Linkua currently has hundreds of willing tutors for dozens of languages.
Below is some info from the Linkua website - be sure to read their take on why distance learning can be more advantageous than learning in person.
What is Linkua?
Linkua is a meeting point for people interested in teaching and learning languages. As a student you find language teachers from all around the world and learn from them from the comfort of your home. As a teacher you'll be able to connect with students and can teach them from home, with total flexibility.
Why distance learning is better than face to face learning?
You will get a stronger result by learning by telephone or VoIP than if you learn in person.
Many people are surprised when they first hear this but after you read these ten reasons you will be convinced!
#1 - Better Comprehension
When you are tutored by telephone you learn to hear voice. When you are taught face to face, about 30 percent of what you think you hear are the non-verbal gestures. People who are taught in person will finish a course of study, go to talk with someone on the phone, and freeze because they just lost 30 percent of their communications!
People who are taught on the telephone will do well on the telephone. They will also do great in person, because they get an additional 30 percent in the non-verbal gestures that they were not even accustomed to in normal learning process!
#2 - Better Pronunciation
People typically talk about 10 to 15 percent more loudly on the phone than in person. To speak more loudly you need to open your mouth more widely, and we all know that opening your mouth widely is a prerequisite to developing good enunciation and pronunciation.
#3 - Better Concentration
As you are not influenced by the non-verbal gestures, you can concentrate more on what you are told and what you say. For instance, while you drive, don´t you have to concentrate more on what you say on the phone than what you say to the person next to you? Furthermore, using the phone quickly helps you get over the fear of speaking.
#4 - Leverage Your Time
Instead of spending your precious time driving to a school or to someone's home to take a language class, you can use that time to learn more.
#5 - Flexibility: Wherever You Are
If you do any traveling, you can stay consistent in your learning by simply picking up a telephone. It does not matter if you are in Spain, New Jersey, Australia, Mexico, Sudan or Germany. If you can get to a PC with internet, you can take your class.
#6 - Flexibility: Whenever It Is
If you have a schedule that is variable, you can schedule learning on an "as you go" basis. You do not need to lock into the same times every week. You can schedule as you go and around the clock. You will always be sure to get a learning time that meets your needs.
#7 - More Relaxed
You can go home from work, get relaxed and enjoy your learning from your favorite chair. It is a lot more fun taking learning in casual clothes than in dress clothes. If you have a cordless telephone, you can even do learning from your garden while you are enjoying the sunshine!
#8 - Prepared for Real Business World
Since you learn to deal with voice, you will be better prepared for the real business world where much of what we do is by telephone. Also, if someone happens to be out of your line of vision, you will be able to understand even if you cannot see him or her. As I have already mentioned, if you are trained in person, you will freeze when you get on the telephone. When you are trained by telephone, you do not become dependent on lipreading, gestures, etc.
#9- Consistency of Training
You can have learning more consistently for the same amount of money than you could by going to a school. Telephone learning sessions are tipically shorter (around half an hour) and sessions at most schools are at least one hour in length because they have to justify having an instructor come in.
A half-hour on the telephone twice a week is more consistent, and better, than having one onehour session a week. Of course, four half-hour sessions weekly are better than two one-hour sessions.
It is just like exercise. Which is better? Three or four times a week for a half-hour, or once or twice for an hour or two at a time? We all know that consistency is critical to the development of a new skill or habit. You'll feel like you have more attention for the same amount of time... and money!
#10 - Higher Completion Rates
Our studies show conclusively that students who take their learning by telephone more consistently complete a full course of study. This is due to the fact that they learn better and that they learn in an environment that meets their needs from a logistical and scheduling standpoint.
