FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Below are answers to commonly asked questions. If you can’t find the answers you are looking for, please email us or schedule a free trial class or consultation. Let’s talk about your goals and how to achieve them!
General Questions
Is an online English course different from a classroom course?
ETO students say that there is not much difference, but most students think online classes are better. The sound quality is excellent and you can see your teacher clearly via his or her webcam. In fact, learning online has many advantages compared to learning in a classroom.
Do you offer private or group classes?
Many of our classes are private but ETO also teaches groups, especially when teaching company classes. You can study by yourself or in a group with your friends, classmates or coworkers on Skype.
Is English tutoring available for students of every level?
At English Tutor Online, we have conversation classes for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced students. All courses at all levels help students learn pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary & real spoken English.
How long are the classes & when do they start?
Each 1 hour Skype class includes a 55 minute live conversation class and a 5 minute to create a personalized class report, with more corrections, explanations, tips, quizzes and homework. English lessons start every hour, on the hour, for example 7a.m., 8a.m., 9a.m. Online classes are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
How do I register for classes and get started?
After you have a free trial or consultation and decide to study at ETO, you can then register for classes online from our website. After registering and making your payment, within 48 hours ETO will confirm your payment is accepted and your schedule.
Programs & Courses
What programs does ETO have?
ETO has many programs including Social English, Day to Day, Business, Travel, Test Preparations, Interview skills & Build-Your-Own Programs. All of these programs cover grammar, pronunciation & vocabulary. Our programs are designed by specialists to deliver the maximum learning possible for each hour you invest.
Does ETO have a proofreading or an editing service?
ETO offers a high quality English editing and proofreading service. Whether it is for a presentation, university paper, website editing, business material or anything else, we have experienced and qualified proofreaders who can help you.
Does ETO do test preparation?
Yes we do! We prepare students for TOEFL- TOEIC- IELTS- SAT- CAE & other industry & academic tests upon request. We have teachers who specialize in reading, writing, listening & speaking.
What are Business Workshops?
Business workshops are intensive courses averaging from 5-10 hours in length. These workshops target the most common and most important language used to function in business, work or academia. Topics include Presentations & Public Speaking, Interviews, Intercultural Communication, Telephoning, Politeness, Meetings, Customer Service & many more! You can also request a special workshop be made for you.
Can ETO help with my interview & resume?
We can help! You can master speaking, body language, answering common interview questions & understanding culture. We also evaluate your resume’s language, content and format to help you write powerfully and appropriately to make sure your resume gets seen.
How are courses structured?
All conversation courses have 3 levels. Each level has 50 hours of class time; therefore each course has about 150 class hours. Each level, the learner becomes a better speaker, listener, writer and communicator. After 150 class hours over 9-12 months, expect to be nearly fluent in most cases.
Do I get a certificate for finishing a program?
Yes! All students who successfully complete a full program get a certificate of completion to show your accomplishments. Each certificate is dated, the program named, number of hours studied and the skills & language you have learned.
Kids’ & Teen’s Courses
How can children benefit from studying online?
Kids learn how to use ESL for daily life, travelling, international schools or university studies. Our 3 Kids’ ESL Courses lay a foundation of language & culture that enables children and teenagers to stand out more, as they enter a globalized world.
What do kids learn in the Kids’ ESL Course?
Our young learners learn natural pronunciation, grammar, culture, slang and language about technology, sports, fashion and many other hot topics your kids have interests in. Kids can also get help with homework assignments, school projects, exam preparation and any other challenge. Basically, the kids learn how to become fluent naturally and quickly.
How often and at what times do the kids study online?
The kids can study as often as they like and any time they want. Many kids study 2-6 hours per week, while others take intensive courses of 10 – 25 hours a week over summer, winter or vacation breaks. ETO recommends 3 hours per week, and Intensive Courses for fastest results.
Can kids study together in groups or classes?
Yes, kids can study alone, in pairs, groups or full classes.
Are there any discounts or commission payments?
Yes, there are discounts for groups and also for intensive programs. You can also check out our Partner and Affiliate Program
Why should you trust ETO to teach your kids?
ETO hires ONLY native English teaching specialists with university degrees and many years of experience in childhood education. ETO takes time to evaluate students, meet the parents and then custom-build programs specifically for the kids’ ages, interests and needs. Each child is unique at ETO.
Learning Materials
What kind of material does ETO use?
Our materials & online textbooks have 30 different topics for each program. In addition to our textbooks, we use handouts, homework, articles, ETO blogs, YouTube videos, social media posts, conversation questions, quizzes and many other materials & activities.
What is a class report and how is it used?
A class report is given after each class. The teacher will take notes of your pronunciation, vocabulary & grammar mistakes in class. After the class, the teacher will spend 10 minutes typing your class report with more corrections, tips and resources for you to learn with.
Teaching Methods
What Teaching Methods does ETO use?
ETO teachers use modern teaching methods like task based learning, communicative activities, PPP, ranking, role plays, voting, debating, discussing, negotiating and many other real-world tasks. Students do most of the talking. ETO uses the methods that best work for each different student.
What is the ETO Method?
The ETO Method is a special ‘learning cycle’ that ensures students learn as fast and as easily as possible. Our special method uses mainly speaking but also students have access to activities covering reading, writing, listening, images and videos in order to help students ‘learn’, not memorize, the language. This is called the integrated approach and it is proven effective, not only from experience, but also backed up by language learning research.
Company Classes
Do you offer company classes for employees?
We do have a very good corporate program. For our corporate clients we offer private online English classes & group classes. We can teach classes any size, depending on how many staff your company has.
What kind of classes do you give companies?
Companies can take classes from our Business English Program, which includes over 40 common class topics to choose from. Also, ETO has business workshops, which are intensive short courses to help learners master specific skills like telephoning, meeting, presenting, negotiating and much more.
Teachers & Students
Where are the teachers from?
Our teachers are from the US, Canada and the UK. They are all certified and have lots of experience teaching English, both in their own countries and around the world.
Can I always have the same tutor?
Yes, if you want. We recommend making your class reservations in advance. This ensures you have confirmed reservations with the teacher you want. On rare occasions that your teacher is sick or not available for other reasons, then you can at any time make a reservation with another equally qualified ETO tutor. Sometimes it is good to have classes with different teachers in order to get accustomed to different English accents.
Where are ETO’s students from?
Our students come from all over the world: Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Brazil and many other countries! Also, many of our ETO students are professionals and international students living or working in the USA, UK and Canada.
Who are the typical students at English Tutor Online?
ETO students come from all places because English is everywhere. Our students are individual students, groups, large and small companies, university students, housewives, etc.
Scheduling
When can I have classes?
Classes are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
How can I make a class reservation?
Students can make their class reservation from our online scheduling system or let our ETO teachers schedule your classes for you. Students can reserve classes up to 1 month in advance or as soon 48 hours in advance.
How can I cancel a class?
You can cancel any class at anytime. As long as you cancel your class with 48 hours notice to your teacher, you will not be charged for the class. Students are also required to cancel their class appointment in the online scheduling system 48 hours in advance of the class.
How many classes should I take?
ETO recommends you take 3 classes per week for maximum learning. At 3 classes a week, after 9-12 months, you will see big improvements in grammar, vocabulary & pronunciation. Expect to be nearly fluent after 9-12 months.
Discounts & Benefits
How can I get discounts & free classes?
You can refer groups or companies to ETO. You can also sign up for longer plans to get better prices.
What kind of free things can I get?
You can get free E-books, English classes, weekly learning videos, progress reports, detailed needs analyses, gift cards, free career counseling services, a free native speaking program consultant that is available anytime, plus many other free & promotional services and products.
Payments / Fees
What payment methods are accepted?
We accept payment with Visa, MasterCard, JCB, American Express, Discover, Diners Club and PayPal. Please note that if you create a PayPal account, you can also use that system to send secure payments from your bank account. Prices are in US Dollars, Euros, British Pounds Canadian Dollars & Japanese Yen.
What is included in the price?
The listed prices include taxes, registration fees, detailed needs assessment, your 55-minute classes, class reports, progress reports and your online textbook.
Is it safe to make online payments?
Yes. We accept payments via credit card, Bank transfers & PayPal every day. PayPal is a secure payment processor that guaranties the safety of your online transaction. It is one of the most preferred and safest online payment methods used on the internet.
Partnership Program
What is the Partnership Program?
A partnership (or affiliation) is a special relationship between ETO and other companies, industries, websites and organizations that result in added value and more profit for everyone. Anyone can apply to be a partner with ETO. As a partner, you get commissions every time your clients use ETO’s service. And ETO can also help promote your products and services.
How can I make money with a partnership?
As a partner, you can get 2-5% ongoing commissions on ETO services you promote. Please visit our Affiliates section for more detailed information.
Technical Questions
What technology is used to talk to my online teacher?
We use Skype mostly, but other programs can be used upon students’ request. Skype is a free video-chat software program allowing free calls to anyone else who has Skype, anywhere in the world!
Do you have to be good with computers?
No, Skype is very easy to download and use. You do not need to be good with computers at all! Please read our page on getting started for more step by step information.
Do I have to pay phone charges and are there any fees for downloading Skype?
Skype is free to download and use. No phone line is needed, just an internet connection.
Do I need to buy a headset with a microphone and if so, how expensive is it?
Most computers bought in the last 3 years already have internal microphones. However, if yours does not, you can buy a headset with a microphone for about 15 US Dollars.
Do I have to buy a webcam?
No, you do not need to purchase a webcam. You can see your teacher still, and your teacher does not have to see you. Most computers have webcams built in now.
Do I need to download any special computer programs?
Yes, you will need to download Skype. Skype is a free application that lets you have video chats over the internet for free.
What happens if I experience technical problems?
It is very rare for our students to experience computer problems when using Skype. Skype is one of the most reliable video-chat programs out there. However, in the event that a teacher misses a class due to the teacher’s technical problems, then the student gets a free class. If the student misses a class due to technical problems on the student’s side, then the student loses the class with no refund.