question that I’m sure has crossed your mind at least once, since you became part of my network: What’s a Language Coach, and do I Really Need One?
Well, as you have probably noticed on my profile page, I claim to be an ESL Fluency Coach, and I even added a full description of what I do to help people understand the service I provide. However, some of my clients have confessed that at first they thought I was just another General English teacher. But after taking that free Strategy session, they realized that what we offer is completely different.
Allow me to explain, a General English teacher focuses on helping you develop basic language skills through a structured methodology and guided practice, but in most cases this is not enough: I mean, there is only so much you can learn in academic courses. Sure, you can learn how to communicate basic needs and express your ideas in the best way possible. However, if after finishing your courses, you don’t practice the language everyday, interact with native speakers, or read and listen to authentic materials, you’re very likely to end up feeling “stuck” simply because fluency and vocabulary growth take time and require lots of exposure.
On the other hand, a language coach uses his/her knowledge and experience to assess your needs and helps you identify your weaknesses, so you can focus on studying and practicing only what you need to improve. A language coach will create a personalized program and point you in the right direction to find apps, websites and authentic materials that can help you polish your current communication skills. A language coach will also recommend the best learning strategies and provide you with the right amount of guidance to keep you motivated even after the coaching period.
You may reach out to a language coach for at least one of these programs:
Communication Skills
Test preparation
Grammar Reinforcement
Vocabulary Building
Business English
Technical English
Accent Reduction
Learning Strategies
Or simply for conversation Practice
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that coaching is better than General English Teaching, but working with a language coach gives your General English the extra edge that is going to help you move forward.
How can I make this claim? Well, I’m an internationally certified English teacher, and I have taught General English for many years, so I personally understand the challenges that many learners face after they finish their academic English instruction. In fact, most university students meet the English requirements to obtain their degrees, but when they have to speak English at work, a lot of them realize that there’s still something missing.
If this resonates with you, the only way to know if you do need a language coach is by talking to one of us. Think of us coaches as speech doctors that are there to help you identify the problem and prescribe you the best treatments.
So, don’t wait any longer, send me a message and I’ll help you determine if you do need our services. Our program focuses on helping people fix their “broken English” and achieve fluency: We help intermediate and advanced learners polish their grammar, tune up their pronunciation, build their vocabulary and reinforce their communication skills. But feel free to contact us even if you need a more specific service. If we can’t help you, we might be able to help you find another coach.
