One-on-one lessons aren’t as effective as I thought
Private lessons are marketed as the gold standard—premium price, premium results. But do you actually need them?
They make sense if you’re learning specialist content, need strategic advice, or have lots of tailored questions. For general knowledge—especially language learning—they’re rarely the best option.
When you sit alone with a teacher, the first few sessions feel great. Every question is answered, curiosity satisfied. Once that honeymoon ends and you shift into conversation practice, the drawbacks show up.
First, trained teachers (especially those with teaching certificates) are skilled at steering conversations. When you freeze, they prompt you, suggest vocabulary, or gently nudge you forward. It feels wonderful—but it isn’t real life. In the supermarket, if staff don’t understand you, they get impatient or do the wrong thing. Nobody pauses to coax you the way “Teacher Tea” would in a 1:1.
Second, after a couple of lessons you get used to your teacher’s speaking style. The learning curve flattens fast. Real conversations expose you to a wild range of personalities and habits; if you don’t acclimate early, the real world will feel brutal. In a class of 8–10 learners—especially those who aren’t trained teachers—you practice negotiating meaning, agreeing on tasks, asking for information. Those skills transfer.
So if your goal is communication and reflexes, pure 1:1 is an expensive way to get bored. Small-group classes give you new contacts (even online), a place to test your interaction skills, and a much gentler price tag.
Are grammar and vocabulary overrated?
That obsession probably comes from how English used to be taught in Vietnamese schools (at least when I was a student!): master every grammar point to answer every test question. Early IELTS “hackers” reinforced the idea that you needed fancy vocabulary to score high.
These days we know it’s not true. Top IELTS scorers consistently say fluency and natural communication matter most. Grammar and vocabulary are supporting tools. I mention IELTS because it remains the most trusted benchmark.
The old grammar-translation method is outdated. Don’t cling to it.
Think about travel: before you choose plane, train, or bike, you decide where you’re going. English works the same way. Grammar and vocabulary are the vehicles; communication is the destination. If people understand you, mission accomplished.
When we obsess over our own grammar or pronunciation mid-conversation, we slip into selfish mode. Communication is about the listener. Focus on them, and on conveying the idea.
So, when you coach learners:
- Encourage them to speak and write freely—get ideas out first. While they’re trying, hold your corrections. Wait until they’ve finished expressing themselves; then give delayed feedback.
- When you do correct, pick one or two grammar points. Don’t unload every error. Teachers feel itchy when they spot lots of mistakes, and learners often want it all at once, but that overwhelms everyone.
You’ll notice less anxiety and better retention when feedback is focused.
Finally, a quick thank-you to the admin for creating this rare, much-needed space to share ideas!