South Africa is a country with no fewer that eleven official languages, Afrikaans being one of them. It can be quite useful to be conversant in Afrikaans because a large percentage of the South African population communicates in the language, either as a first, second or third language. It is actually very important to be able to speak Afrikaans, because it is the only language that is spoken in every province.
There is little doubt that private Afrikaans lessons are the best way to fast-track your progress in Afrikaans. So, if you want to start Afrikaans language lessons or simply want to kick off by learning basic Afrikaans, then we’ve got some great tips to get you started.
You could, of course, track down a language school, but an Afrikaans tutor near you may be your best bet!
The Cost of Private Afrikaans Lessons in South Africa
If you’re concerned about fees, the low costs may actually surprise you.
To find a really good tutor in South Africa, it will be worth your while to use a tutoring site like Superprof. This will be a far more efficient way to find a teacher with great credentials to help you with Afrikaans language lessons.
On average Afrikaans lessons will cost you R152 per hour, depending on where you live in South Africa. You can find Afrikaans lessons Pretoria or in any other city. However, the more remote your location, the higher the chance that there may not be a tutor nearby. Your best bet would then be to contact a tutor who can work with you online.
An important point to remember is that, if Afrikaans is new to you, learning basic Afrikaans with a private tutor may be one of the best investments that you can make.
Once you have decided to take private Afrikaans lessons, your next step would be to choose the best Afrikaans tutor for you.
No matter what your reasons are for wanting to study Afrikaans, what is important is that you and your tutor are compatible and they satisfy your goals, in terms of their experience, background and qualifications.
This is where the beauty of working via Superprof really works for you: since the overwhelming majority of tutors offer the first lesson free of charge, you will have the opportunity to pose questions to the tutor regarding his or her background, experience, teaching methods and lesson plans.
As South Africa is a multilingual country, it would stand you in good stead if you added the ability to speak, read and write Afrikaans to your CV. This will, no doubt, improve your chances of connecting with people who prefer to do business through the medium of Afrikaans and may also open up many work opportunities for you.
The Benefits of Group Afrikaans Lessons
You might even want to make it a family affair and involve your parents in your Afrikaans lessons.
If you are a parent, you can assist by practising Afrikaans alongside your children. Of course, you should meet your child’s tutor, but there are additional steps you can take to help them on their language learning journey:
- Encouraging your child to speak Afrikaans with you
- Trying to match their pace when learning Afrikaans
- Trying not to translate word-by-word
- Taking online tutorials or evening lessons to learn Afrikaans
- Getting Afrikaans textbooks related to your child's coursework.
Reasons to Find an Afrikaans Tutor Near You
A very important reason to consider private Afrikaans lessons is that it is the quickest way to learn to express yourself in Afrikaans.
If you have a tutor who is totally focused on you and your growth and challenges, your time will be optimally utilised, uninterrupted by other students' concerns, struggles and interjections. Since, like a subject such as mathematics, the learning of a new language is a complex task and it is best navigated with one-on-one tuition.
Taking lessons with a private Afrikaans tutor also has numerous other benefits, including:
- Studying at a location and time that are convenient to you.
- Learning at your own pace.
- Give you the choice of doing in-person classes or learning via webcam.
- Allow you to give input regarding your lessons and so much more.
On Superprof, you will find tutors of different backgrounds, who can assist you with private Afrikaans language lessons. So, no matter whether your Afrikaans speaking is at beginner, intermediate or advanced level, you will find the tutor who is just right for you.
Additionally, you will benefit from the fact that you can also read reviews by previous students on their profile pages.
How to Choose the Right Afrikaans Tutor
With so many Afrikaans tutors available to you on Superprof, it will be important for you to consider your learning goals carefully, as the choice you make will have an impact on your budget.
For example, you could save a bit on tuition if you choose a student over a qualified teacher.
You should let your learning objective guide your choice of tutor. If you are aiming at improving your Afrikaans matric result because you want to enrol for a language or a communications degree programme, then it will be worth your while to seek out the services of a qualified Afrikaans teacher, who has experience in assisting learners achieve the good language scores that tertiary education courses demand.
For example, if you want to enrol for a National Diploma in Public Relations at Unisa, you may be refused admission if your language marks are not up to standard, even if you have achieved straight A’s in all your other subjects.
Your choice of the best private Afrikaans tutor for you will be guided by a number of factors, including your budget, your goals, their location and experience and whether you would like to learn online or not.
Improve yourself with Afrikaans lessons online on Superprof.
How to Make Your Afrikaans Lessons Count
Work on Your Weaknesses
One of the great advantages of working with a dedicated tutor is that your goals and needs are prioritised to the extent that your weaknesses will be strengthened.
If you clearly communicate which aspects of Afrikaans are difficult for you, you can give your confidence a boost and even improve your Afrikaans marks significantly!
Do Your Homework
You will be investing finances and time into extra tuition. You should therefore be fully invested in the activities which are designed to improve your proficiency in Afrikaans.
To get the greatest benefit from your studies it will be important that you show up regularly, pay attention and complete all homework. These three elements are crucial to your success, will keep you on track and will make sure that you do not waste any time.
Practise Speaking Afrikaans
You will grow in confidence as you practise speaking with your tutor, but to truly improve your fluency, it would be of great benefit if you were to engage with native Afrikaans-speakers as often as possible.
This language immersion, in a country where many people speak Afrikaans, will enhance your pronunciation, give your countless opportunities to practise and, also, expose you to funny Afrikaans sayings. You could, additionally, speak Afrikaans to your English or Xhosa-speaking friends and all improve your Afrikaans together.
It is also true that you can improve your knowledge and pronunciation of the language by regularly tuning in to Afrikaans podcasts, as well as radio and television broadcasts. This is where you may really start to enjoy the language as you will hear many common and funny Afrikaans sayings.
Take an Active Role in Your Learning
It is important to remember that fluency in Afrikaans may hold many benefits for you in the near future. It will increase job opportunities for you, but it can also facilitate travel throughout South Africa.
To enjoy these benefits, will require commitment and determination from you, as Afrikaans may be challenging in terms of its very guttural pronunciation. While that is true, it is also true that there are opportunities for you to study Afrikaans at school and, possibly, brush up with additional lessons. Also, you will also be surrounded by many Afrikaans-speakers who will only be too happy to assist and encourage you.
A final point is that if you have included Afrikaans on your CV, ensure that you practise on an ongoing basis so that you knock the socks off any job interviewer. Commit to gaining confidence in Afrikaans-speaking and commit to your future success!
The Best Way to Learn Afrikaans for You
Consider a combination of the following to get the most from your Afrikaans learning journey:
- Start with the basics: Focus on mastering essential vocabulary and common phrases.
- Take advantage of the growing number of Afrikaans resources available online: listen to podcasts in Afrikaans, and read articles on Afrikaans websites.
- Watch Afrikaans TV series and movies to boost your vocabulary and help with pronunciation. Be sure to activate subtitles when you are starting out.
- Find an Afrikaans language buddy at school, university, the office, or through an online language exchange.
- Set regular goals.
- Try to make your Afrikaans learning more fun by reading newspaper or magazine articles, books and blogs on topics you enjoy.
Your determination and motivation will ensure that you achieve success in the end. And, of course, you can always turn to Superprof and start taking one-one-one courses in Afrikaans.
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