WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT FROM OTHER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS?
1) The bottom line is that we focus on quality, not quantity. Founded in Los Angeles in 2006, we have selected the very best language professionals from all over the world. We may not have 50 million in funding, but our love of language and our community more than make up for it. Increasingly, the Film and TV industry turn to Strømmen when they need help with languages. If you are serious about learning a language and want to work with the best teacher possible, look no further. We also have free events for students like ‘Mexican Movie Night,” and other unique cultural events. Our mission is to help the world to communicate. This is why we offer free ESL classes to our community, as well as other initiatives like free translations for afghan refugees and free translations for Ukrainian refugees and amazing free language learning resources on our blog.
WHY DO YOU SELL DISCOUNTED PACKAGES?
Why do we sell packages? Learning a new language takes time and our research indicates that by buying a large package students are more likely to actually finish and achieve their goals because they commit to a certain amount of study. On average, only one percent of our students do not finish a package.
WHERE DO THE CLASSES TAKE PLACE?
Our language classes can be anywhere. Our teachers have locations that they choose in their local area (sometime their home office, or a nice French cafe) that way you can usually meet someone in your neighborhood instead of driving across town to a dull classroom. Classes can also be at your home or office, or online.
WHAT IS ON YOUR LANGUAGE BLOG?
The goal of our language blog is to provide free learning resources for the world. Our language blog has tons of great articles for Spanish, German, Italian, and French language learners. We welcome you to use our free language resources even if you are not a student or teacher with us.
What are your teachers’ qualifications?
Strommen has a very rigorous selection process in which we select only the most professional, dedicated, and talented teaching professionals. These are teachers that have years of experience and a proven track record. At the Strommen office we personally vett all applicants by having them teach sample classes, check their qualifications and ensure that they are professional. While many of our teachers have degrees in the field or even university-level teaching experience, at Strommen we believe in having many different kinds of teachers for many different kinds of students. You can read more about individual teachers in their profiles.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOU AND COMPANIES WITH THOUSANDS OF TUTORS
Students that use bigger companies are usually attracted by the very low rates. These companies do not vest their tutors. At Strommen we interview each tutor personally and have them provide sample classes before being accepted and certified as Strommen tutors. We offer low rates, but only low enough that a professional tutor would accept. At these other companies it’s hard for you to find a good teacher. Would you pay $15 per hour for a doctor, or a dentist, or a personal trainer? Have you heard the expression “you get what you pay for?” Our clients are usually based in LA and are more concerned with using their limited time efficiently and effectively. Don’t waste your time trying out inexperienced instructors that live abroad – work with the very best language instructors here in LA that are even trusted to work with film and TV stars for performances. While our rates are higher, our students are always paired with qualified local instructors and our company follows CA laws. Additionally, even if your classes are online, It is important to also have a personal connection with your teacher where you can talk about local issues and even meet up in person at one of our movie nights. Most of the time our students are paired with teachers in the same neighborhood of Los Angeles.
SHOULD I BUY ROSETTA STONE OR OTHER LANGUAGE LEARNING APPS?
No, save your money and use Duolingo for free. Then call us when you want to learn how to speak with other humans! Joking aside, languages have always been about human to human interaction. Software can help, but nothing beats the real thing. As a Strommen student you will have access to many free resources and events to help you along the way.
HOW MUCH CAN I LEARN WITH A PACKAGE OF 10 HOURS?
We compare 10 hours of 1 on 1 classes to a semester at a traditional school. If you focus and dedicate yourself we have seen some students achieve great things in as little as 10 hours. Alternately, if you need a little extra help in the beginning, with private classes you will never get left behind.
HOW MANY HOURS A WEEK OF LANGUAGE CLASSES SHOULD I TAKE?
Most of our students take 1 hour per week at a minimum. We recommend 2 hours a week to make faster progress. You a will make a plan with your teacher on your first class that fits your goal, budget and pace. Keep in mind that 1 hour per week is often enough to make significant progress, especially when you have HW (optional) or other tasks assigned between lessons.
How often can I meet?
We recommend meeting as much as possible but we know that many of our students have busy schedules. We can make a plan to help you achieve your goals around any schedule. If you ever feel that your teacher cannot accommodate your schedule make sure to let us know and we will make sure that you get what you need.
CAN I TALK TO MY TEACHER OVER THE PHONE BEFORE WE MEET?
Here at the Strommen office, we can help you choose the perfect language teacher. We know all of our teachers well and can provide information that will ensure it is a good fit. After we set up your first class you will have your teacher’s contact info and you are more than welcome to get in touch before the first class. Remember, our teachers are professionals – and they like that we help them to set them up with serious students so they don’t have to.
DO YOU OFFER FREE CLASSES?
WHY IS IT SO EXPENSIVE?
Our teachers set their own minimum rates. This helps us ensure our teachers are happy. The rates are actually low for 1 on 1 and it allows our teachers a living wage. If you find a lower rate, keep in mind you get what you pay for! Our hand-picked teachers are the best in LA and our entire staff is dedicated to your success and enriching your learning experience. Check out all the benefits of learning a language with Strommen here.
HOW DO I PAY?
You can pay by check or via credit card by phone or on our website here. All of the info for payment will be in your new class confirmation email. We are currently developing a new system that will allow you to save your credit card info to make payment even easier.
CAN I TAKE A CLASS WITH A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER?
Of course! As long as you feel that you are about the same level and have similar goals, we can set up a semi-private class for you. The rate is also lower if you take classes with a friend or family member. It is only $25 more to add one person (per hour), or $15 more per person if you are family members.
DO I HAVE TO BUY MY TEXT BOOKS? IS IT INCLUDED?
Yes, you will have to purchase some materials. But at Strommen we don’t sell texts, we just point you in the direction of the best deal online. All of that info will be in your confirmation email. Keep in mind, we recommend waiting until after your first class to purchase texts as our teachers have their own preferences.
HOW MANY HOURS A WEEK SHOULD I TAKE LANGUAGE CLASSES?
All of our classes are customized to your goals, availability, budget, interests and level. We recommend taking more than 1 hour per week, but most of our students meet once per week as this often provides the best value and often our students are busy professionals. The first class is also usually 1 hour long, but if you feel a longer format is better for you, you can always make your class longer. When meeting once per week we highly recommend doing self-study and homework throughout the week to keep the pace of your progress up. If you don’t want to do any work on your own time, you should to schedule more classes.
WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF PRIVATE LANGUAGE CLASSES VS. GROUP CLASSES?
A private class is tailored to your needs, level and schedule. In a group language class the pace is either as fast as the most advanced student or as slow as the least advanced.
At Strommen the curriculum advances at your pace, whether fast or slow, in the areas you need help with. In a group class the schedule is fixed. If you miss a class, you end up behind. There is a trade-off for convenience and price. Our private classes, which are actually pretty affordable, can be cancelled and rescheduled with 24 hours notice and you never miss a class or get left behind.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE ME TO GET FLUENT?
There are 10 strommen levels. Level 0 means you are just getting started and level 10 is completely fluent (and well educated at that!). It is hard to say exactly how long it will take you as private classes advance at your pace, however we estimate it will take about 10 hours for each level. Your teacher will help you to access your current level, as well as your target level and help you to make a plan to get there.
CAN I REALLY LEARN AND FOCUS IN A COFFEE SHOP OR PUBLIC LOCATION?
Our teachers meet everywhere! We think that practicing your skills in a public environment will give you real-world experience and confidence. Our teachers choose the locations carefully to ensure they are suitable for class. If you want to change the location or have any feedback make sure to let us know!
CAN YOU TEACH MY KIDS? DO YOU WORK WITH CHILDREN?
Absolutely! We have teachers that specialize in teaching younger students. We currently work with students at elementary schools like Mount Washington, preschools like Camelot Kids, and high schools like New Roads to provide language classes. We also specialize in in-home classes for kids of all ages. See our Kids section for more info. Please note that classes for students under the age of 18 need to be scheduled at your location, and we ask that there always be parental supervision.