The pros and cons of learning Czech online vs. in the classroom

Technology platforms that enable remote learning and meeting were among the big winners of the recent COVID crisis, accelerating digital transformation across companies and industries worldwide.

Says managing director and founder of Czech Language Training Miroslav Kašpárek:

“We moved our classes online as early as March 16, while many other schools were just beginning to train their teachers,” he says. “By then we were already teaching on Skype and Zoom and had a very positive response.” 

He adds that after they resumed in-class teaching, many students opted for online courses with a breakdown of 60 percent going online and 40 in-class among their total of 400 students. 

If you haven’t yet decided which style of learning suits you best, Kašpárek says there are advantages to both ways of learning — outlined below — and encourages potential students to experiment and see what works best for them.

From September 7 you will able to do just that as CLT will be offering a full roster of over 100 courses, both online and in-class, for students of all levels. Students who sign up for CLT can reassess each month which platform they’d prefer to use, online courses, or in-class instruction.

Kašpárek says that many of his students who start out with face-to-face lessons at the school’s Vinohrady location continue with online learning once they’ve left Prague. He says it makes for an interesting group dynamic: “One student gets up before the lesson and the other goes to bed after the lesson,” he says which sparks a lot of good conversations.

Students who tend to have a more introverted learning style may appreciate online classes for practicing their speaking skills without the pressure of public speaking, says Kašpárek. “We have small groups of 6 students learning via Skype or Zoom, it’s very intimate and we find that it gives students the confidence to speak,” he says. 

As the pandemic picks up steam once again, those who want to keep their social distance as well as move their language skills to the next level will appreciate the option of distance learning. Though students who enroll in the CLT’s new courses will have the flexibility of returning to the school’s comfortable modern classroom space.

While more and more people are becoming accustomed to virtual classrooms, the importance of personal contact when it comes to language learning can’t be underestimated. Language learners will become more engaged with body language and non-verbal clues that aren’t conveyed as successfully via the online classroom, while some studies say people retain information better in person.

Lags and delays are common when using online classrooms as well as failed internet connections or poor sound or picture that can accompany an online session. For this reason, in-person learning can offer a more reliable option for those who are located in Prague.

If a combination of both styles of learning is right for you or if you’re uncertain about committing to face-to-face Czech class amid a possible second wave of the coronavirus, Czech Language Training offers several flexible options. Students can decide every month which platform they would prefer to use and can enroll at any level from A1.1 to B2.

Kašpárek says that whichever way you choose to learn Czech the most important thing when it comes to learning a language is being exposed to it on a regular basis in both the online and offline environments.

“We want you to be able to leave one of our classes and go use something you’ve learned immediately,” he says.