The lessons and the program
How do I sign up for a free trial lesson?
That´s very easy; just fill out the form with your information and we´ll email you back with the confirmation when your lesson is scheduled and who your teacher will be.
Is the trial lesson without any commitment?
Yes, that is why it is a trial lesson! If you are satisfied with our program and your teacher, you can sign up for more hours.
What is the free trial lesson for?
The lesson is meant to give you an insight in our program, and to better make a decision which study package is most suitable for you. The teacher will also diagnose your level and give you advice about which package to choose and how many lessons to take, in order to achieve your personal goal.
Why should I choose for Learn Spanish Online?
Learn Spanish Online is a platform for online Spanish lessons, and we have a physical existing team of administrators and teachers, working from our offices. Choosing for LSO means that you will be treated as an individual, as a unique student to whom we offer a personalized service. We are always available by Skype, email or phone to answer your questions. Besides that, our teachers are very experienced and have good work ethics.
How long are the lessons?
Our lessons are 50 minutes. This gives the teacher some time between lessons to prepare their class material and send homework to the student. If you would like a double session, you can take a 10-minute break between lessons as well.
How do I know what my Spanish level is?
During the free trial lesson, the teacher will estimate your Spanish level, and give you a recommendation about which level to sign up for.
Do I need to take the test before my first lesson?
No, the assessment on your Spanish level will be done during the trial lesson. If for some reason you did not take the trial lesson, our teachers can evaluate you within a few minutes of your first class.
Do the purchased lessons expire?
Yes, the purchased lessons have a validity of 1 year. The year starts counting on the day of your first lesson. If after one year you didn’t take all lessons from your package, you lose the remaining hours.
Does the teacher only speak Spanish during the lessons?
The teachers will speak as much Spanish as possible during the lesson. You will learn best when you speak as much Spanish as you can! There may be times when a little English may be used for complete understanding, but you will find that this will be less and less as you improve.
Scheduling, payment and cancellations
How many weekly Spanish lessons do you recommend?
We would say that it’s best to take at least 2 lessons per week. This way you remember the Spanish better. Of course, the more lessons, the better!
Can I have lessons on Saturday and/or Sunday?
On Saturday, it’s no problem to schedule your lessons. On Sunday we schedule our lessons upon availability of your teacher.
How can I pay for my online lessons?
Our standard payment method is using Paypal. If you don´t have a Paypal account yet, it´s free to create a Paypal account that is linked to your debit/credit card. For our European customers, we accept payments in Euros. For these payments we send you an invoice with the exchange rate valid on the day of payment. We can also accept deposits or transfers to our Bank of America account, but this has an extra fee of $15 per payment.
What time zone are you in?
Our office and teachers are located in Guatemala. This is time zone GMT-6, also called CST (Central Standard Time).
How can I convert Guatemala time to my time zone so that I can properly schedule a class?
Use the website www.timeanddate.com.
I’ve got a class scheduled in a few hours and I forgot what I’m supposed to do to make it happen. Can you help?
If this should happen to you, no problem! You can contact us via info@learnspanishonline.gt and we’ll tell you what to do. During office hours, we are mostly able to respond within an hour.
What if I need to cancel or reschedule a lesson?
For this also, you can contact us via info@learnspanishonline.gt, with suggestions for another date and/or time. We will then inform your teacher about the new schedule, and email you back with the confirmation. Cancelling a lesson should be 24 hours before the lesson at the latest. If not, the lesson will be counted as effective.
What if I want a refund? What is your refund policy?
Information about this can be found on the page with ‘ Terms and Conditions.’
Are there any other costs involved, or hidden fees?
No, there are no extra fees. The package price is all you pay, unless you want to transfer to our Bank of America account ($15 transfer fee).
Teachers
Can I change my teacher if we don’t get along?
Yes, you can. We have several teachers in our team, and if for some reason you request a change, we will respond to that by proposing another teacher.
Are the instructors native Spanish speakers?
Yes, all teachers were born and raised in Guatemala, and speak Spanish as their first language. One of our teachers also speaks K´iche, an indigenous Mayan language, as mother tongue.
Do I always study with the same teacher?
Yes, you do. For the constancy of your lessons and making good progress, it´s important not to change teachers too often. Nevertheless, it is always possible to request a change of teacher after a certain time, because it might be beneficial to get used to different accents and working styles.
Do the teachers speak English?
One of our teachers speaks a basic level of English, the others speak only Spanish. But this is the best way to learn Spanish! Moreover, they can speak slow and use a lot of gestures, to even make themselves understood for absolute beginners. As was mentioned before, the teachers have a lot of experience with this.
Materials and technical issues
Do I need to buy textbooks and a dictionary?
You do not need to buy any additional material, as the teacher will provide you with those. You could buy a dictionary, but internet is more than sufficient to use for translations.
What if I experience technical problems during my lesson?
The teacher will be available via email as well. So should you not be able to call or receive calls via Skype, send him/her an email and the teacher will think of a solution.
Do I need a headphone?
As long as you can hear and be heard through your computer, then you do not. However, we do recommend the use of them simply as it allows you to clearly hear your Spanish teacher’s pronunciation. Listening to a new language is tough enough, let alone in a low-decibel, muffled environment.
Do I need a webcam?
Yes, you do. As the teacher will not only talk, but also use a lot of gestures, images and other materials, a webcam is a necessity.
If you have any additional questions, do not hesitate to contact us via info@learnspanishonline.gt