10 Powerful Reasons to Hire an English Coach

Whether you have just started learning English or you have been learning for a long time, seeing real world results is what you are hoping to see at some point on the journey. Even if you are practicing english daily with ten minutes on duolingo or you are already attending an english programme full time or even accessing web learning platforms a few times a week, ultimately you want to be able to have a conversation in English. If you want to speak English naturally then this is where an English coach might be able to help you. You can consider the benefits of hiring a coach to practice speaking English whilst also understanding the expenses to see if it would be a good fit for you.

Your English speaking is stuck
Not sure where to start
Bored of your language practice
Need a challenge
Want to improve faster
Need motivation and accountability
Specific problems
Specific goal
Support
You want results

People choose to work with coaches for a variety of reasons. From overcoming blocks in their learning journey to needing that extra boost of motivation to get to their desired language level. Coaching is not for everyone since it takes a level of commitment and dedication to make speaking and listening into functional skills. However, here are the top ten reasons to consider hiring an English language coach for those who are considering it.

1. Your English is stuck

Keep you motivated: Having a weekly meeting with a pro keeps you on your toes.

Push you a little: Often people are not working as effectively as they could be with the time they spend in learning. Having someone to identify what you are capable of can springboard you forward to getting the results you want.

Accountability: A coach helps you to be consistent in your practice and check in on whether you are on progress to achieve the goals you have set for yourself.

Teach you: Contact with a professional can unlock blocked areas of doubts and confusion almost instantly. A coach can often identify the areas that you are stuck in that you are not aware due to their experience and they can offer you a clear picture of the current situation and a new perspective on how to move forward.

2. Not sure where to start

Starting out with language learning can feel overwhelming, especially for those who speak only one language. Learning a new language may seem like an impossible challenge, as even in our native language, we are constantly learning new words. However, with the right guidance, it is possible to achieve fluency in a second language.

Identifying the most effective language learning activities can be a challenge. Whether you have a busy schedule or a lot of free time, knowing where to start and which materials to use can be crucial in achieving quick results and maintaining momentum.

Many people give up on language learning after only a few weeks due to a lack of results and the difficulty of the task. However, working with a coach can help you see progress and maintain motivation. Using the F.I.T.T principle, a coach can guide you in choosing the right frequency, intensity, time, and type of practice to create successful progress from the start.

Finding the right material for your language learning goals is also essential. Mastering speech patterns is important, but feeling a sense of improvement is connected to your desired use of the language.

Efficient use of time is crucial for motivation, recall, and making the most of your practice sessions. With a coach, you can get the amount of practice you need to see results without having to spend hours every day.

Finally, a well-defined program with adaptive elements can guide you towards success. With the right guidance and materials, achieving fluency in a second language is an attainable goal.

3. Bored of your language practice

As an intermediate or advanced learner who has been studying for several years, it’s possible that your practice routine has become repetitive. This is where coaching goals can provide the necessary boost.

It’s easy to fall into a rut and continue repeating the same practices that worked previously. However, our brains adapt to repetition and we lose focus and motivation. This is where a coach can be beneficial in setting challenges that engage your brain at the appropriate level to see improvement in your practice.

Working with a coach provides a fresh perspective on your language learning journey. As a language professional, they possess an array of tools and techniques to add variety and re-engage you in the learning process.

4. You need a challenge

If you feel that you have made progress in your English skills but are seeking additional improvement, enlisting the help of a coach can be an effective solution. A coach can challenge you by providing the following benefits:

Tailored training for specific goals: A coach can design a customized training program to help you achieve your desired outcomes in English. Whether you need to communicate effectively in an international business setting or need to improve your sales pitch to attract more clients, a coach can prepare and train you to be confident and successful in these scenarios.

Pushing your limits: To overcome a learning plateau, a coach can help you set more ambitious goals and provide the necessary guidance to achieve them. By asking the question, “who am I speaking to?” a coach can help you unlock different formal and informal uses of the language, pushing you beyond your current skill level.

A supportive partner: A coach serves as a dedicated supporter to help you achieve your language learning goals. They provide encouragement and feedback to ensure that you stay on track and make progress. Having someone to speak with and hold you accountable during the process can help you overcome obstacles and persevere until you achieve your desired level of proficiency. Without support, it can be difficult to maintain motivation and follow through with the necessary work to achieve your goals.

5. You want to learn how to improve faster

If you aspire to achieve your language goals through self-practice, hiring a coach can provide you with the necessary strategy and variety of ideas to confidently pursue language learning on your own. This is especially relevant for new language learners, as a coach can:

Create targeted exercises: With knowledge of how to set appropriate targets at each stage of the learning process, a coach can help you achieve rapid growth in language proficiency.

Improve pronunciation: Understanding the production of English sounds is essential for correct speaking and comprehension as a native speaker. A coach can guide you in producing sounds correctly and enhancing your pronunciation, resulting in quicker attainment of fluent communication.

Establish the right mindset: Accurate understanding of the appropriate mindset for the language learning journey can accelerate your success and prevent you from falling into common language learning traps that can impede your progress for years. Our coaching academy provides free training on this crucial aspect of language learning.

Provide expert feedback: In addition to the aforementioned aspects, it is crucial to have accurate and expert feedback on your progress to make the most of your practice time. In coaching, we learn through questioning, and a good understanding of the meaning of words in an Anglophone context enables you to build your oral skills effectively. Feedback provides a first-class learning experience, allowing you to make continual progress towards your language learning goals.

6. You need motivation and accountability

To achieve a challenging goal, both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation are essential. While you may already possess the intrinsic motivation to enhance your English speaking skills, external motivators are required to sustain your commitment and drive. This is where a coach can prove to be a valuable asset. Engaging a coach as your mentor offers several benefits that foster motivation:

Financial commitment: Investing your money in the pursuit of a goal signifies your deep commitment to the process. This heightened sense of dedication, combined with the underlying risk involved, reinforces the importance of the goal and fuels your motivation to achieve it.

Commitment to the process: Regular weekly meetings with your coach act as a powerful reminder to remain committed to the process, and keep you on track towards your objectives.

Accountability: Your coach will monitor your weekly practice, and holding you accountable for it. This motivates you to remain consistent with your practice and continue speaking English only.

Time commitment: The time you devote to improving your language skills sends a signal to your brain that this is a task of utmost significance. By maintaining your focus and commitment, your brain will perceive this goal as vital, and store the learned information appropriately.

In summary, with the support and guidance of a coach, you can enhance both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and remain steadfast in your pursuit of mastering the English language.

7. You have a specific issue you need to address

If you encounter any specific difficulties in constructing your sentences or frequently encounter certain error patterns, seeking the guidance of an expert can help you swiftly address the issue and eliminate the mistake.

Coaches possess the expertise to identify recurring error patterns and employ effective tools to remedy them. With their vast experience, a good coach is well-versed in recognizing the typical patterns of non-native English speakers and has developed targeted exercises to overcome these challenges. Rectifying these common speaking patterns can enhance your confidence while communicating in English and expedite your progress. By avoiding simple errors, you can elevate your English proficiency in a brief span of time.

For instance:

Verb tense errors – A coach can provide you with exercises and guidance on when to use present, past or future tense.
Subject-verb agreement errors – A coach can help you understand how to match the subject with the correct verb tense.
Misused prepositions – A coach can provide you with examples and exercises on how to use prepositions correctly in a sentence.
Incorrect word order – A coach can help you understand how to place words in the correct order to form a grammatically correct sentence.
Pronunciation errors – A coach can help you practice and perfect your pronunciation to improve your overall fluency in English.
Incorrect use of articles – A coach can help you understand how to use articles (a, an, the) correctly in a sentence.
Run-on sentences – A coach can teach you how to break long sentences into smaller, more manageable chunks for better clarity.

By identifying and correcting these error patterns, a coach can help you improve your English speaking and writing skills and communicate more effectively.

8. You have a specific goal

If you have a specific reason for wanting to learn how to speak English, such as conducting online meetings or building business relationships, an experienced coach can provide invaluable assistance. A clear goal about the type of skills needed can make a coach’s job easier, as they can assess whether you are hitting your targets or not and suggest strategies to help you overcome any challenges. A strategic coaching session with a coach can guide you to achieving your goals.

Whether you are learning English for business, pleasure, or travel, a specialized coach can provide the right training based on your specific goals. The coach can direct you towards the training methods that will deliver the greatest results in the shortest possible time.

A goal-based schedule is essential for effective training, as it gives a fixed time frame in which to achieve your desired outcome. This time pressure is useful in motivating learners and keeping each training session focused on the target. A good practice schedule takes into account both the timeline and the learner’s goals.

A good coach can also help learners avoid panic and stress by breaking down the challenge of learning a new language into manageable pieces. This approach relieves tension and allows learners to focus on doing the work necessary to achieve their goals.

Finally, it is essential to avoid overtraining, which can occur when too much time is spent on inputting information without enough time for recall. Making the most of your learning time and getting the most out of it is critical to achieving your language learning goals.

9. You want support

Perhaps you can motivate yourself to complete your necessary tasks, but you may occasionally encounter difficulties when deciding between the present perfect and past perfect tenses. To attain fluency in English, it is essential to practice daily and improve writing skills. Finding a workout buddy to accompany you on your journey towards English proficiency can serve as a great encouragement.

Sharing your language learning journey with another person and observing your progress can instill a sense of joy throughout the process. If your goal is to become fluent in English, a coach can provide the necessary guidance by keeping you on track, motivating you through exam failures, and boosting your confidence to converse with native speakers. A coach can also help you understand the meaning of fluency and devise a personalized plan to reach it. Remember, fluency goes beyond test scores and encompasses various aspects of language acquisition.

In summary, working with a coach can help you overcome language learning challenges, enhance your communication skills, and accelerate your progress towards fluency in English.

10. You want to see results.

Perhaps you have been studying English for years, but still find yourself struggling to communicate with confidence. Perhaps you feel burdened by the pressure of initiating conversations with strangers or find yourself overthinking your language use.

Fortunately, a coach can help you overcome these obstacles and accelerate your progress towards your language goals. With their expertise in the language, coaches can quickly identify your weaknesses and provide you with a clear roadmap to overcome them, saving you time and frustration.

Effective coaching also extends beyond the classroom. A skilled coach can provide you with writing exercises and strategies to help you express yourself with greater clarity and confidence in English.

One common question among language learners is, “How many words do I need to know to become fluent?” A good coach can provide tailored vocabulary lists to help you master the most relevant and important words for your specific goals.

Finally, staying motivated is key to making lasting progress in language learning. With their arsenal of tools and techniques, a coach can keep your language practice fresh and engaging, ensuring that you stay inspired and on track towards fluency

In conclusion, English language coaching is ideal for individuals who are committed to improving their language skills and achieving their language goals. It is particularly beneficial for those who may feel stuck in their language learning journey, have specific language needs or goals, or who are looking for personalized attention and support. English language coaching is not for those who are not willing to put in the effort and time required to learn a language. It is also not a quick fix or a magic solution for those who are not willing to engage actively in the learning process or who are not open to feedback and guidance from a coach.