Written by: Stephanie Kable, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
When learning with a teacher, a coach, a trainer, individual lessons are precious and are ideal for helping you work on specific custom-made topics, issues, and questions.
But today, I want to talk about a complementary approach to this: the power of learning together. I want to reflect on new learning initiatives that we have developed over the last couple of years and share with you some insights.
You are not alone
When joining a group, motivation simply increases. You are not alone anymore. You create a routine in your schedule that includes the group you are part of. People who learn in groups are therefore more enthusiastic about their learning activity.
At Live-English.net, we have experimented with different formats to expose our members to a rich and diverse community of English learners with similar goals. With the Live-English Club, an English conversation meet-up via Zoom, our members discuss different topics in English (English is not their mother-tongue), facilitated by one of our teachers.
Even though we had a slow start, our members now tell us how much they enjoy the possibility to practice their English in this format because they meet up with their regular peers in the group, get to know them, and share a good time together.
Developing A New Energy
The group pulls everyone’s level upwards. There is so much collective energy generated through the group: people learn how to support each other, they are accountable for each other, and they overcome shyness. Also, seeing how others perform in one particular area gives them an idea of where they stand. They can get rid of complexes they may have and feel more confident.
With the Live-English Workshop, a short but intense course that goes deep on a specific topic, I’ve really enjoyed seeing how the groups develop. We’ve had a workshop on English writing skills and another one on English presentation skills. Both groups proved to be a supportive environment for the participants. They got them exposed to a diversity of ideas that they would not have experienced on their own or even in their private lessons.
Amazing Results
The feedback we’ve been getting on the groups we’ve organized is very positive. The learning experience is richer. Collaborative learning gives results! They have progressed tremendously and got out of their comfort zone.
In one word, people feel more confident. Even if they are a bit reluctant at first to commit to a group, when they give it a try, they are hooked and would not miss that for anything.
Learning in a group is not always a first choice. There is this misconception that learning in a group is of lower quality than private lessons. Even though we are great advocates of 1-on-1 lessons, we know, from experience, that learning with peers brings a new dimension to the learning experience. So jump in the water, find a group to support your personal growth. You won’t be disappointed.
Stephanie Kable, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Stephanie Kable is the CEO of Live-English.net, an English online school that helps professionals worldwide feel more confident with their English as a second language. Through online one-to-one and group lessons via Zoom, the team of native-English teachers provides an efficient, convenient, and fun way to improve English speaking skills. Stephanie holds a B.A. in Management from the University of Paris-Dauphine (France) and an M.A. in Information Systems from Institut Mines-Telecom - Business School (Paris, France). Fond of languages, technology, business, and personal development, Stephanie combines all these knowledge fields to offer unique English courses focused on each learner's needs.
