How to find the best online French teachers

You or someone in your family has decided to brush up on French for the first time since high school? Are you planing a trip to France or simply attracted to all things French? Nowadays it is easier than ever to find an enormous variety of language learning resources online, ranging from movies to literature to interactive applications and to online private classes. Working with a private French teacher is one of the most effective methods for learning the French language online. A private French teacher can guide you in your first steps and correct your mistakes so that you don't build bad habits that might be difficult to redress in the future.

There are several websites offering online French classes with private teachers, how do you chose the best? Here are several factors to consider. 

The teacher's qualifications

First and foremost, it is important to pay attention to the teacher's credentials. Although official diplomas are not always an absolute necessity, they are usually a sign that the teacher will be able to provide you with quality lessons and well structured materials and contents. A good instructor will usually have a university-level degree or relevant French teaching certificates.

The country of origin

It is also important to consider the way you are planing to use your know French-speaking abilities. If you are planing to travel to a particular francophone country it is probably better to find a French teacher who was born and raised in that country. Although standard French can be understood without problems across the Francophonie, the actual way it is spoken can vary widely between countries. Having a tutor from a particular country will help you familiarize with the accent and the colloquial expressions of that particular region of the world.

Class prices

You should also be conscious of your budget. Experienced online French teachers tend to charge higher prices than novice tutors. This means that you can keep your expenses under control if you decide to give a chance to less experienced tutors that charge lower rates but can still help you obtain great results. Another way of keeping your expenses low is to share the cost of the classes among several friends. Sites like Multi-Language Cafe allow you to take semi-private classes at lower hourly rates per student.

Secondary languages

If you are an absolute beginner, let's not forget that you will need to communicate with the teacher in your own native language or a third language you both speak. If you are in this situation, it is important to verify the secondary languages your teacher can work with. If, on the other hand, your level of proficiency in French is already sufficient for basic conversations, it is possible that the classes can take place exclusively in French! In that case you will be able to greatly accelerate your learning experience!

Teaching approach

It is important to read carefully the teacher's introduction as well as their approach to teaching French. Different teachers use different methods and have different teaching styles. It is also possible that some teachers might be generally more aligned with the activities and subjects you are interested in. A website like MultiLanguage Cafe provides helpful background information on each teacher so that you can easily choose among them those that fit your learning objectives best.

Are you preparing for a French exam?

Being admitted to a college or applying for a position in a French speaking country often involves passing an official proficiency test. If you need to learn French because you are in one of those situations, you may want to look for teachers who specifically mention preparation for the French exams as one of their specialties. The most common exams online teachers can prepare you for are the DELF (Diplôme d’Etudes en Langue Française) and the DALF (Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française), although some teachers can also help with the TEF or the TCF, which are required for other purposes or in countries other than France.

Our private French teachers

If you are ready to start looking for your perfect online French teacher, take a look at listings. Our French teachers are highly qualified and can adapt their teaching to your learning objectives. You book your own classes online according to your own schedule and following your own pace! The best part of multilanguagecafe.com is that you can take your lessons online by Skype, Zoom or any similar teleconferencing service, but also in person, if the instructor lives in your city.

Happy learning!