Once upon a time, it was really hard to learn a new language. If you were an average (not poor, not rich) person living in a rural area, you might have been limited to whatever couple of languages your school offered. If you were out of school, you might not have even had access to that.

And if you lived in an out-of-the-way area and wanted to learn a less commonly spoken language, maybe you could have used your local public library, but there was no way to know if you were even pronouncing things correctly unless you knew a native speaker of your target language.

This post first appeared on LiveFluent.com on September 15, 2017. You can read the original here or see more of my articles on Russia/Russian here.

Online classes let you study a language anywhere

In 2018 there are fewer obstacles than ever to learning a new language. You no longer need to shell out a ton of money for private tutors or expensive textbooks.

You don’t even need to live where people speak your target language. You’re no longer confined to being in a physical classroom.

What are online Russian classes?

If you’ve never heard of online language classes, the concept is simple: you engage with a tutor or teacher who is in a different location. Even though you’re not in the same room, you use video chatting to have a one-on-one lesson. The World Wide Web has brought the classroom to you.

An example of an online Russian class

Why take an online class?

Taking an online class as opposed to an in-person one might not sound ideal for some people, but it has its advantages. Limited mobility or lack of access to transportation are no longer insurmountable roadblocks if you don’t have to leave your house to learn a new language.

Sometimes you don’t have local access to your target language because of geographical isolation (ex: you live in rural Maine and don’t know any Russian speakers).

Online classes are often a more affordable learning option and they can also give you the freedom to determine your schedule. They also give you the advantage of getting a private lesson so you can go at your own pace.

Most websites allow you to book half-hour classes or increments of 30 minutes (30, 60, 90, etc. minutes). This can be great for people who work on a tight schedule or even those with short attention spans.

If you already know you want to take an online class but haven’t decided on which service to use yet, keep reading!

Price

$4-$15+ per Hour

Trial

3 Trial lessons at a discounted rate

Teacher Quality

Varies (Low to High)

Italki

Pros

Largest selection of teachers
Best prices
Great language learning community

Cons

Class quality can vary between teachers

Buy 1 Italki Lesson Get 1 FREE*

*Use this link to purchase a minimum of $10 (US) of Italki credits and receive an extra $10 free! (Bonus added completion of 1st lesson)

What makes Italki different?

If you’ve even done a cursory search for online language classes, you’ve definitely come across italki. It’s the biggest online marketplace for finding teachers and offers more languages than any of the competition.

What distinguishes Italki from the other services I’ll be talking about is that it offers two categories for instructors: “Professionals” and “Tutors”. The professionals are certified teachers who can provide learning exercises and materials, whereas the tutors are usually native speakers that may or may not have teaching experience.

Take your learning goals into account before choosing an instructor. If you’re someone who benefits from structured lesson plans, you might want to go with a professional teacher over a tutor.

If you’re a more independent learner who’s already exhausted FSI guides and other websites or if you’re a heritage speaker who wants to practice conversational skills, a native speaker tutor might be the better option for you.

Svetlana is an example of an Italki tutor (and she’s a great one at that!)

Pros

There are a lot of upsides to using an established site. With italki, you’ll have access to over 300 Russian teachers and tutors. Their huge selection leads to high competition between teachers, which means lower prices for students.

Italki also comes with free community features like a blog, forums, and the ability to connect with language partners. This service could have what you need to take your Russian to the next level.

Cons

With so many options for instructors, quality can vary greatly. You’ll need to do your research and read reviews before choosing an instructor because there’s only a discounted trial option, not a free one.

Before you choose between a teacher or a tutor on italki, you’ll want to know what kind of and how much structure suits you.

Trial lessons

Unfortunately, Italki doesn’t give you a free trial for registering unlike other services and sites, however, after you make a new account on Italki you receive three 30-minute trial lessons at a discount (Sometimes 50%+).

Keep in mind that the teachers and tutors on italki get to determine for themselves if they want to offer a discount and if so, for how much. You might happen to pick a teacher/tutor who gives you half off their normal rate for a trial lesson, but it’s not guaranteed that your preferred teacher/tutor will offer this bonus feature. Buy 1 Italki Lesson Get 1 FREE*

*Use this link to purchase a minimum of $10 (US) of Italki credits and receive an extra $10 free! (Bonus added after completion of 1st lesson)