The number of LingQ conversations I have hosted so far in about two and a half years may not be impressive compared to some English or French tutors' records, but it means having had a conversation as a tutor every three days on average. That's not bad. I haven't kept track of the number of conversations I have signed up for in various languages. Speaking has certainly kept me very busy over time.
When I started offering tutoring in German in August 2009 it took several weeks before anyone would sign up or send me writings. Thanks to Steve, who I spoke to a few times, and Vera, who cajoled some of her students into trying out a new tutor, I got to having a few more or less regular students. I even tried having group conversations very early on. And I liked the new experience.
The breakthrough happened when LingQ allowed members to tutor in multiple languages. The demand for English made it easier to find students who were interested in trying out speaking with a non-native speaker of English. As a language teacher I thought I had enough to offer to beginners to high intermediate students of English. As it turned out, the students who chose me as an English tutor were more interested in the communicative aspects and cultural learning of LingQ conversations than in the purely linguistic side of having their spoken language corrected.
As a full-time language teacher with a private life and a keen language learner myself, I cannot, of course, be available for more than a couple of conversations per week. Conversations are fun, interesting, a learning experience in which I participate. Every time I learn something about my mother tongue too. I know that German presents particular difficulties to students that mainly have to do with articles, cases, word order and phrases. However, communication is possible in spite of problems in these areas. Usually I can guess the intended meanings.
Lately I have also enjoyed tutoring in French, just a few conversations, but it works the same way as English. I have conversations in English and French myself with native speakers, you are never done with learning phrases and ways of saying things, how ever high your level may be. Speaking naturally requires endless practice and constant refining.
I think I owe my students a lot. Let me say thank you to everyone who has ever signed up for a conversation with me. LingQ truly is a worldwide community of language lovers.
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