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Don't choose a teacher based on the country they're from!
Don't choose a teacher based on the country they're from!

You definitely *do* want a native-speaking teacher, but there are other factors to consider

Margaret Sellac avatar
Written by Margaret Sellac
Updated over 9 months ago

A very common question/concern we get is: "I'm traveling to ______ so I need a teacher from that country"

Similarly we also hear "I have family from _____ country so I need a teacher from that country"

Reasons Why This is a Bad Idea

  1. Your learning style, preferences, goals, and availability aligning with your teacher's teaching style, approach to reaching goals, and schedule are the important factors to successfully learning a language. Your teacher's country of birth has nothing to do with that.

  2. Professional teachers, which all of our teachers are, will teach you "standard" neutral language -- and then add on the small local pronunciation and colloquial differences. They can and do teach you the additional phrases of different regions you are interested in.

United States example - should English learners learn "southern / Texas English"?

Imagine someone wanting to learn English because they are going to travel to Texas. Texas is a southern state with some pronunciation differences and colloquialisms.

Would it be a good idea for this learner to learn "southern / Texas English" ?

Anyone who has been to the southern US knows....no, that would be a very bad idea! Instead, you want to learn a neutral, standard "midwestern" English. You'll additionally add on the pronunciation and colloquial terms used in the south, which any good English teacher knows and can teach you.

The same idea applies to other countries and regions of the world.

So: Find a Teacher Whose Schedule and Approaches Work For You

If you genuinely want to reach your language learning goals, find a teacher based not on what country they're from, but rather their availability first. Meet with them, have a few lessons; if their teaching style isn't perfect for you tell them what's working and what is not!

If after your teacher adjusts it's still not a perfect fit, try another teacher. With us, all of that is very fluid; your learning progress is retained/each teacher you work with will know exactly what you have studied with other teachers.

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