Frequently Asked Questions
Getting Started
How do I join? How does it work?
How much English do I need to know?
If you understand simple words like “school”, “job”, “morning”, “holiday” etc we can work with you. Spoken English Practice’s program is targeted towards non- native English speakers who want to go from an elementary level to an advanced level in English. If you don’t know even 5-10 words in English, we encourage you to take beginner level English class first and come back.
Do you offer kids/children’s English Speaking programs?
Yes. These classes are great for children to get a native English accent and be really fluent in English. Children’s English lessons follow the same Conversational approach but the conversation topics are catered to suit the child. Once you buy lessons, just send an email to info@spokenenglishpractice.com with the child’s age.
How do I schedule sessions with a teacher?
The Lessons page outlines how you can book/schedule lessons.
What’s the cost, and how do I pay?
We have 5 lesson packages available and the price depends on the number of classes you buy. Please check the Lessons page our website for full details. You can pay by credit card or PayPal through our secure payment gateway. You will get a confirmation email within minutes. We offer a 30 day money back guarantee.
Why do you charge for the trial lesson? Can’t I get it free?
The trial lesson is not free because we want to make sure you are committed to improving English Speaking in the long run. We do not provide free trial lessons.
Teachers /Teaching Style
Are all your teachers native English speakers?
Yes. We give you a 100% guarantee on this. When you join our English Speaking program you can select whether you want to practice with a native English speaker from the US or UK. We have a network of over 3,000 native English teachers.
Can I select a teacher (Conversation Partner)?
– If you are a new student taking a trial lesson: We will assign a teacher, as you don’t know any of our teachers. All our teachers are native English teachers who have a deep understanding of our teaching method. We have a specialized process to match teachers with new students.
– If you took a trial lesson and want to join the full course: We will assign you the same teacher who did your trial lesson. (unless you request a different teacher)
– If you want to change teachers during the course: We offer you the flexibility to change teachers if you want. A new teacher will be provided within 7 business days of request.
If I join the full course after taking a trial, do I get the same teacher that I had the trial lesson with?
Yes, you will get the same teacher you had the trial lesson with. During the trial lesson, make sure you ask the teacher about the times they are available, so that you can book a schedule that works for the both of you.
Do I get the same teacher in all my classes?
Yes, you will get one teacher assigned to you. We offer you the flexibility to change teachers if you want to.
I want to get lessons from 2-3 teachers at the same time so that I can practice different accents/styles. Is this possible?
Yes, when you buy 60 or more lessons you can request for multiple teachers at the same time.
60 lessons – 2 teachers
80 lessons – 3 teachers
100 lessons – 4 teachers
Our online booking system will only support basic bookings (I.e. 1 teacher – 1 student), so after you buy the package email me the invoice number and schedule you prefer and we will get you setup manually.
*Note: The multiple teacher option is not available for 20 or 40 lesson packages.
What is a lesson like?
A lesson will be just like having a conversation with a native English speaker in real life. You can talk about any topic – from sports to movies to culture to politics. Teachers at Spoken English Practice are trained to conduct these lessons in such a way that you get maximum chances to talk in English. Your teacher will make corrections during the conversation and help you improve grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation etc.
Can you give some examples of conversation topics used for English speaking lessons?
Yes, please visit this page to get a sample list of Conversation topics used for Spoken English lessons. Also, this page outlines some conversation topics we have used in English lessons recently.
What areas in my English can I expect to improve?
You will become more fluent in English. You will speak effortlessly because you will understand sentence structures better. Your pronunciation will improve making it easier for native English speakers to understand you. You will develop better listening skills, which will allow you to quickly and correctly understand native speakers in real life conversations. Your improved speaking and listening skills will also help you in improving your writing and reading skills.
Do you teacher grammar?
We teach grammar but our method of teaching is very different from a traditional English speaking course. Our focus is to help you improve English speaking Speak English naturally, without having to process grammar rules in your head. At Spoken English Practice it is our experience that focusing too heavily on grammar will slow you down when learning to speak English.Our teachers (Conversation Partners) will give you corrections without interrupting every sentence.
Do you offer group classes?
We ONLY offer 1 on 1 classes (private lessons). We do not offer group classes. We think online group classes are not an effective way to improve English speaking skills.
Class Schedule
At what times do the lessons take place?
We offer a lot of flexibility – you can have classes anytime, between 2AM and 11 PM New York City Time, 7 days a week. Check the programs page for information on what times sessions can be scheduled.
Where should I go for my lessons?
You don’t need to go anywhere. All sessions are conducted through the internet, via Skype.
How long is a English speaking lesson?
A lesson is 30 minutes. It is our experience that 30 minutes is the optimal duration for 1-to-1 conversations. If you prefer 1 hour sessions instead of half an hour, we can arrange this.
How do I select a schedule?
When you buy the English course you will be asked to pick what days/times you want to have classes. For example, you can pick 8 AM New York time, Monday, Wednesday and Sunday as your schedule.
Can I change my schedule after starting classes?
Yes, you can change your schedule after starting classes. You just need to let the teacher know in advance. If the teacher cannot meet your new schedule, we will arrange another teacher.
How often should I practice with an English teacher?
3 times a week is ideal. If you prefer a different schedule we can arrange this.
Equipment/Technology
What do I need to have for an English speaking?
You need a computer/laptop/tablet/smartphone with Internet access. The Conversation Partner(teacher) will call you via Skype so you need to have Skype on your device. You can get Skype downloaded easily here
Is Skype reliable enough for 30 minute English lessons?
Skype is a very reliable method of making free voice calls over the Internet. You can make a free Skype Test call to see sound quality. Also, please make sure you use a set of good earphones and speakers.
Is Skype a free service? How can I get it?
Yes.Skype is a free software application that allows users to make voice calls over the Internet Downloading Skype is free and will only take you 3-4 minutes. You can find the Skype download link here.
Cancellations
What is your class cancellation policy?
If you are unable to attend any lesson in the scheduled time you have to notice it at least 24 hours before the scheduled time. If you cancel your lesson with less than 24 hours notice or miss it, the lesson is to be considered as if it was completed. Lessons cannot be cancelled or rescheduled less than 24 hours before the lesson is due to commence.
What is your refund policy?
If you decide to terminate your course within 30 days of purchase and will not attend the rest of the purchased lessons, you are entitled for a refund for the lessons you have not completed. Spoken English Practice will charge you a flat fee of $15 per each completed 30 minute class. The remainder of the course fee will be refunded to student within 7-10 business days.
Example – If a student purchased 20 lessons and decided to terminate after 5 lessons , the student will be charged $75 for those 5 lessons.
What happens if Spoken English Practice cancels a session?
You will not be charged if Spoken English Practice cancels a session. Spoken English Practice will e-mail to set up a makeup session at a time convenient for you.
Payments/Credit Cards
I’m getting an error when I try to pay with my credit card. Can you help?
Pls email us at info@spokenenglishpractice.com and one of our customer service representatives will assist you. We understand international credit card transactions are complicated so we have dedicated staff to troubleshoot any issues. Please do NOT email us your credit card information.
Exam Preparation
Can you help me prepare for the TOEFL/IELTS Speaking section?
Yes. We can provide you a teacher who can cater lessons specifically to the TOEFL/IELTS speaking section and use TOEFL/IELTS mock questions to practice. For example we can use conversation topics like this for TOEFL or conversation topics like this for IELTS. Or you can give the teacher a topic you prefer in advance. However, please remember that most of our teachers will not know all the technical details about the TOEFL exam format (E.g. time given for each question etc). Our service will help you speak English fluently, correctly and clearly during the exam and after. Also, our lessons will help you understand Native English Speakers better, which will help you score higher in TOEFL/IELTS listening sections.
Our advice to students taking TOEFL, IELTS, CPE or any English exam: Don’t prepare just for the exam. Improve English language skills overall. Practice with a Native English Teacher, learn vocabulary commonly used by Native Speakers, and train your brain to understand Native English accents. (Our lessons will help with all these aspects) If you do all these, you will score great on TOEFL/IELTS/CPE without much extra effort.
General
Where do you have office locations?
Currently we have offices in Boston, London and Sydney. We are planning in opening brand new Spoken English Centers in China, Brazil and Russia.
What countries do you get students from?
We have helped students from over 150 countries develop their conversational English.
Examples of countries/cities of some recent ESL students we have worked with : Shanghai (China), Mumbai (India), Moscow (Russia), Tokyo (Japan), San Paulo (Brazil), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Bangkok (Thailand), Ho Chi Min (Vietnam), Milan (Italy), Paris (France), Vienna (Austria), Istanbul (Turkey), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Berlin (Germany), Kiev (Ukraine), Budapest (Hungary), Bucharest (Romania), Warsaw (Poland), Seoul (South Korea), Chennai (India), Munich (Germany), Brussels (Belgium), Saint Petersburg (Russia), Yerevan (Armenia), Lima (Peru), Bogota (Colombia), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Santiago (Chile), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Madrid (Spain), Hanoi (Vietnam), Beijing (China), Delhi (India), Jakarta (Indonesia), Manila (Philippines), Kathmandu (Nepal), Male (Maldives) etc
Do you provide a certificate?
We can provide a certificate at the end of course with a grading. Grading will be based on the teacher’s feedback, attendance etc. Please contact your Account Manager with this request.
Partnerships/Groups
Do you partner with other English schools to provide English speaking lessons?
Yes, we do! If you are a local English school that teaches mainly grammar and vocabulary but would like to give your students some special lessons with Native English teachers, we can arrange that. Please email info@spokenenglishpractice.com for more information.
Do you offer group classes?
We ONLY offer 1 on 1 classes (private lessons). We do not offer group classes. We feel 1 on 1 classes are the most effective way to improve English speaking, specially when classes are done online. If you are a school or company making a booking for a group of students, please email info@spokenenglishpractice.com and we can discuss a few options.
