What to Expect from a Cactus Online Language Course

Learning a language is an exciting and challenging experience. If your memories of learning a language at school are of the teacher speaking and the students not understanding, get ready for a different type of experience!

Cactus ensures that all language courses are fun, engaging and most importantly, interactive. Our online language courses are no exception and are delivered using the same proven method as our face-to-face courses. Here is what you can expect from a Cactus Online Language Course.

Our Teachers and the Full Immersion Experience

We believe the best way to learn a language is to listen to and to speak the language that you are learning. That’s why we employ the full immersion experience. This means that through all levels you will be taught by a qualified and experienced teacher who will primary speak the language being taught throughout the lesson. All Cactus teachers are native or bilingual speakers, and you can get to know your teacher on a more personal level by looking at our Cactus teacher profiles.

You will speak the language with your teacher and other students from the very first lesson. This gives you the maximum exposure to the language, and puts you in real life scenarios which give your the chance to express yourself in the language. You will also have the opportunity to practise your language skills in smaller groups through breakout rooms which are used during the lessons for pair work and group work.

Teachers will use gestures, visuals, and examples to convey meaning through video and screen sharing. This form of clarity helps you follow the lesson content and gives you a visual reference point, as you would have in a face-to-face class. Everyone in the class is at the same language level, meaning everyone supports each other. If you have a question that you would like to ask the teacher privately you can do so on the individual chat function.

Interactive Learning and Student Centred-Learning

At Cactus, we believe in lessons that are centred around the student. All of our language courses use the communicative approach. This ensures that you can fully participate in the lesson and are given an opportunity to discover the meaning and use of grammar and vocabulary through fun tasks and activities. We use a range of engaging activities in each lesson to keep the language learning exciting and to cater for different learner styles. From quizzes, games, presentations, to class debates, there are plenty of opportunities for everyone to get involved in the class.

In-lesson language activities and tasks

The fun and engaging activities that you will encounter in an online Cactus lesson not only improve your language knowledge but also build the relationship between you and your teacher.

An entertaining, hands-on way of practising vocabulary that some Cactus teachers like to use for lower levels is ‘describe and draw’. This is where you chooses a friend, pet or room in your house, and describe it. Your classmates have to draw it according to what you tell them. The drawings are then compared through screen sharing and whoever has the closest image wins!

The teacher ensures everyone takes turns in leading the task, to allow the whole class the opportunity to speak as much as possible. Students have fun lightly competing against each other and are enthusiastic throughout the activity.

A task for higher levels includes students taking it in turns to do an interview on a topic such as their favourite artist, film or subject. The other students are the interviewers and everyone prepares their questions/topic for homework. Everyone enjoys these activities because they allow you to personalise the language you are learning, improving the vocabulary and grammar structures that are relevant for you.

They also prepare you for real life experiences for when you have conversations about your passions and interests in the language you are learning. Whether that is when you are speaking to locals when travelling, communicating with colleagues or clients at work, volunteering abroad or simply chatting with friends in another language. Interactive tasks are designed to prepare you for using the language in the real world, not simply in the virtual classroom setting.

Student Support Throughout Your Course

With Cactus Language Courses, support doesn’t end after you finish your language lesson. MyCactus is our online platform giving you a central point where you can message your teacher or the Cactus Team directly through the personalised message centre and message inbox. If you have any questions or concerns, teachers and the Cactus Team are always happy to help.

Language lessons offer a lot of information to take in therefore you can also access information about your course, schedule, lesson content and homework on MyCactus. This ensures you are always kept up-to-date with your course details.

Independent Learning and Homework

At Cactus, we encourage you to practise the language in your own time and homework is checked in class. Whether it’s watching a Netflix show in the language you are learning, or reading an interesting news article. Everyone is encouraged to use the language outside of the class time as much as possible and to discover more ways of improving language skills.

All students on Cactus Language courses are required to purchase a course book. The course books not only assists with learning during lessons, but also provides some online support through exercises, listening audios and more. This is a great way for you to continue learning outside of lessons and prepare before your classes.

Cactus offers online language courses for over 20 languages, so you can learn from the comfort of your home or desk. You can choose a course that meets your schedule and preferred learning pace.

ONLINE LANGUAGE COURSES

Further Information Online Language Courses

For more information on any of our courses, or just general advice on learning a language online, please call us on 01273 830 960 or contact us. Our multilingual team will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Cactus language offers the following types of language courses:

Evening language courses: 19 different languages in 15 UK locations
Online language courses: over 20 languages
Language holidays: worldwide immersion courses in the country of the language
Private tuition: tailor-made and corporate language training solutions throughout the world
TEFL: teacher training courses for both English and other languages all over the world

What to Expect from a Cactus Online Language Course