Those wishing to learn a foreign language today are increasingly resorting to the services of various online courses and video lessons. The popularity of educational applications for smartphones is growing rapidly, making it possible to learn a language almost everywhere, using any free minute for this. Such programs have a friendly interface, interactivity, diversity of tasks and exercises, game format. One of such applications, which has been included in the top list of developments for studying foreign languages ​​over the past year, has become Puzzle English, and one of its directions is The Teacher Method. According to reviews, it gives excellent results. Is it so?
About the app: basic information
Puzzle English is a mobile application and Internet platform that is designed specifically for independent study of a foreign language and maintaining the level of knowledge of it. In just one year, the audience of service users has increased to 300 thousand visits per month. Learning English with Puzzle English takes place in three key areas: speaking and pronunciation, writing, reading.
Users with a different level of knowledge of the language can do it, from zero to advanced. You can select the “Personal plan” option for scheduling training. "Puzzles" and "Teacher Method" will come to the rescue if you need to start training in fact from the alphabet. In this case, the user, within the framework of the free trial version (7 days), will be able to consistently perform exercises with an increasing level of complexity, after which he will get access to communication with the teacher.
If you build classes on your own, you can use the difficulty rating of tasks.
The range of tasks in this case is quite diverse and does not get bored. These are designers, game tasks, video and audio puzzles, excerpts from series, films, TV shows, podcasts on various topics. Online lessons from professional teachers, including native speakers, are also available.
Briefly about the technique. What is its essence?
Reviews of the “Teacher Method” suggest that this training format is indeed quite universal. It includes step-by-step authoring courses for beginners with exercises and video tutorials. In total, 5 courses of various difficulty levels with intermediate control testing are provided. You can determine your level yourself or pass a special test for this.
A special children's course for learning English with the Teacher Method has also been developed. Reviews about this development are mostly positive. All tasks are developed in a game format and are fascinating for children.
The method provides for the alternation of the student’s independent work and lessons with the teacher, which allow you to correct defects, correct errors, and receive additional recommendations. After viewing the lesson, you must complete the interactive task compiled by expert linguists.
Another feature of the course is the ability to adjust the speed of speech in audio files, which allows you to learn the correct pronunciation.
Puzzle English Exercise Options
Judging by the reviews of the Puzzle English and the Teacher Method, at the very beginning the service was primarily aimed at developing listening skills of foreign speech using exercises. Now its functions have expanded significantly, which is reflected in the assortment of tasks offered to the user. You can execute them by going to the appropriate sections:
- audio puzzles;
- Podcasts
- video puzzles;
- training apparatus;
- translations (from Russian to English);
- courses;
- games;
- the words;
- personal plan.
The Movies section of the Teacher Method is very popular. Here you can find films and series with subtitles in Russian and English.
To test your strength, you can try to assemble a video puzzle. After watching a video excerpt with subtitles, it is necessary to correctly build the phrases sounded in it from the proposed phrases. During viewing, the type of subtitles can be changed by adjusting the complexity of the task. If you want to see the meaning of a word, you can click on it in subtitles - a pop-up window will appear with translation options and examples of use.
Gaming applications
In addition to audio and video puzzles, the service has educational games. They provoke a number of positive reviews about the Teacher Method. Games are not the basis of exercises, but this format allows you to effectively complement the main course and causes positive emotions.
The simplest of the presented games is “Baggage of Words”. During the game, the user needs to dictate a word on the keyboard. In this case, you can select a voice for voice acting from several options.
“Phrase Wizard” is the second level, which involves a set of whole phrases in English, presented in a short video excerpt.
"Translator." A funny picture appears with the text to be translated. After sending the answer, you can check how other users completed the task by comparing the translation options.
Duel is a game quiz for several participants. When you see a question, you should choose the correct answer. The game has several rounds, the winner is the participant with the most points.
Individual dictionaries
Another additional service is the “Words” section. About this feature of the “Teacher Method” reviews are mostly neutral. Apparently, this is due to the need to memorize words, that is, problems in similarity with the very cramming, which scares many language learners. But even this format is presented quite interestingly.
"Sets". This is a lexical selection of specific topics that you can add to your personal dictionary.
"Video Dictionary". It makes it possible to save words and phrases from exercises and films with translation and voice acting, as well as video examples of different situations of use.
“Yes - No” and “Exam”. Games, during which the user needs to answer in the affirmative or negative to the question about the words that appear on the screen, or pass the mini-test. You should answer very quickly, for the correct answer bonus seconds are awarded for reflection.
"Training words." Allows you to memorize simple expressions with words from "sets". There are several modes: composing words from letters, choosing the correct translation, etc. You can choose the British or American version of the pronunciation.
The Teacher Method. Courses
If you believe the reviews about the Teacher Method program, this service is really effective for those who have just recently started learning the language. The five courses presented roughly correspond to the Beginner - Elementary levels. In fact, this is one volume course, divided into several stages (1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, final). The first stage is suitable even for those who are not familiar with the English alphabet. It is designed in such a way that users do not have problems with self-study.
In each of the courses, relevant topics for study are presented (with the gradual complication of vocabulary and grammar):
- acquaintance;
- character and appearance;
- leisure and work;
- communication
- friends and relatives;
- entertainment;
- holidays and customs;
- travels;
- cuisine of the peoples of the world.
As part of the courses, the user develops skills in the field of vocabulary, grammar, writing, listening comprehension of English. Skills are practiced through regular exercise. You can complete the trial version for free.
"Teacher Method" for children
This course takes into account the characteristics of children's perception, therefore it is full of elements of the game and visualization. The lessons are similar to fascinating stories, the characters of which are specially created puppet characters - Johnny, Miss Betty, owlet Peter and others. The children's course "Teacher Method" on "Puzzle English" is intended for children 6-10 years old.
Course navigation is extremely simple. In the corresponding section on the website or in the mobile application, you can find the route with classes divided into topics. The first few lessons are available free of charge (one lesson per day).
During the course, the guys get acquainted with the English alphabet, learn the name of household items that they see every day. Gradually, the child will be able to talk about himself, ask questions, learn to use simple grammatical constructions in speech.
Video lessons are conducted by professional educators. The studied material is secured by performing simple colorful interactive tasks. Testing of knowledge occurs at the end of each topic.
Parents highly appreciate this course. They say that the child is difficult to tear off the screen. After all, there are funny songs in English that are quickly remembered, and dolls (the main characters of the stories), and dialogues, and even each letter of the alphabet has its own special character. Children really like to perform illustrated tasks - this is noted by many dads and mothers.
Puzzle Academy
Feedback on the “Teacher Method” as a training course suggests that this is the best choice for beginners. The Puzzle Academy course is more suitable for those who already have some experience in English. This is an intermediate level and higher. The course is based on video lessons with a native speaker. Users can remotely take part in real-life classes that the English-speaking teacher conducts with students, subsequently complete homework and exercises.
Classes last about 50 minutes and are taught exclusively in English. In this case, the user can pause the lesson, include subtitles (English) and translation. In case students speak incorrectly, the subtitles indicate the mistakes made and the correct option.
To complete the exercises, the user receives handouts in PDF format. The tasks are identical to those received by students who are directly involved with the teacher. Each lesson also comes with lists of expressions and words that need to be learned.
Two main courses are presented: English for Traveling and Business English.
The first is a great help for those who like to visit English-speaking countries. It is led by a teacher from Ireland. The course includes everyday topics that are often touched on when traveling.
Business English provides practical tips for successful business communication. The course is taught by a teacher from Canada.
Personal plan and opportunities for using the service
Puzzle English is so multitasking that it’s not always easy to figure out which sections and exercises are needed first. In this case, the “Personal plan” can help the user. It provides an opportunity to better understand the principles of navigation within the site and application, to determine what should be paid attention to. Offering sample options and a sequence of tasks for each day, “Personal plan” can significantly save your time.
It also becomes easier to track your own results and progress, promptly receiving information about the failure or overfulfillment of the plan. For successful completion of the daily plan, the user is awarded bonus points.
"Personal plan" helps you quickly understand the system of the service and determine which sections you need in the first place. This is important, given that full access to the Teacher Method and other sections of the Puzzle English is still paid. After trying the demo version, you can pay for the use of specific sections or purchase full access rights. In free mode, users can use one lesson of the “Teacher Method” per day, 20 phrases for collecting audio puzzles, one training session.
This system does not suit everyone who wants to study English. But you should not turn to pirated versions. The hacked “Teacher Method” appeared on the Web some time ago, but is currently blocked.
You can buy a course not only for yourself, but also as a gift. On the site you can order a gift certificate for the whole complex or individual sections.
Puzzle English, "Teacher Method": reviews
When you try to find reviews on the Web about a particular product or service, there is always the danger of stumbling on unscrupulous comments. It often happens that the official site presents entirely laudatory reviews, while on specialized portals user opinions are much more diverse.
When it comes to evaluating the Puzzle English and the Teacher Method, the overwhelming majority of opinions regarding the format for presenting information and assignments are positive. Learning English in a playful way is effective and fun. It’s really interesting to work with the application, it’s a little like traditional lessons and courses. It is also possible to choose the format that you like best without losing performance. Pleases the richness and variety of content. Controversial reviews mainly relate to the fact that the functions of the free version of the application are quite limited. However, the developers do not hide the fact that full access to services is still paid. But the efficiency of using the application is quite high.
The need for knowledge of the English language at least at the level of everyday communication today is no doubt. Do you use programs and applications for independent study of the language or do you prefer classes with the teacher offline?