Face-to-face v Online English classes

Is it better to study English online or face-to-face?

What’s better: studying English online of face-to-face?

I have been working as an English teacher since 2004, giving classes at high schools in both France and Spain, academies, private classes both at my home and at students’ homes, and online via Skype.

In this article I am going to use my experience to explain the advantages and disadvantages of studying English with an online teacher, and face-to-face with a teacher in person. 

What are online English classes?

Online English classes are usually given via a videoconferencing program such as Skype, Google Hangouts, Messenger or Face Time. In my experience, the most common platform is Skype, which is free to download, and can be used from any computer, tablet or mobile phone. The classes are usually 1-to-1 with native-speaking teachers, although you sometimes have the possibility of joining a group. Book a trial online English classes with OLA — free and no obligation to continue.

Book Your FREE Class Now!

What are “face-to-face” classes?

Face-to-face classes are usually 1-to-1 classes given by a private teacher who comes to your house, or whose house you go to. Face-to-face classes can also refer to classes given in bricks-and-mortar language schools and academies, where you will usually be in a group of up to 10 students.

We are going to look at 10 points to consider when choosing between online English classes and face-to-face classes, before deciding which is the best way to study English.

Considering time, money and health when choosing between face-to-face and online English classes

1. Time

The most obvious advantage of online classes is that you save a lot of time. I have worked in academies in different cities and villages in Spain, and even in the smaller villages the students spent at least 30 minutes travelling to and from their classes after a long day at at work (and sometimes more than an hour!). With online classes via Skype, you can simply turn on your computer a few minutes before your class and wait for your teacher’s call. After the class, you turn off your computer and are immediately back at home!

Winner: Online English classes

2. Money

Skype English classes are not much cheaper than face-to-face classes. If you want a good, native-speaking teacher (professional, qualified, experienced), you will pay between 15€ - 25€ per hour whether they are online or face-to-face. For a 1-to-1 class in an academy you will pay around 25€ per hour. 

However, each time you take the car to an academy or your teacher’s house you are spending money on petrol and parking, which all adds to the price of the class. And if a private teacher comes to your house, you will often pay a call-out fee. 

You will also find that most online academies don’t charge a signup fee, and charge per class, whereas a lot of the bricks-and-mortar academies charge a monthly fee and a signup fee. Therefore, in the long term, you will spend a lot less with online English classes via Skype.

Winner: Online English classes

3. Health

You have to wonder until what extent we are going to do absolutely everything by looking at a screen. Most of us already spend 8 hours a day working in an office looking at a screen, spend our free time looking at a TV screen, and communicate with our friends by looking at the screen of our mobile phones. We can also do the shopping online, do our banking online, read books and the newspaper on a screen.. Wouldn’t it be nice to leave the house once in a while? This is one of the main points in favour of face-to-face classes, and there is no doubt that getting some fresh air and walking to your English classes is a lot healthier than spending even more time looking at a screen.

Winner: face-to-face classes

Considering time, internet connection and concentration when choosing between face-to-face and online English classes

4. Class time

In my experience, students are much more punctual to online English classes than face-to-face classes. As hard as I tried in academies where I have worked, 50-minute classes never lasted more than 45 minutes, as students always arrived late due to heavy traffic, parking problems, or the simple fact that they left the house late.

In contrast, students are almost always punctual to their online English classes, and as you can see the duration of the class on Skype, they almost always get the full 50 minutes that they have paid for.

Another advantage of online classes is that you often have the option to have 30-minute classes at a lower price, whereas face-to-face classes are almost always 50-minutes or an hour.

Winner: Online English classes

5. Internet connection

Practically everyone has internet at home nowadays, but you need a reasonably high speed connection to have quality videoconferences via Skype. Skype recommends a minimum speed of 6MBps, 

With a slow connection you will possibly see a pixelated video of your teacher, which does not prevent the class taking place, but could be a little inconvenient for the student. Obviously the quicker the connection the better (I have 50MBps and have only experienced connection trouble in adverse weather conditions), but I would recommend a minimum of 10MBps for a trouble-free Skype experience. 

Clearly, this problem does not affect face-to-face classes, and you will always see your teacher in high definition!

In my experience, each student (and teacher) can expect to lose one class per year due to technical issues. However, remember that face-to-face classes are not immune to technical problems either: students can just as easily lose a class per year due to a problem with their car making it impossible to get to class, a power-cut in the academy, and blocked road, a heavy storm…

Winner: face-to-face classes

6. English v Mother tongue

This is the most interesting point for me: in online English classes, you hardly ever hear students speaking they native language, whereas in face-to-face classes the teachers are usually tired of saying “English only, please!”

I have given classes to students in small groups in academies, who have later continued with me online (in the same groups), and the difference in their attitude regarding this matter has been quite unbelievable. And I can honestly say the same for all my online students: they never speak their mother tongue in their Skype classes!

My theory is that with face-to-face classes, the students feel more in their own country, everything is familiar, wherever they look they see their surroundings, their country, and it is the teacher who is the foreigner. However, when they go online, the ‘location’ of the classes is more ambiguous, and the student is almost transported into an English-speaking environment where the student is just as foreign as the teacher, and English is the common language. What’s more, the students very often feel bad speaking their own language in online classes, which is fantastic for the improvement of their English.

With this attitude, the classes are much more productive, effective and as a result the students get more out of their time and money.

Winner: Online English classes

7. Teachers’ accents

Face-to-face classes are with the same teacher class after class. In an academy, you can sometimes have a variety of teachers (although, as I said before, private classes in academies are very expensive). With online language academies you have the option of having two or three (or more) different teachers. You can have a class with an English teacher in London one day, an American teacher in Chicago the next day, an Australian teacher in Sydney the day after that… Not only is this a lot more interesting for the student on a cultural level, but it is also a very effective way of improving your listening skills as you do not get used to just one accent.

Winner: Online English classes

8. Quality of teachers

I am not saying that the teachers in your town or area are not fantastic, but if they’re not, that’s what you’re stuck with! With online English classes via Skype, you can choose from the best teachers in the world, wherever they are located. And if you are not happy with them, you can easily look for another!

Winner: Online English classes

9. Corrections

One thing I love about classes via Skype is the chat area. Writing new vocabulary and grammar, and correcting the students’ mistakes with this chat box is exceptionally quick and convenient for both student and teacher.

It is not always convenient to interrupt a student for the correction of a small preposition or the pronunciation of a word. However, on Skype, the teacher can quickly write the correction in the chat box and the student can see it in real time. The corrections and new vocabulary remain in the chat box so the student can revise what was covered in the class. Certain online academies will also give you a summary of each class, which they will either send via email or post online after the class.

Winner: Online English classes

10. Social Life

As well as teaching English for over 12 years, I have spent more than 20 studying languages, and have made many friends doing so. I studied French, Italian and Spanish at university, and have seen friendships blossom in the classes I have taught in schools and academies. Without doubt, face-to-face classes in an academy are a great way to meet people, and make friends. It’s nice to go out for a beer with your classmates after class, or have an end of year meal with your teacher. With online classes, your teacher is probably on the other side of the world, making it almost impossible to actually meet them or your classmates (if you have group classes online) in person. Online English classes are therefore not the right choice if you are learning a language as a social thing.

Winner: face-to-face classes

Conclusion

Final score: Online English classes 7 - 3 Face-to-Face classes

I understand that some people prefer to leave the house and see their teacher in 3D, but with all the advantages that online classes offer, I would recommend everyone to at least try having English classes on the Internet via Skype.

As a lot of people still lack faith in online services, most online academies offer a trial class so you can see what they’re like, meet a teacher, test your connection etc. These trial classes sometimes cost somewhere between 3€ and 10€, although many academies offer these free and no obligation.

You can try an English class via Skype with a native English-speaking teacher totally free with OLA Online Language Academy, and decide for yourself whether studying English online es the right choice for you. And if it’s not… you lose nothing for trying!