Italki for Learning Spanish – My Experience with Italki
If you’re trying to become fluent in Spanish, practicing your skills by speaking with native speakers is the best way to do it! Using Italki for learning Spanish has been the biggest part of improving my Spanish.
But what do you do when you don’t live in a Spanish-speaking country? – You turn to Italki 😏
After spending so much time learning a language independently, you start to crave those social connections, and chances to practice everything you have learned. The 1 on 1 lessons that I’ve been taking on Italki offer have been super helpful, and I wish more people could introduce these conversational lessons into their language learning routine.
I’m sharing my experience with using Italki for learning Spanish, but the same tips can be applied to any other language that they offer! 😊
What is Italki?
If you’re big into language learning, you probably have heard about Italki already.
Italki is a language learning platform, that connects language learners, professional teachers, and enthusiastic language tutors. You can find a language teacher and connect with other language learners, who are also going through the same process as you!
Italki offers 1 on 1 language lessons in 150 (!!) languages, and you’ll get to choose your own teacher/tutor. And there are lots to choose from; there are 20,000 language teachers from 190 countries in Italki! If you’re using Italki for learning Spanish, you can find over 3500 amazing teachers to choose from! (learn how to choose the perfect Italki teacher for you)
Italki community
Connecting with other language learners happens in the Italki community. You can post any questions related to language learning, help others, and find a language partner! Which is a great, and completely free way to learn a language.
Talking about costs, the lessons in Italki are very affordable. For example, the rate for a Spanish teacher ranges from 5 USD to 80 USD per hour. The teachers are free to set their own rates, so you have a broad range of teachers from different price points.
Italki lessons
The lessons are usually 30, 45, or 60 minutes long, and they are hosted via popular softwares, such as Zoom and Skype. There is also a built-in software in Italki itself called “Italki classroom”. I have used it for many of my classes, and it’s super simple and easy to use.
Italki offers three different types of lessons:
- General
- Business
- Test Preparation
General lessons can be anything from beginner lessons to conversation classes. Grammar lessons and vocabulary lessons are also considered general lessons.
In Business classes, you can learn useful vocabulary related to job interviews, meetings, and negotiations for example.
Test preparation classes are perfect if you are planning on completing your DELE or CELU.
Community tutors vs. professional teachers
There are two types of teachers on Italki, professional teachers and community teachers.
Professional teachers have studied education, completed courses, or other studies/certifications related to teaching Spanish to non-native speakers. They provide different learning materials, so you don’t have to be prepared with your own materials before you take a class. The materials can be anything from flashcards to presentations, PDF files to quizzes, articles, videos, etc.
Community tutors are people, who are excited to help you learn their language. If your main goal is to practice your pronunciation and conversation skills, as well as learn new vocabulary, community tutors are great for that. I’ve noticed that many of the tutors are currently studying, or have studied something related to languages or teaching. Overall they are passionate about other languages and cultures, and a bit more relaxed. They don’t follow a structured syllabus like professional teachers might do.
Finding the right teacher for you
You might have to take a few classes before you find “the one” for you, but that isn’t as scary as it sounds.
You can filter teachers by their origin, lesson price, lesson type, lesson time, and teacher type (community tutor vs. professional teacher). If taking classes with a native speaker is important to you, you can also check that box. You can also choose what other languages the teachers speak, which is great if speaking Spanish for 60 minutes straight terrifies you 😆
Each teacher has a short video presentation, and you can have a feel if they match your personality and if their accent is something that you like. In their “about me” section, you’ll find more about their experience, teaching methods, materials, and what classes they offer.
Italki shows how many classes they have taught on Italki, and what feedback they have received from their previous students. This might help you to see what qualities the teacher has.
When you find a teacher that you like, you can add them as your favorite. Later, when you are ready to book a class, you can find them under “My Teachers” on your profile.
Tips for finding the perfect teacher on Italki
Accent & Region
If you want to make your Spanish learning experience easier, focus on a specific dialect/accent you want to learn. Spanish used in Spain vs. Spanish used in Argentina (for example) is very different. There are a lot of differences between vocabulary, slang, pronunciation, and even grammar.
If you’re not sure which country you should pick, think if you’re going to be spending more time in Europe, or Latin America. I’m learning Spain Spanish since I’m based in Europe, but if your dream is to travel around South America, find a teacher from Peru or Colombia for example.
Experience with the language
Most teachers will share their backgrounds and teaching experience on their profiles. If you are a beginner and need structured classes, you might want to book a class with a teacher who is specialized in teaching beginners and grammar for example.
If you’re just looking for someone you can talk to and practice your pronunciation, a community tutor would be perfect.
Community tutor/professional teacher
If you are a total beginner at learning Spanish, it would probably be best to book a class with a professional teacher. As I mentioned, the classes are more structured, and the teachers have experience in how to teach a language to a new learner.
On the other hand, if you’re looking to learn some new vocabulary or need to practice for your upcoming trip, there are loads of great community tutors who can help you.
Do they speak your language?
In an ideal setting you’d speak Spanish throughout the whole lesson, but let’s be honest, there will be times when you don’t understand something and you need to ask a question in English. And you need an explanation in English. Some teachers are bilingual or have a high level of English, and some speak it to a certain level, so just make sure you’re comfortable with the level of English your teacher speaks 😊
When I’m looking for a teacher, I tend to prefer teachers who speak 2 or more languages. It tells me that they have gone through the same learning process, and know the ups and downs of learning a language. Probably they’ll have some great learning strategies that are completely new to me!
Italki Trial lessons
Trial lessons are a great way to see how Italki works, and what types of teachers are on the platform. You’ll get to compare different teachers, and you’ll see the different teaching methods and materials they use.
When you create an account with Italki, you get three trial lessons. Italki trial lessons are 30 minutes long, and they are usually super affordable. You can get a trial lesson for around 5-8 USD (or even cheaper). Most of the teachers offer these trial lessons, and the trial lessons won’t expire until you use them.
Italki pros and cons
Italki review – my experience
My favorite type of classes are conversation classes. I have found them to be the perfect addition to my language learning routine (I’m currently taking some structured courses online, offered by my local institute + studying independently).
I like having them without knowing the topic beforehand. It forces me to think quickly and doesn’t leave space for overthinking (you know, I’m conjugating this right… or am I pronouncing this correctly…). The lessons make me feel like I’m having a casual conversation with a native speaker, which is the end goal for me. To be able to talk with native speakers and make new friends! 🇪🇸👯♀️
The best parts of Italki for me are
- Having a teacher/tutor who leads the conversation. My biggest struggle with speaking Spanish is keeping the conversation up. That’s why I really appreciate that the teacher leads the conversation and helps me when I am struggling with my words.
- Patient, and encouraging teachers. I have had the most amazing and patient teachers, and every class has felt super relaxed.
- Personalizable classes and full attention of the teacher. Before taking classes on Italki, I was used to the typical classroom setting, where there are normally 10 + students in one class. When there’s only you and your teacher, you have more time to ask your questions, and the teacher can give their full attention to you.
Conclusion
I really love Italki.
I’m grateful that I discovered the platform (and all the teachers on it) as the classes have boosted my confidence so much! Before my first-ever class, I was nervous to speak in Spanish because I was so afraid that I would make mistakes. Now, I just speak as much as I can without worrying about how I sound. Freeing, right? 😎
My favorite part about Italki is that you also get to meet new people from different countries and backgrounds. I’ve always enjoyed being exposed to different cultures, so being able to learn from them is amazing <3
I think education is the best investment you can make, so Italki is 100 % worth it 🥰
- Book classes with different teachers! You’ll get to learn from each teacher, and see what teaching methods work the best for you.
- Share your current level (and other relevant information) with your teacher before your first class. That gives your teacher an idea of what they will go through with you in the first lesson. If you don’t know your current level, you can do this test (it’s free) which will indicate your CEFR- level.
- Let your teacher know your learning objectives. It will help both of you; your teacher can prepare relevant themes for your classes, and you will get most of your classes.
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and ask a lot of questions. There’s no need to be perfect. The more mistakes you do, the more you learn 😊
- Take notes from your classes. Write down new vocabulary, grammar, and other things you discussed with your teacher. Remember to also review your notes. You can make your own flashcards on Quizlet or Memrise.
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If you’re interested in learning Spanish, I’ve created a comprehensive blog post of my favorite resources. You can check it out here 💛