How to become a successful tutor?

Tips on how to be more successful from the start of your communication with a student

Want to know more about how Rihisi works, the best practices to attract students and how to highlight your skills and experience? Click on the link or browse the Tutors Academy for more helpful resources.

Would you like to learn more about course planning and get a language teaching certificate for your Rihisi profile? Or to refresh your language teaching knowledge and skills? Check out our free course, 'How to teach a language' and earn a certificate to upload to your Rihisi profile by taking the test at the end!

The first message

A fantastic first message will:

Be sent as quickly as possible: students appreciate tutors who respond quickly.
Say hello, also adding that you’re looking forward to the trial lesson.
Ask about the student’s goals: asking relevant questions will provide you with the knowledge to prepare for a great trial lesson.
Confirm the time and agenda of the trial lesson: the student will feel more comfortable when you discuss this together

Sample messages

Hello, Thanks so much for choosing me as your tutor! Here’s how my trial lesson will go. My methodology is to work toward my students’ learning goals. I call it tailored learning! First I will ask you what you would like to achieve by learning English, along with what you would like me to focus on. If needed, we will go through an English assessment test together, so I can create the best lesson plan for you. Looking forward to seeing you in our trial lesson!

Hello, I have taught IELTS prep courses to many students. In this course, I will use several textbooks and will provide tips on how to answer each section of the IELTS test with a focus on the spoken section. You’ll receive instant feedback from me, and I will evaluate your progress over time. The number of lessons I suggest after the trial lesson depends on your current level of English and the score you would like to achieve. Please feel free to ask me any more questions you might have, and looking forward to our trial lesson! Regards

Hello, I’m looking forward to our Business English trial lesson! Currently, I’m teaching similar lessons to several students in different countries. First, We will go through a short English assessment test together to determine your English level. Based on the results, I’ll tailor my lesson plan to strengthen areas where you can improve. The classes will emphasize your conversational skills in a business setting. Looking forward to our trial lesson! Best Regards

Technical requirements

Having technical difficulties, such as bad audio or an unstable internet connection during the trial lesson can make a great lesson less enjoyable.

To make sure everything goes smoothly, you can send the below messages to your student in the days leading up to the lesson:

Sample message:

Hello! To prepare for a great trial lesson, please make sure you have the following ready to go:
• A good internet connection.
• A computer is more comfortable, but using mobile devices or tablets is possible.
• An external microphone. Using a headset provides better audio quality than a built-in microphone.
• A quiet room.

To go the extra mile, send a message to the student the day before reminding them of the start time. Try not to change the time they have booked, as it can decrease their willingness to buy more lessons.

Sample message:

Hi! Just a friendly reminder about our class tomorrow at 10 am your local time. Looking forward to speaking with you then!

Conducting the trial lesson

The trial lesson is when the student decides whether to continue with you as their tutor or to look for another tutor. A successful trial means that the student wants to continue learning with you and purchase a package of lessons.

Now is the time for your professionalism to shine!

Prepare yourself for each trial lesson. Tailor the content to the student’s goals and what they wish to achieve—you learned this from their messages before the trial lesson began.
Students are building their futures during these lessons. You are their mentor to achieve their life goals. Some students may be learning a language to get a promotion at work, others to pass the IELTS and enter universities abroad, and others may have just moved to a new country and need to integrate!
Teaching here is not only your job, it’s also your responsibility. You should care for your students and share in their successes. During the trial lesson, students should feel your dedication to them on their journey.

Let’s look at the following guidelines for a 6-part breakdown of what makes a fantastic trial lesson. This can be adapted to fit your own unique style.

Greetings

Send a message 15 min before the lesson. “Hello, I’d like to remind you that our lesson will begin in 15 min. See you soon!“
Before connecting over video, ask if they are ready. This shows empathy and goes the extra mile with the student. “Are you ready to begin our lesson?”
Start with a warm greeting and by introducing yourself. Make sure your camera is turned on, even if the student doesn’t turn on theirs. Let the student feel comfortable during the class, either with their camera on or off.
Make sure the quality of sound is good and both of you can hear each other clearly.
Create a warm atmosphere by continuing with a couple of minutes of small talk.

Introduction

Here is a list of questions you can ask as part of your introduction:

Is this the first time you are having an online class? What is your experience with learning English online?
What difficulties have you faced up until now?
What are your goals once you have learned English?
What would you like to achieve by learning English? (This is especially important if the student requested lessons for exam prep.)
What is your experience with English to date?
Have you taken any evaluation tests? If so, what were the results? (During the conversation, try to do your own assessment of the student’s level—but don’t share your thoughts right away!)

Evaluation Test

Students like taking an evaluation test in the first lesson—it evokes a feeling of accomplishment! The test shouldn’t take more than 15 to 20 minutes though. Set the expectation that the aim of the test is to assess the student’s language level for more productive lessons.

Here are commonly used language assessment levels:

Elementary (A1)
Pre-Intermediate (A2)
Intermediate (B1)
Upper-Intermediate (B2)
Advanced (C1+)

At the end of the test, clearly explain the student’s level to them, making sure to emphasize their strengths. For example: “Your overall level is Pre-Intermediate. We can continue to work on your speaking skills, which are currently at an Intermediate level.

Present the lesson plan

Make sure you explain what the student can expect, and how many hours they will need to reach a milestone.

Turning the trial lesson into a lesson package

● You should aim to complete the academic lesson within 45 minutes, leaving 15 minutes to end the lesson and explain what’s next (step 4).
● If the student has decided to continue taking lessons with you, try to arrange the next lesson. The Rihisi Calendar will keep your tutoring availability up to date and in the student’s timezone.
● Suggest that the student buys a package of hours for a better deal. You can be upfront about the number of lessons you think the student will need to achieve their goals—they’ll appreciate your honesty!
● If there is time left at the end of the trial lesson, don’t end the lesson early. Start the next lesson and make sure to give some homework to the student.

Follow-up after the trial lesson

● If the student did not purchase more lessons within a week, write a polite follow-up message to peak their interest—a short preview to what will happen next, or something to get them excited about achieving their goals.
● If the student purchased a package of lessons, write an enthusiastic thank-you message to them.

The components of a 60-minute lesson

Here are our suggestions for the components of any 60-minute language lesson. We hope this will help you feel more confident as a tutor!

Getting to a good start

● 15 min before the lesson, send a polite text message reminding the student about the lesson.
● Ask for permission before calling.
● Politeness, patience, and a sense of humor are three important character traits to build strong relationships with your students.
● Never skip the introductions at the start of the lesson. Create a friendly atmosphere at the start of the lesson, but keep it to less than five minutes in total.
● Send an agenda of the topics which will be covered in the lesson that day. Make sure you stick to it as closely as possible

Tip: The ultimate goal of any language lesson is to create the ability and confidence in the student to speak. This is achieved by the joint hard work of the tutor and the student.

During the class

● Review the homework done by the student. You can correct the homework during the lesson with your student.
● Never interrupt students when they speak. It has a negative impact on their self-confidence. Give them feedback after they finish speaking.
● Don’t provide unnecessary comments and explanations during the lesson.
● Make examples common and practical. Try to teach your students functional language. Ask them to use the vocabulary they learn to build sentences about real situations at work or at home.
● Always review new vocabulary at the end of each lesson.

Summing up the lesson

● Revise the topics covered with the student during the class.
● Assign the student homework to be completed for the next lesson.
● Ask if the student has any questions about the lesson.
● Thank them and say you are looking forward to the next class.