The Benefits of Foreign Language Tutoring

Students are often required to take several years of foreign language, particularly in high school or college. These requirements vary dramatically, depending upon the school and the state in which you reside.

These courses can be challenging for students. Here are some areas in which an outside tutors can help:

Vocabulary

Building a working vocabulary is one of the many difficult aspects of learning a foreign language, because it relies so heavily upon memorization. If your child is familiar with a language similar to the one he or she is studying, your child may be able to remember words because they are similar to other words he or she already knows. Otherwise, flashcards and visuals become part of the studying strategy. You may want to suggest that the tutor routinely go over vocabulary that the child has learned instead of only reviewing what will be on the next quiz or test. This approach can help your child build a foundation of words that he or she can refer to later on in their studies.

Grammar

Grammar can be challenging for many students because English-American grammar is often very different from that of other languages. For instance, in many other foreign languages words have an article in front them that characterizes them as masculine or feminine. When hiring a tutor, try asking him or her how she plans on teaching your child grammar. If one approach doesn't work, ask if he or she has alternate approaches. Having alternate approaches is essential since all students learn differently. Don't hesitate to try different tutors until both you and your child are comfortable.

Pronunciation

Sometimes one of the most uncomfortable experiences for your child in class is responding to a question in a foreign language, especially if your child feels self-conscious about his or her accent. Often, teachers are unable to really work one-on-one with students to help improve their pronunciation. A tutor could help work with your student improve his or her accent without feeling self-conscious that other students are listening. A native speaker may offer your child the best help with pronunciation. However, be sure that the tutor is speaking the dialect that is being taught in your child's class. There are great variations between Mexican Spanish and European Spanish, for example.