Today I would like to introduce a new app that I've been using lately to teach Korean while making some new friends! It is called hilokal, and it is a language exchange app that connects you with native speakers of the language you want to learn. Let me give you a simple rundown of what this app is about.
What is hilokal?
It's a platform that lets you find and chat with people who speak the language you're interested in. You can also join group conversations, classes, and live events to practice your skills and have fun. You can choose from many different languages, including popular ones like English, Spanish, French, Korean and Mandarin, as well as less common ones like Swahili, Icelandic, and Esperanto.
What do people like about hilokal?
Because it's not just a learning tool, it's a social network. You can meet people who share your hobbies, interests, and goals. You can also discover new cultures, perspectives, and experiences through your conversations. You can make friends who will support you, motivate you, and inspire you on your language learning journey.
How do I use hilokal?
It's very easy and intuitive. You just need to create a profile, select your native language and the language you want to learn and start browsing for potential classes, exchange partners, or tutors. You can filter by age, gender, location, and level of proficiency. You can also send messages, voice notes, stickers, and photos to break the ice. Once you find someone you like, you can start a chat or call and practice your language skills in real time. You can also join groups and events based on your interests and preferences.
Make extra money while teaching your own language
If you love teaching language classes and make some extra money, then you might be interested in becoming a trainer on hilokal.
As a trainer on hilokal, you can set your own rates and schedule, and get paid for every minute you spend teaching. You can also create your own courses and materials, and get feedback from your students.
How to become a trainer
Becoming a trainer on hilokal is easy and fun. All you need is a smartphone or a computer with a stable internet connection, a good command of the language you want to teach, and a friendly and positive attitude.
You don't need any certificates or qualifications, as long as you can prove your proficiency and experience. You can sign up as a trainer on hilokal's website or app, and create your profile with your photo, bio, availability, and rates. Then you can start browsing for students who match your preferences, or wait for them to contact you.
They have their own currency called Beans. When you have a paid class, students pay you by beans and later you can withdraw the beans as cash. You can either use paypal account or your bank account.
Any drawbacks?
Yes, as it is just a free app that anyone can join, it is possible that you can waste your time just chatting rather than learning a language. This is probably the biggest downside of hilokal.
It's very easy to get distracted by the social aspect of the app and forget about your learning goals. You might end up chatting about random topics that have nothing to do with the language you're trying to learn, or spend too much time on one conversation that doesn't challenge you enough.
If you are joining as a learner, the best way is to try a few classes of the language you want to learn and find the tutor that suits you. If you are serious, then you can also organize an individual session with the tutor to improve your language skills.
The other thing is that you can develop bad habits or learn incorrect information from some users. While most of the users on hilokal are native speakers who can help you improve your language skills, some of them might not be qualified or reliable as teachers. They might teach you slang, idioms, or expressions that are not appropriate for your level or context, or give you wrong or misleading feedback on your mistakes. To avoid this, you need to be critical and selective about what you learn from hilokal.
Well, just like any tool, it has its limitations and challenges that you need to be aware of and overcome. If you use hilokal wisely and responsibly, you will have a fun and rewarding experience that will boost your confidence and fluency in no time! If you are into learning a language for fun, why not try?
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