eTutoring: Two Do's and Two Dont's
  • Christopher January 2013
    I want to take a moment to remind everyone of how you can help make eTutoring a positive experience for everyone - other students, the tutors, and yourselves.

    1. Enroll in the right session.
    This is crucial. If you're an advanced student, don't enroll in a beginner level session. This is really unfair to everyone. Other students who are enrolled in the appropriate session will be discouraged, and probably more than a little annoyed, if you're clearly at a more advanced level. The eTutor will be unfairly burdened by trying to juggle very different levels of proficiency. And you won't get practice at the appropriate level. 
    Also, don't forget that you're probably taking up someone else's spot, since we limit the sessions to three students.

    2. Enroll in a session only when you're ready.
    Also crucial. The eTutor sessions are meant to review what you've learned by using the course, and they're designed specifically to give you a chance to practice material covered at certain points. If you haven't made it up to lesson five of Essential, don't enroll in the session that covers lessons three through five. You'll frustrate yourself, and you'll slow down the pace of the session for the other students who have prepared.
    The session isn't going anywhere, so take the time to cover the material. It will be there for you when you're ready, and you'll be much happier with your performance. You'll also progress more effectively.

    3. Don't monopolize the session.
    Our tutors are very good at making sure everyone has the chance to participate, but we also count on your cooperation. Let the other students in the session speak as much as you do. If you have a question on something that didn't come up in the session, wait until the end to ask it, or, better yet, come to the message board and post it here. Other students will see it, so you'll be helping them, too. And the eTutors will have a chance to respond in more detail, giving you the chance to digest the answer and ask any follow up questions.

    4. Don't try to turn eTutoring into private online lessons.
    eTutoring is designed to be used in conjunction with the Living Language course material. That means that each session follows a certain outline, tied to the corresponding material in the course. If you enroll in the session for Essential, Lessons 1-2, that's what will be reviewed. 
    If you want a private tutor, that's certainly a wonderful thing to do and something that will help you tremendously. But that's not eTutoring.

    Thank you for your cooperation! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post them here, or you can send an email to [email protected]. 
  • Mahima February 2013

    Hi Chris !

    It has been a long time since my last e-tutorial, that was for lessons 3-5 of Essential, so I've booked one starting with lessons 1-2. However, I was only able to view one session that is at 7:50 pm EST, today, unlike the last couple of times when I could see a list, to choose from.

    Has there been a change, wherein only the upcoming session is visible now ?

    Please let me know as I would like to set a timetable for my e-tutorials, and the list was a good place to choose as per a convenient time. The 7:50 pm EST slot turns out to be a 6:20 am slot for me. Not an easy choice, everytime.

    Awaiting your inputs.

    Regards,

    Mahima

  • Christopher February 2013
    Hi, Mahima! Did you click on March? The default view is only the sessions for the current month, and at the end of the month it often looks like there are very few (or no) sessions. But if click on the following month, above the session lists to the right of the current month, you should see many more options. We book the following month around the 20th of the current month, typically.

    Let us know if that helps!
  • Mahima February 2013
    Oh alright !
    I did check March, that also had just one session, and April had none.
    So just got confused. 

    Thanks!
  • Christopher February 2013
    Thanks for letting me know. April hasn't been scheduled yet; it won't be until after the middle of March.

    And, I just learned, we're still scheduling March! Our scheduler was out of the office, so we're a bit later than usual getting March's schedule up. Please continue to check back, and you'll see lots of options for that session.

    You can always email us at [email protected] if you have questions about the schedule. Usually we can change sessions around, for example change one level into another, if no one has enrolled.

    Thanks!

  • Mahima March 2013
    Hey Chris !
    I checked out the updated sessions sheet for March and have already booked a tutorial for the next set of lessons :)
    BTW I had another query. Can I access the chat logs post a tutorial? If yes, where?

    Thanks!

  • Christopher March 2013
    Hi there. The chat logs may be automatically downloaded onto your computer. They are on mine. They're in Word docs, and they all begin Chatlog_ so if you do a file search for that, you may find them.

    If yours aren't automatically downloading, you can take a look at your GTM panel when you're in the next session. There's a drop down menu under FILE at the top, and the third option down is "Save Chat Log." 

    Let us know if that works!
  • luline62 March 2013
    This is my fist time here in this forum. I want to sign up for an e-tutor session. Do I need to do the orientation before lessons 1and 2?
  • Christopher March 2013
    Hi, Luline! We encourage students to take it to see how to use the course and how to get the most out of the experience, especially if you're not used to studying languages.

    However, it's not a requirement, so if you're comfortable with the course and have already prepared for the first session (completed lessons 1 and 2 of Essential), then you can jump right in. If you find that you'd like to go back and do the orientation later, no problem.

    You should take a quick look at the eTutor Policies and Guidelines to see what to expect and what we ask of students using the service.

    Thanks for your question!
  • wmunshower March 2013

     

  • Faith April 2013
    Is it acceptable to sign into a session to monitor it but not participate?  I've completed the entire essential CD set plus book work, but I'm a bit too nervous to begin oral exchanges without watching it a few times.  I hate to sound silly, but I need to move to participating slowly.  Thanks!
  • Warthog April 2013
    eTutoring don't 
    1 - Don't have your iPhone recharging plugged into your 2010, Laptop, Mac Book Pro while logged-on to GoToMeeting.com 

    Because shortly into session you'll get a pop-up question: 
            "Do you want  to use new headset."
     even though your head set is working fine. If you selelct yes,  then automaticlly  audio switches to laptop speakers then suddenly the eTutor session terminates without notice.
    Fortunately él profesor  tiene paciencia y was still there when I logged-on again and again. 




  • Erin April 2013
    Hi Faith,
    Thanks for your question! While I completely understand your desire to ease into eTutoring, I see a couple of problems with monitoring sessions silently.  The first is simply that it is not uncommon for the sessions to be one-on-one. If no one else has signed up for the session, it would be you and the eTutor, and silently monitoring would obviously not work in that scenario. Secondly, other students might also feel self-conscious and nervous about participating and having a silent observer may put on a bit of pressure.  We all make mistakes and actually, in order to learn a language, we have to take risks and try not to worry too much about "messing up." My suggestion is for you to start the session by telling your eTutor (in English is fine of course) that you are just starting eTutoring and that you're a bit nervous.  Our eTutors are very patient and will undoubtedly keep things at a comfortable pace and level for a beginner.
    Starting with the orientation session will also be very helpful because you will learn (in English) how eTutoring works as well as some phrases that will come in handy like "Please repeat that" and "What does X mean?"  in the language you're learning.
    The eTutoring is a safe and relaxed environment to get started using what you've learned.  I think you'll surprise yourself with what you know and I'm sure that if you've covered the lessons for the session, you'll be just fine.
    -Erin
    Living Language
  • Carrot May 2013
    Hi Faith,

    I just want to say that the tutors here are really nice. I say ridiculous things to them in every session and they kindly guide me through. The other day I said something to the effect that I slept on the dining table or the table was in the bedroom, something like that. Anyway, we had a good laugh and it was fine. I am really pretty shy, but these guys are very reassuring. I hope this helps make it a little easier to jump in.
  • wmunshower May 2013
    If I had a nickel for every time I tripped over my tongue speaking German, I could pay someone to speak German for me! :-) The e-tutors are awesome, and very understanding. I live in Florida, and the only time I get to speak to someone in German is with the e-tutors. The sessions are an invaluable part of the Living Language program, and I highly recommend them.

    Best regards...Will
  • jackwilson August 2014
    Really its looks awesome. Both two do's and donot do. I am a online writer tutor and these are very helpful thing for me. 
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