In this specific type of article, we will cover two things:

• italki review: Why should you choose italki as your primary platform for learning the Spanish language?
• Detailed instruction on how to start with italki, and book your first class.

If you are already familiar with the italki platform or don’t need any help with the application process, you can register to italki via this link or you can click the button below.
Either way, you will receive an additional $10 bonus credit for your first credit purchase.

In case this concept of learning a language online is new to you, or you need some assistance with creating an account on italki and booking your first class, you should continue with your reading.

Let’s dive in!

1) italki review – My personal experience.

The most convenient way of learning a new language

Sometimes just the thought of having a conversation in a language that is not your native, especially with a stranger, can immediately make you anxious. And it is normal to feel that way. Almost everybody does.

The hardest part of starting my italki journey was stepping out of my comfort zone and booking that first lesson. But after that barrier was broken, and I had the first lesson, I felt so inspired and immediately booked another one.

Making that first step is always stressful, but the important thing is going through with it and not giving up.

italki provides you the opportunity to go through that stress from the comfort of your own home. It is easier to conquer that fear if you can deal with it from the place that provides you comfort.

One on one lesson with a teacher

Having the whole attention of your teacher just for yourself is one of the biggest benefits of learning Spanish (or any other language) via an online platform.

This way, they can follow your learning process and provide you with more personal lessons for your specific needs.

The more affordable option

Providing yourself with a personal language teacher can usually be very expensive. With italki, you have the opportunity to choose between many different prices, and everybody can find an option that suits their budget.

Speaking Spanish with native speakers – The most efficient way to learn the Spanish language

In my personal opinion, speaking Spanish with native speakers is the most important value that italki has to offer. Regardless of where you live, you will have an opportunity to speak with native Spanish speakers from the comfort of your own home.

Exploring new cultures while meeting new people and making new friendships

This is just a bonus you will get by using italki for learning a new language. In less than a year, I had an opportunity to meet numerous new interesting people from all around the world, just by using italki. With some of them, I even went one step further and developed a friendship.

Those are just some of the advantages of learning the Spanish language by using the italki platform. I am sure that you will find your own on top of those.

If this made you interested to give italki a try, you can go and register through the link below.

In the second part of this article, we will cover the whole path from registration to booking your first class with italki, so maybe you will find it helpful.

2) How to start learning Spanish with italki? (Detailed instructions with all necessary steps included)

If you have experience with a similar platform, you don’t have to read the whole process. You can easily use the content table above to jump to the step you have a problem with.

Step 1: Go to the italki

Click on one of the links on this page, and you will get a $10 bonus for your first credit purchase.

Also, we will get a small commission, which helps us make more useful guides like this one.

Step 2: ”Get started today”

After you click on one of the links you find in this article, you will land on the italki landing page. There you can find even more information about the italki platform. After reading that, you should click on the ”Get started today” button at the end of that page. That will send you to the italki registration page.

Step 3: Registration

Here you need to register for the italki platform by entering your name, email, and preferred password (it has to be 8 letters min, and have at least two different types of characters, without spaces).

Step 4: Email verification

After successful registration, you will get an email from italki where you need to click on the link in the email to verify your newly created account.

Step 5: Set your language preferences

Choose Spanish as the language you want to learn on italki, and set your current language level. Also, fill out the remaining fields (your native language and your current country of residence).

Step 6: Fill up your italki balance

Next, you need to fill up your italki balance by purchasing italki credits. Remember, by doing this you will get $10 for your first purchase if you registered through one of the links in this article.

You can choose how many credits do you want to buy. Any amount you choose will get you a $10 bonus on top of that.

Step 7: Set payment method

italki offers numerous payment methods, and you can choose between:

• Debit/credit card
• PayPal
• Skrill
• Bank transfer

Step 8: Purchase your italki credits

After entering your details, you are ready to purchase your italki credits for the first time. Be aware that a small processing fee will be included, depending on which payment provider you selected.

After you submit your payment, you should get a notification that your funds are processed.

Your bonus will arrive in your wallet 48 hours after your first purchase.

Now, you are ready to start learning Spanish.

In the next couple of steps, we will cover how to book your first class!

Step 9: Use your trial lessons first

You should start your italki experience with your trial lessons. They are a perfect way to try a couple of different options and find a teacher that will suit your needs.

Trail lessons are way cheaper than regular ones, so you should definitely use them first.

Step 10: Choosing your professor

There are two different types of professors on the italki platform: professional teachers and community tutors. You are not going to make a mistake with either option. It only depends on what you are looking to find.

Professional teachers

If you want to have a real professor with professional teaching experience, someone who will guide you through your lessons and prepare all materials for you, then you should go for a professional teacher.

Community tutors

On the other hand, if you are looking for a bit more casual option or an opportunity to have a conversation with a native Spanish speaker, then you should choose a community tutor. Community tutors are usually cheaper, too.

We understand that this can be the hardest thing for people who are just starting, and for that purpose, we created an article on how to choose your italki teacher.

Step 11: Book your first class on italki

The process of booking on italki is easy to follow.

You have the option to choose between different types of lessons, depending on what your teacher has to offer. Some of the standard options are grammar lessons, casual conversations, preparing for a specific test, etc.

You can also choose a duration that suits you best (the usual options are: 30, 45, 60, or 90 minutes).

Sometimes teachers can offer you an additional promotion if you decide to buy more classes at once. Be aware that, in that case, you will have to schedule all of them upfront.

You will also be able to check the availability of each teacher before you schedule your class.

Additionally, if you didn’t find a time that suits you best, you can request a slot outside of the teacher’s current schedule using Lesson Invitation. Some teachers may even accept short notice lessons.

Step 12: Choose your communication tool

Finally, you will have the option to choose which communication tool you want to use for your class. The easiest option is to go with the italki classroom.

In case you are more comfortable with some other video communication tool, such as Skype, Zoom, or something third, you can choose that (of course, if it is available as an option).

After that, you will receive a notification that your class is scheduled. The only thing left is for your teacher to approve it. In some cases, it can happen automatically.

Once you are done with all those steps – that’s it. You are now ready to start your own italki experience. Congrats!

FAQs

How late can I book an italki class?

The latest a student can book an italki lesson is 2 hours before the actual class. This can also vary depending on how a teacher has set up his account preferences.

How to reschedule a lesson on italki?

To reschedule a lesson on italki, you just need to use the ”change date/time” option or you can contact your teacher. You should only pay attention to rescheduling at least 24h before your class, otherwise, you won’t be allowed to do it.

How to cancel a lesson on italki?

You can cancel your italki lesson by using the ”cancel lesson” option. You need to be aware that this is possible only if there is more than 24h until your lesson.

If you run into some problems with any of the application steps, feel free to contact us via the next email: contact@travelandtapas.com

We will be happy to assist you!

The post italki 2022 Review – The Best Platform to Learn Spanish Online appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

Normally, when you sign up for a language course, you are limited or even unable to pick your teacher. However, having the possibility to choose your teacher can be incredibly helpful to your progress and advancement.

italki offers you filters, trial lessons, and other features that could help you explore your options and choose the right for yourself.

If you’re new to this style of learning, it may seem overwhelming to see pages and pages of teachers. You might get lost in trying to decide with who to book classes, but that is completely understandable.

So, we prepared a few tips that can help you explore and make your decision.

If you are new to the italki platform, you can find out more in our previous article where we covered all the basics.

This article contains some affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost for you we can earn a small commission if you decide to click through and make a purchase.

Start with setting up the right filters

italki has a very intuitive search bar. When you first sign up, the platform will ask you to share which language or languages you’d like to learn, your goals, and some other things that can help them set up the first batch of teachers for you. You can start scrolling from there, but you can also use the filters and set some parameters that would work for you.

For example, you can set if you’re looking for a professional teacher or a community tutor. We wrote about this in our main article, but the difference is that “professional teachers” will make a structural plan for your learning process, while “community tutors” will help you become more conversational.

If you already have a medium or advanced level of some language and you’d like to practice speaking, a community tutor is a great choice. If you’re only starting and need help with grammar, sentence forming, and vocabulary, then maybe a professional teacher is a better choice.

You can also use the filters to pick a teacher from a certain country. If you speak Italian, for example, you might look for a Spanish teacher from Italy so you communicate easier. If you’re looking for a native speaker that speaks your language, you can also set that in the filters.

You can also use the filters to set up the price range you’re looking for or a specific date and time you’re available on.

So, if you start by setting the filters to fit your needs, you’ll eliminate the teachers that don’t fit what you’re looking for. This will reduce the redundancy of the teachers significantly. Now, you can start scrolling and exploring the teachers individually.

Learn how to skim through many options to find a good teacher on italki for you

Even with setting up your search, you will probably have multiple pages to go through, so visiting every teacher’s profile would take too much of your time. Luckily, italki has some basic teacher information listed on the feed that can help you skim through the profiles and see who seems like someone for you.

First, you’ll see if your teacher is a professional teacher or a community tutor. If you didn’t set this up in the filters, you could filtrate them at this point. Secondly, below the teacher’s profile picture, you will see if they have any reviews and if the reviews are positive. The reviews will be in the form of stars.

Next, you’ll be able to see how many lessons the teacher has had so far. If someone is new, italki will give them a little “New” badge so you know that they recently joined.

In this small view, you will also see the teacher’s rates, as well as which languages they speak and/or teach. On the right side, you will find their introductory video. You can also change your small view to their Intro and Schedule and even check those before viewing their full profile.

Tip: Teachers with plenty of lessons are vetted, and you can be sure that they are good and have practice. There’s no risk in booking with these teachers. On the other hand, NEW teachers bring certain risks because they have no lessons, no reviews, etc. However, NEW teachers are more likely to dedicate themselves to you specifically and have a more personalized approach.

How can an introductory video help you pick an italki teacher?

All teachers on italki are obligated to submit an introductory video. This video is crucial because it gives a student an idea of what it would look like to speak with the teacher.

Even though this video is primarily meant for teachers to introduce themselves, it can also help you confirm the technicalities of your lesson. You can use it to check the quality of the teacher’s audio and video.

Another useful thing is to see if you can actually understand the teacher speaking. Are they talking too fast for you, or perhaps, too slow? Are they quiet, so you have a hard time hearing all the words?

You can also see in which accent the teacher speaks. So, if you’re learning Spanish, you can see if the teacher speaks Spanish from Spain or Latin America. The same goes for other languages, like English. Is the teacher speaking British English or has an American accent?

Your choice can be based on your preferences. If you’d like to learn the famous “c” from Spain, you’d more likely benefit from a teacher that speaks Spanish from Spain. But, also, it can be based on what’s easier for you. If you’re more familiar with American English and don’t quite understand British English, you will see that in the introductory video.

Include the human factor when you are choosing an italki teacher

The video has another important mission – to show you the teacher’s energy. This factor is imperative and is maybe the most valuable one. When you’re taking a language course, the teacher will most likely be vetted and experienced.

The creators will choose educated teachers with good resumes to support their professionalism. If that were the only important factor to learning a language, then everybody would have the same chances. But learning from someone also depends on how well you match their energy and how well you work together.

Some people benefit from teachers that put themselves in passive positions and let their students lead the conversation. Others like to be pushed and motivated, so they need someone with strong character that will do this from them. This energy is especially important if you’re choosing a community tutor.

With a community tutor, you’re basically searching for a language pal that can help you learn how to use the language. If your energies don’t match and you feel like it would be awkward to speak to them, then that kills the point, right?

Besides the teacher’s character, the video can also help you see if you have something in common with your teacher. Teachers use the introductory video to share their hobbies, interests, and other things they like to do or speak about. If you share some interests with your teacher, it is more likely it will be a natural conversation.

Pro tip: If a teacher shares what they like to speak about and what you can expect from them, they are probably experienced in this kind of instruction even if they’re new to the platform.

Inspect their profile

Your third step is to click on the profile of a teacher you like and inspect their complete profile a bit better. The first thing that you should do is to carefully read their full description. It consists of 4 parts.

The first part is the intro that you already had the opportunity to read in the small view.

The second part is about them as a teacher. Here, the teacher can give a bit of their background in teaching or share how they conduct classes, with who they normally work, etc.

The third part is dedicated to their lessons and teaching style. Here they’ll focus more on how they organize the classes. In this part, the teacher will let you know what you can and cannot expect from their lessons, what they focus on, etc. This description will help you see if the teacher and their style align with your learning needs.

The last part of the description lets you know what materials the teacher uses in their classes. Some teachers use pictures, give out homework, prepare texts or audios, etc. Some use your experiences or only give out topics. It’s really about what you’re looking for, so be sure to read this carefully.

This description can be super helpful in helping you paint a whole picture of how your classes would look like with said teacher, so use it well!

Use reviews and stats to choose a language teacher on italki

Every teacher has reviews visible on their profile that can help you see if their lessons are truly what they say they are.

Statistics show their response rate, attendance rate, and how many classes they’ve had so far. You can also see how many students they’ve thought so far and see if people come back to them.

Reviews are a great way to hear realistic feedback from others like yourself. If there are any negative reviews, be sure to read those too. Sometimes, negative reviews can help you see more realistically, but it can also happen that someone left a bad review without much thought. Reading through them will let you decide if you should take them into consideration.

Besides these, you can also see if your teacher has any certificates.

Teachers can also offer multiple lesson types with different focuses and/or features. These are all visible on their profiles so you can choose the right one for you. For example, some teachers offer prep courses for language certificates, and some specialize in classes for kids, etc.

How do trial lessons work on italki?

Besides all these amazing things italki gave so that students can choose wisely, they also have a trial lesson as the last check.

Teachers can set up trial lessons that are usually shorter than the real lessons and usually costs less. You can find trial lessons for as much as $2 instead of booking a full class for $10.

Use these trial lessons to see if it all fits into what you’re looking for.

If you like the teacher, you can book a full-time session with them, and if not, you can look for another one.

This feature is super helpful and makes the process much less scary. So, use these trials as much as you can; or until you find your perfect fit.

Don’t be afraid to look for other options

If you have already passed all the above steps, and you have started learning with someone, that’s great! But don’t be afraid to change the teacher and find someone else if you don’t receive the value you thought you would. You’re not obligated to stay with any teacher, so don’t do it if you want the change.

It does not have to mean that the teacher you primarily chose is not good. Maybe you started with learning the basics, and now you’re more advanced, so your current teacher cannot help you anymore. Maybe, you started with a professional teacher but would now like to change to casual talking. These are all valid reasons to change a teacher, so don’t worry!

Even booking one class with a teacher and leaving a good review will help your teacher be more visible and acquire new students. You’re learning for yourself, so always put yourself first.

BONUS TIP: If you have the resources, sometimes it’s great to have more than one teacher. Combining different ways of learning can be very helpful if they align with one another. 

We hope this will help you choose the teacher that fits you perfectly and that will help you start your learning journey.

If you’d like to sign up for italki, we decided to partner up with them and provide a special bonus for our audience. So, now by registering via our affiliate link and booking your first class, you will get $10 italki credits.

Saludos!

We appreciate your support!

Thank you for reading our content and following our journey! We are working towards becoming full-time content creators and being able to share stories with you even more frequently. If you’d like to support us to be one step closer to that goal, you can do it through Ko-Fi! 👇🏽

Willing to go the extra mile with your Spanish?

• SpanishPod101 – Real Spanish conversations. Learning based on your objectives and needs. Practice and compare your pronunciation with natives’ using voice-recording tools. Direction from a personalized teacher tailored just for you. On top of all, it is completely free to start.
• MosaLingua Premium – It is an all-inclusive language learning platform. The perfect tool for people who want to expand their vocabulary with an option to personalize the learning content that fits their needs.

Disclaimer: This section contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost for you, we can earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

More about italki

• • Spanish Language

How to learn Spanish online – Start your learning journey today!

• ByMarko
• October 20, 2021

• • Spanish Language

italki 2022 Review – The Best Platform to Learn Spanish Online

• ByMarko
• February 26, 2022

The post How to choose a language teacher on italki? appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

But how did these platforms get so popular?

We are currently living in very special circumstances. Recent happenings changed everything around us. People were prevented from leaving their homes for a while. Classes moved from regular classrooms to virtual environments. Closed borders made us search for new, alternative solutions to learn, explore, and meet new people.

All those things that we previously used to do in person now had to find a replacement in the online space. The same goes for learning, in this case, new languages.

That is how we ended up in this situation and how online learning tools suddenly bloomed.

This article contains some affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost for you we can earn a small commission if you decide to click through and make a purchase.

Is it possible to learn Spanish online?

Absolutely yes! In this day and age, it is possible to learn a language from the comfort of your bedroom. You can achieve that just by using the internet as your only source.

You don’t need to attend regular language schools, which are usually too crowded and don’t leave enough time for a teacher to fully dedicate to each student.

Also, you don’t need to spend money on some expensive alternatives, such as courses and learning software just to have the opportunity to learn a new language.

Doing it online provides you with the opportunity to select a way of learning that fits your budget. Besides that, this way you are more flexible to adjust your tempo of learning that suits your needs.

Finally, you have the opportunity to choose between many different ways of learning and to select one that suits you best.

Where to learn Spanish online?

Nowadays, there are numerous, easily accessible sources online, where you can find useful materials for learning Spanish on your own.

We have already covered most of those options in one of our first articles on this topic. Feel free to check out the article Best ways to learn Spanish online and find out more about different ways and options for learning Spanish online.

What is the best way to learn Spanish online?

It is always hard to answer this question mostly because the best way for you depends on what you are looking to achieve.

For example, if you want to improve some specific aspect of Spanish like your writing skills, the best way for you will be different than for someone looking to improve, let’s say, his conversational abilities. For example, you might benefit most from reading a book in Spanish, while the other person could benefit from using casual conversation.

However, learning a language is not one-dimensional. For you to be able to speak a language fluently, you’ll need to understand the culture, the tone, the community.

Reading improves writing skills but also gives you a perspective of natural language use. Casual conversation helps improve your speaking but also helps you figure out grammar in a natural way. And that goes on. Every part of the language is connected with one another.

Keeping that in mind, our advice would always be to combine a couple of different options, even if you are currently solely concentrating to improve a single skill.

Maybe you are wondering how talking with someone in Spanish can help you improve your writing. The answer is simple, every segment of language learning will help you improve your ability to think in a new language and to really understand it.

In our personal opinion, that is the most important factor when learning a new language, in this case, Spanish.

So one way is no better than the other, but if you want to learn quickly, surely there are some ways that are more efficient than the others, right?

What is the most efficient way to learn Spanish online?

Many people would agree that having a conversation with native speakers is probably the most efficient way to learn Spanish online.

That way you concentrate on one thing that matters the most, and that is actively using Spanish. The best way to gain confidence in your language ability is to put it to use, and what is a better way of doing that than having a conversation with a native speaker.

Where can you find native Spanish speakers online?

Online platforms are most definitely the right place for that. They are the most popular choice to learn languages online for a reason.

There are many different platforms that can help you connect with native speakers. There are different chatrooms, knowledge-sharing platforms or, you know, dating apps. Just kidding on the last one! But in the era of the Internet, there are truly numerous options of meeting native Spanish speakers online and sharing a conversation.

There are platforms that are exclusively made with the idea of helping you connect with the natives just so you can learn a language, like one that we will be talking about a bit later – so, stick around!

Now, let’s dive into the benefits of learning Spanish on online platforms.

What are the benefits of learning Spanish this way?

There are many different benefits to this way of learning. Some of the most distinctive ones are:

You do not have to go to Spanish speaking country to have an opportunity to have a conversation with native Spanish speakers.

As we already said, speaking with the natives is probably the most efficient way to learn a new language! Recently with all travel restrictions, the opportunities to have a conversation with native Spanish speakers got limited. Since we are currently unable to visit those countries and meet those people in person, this is the second-best option.

It’s the most convenient way to learn a language.

You can have your classroom with you anytime and anywhere. Whether you are at home, at the airport, or your favorite cafeteria, as long you have a stable connection to the internet.

Those are just a few general benefits of learning a language this way. Other advantages depend more on the platform you decide to go with.

What is the best online platform to have a conversation with native Spanish speakers?

Now that you sticked to the end, here is our recommendation. In our opinion, Italki is the best platform to connect with Spanish speakers and learn a language.

Made with the idea of helping us learn a language without borders, Italki is the best place to learn Spanish online by having a conversation with native speakers.

What does italki have to offer?

• More than 3500 native Spanish teachers to choose from
• Personal lessons that match your language level
• Professional teachers vs. Community tutors
• The place to meet new interesting people

We have used italki for quite some time now and we love it! Compared to listening to a course, or attending in-person group classes, italki brings so much more value and flexibility. We recommended it to all our friends and family and now, we’re recommending it to you.

We made a whole another article on why we love italki so much, so feel free to go there and see why we think italki is the best platform to learn Spanish online

But, since we love it so much, we decided that it is the right fit to partner up with them and provide a special bonus for our audience. So, now by registering via our affiliate link and booking your first class, you will get $10 italki credits.

We appreciate your support!

Thank you for reading our content and following our journey! We are working towards becoming full-time content creators and being able to share stories with you even more frequently. If you’d like to support us to be one step closer to that goal, you can do it through Ko-Fi! 👇🏽

Willing to go the extra mile with your Spanish?

• SpanishPod101 – Real Spanish conversations. Learning based on your objectives and needs. Practice and compare your pronunciation with natives’ using voice-recording tools. Direction from a personalized teacher tailored just for you. On top of all, it is completely free to start.
• MosaLingua Premium – It is an all-inclusive language learning platform. The perfect tool for people who want to expand their vocabulary with an option to personalize the learning content that fits their needs.

Disclaimer: This section contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost for you, we can earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

Learn Spanish Online

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italki 2022 Review – The Best Platform to Learn Spanish Online

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The post How to learn Spanish online – Start your learning journey today! appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.