Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means that I may get a small commission if you click on any of those links and make a purchase. The story below is based on my personal experience with French speaking classes and reflects my honest opinion, intended to help other language learners.
Have you ever reached a point in your language journey where you could understand a lot when reading but struggled to form a full sentence in your target language? As a language teacher, I know this is fairly common, but as a student, I still find it frustrating. That’s why I decided to take French speaking classes to improve my conversation skills. Out of all the available platforms, I chose to learn French on Lingoda.
Key Takeaways:
- I tried both group French classes and 1:1 lessons, finding the latter better suited to my needs.
- The flexibility of Lingoda’s schedule allowed me to fit lessons into my daily routine, even with a busy schedule as a stay-at-home mom.
- All lessons are taught almost entirely in the target language, which is highly effective for improving speaking and listening skills.
- Personalized feedback from teachers after each lesson helped me stay motivated and track my progress.
- Lingoda’s unique Sprint challenge offers a motivating way to commit to intensive learning while earning cashback for completing the program.
What is Lingoda?
If you haven’t heard of Lingoda, it’s a platform offering live online classes in various languages, including English, German, French, Spanish and Italian. You can choose between learning in a small group or taking 1:1 lessons. The schedule is very flexible, accommodating different time zones. A significant advantage for me was that all teachers are native speakers from different regions around the world. This means you can choose the type of accent you wish to be exposed to and get accustomed to it.
They also have a unique feature I haven’t seen on other similar platforms: the Sprint challenge. It’s a two-month challenge where you take classes daily or every other day. If you complete all the lessons you commit to, you get a 50% cashback. This sounds like the perfect motivating factor for an intensive learning experience. I haven’t tried it yet because it’s hard to commit to anything as a stay-at-home mom. However, I plan to try the Sprint challenge when I have more free time.
French Speaking Classes for All Levels: Beginner to Advanced
Lingoda offers classes for a range of proficiency levels. French learners can start at A1 (complete beginner) and progress up to B2 (upper intermediate). Before beginning my French classes at Lingoda, I took a placement test to determine my level. I scored intermediate and was advised to start with the B1 course. However, I felt I could benefit from revisiting the basics with a teacher since I’d learned French on my own. You can read more about the steps I took to learn French online in this blog post.
Also, I was mainly interested in French speaking classes in order to improve my listening and speaking skills. So, starting at a beginner level seemed more appropriate in my case. All classes are taught in the target language, allowing even complete beginners to practice conversation from the start. I know it may seem intimidating, but in fact it’s incredibly beneficial. After all, the ultimate goal for most language learners is to speak the language, so why not start right away?
Group vs. Private Language Classes
Lingoda offers both small group classes and individual lessons to anyone who wants to learn French online. You probably already know whether you learn better in a group environment or in 1:1 sessions with a teacher. Personally, I decided to try group lessons first, as I wanted to work on my listening skills. Participating in group conversations is always helpful, even if the other people are fellow learners. It’s probably even better when taking French speaking classes for beginners as you get to learn from others’ pronunciation mistakes.
Another reason I opted for group lessons was the cost – private classes are about twice as expensive. I figured I’d start with the cheaper option to get a feel for the platform. Later, I discovered that if no one else booked the same group lesson time slot, you’d still have a 1:1 session but pay the group rate. That’s a sweet deal!
My Experience with Group French Speaking Classes
Following Lingoda’s recommendation, I started with an orientation class. It served as a general introduction to the platform while teaching some basics, like how to introduce yourself and have simple conversations in French. There were three of us in that class – a teacher from Cameroon based in Nigeria, another student from Australia and me, from a small European country. It felt like a unique opportunity for all of us to come together. Despite being from different parts of the world, we could learn from each other and practice French.
I loved this first class because it gave me the chance to talk to a native French speaker. Even though the conversation was very basic, it felt like a huge win. All Lingoda lessons are taught in the target language, regardless of the course level. So, even grammar-focused lessons seamlessly turned into French speaking classes, allowing me to practice my listening and conversation skills.
The only issue I had with group lessons was the pace – sometimes it was too slow for me. Of course, the point of beginners classes is that everyone in the group is at the same level. Even so, individual learning speeds and understanding can vary. This sometimes resulted in one student struggling while others got bored. Having previous experience with the language but hesitating to join advanced group lessons, I decided to switch to private French speaking classes tailored to my specific needs.
Why 1:1 French Speaking Classes Worked Best for Me
Unsurprisingly, individual lessons turned out to be perfect for me. When booking a private class, you can choose a lesson from the curriculum or suggest your own topic depending on what you want to improve. For me, this meant focusing on practicing conversation with native French speakers – exactly what I needed most.
If you’ve ever tried speaking a language you’re not fluent in, you’ll understand the struggle – the embarrassment, the search for words, the feeling of being stuck. But you’ll also know how rewarding it feels when you manage to express your thoughts and be understood. I felt I was making great progress with every lesson, and that was priceless! While I could have improved my French by watching movies or reading, none of these methods would have worked as quickly as 1:1 French-speaking classes.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m happy with my experience taking French classes at Lingoda. I’d recommend it to anyone looking to learn a new language or improve their skills with the help of native-speaker teachers. Here is a quick overview of the things I loved and the ones which could be improved in my opinion:
Pros:
- Curriculum: Well-structured courses covering grammar, vocabulary and practical communication topics.
- Immersion: Teachers conduct classes in the target language, helping you learn to communicate sooner.
- Feedback: You get personalized feedback after each lesson (as long as you also submit feedback for your instructor). I personally felt encouraged and motivated to continue working on my language skills so I could excel in my French speaking classes.
Cons:
- Limited last-minute scheduling: While there’s a wide variety of time slots, you need to book classes a few days (or even a week) in advance to access more options across different time zones. I guess it works well for people with a fixed schedule. However, I’d prefer the flexibility to book same-day or next-day classes.
Lingoda is just one of many platforms you can use to learn French online, but it’s absolutely worth giving it a try. They offer a 7-day free trial, which should give you enough time to decide if it suits your needs. Despite starting at a lower level than my placement test suggested, I still got to learn something new. I truly enjoyed my French speaking classes and gained confidence with each lesson. In my opinion, conversation practice is the most valuable benefit for any language learner, regardless of their level.
Check this page for more ideas on how to learn French online.