We recently sorted through enrollment records of 1200 zero-based English learners, and found 67% of them wasted money on their first course: either the pace was too fast to keep up, or teachers only focused on grammar with no chance to speak. For zero-based English learning, picking the right teacher and course is 10 times more important than cramming vocabulary every day.
01Offline Chinese Teacher Large Classes: Good for Exams, Not for Speaking Practice
Suitable for students who can set aside fixed long blocks of time and aim to improve grammar for exams. Pros: there's in-person learning atmosphere, you can ask grammar questions on the spot. Cons: the pace is unified for all students, learners with weak foundation will fall behind easily, you get less than 3 chances to speak per class. Wondering how to overcome the difficulty of speaking English? Teachers have to take care of dozens of students, they have no time to guide you individually.
Real cost: 150-200 RMB per hour on average, around 1600 RMB per month if you take 2 classes a week.
Xiao Zhou, a 95后 administrative staff who consulted us last month said: "I signed up for an offline class for zero-based English learning, went twice a week for 2 hours each time, after 1 month I still didn't dare to greet people in English主动."
02Pre-recorded/Large Group Live Classes: Cost-effective, but Easy to Give Up Without Supervision
Suitable for learners with strong self-discipline who only want to learn basic vocabulary and phonetics. Pros: low price, completely flexible time, you can adjust playback speed or download lessons, very convenient for learning English in fragmented time. Cons: no interaction at all, zero chance to practice speaking, no one corrects your pronunciation mistakes, 90% of people only watch the first 3 lessons before leaving the course unused.
Put it simply, this type of course is only good for learning basic common knowledge for entry level, completely useless if you want to practice practical spoken English.
Real cost: a full set of courses costs from several hundred to over 1000 RMB, average per lesson is only a few RMB, but the idle rate is over 80%, so the sunk cost is actually higher.
03Online One-on-One Filipino Tutor Short Lessons: Fit for Most Zero-Based Adult Learners
Suitable for office workers and stay-at-home parents who don't have large blocks of time and aim to practice practical daily/workplace spoken English. Pros: flexible booking time, each 25-minute lesson perfectly matches the attention span of average adults, tutors guide you to speak the whole time, the repetition rate in Callan Method classes is 3 times higher than ordinary courses, even zero-based learners dare to speak slowly without feeling embarrassed of making mistakes. Cons: you need to preview core vocabulary 10 minutes before class, otherwise you may not keep up with the pace.
Frankly speaking, I personally recommend zero-based learners to start with this type of course first, it has high fault tolerance and won't make you feel frustrated easily. The 25-minute daily practice method we tested before works even better when paired with this type of course.
Real cost: less than 30 RMB per lesson on average, only around 600 RMB per month if you take 5 classes a week.
043 Criteria for Choosing Teachers and Courses for Zero-Based English Learning
- First check if the tutor has experience teaching zero-based learners, don't blindly choose native English tutors with too pure accents, their fast speaking speed and difficult vocabulary will make you more afraid to speak
- Single lesson duration should not exceed 30 minutes, zero-based learners can't stay focused for longer than that, sitting for 2 hours is just a waste of money
- Always book a free trial class first, feel if the tutor will actively guide you to speak, instead of just talking about grammar points the whole time
If you are not sure which type suits you best, you can book our free trial class first, experience the teaching style of our full-time tutor team, and find the learning rhythm that fits you most.
