Check Out Useful Tips for Easier Studying Abroad Experience

Publication Date: 21 Mar 2018
Author: Ben Parker

Tips to make your study abroad experience easier

Once you`ve decided to study abroad, the only thing left is to wait until you move to the new country. It`s obvious, you will feel nervous and excited at the same time. Still, it`s important to pull yourself together and enjoy your staying abroad. That`s why we have prepared for you useful tips, which can help make you studying abroad experience easier.

One of the most important things to do while going to a new country is to learn languages beforehand, as this will help you adjust to the local traditions and culture quickly.

Language skills necessary for studying abroad

You are not obliged to learn the foreign language fluently to study abroad, basic knowledge will be enough. Still, it`s necessary to take some lessons in advance, as this will help you get on with locals easier and you will also define what exactly you should do to improve your language knowledge. Taking some lessons per week while staying in a new country will make you fluent, this is a good plus for your future career.

Language knowledge for in-class and out of class communication

Imagine you`ve come to the country which language you don`t know. How will you socialize with your classmates and tutors? You should have at least some basic language knowledge to make acquainted with locals, you can be a beginner or be at a “waystage” level.

A beginner can introduce themselves, understand and respond to everyday phrases, express some basic ideas. In general, beginners can interact with local people somehow.

A “waystage” level means you are able to use longer questions and sentences, you can proceed with longer conversations and talk a bit on the field of your study.

We can sum up that 100 hours of study will make you a beginner, 200 hours will lead you to a “waystage” stage. Of course, you can easily become an Independent User being abroad, as you will get enough practice. Still, everything depends on your desire and work.

Tutoring in language learning

Nowadays nothing can be easier than language learning. You can find lots of options, simply using Google, like:

• Apps for language learning;
• Private tutoring;
• Language classes in colleges and other institutions.

Very often students who go abroad for studying do not have enough time to spend on language learning, so the best way, which will give quick results is to attend private classes.

While looking for a tutor, you`ll come across a lot of offer, you are to make your own decision and that`s not always easy. We`ve prepared for you the following things, you are to bear in mind while choosing a tutor.

Should I take online or in-person classes?

Most online lessons are much cheaper than in-person ones. You can save much money if you choose online classes. Moreover, you can choose teachers who have traveled abroad, who have more experience. This gives you complete freedom of choice.

The relation of the tutor to your studying abroad

You may look for a tutor, who doesn`t only speak the foreign language fluently, but who lived in that country and can share own experience with you. Moreover, they will tell you what to expect being in that country, what are the customs and culture.

In addition, if there exist some dialects of a language, they will tell you about them in details. So, you will be fully prepared for everything in advance.

Check the qualifications of tutors, their experience in teaching, feedbacks from students. This will draw a picture of a professional and help you make your mind.

Strategies used by teachers

There are good teachers, who use standard techniques and methods to teach the languages, they strictly follow the books. However, there are teachers, who feel exactly how to help students overcome the language barriers, they are more concentrated on dialogue speaking, communication during the classes. This is the key moment if you want to speak that foreign language well.

What about group classes?

You can try group classes only to evaluate the tutors` proficiency. Taking a group class will help you know the tutor better, their skills and abilities, personality in general.

Moreover, you can check your desire to learn the language in groups. If you like the communication there, then you can take some online courses.

How much time can you spend on studying?

It`s a challenge for students to manage their time in an appropriate way. Adding an extra hour of tutoring can be difficult, particularly if you put it on the top of your priorities. If you spend an hour with a tutor, then you are to study by yourself three hours in return.

The cost and length of studying

There are many factors that actually influences the time you need to learn the language. For instance, it depends on the language you want to learn, of course, Chinese demands much more time than Spanish or Italian. Moreover, students who already know some foreign languages are more used to studying and their process of learning is much faster. In addition, it also depends on the ability of your tutor to cooperate with your way of learning.

Take into account, that you should spend more time on learning if you want quick results.

The costs depend also on the time you spend with a tutor and level you want to achieve. You are to set realistic goals, create a plan and follow it. Then you won`t waste your time and money and surely gain success. Learning the language before going abroad will prepare you for the life in a new country and let you enjoy your staying there without much communication troubles.