Individual vs. German group lessons - how to master German!

Individual vs. German group lessons - What's the right way to say "Streichholzschächtelchen" without blinking?

When we decide to start learning German, it's almost like planning to climb the Alps - with all those cases, long words and the inevitable dilemma of "der, die, das", the first important decision along the way is whether we will go alone or in a group. And of course, we need to decide whether we will do it all from the comfort of our home with online classes, or in a classroom with classic whiteboards and markers or, God forbid, chalk. German Everywhere will explain the advantages and disadvantages of different forms of teaching.

Individual classes:

Advantages:

• Pace to suit you - In individual lessons, you are the captain of your own ship. No one will block you when you already understand all those nominatives, pronouns and passives. If you need to repeat one rule 10 times - you can! If "ich bin, du bist" sounds like a joke to you - let's move on!

• Focus on you – The entire class is dedicated solely to your needs. Got a problem with the overuse of "doch"? No problem, in an individual class you can spend half an hour just on that.

• Flexibility – Today class in the morning, tomorrow evening, the day after from the beach? Online one-on-one lessons allow you to fit your learning into your lifestyle, even if that means drinking coffee from a giant mug that says "Lass mich in Ruhe, ich lerne Deutsch".

  
  

  Disadvantages:

• More expensive – Yes, luxury comes with a price. And not only that, if you have a spare minute, you'll realize that you spent an hour talking about movies, and the German got lost somewhere in the translation.

• Fewer opportunities to communicate – You practice with the teacher, but you don't always have that dynamic of talking to different people, which is crucial when German becomes a real struggle for survival in conversation with real Germans.

Group classes:

Advantages:

• Group dynamics – In group classes you get to listen to others' mistakes, which is quite refreshing because you realize you're not the only one whose cases give you nightmares. At the same time, there are also mini-competitions in quickly answering the professor's questions - whoever says "Der Hund ist groß" first wins!

  
  

• Exchange of ideas - In the group you have the opportunity to hear different approaches to learning, see how others remember those long words like "Rechtsschutzversicherungsgesellschaften" and maybe get inspired.

• Friendships - Maybe at the end of class you go out with your group mates for a beer (or Bier, as the professor would say), where you continue the conversation in German and study in a more relaxed atmosphere.

  Disadvantages:

• Not to your liking – Sometimes you have to wait for everyone to reach the same level, or it's too slow for you. Then again, maybe everyone is faster than you so you feel like you're always falling behind the group.

• Less flexibility – What if the class is scheduled for 6pm and you're stuck in traffic? Well, next time you'll be on time because the group is moving on without you.

  
  

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