Best Online Schools for Learning English 2020

English is widely spoken today. It is needed to place an order in an online store in order to get a high-paying job, so as not to get lost abroad and for other important matters. That is why many are striving to get the knowledge so demanded today. The editorial staff of the site "bestx.htgetrid.com/en/" offers you an overview of the best online schools for learning English for 2020.

Online school - how did it all start?

An online school is a specialized teaching platform where the pedagogical process and teaching of students / schoolchildren are organized using the Internet.

The first schools of this type appeared in the USA and Canada in the mid-90s of the last century. Each of the schools had a specific focus. For example, a private virtual school in the Canadian province of Ontario in 1996 opened two online classes - in Canadian literature and biology.

To date, online schools exist all over the world and in almost all languages, but they are most widespread in the United States - large platforms exist in Kentucky, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Texas, Michigan, Mississippi. Virtual educational institutions are included in the secondary school education system, and therefore program participants can complete their homework while sitting directly in the computer classrooms of a standard school. The method of acquiring knowledge depends on the characteristics of the online platform itself - sometimes it is organized in the form of an extramural form, but most often it combines elements of a full-time and part-time educational process.

In Russia, the first schools began to be created in the early 2000s.

What is special about online education?

Online education is based on the same principles as the familiar to everyone, which has already received the designation "classical" education. The same work (homework and classroom), the same interaction with the teacher / teacher, the same grades. Absent - desks, classrooms, school uniforms, briefcases and round trip trips. The number, frequency and duration of classes depend on the training platform and the chosen program.

For example, in the British online school Harrow School Online, the load is no less than in the standard one - students study five hours a day, studying basic subjects, and then spend another two hours on extra-curricular lessons and in the format of personal communication contact a personal curator.

Educational materials in the online school are provided in electronic format - either by posting on the site (and in order to get acquainted with them, the student must enter the site through authorization), or through an e-mail newsletter to his personal e-mail.

Materials typically include subject lecture texts, presentations, interactive practice exercises, videos, etc. Some schools offer live communication with the teacher via Skype or through an online conference service.

What are the types of online learning?

First of all, training in an online school is divided according to the form of the lesson:

Personal - the student chooses the direction and complexity of the program, and then engages in the selected course individually with a specialist attached to it.
Collective - as a rule, it takes place in a group of 10-12 students who study in the general course. One way to organize classes is to broadcast live with a teacher.
Asynchronous - students get their homework, complete it, and send it to the teacher. And then they get feedback. The advantage of this way of organizing studies is that there is no clearly defined schedule. The student performs work when it is convenient for him.

By breadth of coverage:

For everyone - the so-called mooc courses. They are open en masse, that is, anyone can register and there is no limit on the number of seats.
Fixed groups - collective training, the program of which is designed for a certain number of participants. When the latter is registered, dialing stops automatically.

Also, courses are divided into those that are provided for a fee and those for which you do not need to pay.

Next, we will consider the main selection criteria in order to understand which school is better to buy a training course.

How to choose an online school?

In order to avoid mistakes, when choosing a platform for learning English, you should pay attention to the following parameters:

The purpose of obtaining knowledge;
Basic knowledge;
An approach;
Availability of a license;
Teaching Staff;
Reviews;
Learning platform interface;
Customer focus;
Additional "buns";
Student results;
Cost.

The purpose of obtaining knowledge

No amount of practical advice will help if a specific goal is missing. First of all, you need to decide why you need English at all? The final choice of the curriculum will depend on this, because there are a huge variety of them. Someone has a desire to go on a trip around the world, another strives to build a cool career in an international company, the third is planning to move to an English-speaking country for permanent residence, etc. Sometimes you need something specific, for example, an emphasis on a certain professional area, and sometimes you just need to tighten up conversational English and remove a pronounced accent. For children, additional language learning may be required to pass the final exam at school.

Basic knowledge

It is necessary to choose a platform that is able to offer a curriculum corresponding to the existing knowledge. Those who have never studied English at all will need a course from scratch. Anyone with a basic understanding of English will need a more advanced level. Ideally, the school should offer testing that will help determine the depth of knowledge of a particular student.

An approach

Not every online school is ready to offer exactly the format that will be most convenient for a particular person. Therefore, you should find out which training will be the most comfortable - individual or in a group? With an individual approach, the teacher devotes all the time allotted for the lesson to one student, and communication is built in the form of a dialogue. With a collective one - the teacher's attention is divided between the members of a small group and the work in this case is built in the format of a polylogue.

Availability of a license

One of the most important criteria. It is important to ensure that the organization has the right to train someone and is able to document it.A license for educational activities gives the right to carry out educational activities on the territory of a particular country, and is required for all organizations that implement educational programs, regardless of the form in which the educational process is carried out. An online school licensed means that it exists legally and operates with a long-term perspective. In the Russian Federation, you can check the availability of a license by using the Rospotrebnadzor website.

Teaching Staff

Much depends on the pedagogical skills and professional level of the teacher. Therefore, it is best to contact those schools that are responsible for the selection of employees. In particular, it is worth paying attention to the official websites and schools operating under official government agencies. For example, there are language courses at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as courses open at universities of foreign languages. The latter can be visited by both students and people who have nothing to do with the educational institution. When choosing a teacher for a child, it is worth asking about the teacher's education, his qualifications and experience in working with children.

Reviews

One of the most popular ways to find out which company is the best to buy a training course is to read the reviews of various schools, study their reputation. The main thing to remember is that reviews are also different. A common practice is custom-made positive and negative reviews. The owners of the online school can organize the placement of positive reviews in order to increase their popularity and recruit more students. The "authors" of negative reviews about a particular training site may be its competitors, seeking to lure a part of potential customers to themselves.

Learning platform interface

For an online school, the site is very important, since almost the entire learning process will take place there. The platform's functionality should be as simple and intuitive as possible. Otherwise, most of the time will have to be spent not on training, but on trying to understand the interface. Also, the site should be provided with high-quality illustrations and designed so that all the main tools are available from the main page.

Some schools offer their students to download a free app or install a browser extension. In this case, it is important that the specifications of the smartphone or computer meet the requirements of the software product.

Customer focus

All questions arising from the student should be resolved quickly, simply and efficiently. Since help is very important in online training, the platform should have its own support service, which is connected 24/7. It is also equally important that there is an opportunity to discuss the topic under study and ask questions to the educational and methodological department. This is especially true when children are studying in an online school. Indeed, for many parents it is important to understand how the learning process goes and how effective it is for a particular child.

Additional "goodies"

The best online schools take care of creating a positive attitude among students and a friendly atmosphere, they work to increase motivation. Extracurricular activities can be a good addition to the main process. It can be anything - offline meetings, field trips, excursions, conferences, etc. It helps to get to know each other better, improve communication, exchange experiences and much more.

Student results

The best schools keep track of statistics on their graduates and do not hesitate to share it in the public domain.

What the cost of studying?

For the price, online courses can vary greatly. It all depends on the duration of the program, the qualifications of the teacher of the basic level of knowledge.

The average cost of one lesson with a Russian-speaking teacher is 800 rubles, with a native speaker - 1500 rubles. Popular schools hold promotions, discount programs and a discount system, which reduces the overall cost.

What an online school has to offer: pros and cons

Advantages:

Convenient lesson schedule, which is especially important for actors, athletes, musicians and other people who do not fit the standard schedule;
Many opportunities for gifted children who need an individual pace;
A comfortable environment for students with disabilities, since not all educational institutions have inclusive education;
More room for independent work, the skills of which will always come in handy;
You can enter any institution without having to move;
Professionally structured lectures;
Interesting practical exercises;
Live webinars, audio and video podcasts, library of knowledge;
The ability to communicate with other program participants and perform collective work;
Available supply of material;
Receiving quick feedback from the teacher, which will help to correct any mistakes;
Affordable cost of training programs.

Disadvantages:

The educational process can be interfered with by technical failures and malfunctions;
For some people, learning through a computer is already a minus in itself.

Rating of TOP-8 quality online schools for learning English for 2020

Englex

An online English school that focuses on teaching quality. The team consists of 280+ teachers with an average experience of 9 years. The school selects the really best mentors, and only 1 out of 130 applicants get started.

Lessons are held one-on-one with a teacher in an interactive Online class. This is a platform developed by the school where teacher and student interact. From here, you can access textbooks, audio recordings and homework. At the same time, the platform flexibly adjusts to the student, the teacher can add assignments and personalize lessons for a specific student.

The duration of one lesson is 45 or 60 minutes, while the duration of the lesson, like the schedule, is determined by the student himself.

Courses:

general colloquial;
for beginners;
English for work and business;
for traveling;
speaking practice;
communication with the carrier;
preparation for the interview;
preparation for exams (IELTS, TOEFL, FCE, CAE, CPE);
preparation for the exam;
language for the IT sphere;
setting pronunciation;
practical grammar.

The school provides free bonuses to its students. There are conversation clubs (including with native speakers), webinars are held, the school has a blog with useful articles, a YouTube channel - there are all opportunities for additional English practice.

Students are offered 2 tariffs to choose from:

"Convenient", where you can cancel classes while saving lessons; "Profitable", which does not imply cancellations, but it has less cost of the lesson.

You can pay for lessons in packages of 5, 10, 20 or 40 lessons with a maximum discount of up to 35%. The cost of a lesson starts from 600 rubles per lesson with a Russian-speaking teacher.

Advantages:

inexpensive cost of classes;
professional experienced teachers;
convenient platform for classes;
free talking clubs;
an introductory lesson is held with a teacher;
payment for five lessons;
discounts up to 35% (while paying for the full training package);
the lesson can be rescheduled for free;
if necessary, the balance is frozen for any period;
a refund is made for the remaining classes at the request of the client;
many payment methods.

Disadvantages:

the learning platform is only available on computers and laptops;
a third-party application is used to practice words.

Skyeng

https://skyeng.ru/

Phone: 8 800 555 45 22

A new generation school that has existed since 2012. In terms of the number of teachers involved, the platform ranks first among similar companies - 11,260 specialists. The organizational department consists of 42 people. The school's representative office is located in Moscow. Since its foundation, more than 1000 lessons have been held.Classes at Skyeng are held around the clock, and therefore everyone can choose a time convenient for him, taking into account personal needs and capabilities. Each lesson lasts 50 minutes. You can study with a personal teacher from anywhere in the world. Lessons take place in Vimbox, an interactive online tutorial platform that demonstrates to the teacher how the student copes with assignments in real time and allows video communication. There is also a mobile app for learning words and a homework system with an automatic check function. The personal account displays all the information about how the training is going - the schedule, the date of the next lesson, the number of paid lessons, etc.

Courses:

general English;
for beginners;
for advanced;
for traveling;
business language;
spoken for adults;
for adolescents over 10 years old;
to prepare for the exam (IELTS, TOEFL, FCE);
school curriculum to prepare for the exam.

Advantages:

flexible schedule;
the first lesson is free;
an individual approach to the selection of a teacher;
controlled learning process;
high-quality organization of lessons;
motivational support at all stages;
online chat;
communication with the carrier;
clear and simple site navigation;
iOS and Android apps;
a large number of programs.

Disadvantages:

technical failures;
complaints about underreporting the basic level of knowledge;
high rates.

EnglishDom

https://www.englishdom.com/

Phone: 8 800 777 16 33

The school has been on the market for over 9 years. The teaching staff includes about 300 specialists. 20 author's training programs have been developed. According to statistics, more than 17 thousand students were trained in the organization, who achieved their educational goals. Based on the available knowledge, the required specialist is selected - a Russian-speaking or a native speaker. Classes are held according to a digital textbook, colloquial speech is also practiced, the language barrier is overcome. The duration of one lesson is 50 minutes. Communication takes place 1 on 1 with the teacher. Through the mobile application, you can manage your schedule, do your homework, receive lesson notifications and messages from the teacher, and check your balance. A personal curator will help resolve emerging issues, adjust the program, and, if necessary, cancel or postpone the lesson. The site has a blog where useful articles and various news are posted.

Directions:

individually (English via Skype);
children's courses;
for companies.

Advantages:

teachers with many years of experience;
free introductory lesson;
providing a personal curator;
with a smartphone program;
user support service;
personal account on the site, where progress is displayed;
certificate at the end of the course;
there are online trainers;
there is a test to determine the level of knowledge.

Disadvantages:

poor support service performance;
according to course buyers, it is difficult to find the right teacher.

Center for Foreign Languages YES

The YES Foreign Language Center has been operating in the educational services market for 20 years. Today the school has 19 branches located in Moscow, Moscow and Vladimir regions, and is also a partner of Cambridge Assessment, the largest linguistic agency in Europe.

Thanks to the center's individualized learning plan, more than 95% of the school's students achieve their English language goals in no time. Learning takes place according to a communicative method, and all students receive support from the teacher at every stage of learning from classroom work to homework.

All YES teachers are constantly improving their professional qualifications, including in communicative techniques.

Studying programs:

English for children from 3 years old;
English for teenagers;
English courses for companies;
distance learning;
conversational workshops;
English school of acting;
kindergarten and camp in English;
preparation for the exam and the exam.

The YES Language Center is an open international school for preparation for the Cambridge exams, for the successful passing of IELTS and TOEFL in accordance with international standards.

Advantages:

effective communication techniques;
competent teachers;
wide range of services;
assistance in preparing for international exams, USE and OGE;
collaboration with Cambridge Assessment;
free trial lesson;
individual training plan.

Disadvantages:

not found.

LingvaBoom

https://lingvaboom.ru/

Phone: 8 (800) 302-2340

LinguaBum offers not only individual training, but also group training. Each group has no more than 4 people who hear and see each other during the lesson. This creates a relaxed, friendly environment. All lessons are recorded - to monitor the educational process. Also, if you miss a lesson, you can get a recording of it. Each teacher has not only an appropriate diploma, but also a teaching experience of at least 5 years. The personal account on the site contains all the necessary teaching materials and teaching aids, reminders and news, schedule and much more. There are directions for schoolchildren, for business and work, for travel and for obtaining certificates.

Programs:

A1 - initial;
A2 - improving listening comprehension, practicing pronunciation;
В1 - language improvement;
B2 - achieving freedom of communication;
C1 - fluency in English almost like a native;
C2 is almost a native speaker.

Advantages:

payment to a bank account without commissions;
tracking progress through your personal account;
individual selection of exercises;
there is a test to determine the level of knowledge;
student support service "care department";
free introductory meeting;
webinars, conversation and literary clubs;
qualitative characteristics of the site;
good recommendations.

Disadvantages:

expensive individual training.

White Rabbit

https://wrabbit.ru/

Virtual school of foreign languages, operating for over 12 years. The staff includes 140 specialists. The popularity of the school is based on the ability to choose a course, tutor and class time. Lessons are held via Skype, the professionalism of the teachers is confirmed by the presence of appropriate certificates and documents of education. The duration of the lessons is 45, 60 and 90 minutes to choose from.

Programs:

general course;
business course;
language for travel;
to prepare for exams.

Advantages:

the first trial lesson is free;
individual training program;
you can choose the frequency and duration of the lessons;
if necessary, the teacher is replaced;
any payment methods are possible;
a system of discounts has been developed;
a personal manager is attached to each student;
free conversation club;
budget prices.

Disadvantages:

bad site;
the description contains little information.

Go-International.RU

https://go-international.ru/

Phone: 8 (800) 511-41-88

A specialized online school whose clients are major Russian and international companies - Gazprom Neft, Sberbank, Megafon, Solgar and others. The company applies the latest pedagogical technologies for teaching a foreign language, advanced techniques and an individual approach to each student. Classes are held both individually and in small groups. The teachers are internationally qualified. The required study guides are provided in digital format. The educational process is based on the free ZOOM program with the use of audio and video materials, as well as interactive assignments. All the necessary information is available on the official website, where you can also buy the desired course.

Directions:

colloquial;
business;
English in the professional field;
preparation for international exams.

Advantages:

system of discounts and promotions;
stimulating motivation;
great attention to oral communication practice;
elimination of the language barrier;
discount payment program;
round-the-clock work schedule;
free first 45-minute lesson;
cheap group lessons.

Disadvantages:

expensive individual training.

Engforme

https://engforme.com/

Phone: +7 (499) 404 06 40

A school that promises to teach practical English in three months. There are several training formats to choose from - video courses for independent work and / or classes with a teacher. The first option involves self-study in one of the author's video courses - TOEFL or IELTS. Both programs consist of 30 45 minute video lessons over a three month period. A workbook with study materials and practical training is also provided. The video course can be supplemented with 12 individual lessons with a teacher via Skype. This allows for detailed elaboration of speech and grammar. There are also courses on the exam and grammar. If you wish, you can work individually with a teacher (Russian-speaking, native speaker or VIP-specialist), the duration of each lesson is 45 or 60 minutes to choose from.

Directions:

work abroad;
exam preparation;
obtaining international certificates;
emigration to an English-speaking country;
tourism and travel;
work and business.

Advantages:

free trial lesson;
access to the video knowledge base;
competent specialists;
assistance in the assimilation of the material;
online chat;
quick selection of a suitable teacher through the website;
each lesson can be paid separately;
wide knowledge base.

Disadvantages:

small staff;
unfinished site.

Puzzle English

https://puzzle-english.com/

An online platform that combines a website and mobile applications into one complex. Designed for self-study of the English language - developing the practice of listening comprehension, reading, pronunciation, learning new words and much more. The educational process takes place in a playful way due to specially designed simulators that develop all language skills. Students are also offered a set of exciting exercises, mini-games for practicing translation and grammar skills, a personal plan based on the basic knowledge of a particular student, vocabulary training, educational podcasts (audio lessons), interaction with a native speaker, a wide digital library of English-language books with translation and voice acting, online dialogues with a virtual interlocutor. In order to gain access to the materials, you need to register on the site, and then either study for free in a limited mode, or buy the full package.

Courses: