Here at Intrepid English, we always say how fortunate we are to have such a wonderful group of students. In today’s blog and podcast, I am chatting to one of those wonderful students, Theresa.
We discuss her experience of learning English, her achievements and milestones over the last 3 years and her summer in Vienna. She also has some useful advice for English learners.
Hi Theresa, please introduce yourself to everyone
Hi! I’m Theresa, I am 18 years old and I am from Munich, Germany. I have just moved to Vienna for the summer and I am working at a magazine here before I return to Germany to continue my studies.
When did you first start taking English lessons with me?
I started taking lessons with you, Lorraine, while in the 10th grade. I was a little nervous but I needed to improve my English for high-school studies. I had to overcome my fear as that’s the only way to get better. I think it’s a great opportunity to learn online as you can speak with a native English speaker from the comfort of your own home.
Did you find it hard to maintain a regular habit of learning English?
I think that every time I had a break from speaking English for a while, I had to start again from the beginning. At first, the lessons were adapted to my school studies and I had lessons in term time. I soon realised that I wouldn’t progress unless I maintained my English steadily so I tried to get into a routine outside of the school term times
Have your lessons helped you to feel more confident?
Right now, I feel very confident speaking English. It’s necessary for me as I need it to meet native and non-native speakers. I want my English to be sufficient to trust myself and have confidence in being able to speak and have a conversation with them. It really helped me to develop my confidence and now I have no inhibitions. I have used my English to meet people in my new city of Vienna and I am so glad that I feel comfortable speaking English as it would have been much harder to meet new people if I felt self-conscious.
Tell me about some of the milestones in your English journey over the years.
I had a few milestones while learning English with you, Lorraine. The biggest step for me was comparing the results of my oral English exam in 7th grade and my most recent result. In 7th grade, I didn’t perform well and I was disappointed, which is why I began looking for an English tutor. However, when I took my oral exam in autumn 2019, after having lessons with you for several years, I scored extremely highly. Later, when taking my English A-Level exam, I scored even higher. I was so pleased with my results. Finally, I took the CAE exam during the COVID-19 pandemic and, thanks to practising with you and alone, I achieved my goal level of C1.
Do you have any advice for other English students?
Don’t wait to get an English tutor. Especially in high school, it’s so hard to get the necessary practice speaking English with a native speaker. It’s a valuable opportunity to study English and learn a lot more before taking your exams. Learning grammar at school was fine, but other areas of English can be developed much more with a native-speaking teacher. I would definitely recommend Intrepid English to anyone who needs to learn English, either at school or later in life.
Thank you so much for taking the time to tell us about your experience, Theresa. It’s been a pleasure to see your confidence grow and your English skills flourish. Feel free to chat with us in our Community any time!
As Theresa mentioned, learning English doesn’t just happen over night, it can take a while to reach your English-language goals. That’s why we have created the Intrepid English Academy, a library full of self-study courses to maximise your valuable studying time.
So, if you are still wondering if online English lessons are right for you, why not book a trial lesson today and talk about your English goals with an experienced and friendly Intrepid English teacher. It’s never too late to reach your English goals!
This blog was written by Intrepid English Teacher and Founder, Lorraine.
If you have any questions, or you would like to request a topic for a future blog, you can contact us by leaving a comment below, or email us at Intrepid English.