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How to use free SKYPE, ooVoo and Google HangOut
As you probably know, SKYPE is a free voice-and-video service for anyone with access to the internet from any country, town or village in the world.   Through Skype you can enjoy individual English lessons in the privacy, comfort and convenience of your own home or office.  In the internet age, its no longer necessary to spend time and money travelling to and from a traditional language school only to have to waste more time waiting in the corridors  for your class to begin.  

When its time for a lesson, you will be able to switch on your computer to see me, hear me and speak with me.  You will also be able to send and receive written messages and files during the lesson and, in general, be relaxed and comfortable as you improve your vocabulary, pronunciation and fluency in English.

The SKYPE software is free and can be downloaded in a few minutes.  It has instructions and help in many languages. http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/get-skype The only equipment you will need is a speaker and a microphone.   If they are not already attached to your computer you should get a head-set. You will always be able to see me on your screen. If you also want me to see you – which is not essential and only for you to decide – you will also need a webcam

 ooVoo is very similar to Skype and can be downloaded free from http://www.ooVoo.com  

Google Hangout is also similar.  You will need to open a free Google account.  http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/hangouts/

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I am the teacher, Dr. Victor Mannion.  I was born in England and educated at Oxford University where I  earned a doctorate.  I have been a tutor at Oxford and Cambridge universities.  I am also a citizen of Canada where I was a professor at several universities and was involved in social and economic development, investment and international business.  My first language is English and I also know Latin and speak Spanish and French. I have bases in England and Canada.  Currently, I am developing an English centre in Mexico.  I would like to be your teacher.  You can book your online lessons directly with me.

I speak with a clear, British accent – usually called Received Pronunciation.  But because of my twenty years experience in Canada and the USA I am very familiar with the American accent, American spellings, grammar, slang and cultural references.  I point out the differences between British and American English during lessons.  I am also happy to teach students who prefer to speak with an American accent.

I teach what you want to learn.  In consultation with you, I will  design an individual lesson plan for you. We can discuss the plan in the free trial lesson or during the first lesson and we can review it continuously to ensure that it is working well.  If you like to work with a text-book I will do that or I will provide you with notes and other online supplementary materials at no extra cost.  Some students prefer not to use texts or notes but to use the lessons to practise speaking.   Students who are preparing for TOEFL, IELTS, GMAT, GRE or the Cambridge examinations should know that I teach to the highest academic standards and my students usually succeed in getting the grade they need.

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I offer small group classes for families and friends and also for corporations, language schools, internet cafes and other teaching services.  In such cases the costs are agreed in advance and are usually between $10 and $16 per person per class.

The lowest price of a 50-minute individual lessons is $22 USD when taken as a pack of  20 lessons (Plan B).   Prices are slightly higher ($24 USD) for packs of 10 lessons  (Plans C).  Plan D is for 1 to 9 lessons  at  $26 USD each lesson.

The price per person can be even lower if students organize a group of between 2- 6 people from the same family, school or corporation.

Anywhere and everywhere!   English is becoming an international language.  All over the world there are people who want to learn or improve their English.  But most of my students come from Russia, Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Latin American countries.  The Internet reduces the distance in time, space and between cultures.

I have a strict privacy policy.  I never divulge the personal information of students.  In general, students come from many categories, for example:

– Young people learning English for the first time.

– Students who need a certificate in English to enter a college or university or qualify for a scholarship.

– Workers who need English to get a job or promotion, or hold onto the job they have.

– Emigrants who need a certificate in English  to gain entrance to English-speaking countries.

– Business people selling into English-speaking markets.

– Executives who have to deal with English-speaking clients

– Managers who have to report to an English-speaking head office.

– International workers in aviation, tourism or diplomacy..

– Professionals in medicine, law, architecture, engineering and computation.

– Scientists and professors working with the English-speaking international scientific community and  who  publish their research.   And some of these ask us to work on their English manuscripts and publications.

– Lovers of languages who want to learn or improve their English so they can enjoy travel, movies, songs, poetry, books, internet chat – including slang – and  games in English.

No.  You can be a beginner who needs to be introduced to the vocabulary, grammar and sounds of English for the first time.  At the same time you can be at the most advanced and sophisticated levels preparing for the most difficult examinations or working in business and the professions.

Individual and group lessons are  50 minutes in length.  They can be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by appointment.

It can be better in several ways.  The classes are individual and private.  They are designed for you specifically.   Most students practise speaking more in an individual  online lesson than they would in a group class. You can learn at your own speed and at a convenient time for you.   You can take lessons wherever you are – in your home, in the home of a friend or relative, in your office or in a hotel or internet café. You do not have to travel to a school or wait around in the hall for classes to begin.   You do not even have to dress up to go out. It can be very much less expensive than a traditional language school especially when you calculate that you learn more in one intensive lesson with a personal tutor than in three to five group classes.

Lessons start and finish promptly at the agreed time.    You should be at your computer ten minutes before your lesson.  I will contact you online.  If you are late you can contact me directly by email.  I will wait for the rest of your time for you to make contact, but you will lose whatever portion of the original time that you missed.

The student and I discuss homework when we plan the course during the first lesson and in subsequent lessons.  If you are studying for public examinations like TOEIC, TOEFL, IELTS, CPE, GMAT, GRE and Cambridge  you would be well advised to practise writing in English.  So I will give you assignments appropriate for whichever examination you are taking.  If you are not preparing for an examination but would still like homework, I will help you.  But if you do not have time for homework then I will respect your circumstances.

I can offer some support in English,  Spanish and French and may be able to add other languages later.   Other than that it is usually possible for the student and I to make ourselves understood in English or with the help of an automated online translator like Google.

SKYPE and the other carriers work better on a high-speed connection.  You probably already have one as they are common in most countries.  If you are not sure, you can test your audio and video connections during your free fifteen minute trial lesson.   If the connection fails to work because of a fault with the computer or the internet service on my side of the connection, I will credit you with the lost time.  If it does not work because a fault on your side of the connection, we cannot credit you with the lost time.

What special computer software do I need?    Please see the top of this page for download links to Skype, ooVoo and Google HangOut.   They are all very easy and  fast downloads.  They are free. They enable you to make or receive a free” telephone” and video “video” calls over the Internet to others who use the same programs.

If I have problems with my Skype, ooVoo or Google HangOut  – what should I do?

You should visit their websites and look for support..  You will find video demonstrations, problem-solving and answers to most questions in several languages.   In addition you will find videos on YouTube which demonstrate these programs.

You need access to a computer – your own or one belonging to somebody else.  The computer will probably already have built-in speakers, a microphone and web-camera.  If so, you do not need additional equipment.  But if it does not you should buy a headset with a microphone.    It is recommended that you have a microphone that is not built in for greater clarity.  You do not need to buy a web-camera if you prefer not to let me see you.   It is your choice.   However, I will always have my camera on during lessons.

Go to the Buy Lessons page.  You pay by credit or debit card through PayPal.   It is the highest ranked and most secure method of payment for international and online transactions.   You deal directly with PayPal, not with me.   PayPal gives you a numbered and dated receipt. It then informs me how many lessons you have purchased.   I  never get to see your card numbers.  You do not have to have a personal PayPal account to use its services. However, if you do have your own personal or business PayPal account you can also make direct payments from the balance in your account.

You pay by using the PayPal buttons on the Buy Lessons page.  But if you prefer, I would ask PayPal to send you an invoice by email.

If you do not use debit or credit cards and do not have a PayPal account I  can arrange for you to pay by direct bank transfer or by Western Union..

Some people ask family members, friends or colleagues to pay and then they repay them the money.

The price includes taxes and any online lesson material which we may send you.  There are no registration fees, monthly fees or other extra or hidden charges.

If you want to postpone a lesson to take a holiday, for sickness or for any other reason, I do not charge as long as you inform me by email at least twenty-four hours before the scheduled time of the lesson.  However, if you do not provide this notice the missed lesson will be charged to your account.

Lessons purchased  as a Discount Value Package (Plans B and C) must be taken within one hundred days of the date you purchased the package.   You can postpone lessons without charge  if you give the teacher at least 24 hours notice by email.  However, if a student postpones classes very often the teacher may require that the student change the reserved day and time.

A Single Lesson purchased on a Pay-as-You-Go (Plan D) basis must be used within one hundred days from the date you purchased it.

There are a variety of ways of contacting me.   They are summarized below.   And remember you can always call me directly on Skype free of charge to speak to us or leave us a message. My Skype User Name is: english.teacher.skype

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 You should use Email if you want to contact me for the following reasons:

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