1. Questions about Lessons

Which languages do you offer?
We currently offer 41 languages and can offer others on demand. Our current list includes: Amharic, Arabic, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Dutch (Flemish), English, Estonian, Finnish, French, Georgian, German, German (Swiss), Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latvian, Malay, Mandarin, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Sinhalese, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Tagalog, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, Wolof.

Can a teacher come to my home / office?
No, we provide service purely by telephone and internet.

Is Language Direct "e-learning"?
No, Language Direct is not e-learning. We offer completely normal one-to-one language lessons with the only difference being that your teacher isn't sitting opposite you, but is sitting on the other end of the telephone.

How do I book my lesson?
Lessons can be booked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, simply by visiting our site, www.languagedirect.net. Most languages are available around the clock; due to demand reasons, we may only have one Swahili teacher at any given time, so lessons in Swahili, for example, may be a little more restricted.

Can I cancel my lessons?
Yes, lesson cancellations are free of charge up to 6 hours before your lesson is due to commence. Lesson cancellations received after this point are fully chargeable. You can cancel a lesson at any time by visiting our site at www.languagedirect.net.

Are lessons available at all levels?
Lessons are tailor-made to each student's needs and yes, they are available at all levels. For further information, speak to your teacher during your introductory lesson.

How do you assess my level?
Our qualified, native-speaking teacher will make an assessment of your level during your first lesson with us and recommend a course approach in line with your exact needs and requirements.

Do you offer Certificate Courses?
Yes, we offer Language Direct CEFR Level Certificates and can also offer training to other internationally recognized standards (for example, the Cambridge Examinations in English).

How many lessons will I need?
This is an impossible question to answer as it depends so much on your level, amount of effort put in, your natural abilities and what you want to achieve. For a more comprehensive answer to this question, please speak directly to your Language Direct teacher who will have a much better idea of your individual situation.

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2. Questions about Phone Connections

How do I speak to my teacher?
Your teacher will call you at the assigned lesson time, either via normal landline telephone connection or through the Language Direct Internet Phone. You will be given a download link for the Language Direct Internet Phone once you have created your account. Either way, all communication costs are included. If you need any support, you can call the Language Direct support line on +41 61 511 1100 where someone will be happy to help.

Where can you call me?
We can call you on any fixed telephone line on the globe - at your home, in your office, in a hotel room as you are travelling, wherever you may be. You can change your phone number from lesson to lesson, so our teacher can follow you as you travel.

Can you call my mobile phone?
Calls to mobile phones can be made on arrangement - note that extra charges may apply.

Can you call me on Skype?
No, Language Direct is not currently available on Skype due to incompatibility with some of our more advanced VoIP features. For internet communication we use our own Language Direct Internet Phone which allows such features as headset usage, crystal clear lines and lesson recording features.

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3. Questions about Teachers

What qualifications do Language Direct teachers have?
All Language Direct teachers are native-speaking language professionals. All teachers have a university degree in either a language or translation related field and all have a minimum of 2 years of general teaching experience. All of our teachers are multilingual and many work as translators during their spare time. We will always endeavour to find you a teacher who can communicate at a high standard in your native language, especially if your course is at beginner level.

Can I choose my teacher?
Yes, for the majority of requested languages there is a selection of teachers available for each booking. Naturally, for some lower volume languages (for example, Wolof), we may only have one teacher. However, if our current teacher does not suit your needs in such a case, we will always be willing to help find another.

Can I have the same teacher for each lesson?
Yes, you may of course book the same teacher for the duration of your course if you wish. Naturally, teachers take holidays too, so we will not be able to guarantee 365 day availability. However, if you do not wish to miss a week or two we can always suggest a good replacement for while your teacher is away.

What if I don't like my teacher?
Simple - change them! Teaching styles do vary and some teachers will naturally suit your needs better than others. Generally, you will have 3 teachers to choose from on any given day - if you are unhappy with your current selection you can simply choose a different teacher next time. If you have any serious complaints about your teacher, however, we naturally ask you to also get in contact with us.

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4. Questions about Payment

How much is a lesson?
A 60 minute lesson currently costs $ 52. A special half-price trial lesson is available for $ 26. This includes everything - your teacher, the phone call, customer support and all taxes.

Are telephone charges included?
Yes, all telephone charges are included in the price you pay.

Is VAT included? What is your VAT number?
Language Direct lessons are not subject to VAT. Language Direct does not have a VAT number as we are registered in Switzerland, which is not part of the European Union.

How can I pay?
You can pay via credit card on our site, or, if you prefer, we can send you an electronic invoice and you can complete a bank transfer (please contact us for further details).

Can you issue a receipt or invoice?
Yes, we issue receipts against all credit card payments and can issue invoices on request. Let us know what information you may need printed on the invoice after you sign up, and we will gladly reissue it (including Purchase Order number, company address, department, etc.)

How do I sign up?
Please click here.

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5. Questions about Software

Do I need to have an internet connection?
No, an internet connection is not necessary to complete lessons, although it is recommended. Our teacher can call you on any landline anywhere in the world free of charge for a voice only or voice and textbook based lesson.

What software do I need?
None, if you take purely telephone lessons; for internet supported lessons you need an internet connected computer with a browser capable of supporting Java (Internet Explorer, Firefox and Opera all work perfectly). The Language Direct Internet Phone is optional.

Is the Language Direct software secure?
Of course. As a matter of fact, Language Direct software is used in many sensitive environments, including from within banks, insurance companies and government agencies worldwide.

Is it necessary to use the Language Direct Internet Phone?
No, we can also call you on your home phone, your office phone, your hotel phone - in fact, anywhere you have a landline phone available.

Is the Language Direct Internet Phone available also for Mac?
Yes, an Internet Phone version is also available for Mac OSX (and Linux).

How can I test my Language Direct Internet Phone?
You can test your Phone by performing an "Echo Test". To perform an Echo Test, simply log in to the Language Direct Internet Phone and press the "Test" button.

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6. Further Questions

More Questions?
Simply drop us an email at support@languagedirect.net or give us a call on +41 61 511 1100 and we will be happy to answer any further questions that you may have!

Kind regards from the team at Language Direct!

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