How do you decide between classes or tutoring? I was unsure whether I should join a class with other students or get one-on-one tutoring. Having tried both now, I can finally start to make a comparison.
For some background: today I had my first Chinese class. Last year I had almost 30 hours of one-on-one tutoring but then got a bit busy and put it on hold. An opportunity came up to attend a class appropriate to my level once a week after work, so I decided to give it a go.
Tutoring advantages
- The learning is more intensive
- A lot of attention is given to your pronunciation and tones
- Content can be tailored to your level
Small class advantages
- Cheaper (depending how expensive your tutoring is, it could be 30%-80% cheaper)
- Interaction with multiple people allows for discussion and makes the language feel more alive
- Opportunities to make friends that share a common interest
- Gives you moments of time where you can sit and ponder things for a bit
Classes put more of the responsibility on the student to make the most of their learning, whereas a good tutor will take it upon themselves to ensure you understand everything they teach you.
I used to have my tutoring on a Sunday morning, when my head was clear and I could really concentrate. After work I’m a bit frazzled and I don’t think I could handle an hour of intensive tutoring afterwards, so a class during weeknights works well for me.
Classes or tutoring: The verdict
While there are a lot of advantages to classes, I think it’s critical in the early stages to have some kind of one-on-one time with a master of the language who can correct your pronunciation and tones. Usually this can only be found with tutoring, but maybe there are some small classes out there where the teacher can manage this.
Once you have developed good habits with tones and pronunciation, both classes and tutoring are good options. Pick the one most suitable for your situation, or even do both 🙂
Links
If anyone lives in Sydney and is curious about the tutoring and classes I went to, here they are!
Tutoring
Highly recommended!
Class
Originally just for kids, they have recently started adult classes.
I hope to provide a more thorough review of the ChiFUNese classes after I’ve done more.