How online lessons at homestudies work

Forget the classroom. Keep the teacher.

Learning a language used to mean rushing to a classroom after work, sitting in a group of twelve, and hoping for five minutes of speaking time. At homestudies, we’ve kept the one thing that actually works – a great teacher – and removed everything that doesn’t: the commute, the group, the rigid schedule, the one-size-fits-all curriculum.

Every lesson is a live 1:1 video session via Zoom or Google Meet. You and your certified, native-speaking teacher meet face to face on screen – just like sitting across a table. This is not a language app. It’s not pre-recorded content. It’s a real conversation with a professional teacher who is focused entirely on you for 45 minutes.

What you need to get started

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1. A device with a camera and microphone

– a laptop, desktop computer, tablet or smartphone. Most modern devices have a built-in camera and microphone that work perfectly.

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2. A stable internet connection

– standard broadband or a reliable Wi-Fi connection is enough. If you can stream a video, you can take a lesson.

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3. Zoom or Google Meet

– both are free to use. Your teacher sends you a link before each session. You click the link at the scheduled time, and the lesson begins. No account is required for Google Meet, and Zoom works with a free account.

That’s it. Your teacher sends you a link before each session. You click it at the scheduled time, and the lesson begins. No special software to install, no accounts to create, no textbooks to buy. Your teacher provides all materials digitally. And if you’re unsure about the setup, your free trial lesson is the perfect opportunity to test that everything works.

What happens during a lesson

Every lesson is structured but flexible – your teacher adapts the content and pace to what you need that day. A typical session includes a mix of conversation, targeted exercises, new material and real-time feedback. Your teacher corrects mistakes the moment they happen, introduces new vocabulary in context and gives you clear direction for what to practise before the next session.

During the lesson, your teacher uses the chat function to type out new words, share links or write corrections – so you always have a written record alongside the spoken lesson. Between sessions, you complete exercises and send them to your teacher for correction. The results are discussed in your next lesson – so every mistake becomes a learning opportunity.

It feels surprisingly natural. Most students tell us they forget they’re not in the same room within the first five minutes.

Why it works better than you’d expect

You talk more. In a group class, you share speaking time with 10 or 15 others. In a homestudies lesson, 100% of the time belongs to you. That’s why our students progress significantly faster – especially in speaking and listening.

Mistakes become lessons. Your teacher corrects pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary the moment they happen – not three weeks later in a test. This real-time feedback loop is the single biggest advantage of private lessons.

Everything stays digital. Textbooks, exercises, videos, audio files, homework – all shared on screen, stored in chat, available anytime. No heavy bags, no forgotten worksheets. Something that rarely happens this seamlessly in a physical classroom.

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Flexible scheduling – your life sets the timetable

At homestudies, you decide your own schedule. Lessons are available Monday to Saturday*, from 08:00 to 22:00. You book directly with your teacher, and you can change your rhythm at any time – twice a week before an exam, once a week during a busy month, or an intensive block of daily lessons during the holidays.

There is no fixed course start date. You begin whenever you’re ready. And if something comes up, you reschedule without drama. Lessons at 7am before work? During your lunch break? At 9pm after the kids are in bed? Saturday morning? Whatever fits your life.

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Online vs. in-person – what changes and what doesn’t

After more than 12 years and thousands of students, we can say with confidence: for private language lessons, online works just as well as face-to-face teaching – and often better.

In a traditional classroom, you commute, settle in, wait for others and share your teacher’s attention with the group. Online, you click a link and have 45 minutes of undivided focus. Your teacher can share screens, send resources instantly and switch between materials in seconds. There’s no travel time, no lost minutes, no distractions.

The one thing that stays exactly the same: the quality of the teaching. Same certified native speakers. Same personalised curriculum. Same structured approach based on the CEFR. The only thing that disappears is the commute.

Seven languages – from anywhere in Switzerland

Whether you live in Zurich, Bern, Basel, Lausanne, Lucerne, St. Gallen or anywhere else – your teacher is one click away. homestudies offers private online lessons in seven languages, all with certified native speakers:

English – Cambridge, IELTS and professional English | French – DELF/DALF preparation, conversation and Business French | German – Goethe, TELC, Swiss German and all levels A1–C2 | Italian – conversation, CELI preparation and all levels | Spanish – DELE preparation, conversation and Business Spanish | Chinese – Mandarin from beginner to advanced | Russian – from Cyrillic alphabet to fluent conversation

Because our teachers are based around the world, you’re not limited by local availability. You get the best teacher for your goals, not just whoever happens to live nearby.

See for yourself – book your free, no-obligation trial lesson.

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TRY IT OUT FOR FREE

We offer you a non-binding trial lesson as a bonus. Let us explain everything to you and get you acquainted with the advantages of online language teaching.

Free Trial Lesson

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