With the help of Varsity Tutors, you or your student can become connected to a talented foreign language tutor. Foreign language tutoring is a great option for anyone searching for a unique learning experience in which you can call upon the knowledge of an expert in the subject. What's more, tutoring allows for a one-on-one environment that can help you focus on your learning. Perhaps you have found yourself searching for "foreign language tutoring near me." If so, it's likely that you are well aware of just how beneficial working with a quality tutor can be. So instead of searching for a "foreign language tutor near me," let us help you get started with the tutoring that you need. Read on to see if tutoring would be a good fit for you.
The Continuing Importance of Foreign Languages
The world is getting smaller all the time. With developments in communications and the increased desire among many to travel, it makes a lot of sense to learn a foreign language. Even in the United States, there are ever-growing numbers of speakers whose first language is not English. Learning a foreign language can give a unique insight into different cultures. This can be incredibly rewarding and allow students to make connections around the world. What's more, learning another language can be highly lucrative, as businesses and governments are all the time in need of people who can speak multiple languages. With foreign language tutoring, you can deepen your language knowledge and explore the many different benefits that being bilingual can bring.
University Level Foreign Language Courses
For those who are looking at careers in international business or many other fields, studying a foreign language at the college level can be mandatory. For some, it might be of interest to pursue the language all the way to degree status, giving you a deep understanding of a different culture and its language. Being at the college level, it's important to know that the level of rigor will be quite high. This may have already sent you to search for a "foreign language tutor near me." With the help of your tutor, you can feel more confident at any level of study.
Some of the courses that you may encounter when studying a foreign language in college include:
Typical Foreign Language Degree Courses
- Several semesters of specialization in a particular language (Spanish, French, Mandarin, Italian, German, Japanese, etc.)
- World Languages
- French Literature
- Asian History
- Italian Cinema
- Russian Literature
- Japanese Culture
- Foreign Language for Business
- History of Civilization
- Diversity
- Ethics
- Information Literacy
- Evolution of Language
Working with a foreign language tutor can help you navigate the above courses by giving you a unique, one-on-one learning environment. One of the best things about working with a tutor is that they can get to know your personal learning style. This allows them to find out what works and what doesn't when delivering you new content. Armed with this knowledge, they can alter the way that they present their lessons to give you the maximum chance of understanding it. Foreign language tutoring sessions can be a great way to learn about the standards that are expected when learning a new language.
The ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) presents their language learning standards as such:
ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) Language Learning Standards
- Communication standards
- Interpersonal
- Interpretive
- Presentational
- Cultural competence and understanding standards
- Relating cultural practices to perspectives
- Relating cultural products to perspectives
- Connections standards
- Increasing knowledge of other disciplines while using a language to develop critical thinking and to solve problems creatively
- Acquiring information and diverse perspectives
- Comparison standards
- Language comparisons
- Cultural comparisons
- Community standards
- Using a language to interact and collaborate in the community and the globalized world
- Lifelong learning
Foreign Language Testing
One of the reasons that you might have been searching for "foreign language tutors near me" could be because of an upcoming test. Testing is one area where students of all skill levels and abilities sometimes have trouble. One of the great things that foreign language tutors can do is to help with you or your student's test preparation. The most obvious way that a foreign language tutor can help is by helping to review content that is introduced in the class. Tutors can take the time needed to go over the topics that are on the test so that you can feel more prepared on test day.
With your private instructor, you can take practice exams and gain instant feedback about how to fix any of the questions you may get wrong. Being able to take a practice test ahead of the actual exam can help you to identify any areas you may be unaware you're needing assistance understanding. This can help you to progress in those skills and gain confidence.
Types of tests a tutor can assist you or your student in preparing to take:
- Unit Tests - Private tutors can assist you in reviewing for various unit tests throughout your class using the syllabus provided by the class instructor to make sure you don't fall behind in your coursework or skills.
- Finals/Midterms - You can get help if you need a more comprehensive review for a midterm or final exam. These types of tests can cover a wider range of content, and your tutor can help you to stick to an appropriate study schedule to cover all the necessary material.
- CLEP - The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) offers exams for French, German, Spanish, and Spanish with Writing. These exams can be used at some universities to gain college credits. A tutor can make sure you review the correct content to best showcase your foreign language skills.
- AP Exams - If you're taking an AP class for a foreign language, you'll want to do your best on the AP exam. Getting a good score on an AP exam can earn you college credits and save money in the future. Your tutor can assist you by providing opportunities to take practice exams.
Another way that foreign language tutoring can help students is by putting together a detailed study plan. Working with tutors is beneficial because they can get to know your needs. They can help you spot deficiencies or gaps in your knowledge, giving you advice on where you should put your focus. In the lead up to any test, time is valuable. A study plan can help you make good use of your time so that you are able to cover all of the material necessary. With the help of a talented foreign language tutor, you can learn how to prepare for a test more effectively and efficiently.
Careers with a Foreign Language
Most students of a foreign language have a strong desire to become fluent. Fluency allows students to communicate easily in their chosen language, offering up a wealth of unique cultural experiences that they may not have otherwise had access to. More and more, businesses are on the hunt for potential employees who know more than one language. Certainly, the knowledge of multiple languages can help you stand out in a crowded job market. Some of the jobs that could be available to you with knowledge of a foreign language include:
Careers for Foreign Language Learners
- Human resource specialist for an international business
- Translator
- Interpreter
- Government intelligence
- International customer service
- Travel agent/tour guide
- Linguist
- Writer/Editor
- Journalist
- Liaison officer for a company conducting business internationally
- Field researcher
- Product manager
- Importer/Exporter
- Art dealer
- US representative for a foreign company
- Teacher
Why Consider Foreign Language Tutoring?
Put simply, foreign language tutoring allows you to get the undivided attention of an expert in the subject. Being able to pick the brain of someone who is highly knowledgeable is a benefit that is hard to overstate. When you ask a tutor a question, you can expect an answer that is thorough and, because of a tutor's knowledge of how you learn, put to you in terms that you can understand. All in all, tutoring allows for a customized learning experience that always has your needs as its focus.
With a foreign language tutor, you can control the pace of your learning. You have probably been in a classroom that has simply moved too quickly, leaving large portions of the class behind. Similarly, it can be just as frustrating if a class is moving too slow for your needs. With tutoring, you get the chance to linger on subjects that need more attention or skip past the ones that you are already comfortable with. This level of personalization is rarely afforded in most conventional classroom settings.
Goal setting is another big perk of working with foreign language tutors. You and your tutor can establish learning targets and put a plan of action in place that can more easily allow you to work towards them. The feedback and constructive criticism that you can receive from your tutor can be instantly put to use. They can be honest about your progress and give you tips on how to improve.
One of the other great things about working with a foreign language tutor is the flexibility that it allows. It's hard to fit everything into the day. Sometimes studying can be the thing that slips. You'll be happy to know that many tutors are happy to work with you regarding the times of the sessions. If you or your student works better in the early evening, for instance, a tutor can try to set the schedule to accommodate your learning needs. Also, by regularly meeting a tutor, you or your student can develop beneficial study habits that allow for more focused attention on the topics that you need.
Tying it All Together
There are many benefits that you could have from working with a foreign language tutor. From helping you with verb conjugations to conversing in your new language, a tutor can work toward impacting your learning positively. When you sign up for "foreign language tutoring near me," you can expect to work towards sharpening your skills and expanding content knowledge in the company of an expert. Stop searching for "foreign language tutors near me," and let us help you find a tutor who can help. Call Varsity Tutors today to speak to a trusted academic advisor who is standing by to answer your questions and help you decide if tutoring is the right way to go for you or your student. With a talented foreign language tutor, you can take the steps necessary to pursue your academic and career goals.
