What is the difference between coaching and teaching a language ?
Language coaching is not just about learning grammar or vocabulary : it's about creating a personalized learning plan that works for you. Unlike traditional classes, where everyone learns the same way, coaching adapts to your unique needs, goals, and lifestyle. We focus on practical language skills that you can use in real life, whether at work, traveling, or in daily conversations. Let’s have a look at some of the differences between teaching and language coaching.
What is teaching a language ?
A Structured approach : It has a structured curriculum with clear objectives, lesson plans and materials
Knowledge : The focus is often on imparting knowledge—teaching rules, grammar, and vocabulary that form the foundation of the language.
Teacher-led : The teacher guides the learning process and delivers knowledge to the students.
Mastery : The goal is often to master the language content, achieve proficiency levels, and pass exams. Success is usually measured by how well the student has absorbed and can use the taught material.
What is coaching a language ?
A personalized approach : Language coaching is more personalized, focusing on the individual needs, goals, and challenges of the learner. It’s often more flexible, adapting to the learner’s pace and specific interests.
Skills development : Coaching focuses more on developing specific skills, such as speaking fluently, understanding cultural nuances, or enhancing listening abilities in real-world contexts. The emphasis is on applying language skills in practical situations, often through conversation practice, role-playing, and real-life scenarios.
A partnership : Coaching emphasizes the learner’s active role in the process. The coach acts as a facilitator, helping the learner discover effective strategies, build confidence, and overcome specific obstacles.
Confidence : Coaching often focuses on building the learner's confidence to use the language in real-life situations. Success is measured by the learner’s ability to communicate effectively and reach their personal language goals.
While the teaching method is more structured, content-focused, and teacher-directed, aiming to build comprehensive language knowledge, the coaching method is more flexible, personalized, and learner-centered, focusing on practical skills, confidence, and real-world application. With a language coach, you are the master of your language learning journey ! Everyone has different needs and goals and you might choose to test different methods and see what works for you. If you would like to try language coaching, feel free to book a free call with me. Together, we will create a tailor program just for you !
