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Am I the only one who feels that these English-teaching websites are just a way for teachers to make a few bucks here and there?

It seems that the majority don't really focus on the intricacies of human communication, or for that matter, the student. The focus is always on grammar rules, new expressions, or them being a human translator. Teaching online has now become a friendly chat with someone and striving not to have those awkward silences because you absolutely have nothing in common with your student.

I've tried different websites like Italki, British Council, Preply, Cambly, etc. These websites seem more fitting for someone who's somewhat of a beginner and can understand English on a basic level. Progression, however, is not guaranteed, and you have to do a lot of work on your end to actually get a grasp on the language. Maybe you could use them to ask questions, fill some knowledge gaps, or practice speaking. But, from my experience, teachers would never give you clear and practical answers. It's always some vague and ambiguous instructions. And don't let me even get started on the "Conversation Practice".

**With that out of the way, is there a platform that provides actual education and puts a huge emphasis on students' improvement?

My main objectives are to reduce accent, produce sounds naturally, and have more fluidity and easiness to my speech. I would prefer if this was done in sort of a program so that it's more methodological and not just a couple of lessons here and there.

Also, I would like to speak English more frequently. Are there sort of out-of-the-box ways to achieve that as effectively as possible?**

Just a little bit of a disclaimer: This is merely me describing my experience with language websites. I'm sure they've helped a lot of people around the world and they sure did help me back when I started. And yes, I'm sure that there are so many competent teachers. Being nitpicky or judgemental was never my intention. It's just that at this point, I'm stuck in a rut and some guidance on this matter would be really helpful.

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  • Cambridge has all sorts of post-advanced resources. But the best way to achieve this is to find a private tutor/teacher. [ease to my speech, by the way] as you need to be listened to and corrected.
    – Lambie
    Nov 28, 2022 at 23:13
  • @Lambie Can you recommend any accent coaches?
    – Ashraf Benmebarek
    Nov 29, 2022 at 13:41
  • Please tell me where (country), you are and whether you want BrE or AmE. :)
    – Lambie
    Nov 29, 2022 at 17:09
  • @Lambie Algeria. AmE.
    – Ashraf Benmebarek
    Nov 29, 2022 at 18:12
  • You can delete it now. Allez, à bientôt.
    – Lambie
    Nov 30, 2022 at 15:51

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Improving oral English demands consistent practice and constructive feedback, which not all teachers may adequately provide. AI platforms, like smalltalk2.me, offer a valuable solution, focusing on vocabulary and grammar feedback. For pronunciation improvement, you can try platforms like ELSA Speak, which gives detailed pronunciation feedback but I personally don't like feedback quality. This combination of human and AI guidance, alongside regular practice, can lead to significant oral English improvement.

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