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Spanish lessons with an online teacher

JustJack

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
CF: 2023
VDLP/Sanabrés: 2024
CF: 2025
Has anyone taken one-to-one Spanish lessons online with Spanish teacher prior to a camino? Did you find you got good value doing it over Zoom versus an in-person Spanish class? I’m wondering if 10 one-hour sessions with a private Spanish teacher will make a noticeable improvement in my almost non-existent Spanish speaking ability. Duolingo only gets you so far.

No need to mention any particular company names, just whether or not you found the online format effective. I’m deciding between taking a beginner Spanish class here in my city, or having private lessons online.
 
Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
I have taken online Greek lessons for a few years (I now live in Greece). They were group lessons, but I did find them extremely useful and effective. Just to spend that time speaking and being corrected (learning correct pronunciation, sentence structure, new vocabulary) was really useful. I have also taken online Latvian lessons when I lived in Latvia (during the pandemic so no face-to-face option) and, again, just having that time speaking is really useful.

I think there can be some advantages to online lessons, too. My Greek lessons were all recorded so I could go back over content in my own time - maybe ask your teacher if this is possible?

I recommend a good headset with microphone for the online classes.
 
Definitely - I took online lessons specifically Camino orientated for my first Camino. All I can say is that it worked for me as good as the in person classroom sessions that I have also attended since then.

Best of luck deciding
 
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We took online lessons on and off for the past few years. I enjoyed then, but we haven't continued since I retired in the spring (too busy). The company I used had options such as "conversation" or a more comprehensive course with workbooks. I learned more with the workbooks.

We never had a teacher from Spain, and I think that would help my conversation comprehension. All our teachers online were from South or Central America and Mexico.

I learned the most going in person to a couple of weeks of language school in Santiago. Phil learned the most taking two semesters of language in person with traditional aged university students last year before I retired from the university.

Ideally I'd like to go to an in person course in Spain for a few weeks again.
 
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You can learn Spanish grammar and basic pronunciation online or from books, but comprehension is probably better done person to person for most. Knowing what to say is one thing, understanding the replies another! If you only want to learn enough Spanish for the Camino, you can probably get away with online or an app, but if you want to hold conversations with native speakers, a tutor or group is likely the way to go. I would recommend Language Transfer, a 'free' online resource to help people around the world speak other languages via audio lessons. The Spanish lessons can be found at https://www.languagetransfer.org/free-courses-1#complete-spanish
 
Let us pick up your suitcase once you arrive in Europe....
...and ship it to Santiago for storage. You pick it up once in Santiago. Service offered by Casa Ivar (we use DHL for transportation).
I think there's a big difference between live lessons with a teacher online and using an app. Online lessons have similar structure to face to face and offer the same expertise and feedback.
 
I second the recommendation for Complete Language Transfer. It's outstanding. Very approachable. I'm pretty good with Spanish, but I do go back and listen to (some of) this when I want refreshing.

That being said, I'm sure person-to-person learning would be even more helpful in "locking in" the learning through verbal practice and repetition. Enjoy!
 
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I have been listening to Language Transfer and like it a lot. I was looking for more specific recommendations for online classes.
 
Personally, I never tried online lessons. I used an App which I think was great. That way, I could also do some learning whilst on Camino as well. I was really surprised just how well I coped. So was my Wife, who has a very good grasp of French.
 
I have taken a series of online Spanish classes and found them to be quite helpful in gaining some practice serially speaking to another person. I would recommend it!
 
Get a Spanish mobil number + data while on the Camino
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
I have been learning Spanish for some years and have attended group classes in person and also group classes online and one-to-one online classes.

The big advantage in my mind is that online classes give you access to native Spanish speakers.

I think that 10 lessons will not really help with conversations but it will allow you to order food, book a room and other basics of a camino. Most importantly, in my experience the Spanish will embrace your efforts figuratively and sometimes literally.

PM me if you would like contact details of the school I use.
 
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