Online vs face-to-face tutoring: which suits your child?
Online and face-to-face tutoring compared on cost, results, age and study habits, and how to use both together.
Short answer: younger children who are easily distracted usually do better face to face. Secondary students and anyone who needs flexible times can save travel time and money online. Many families use both: face-to-face lessons for explanations, online practice every day.
At a glance
| Face to face | Online | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Charged by the hour; home tutors may add travel costs | Online one-to-one is usually about 20% to 30% cheaper |
| Time | Travel time both ways | Lessons at home, more flexible times |
| Focus | The tutor is beside them, so focusing is easier | Easier to get distracted; young children need a parent nearby |
| Marking | The tutor can see written working directly | Long written answers are harder to mark |
| Choice | Limited to tutors near you | Tutors from any district |
Which to choose by age
- P1 to P3: face to face is better. Keep online learning short, 10 to 15 minutes a day, with a parent nearby.
- P4 to P6: both work. Online practice suits basic skills such as calculation and fractions.
- Secondary and DSE: online suits many students, especially those in more remote areas or with lots of activities. Long Paper 1 answers are still best marked by a teacher.
Online tutoring comes in different forms
Online tutoring includes live one-to-one video, recorded courses and online practice. For a closer comparison, read Online maths tutoring: three types, prices and how to choose.
Using both
Use one or two lessons a week for new topics and hard questions, and a few minutes of online practice on the other days to make the steps automatic. Tutoring time then goes where explanation is really needed.
Sprout, the online maths teacher at Sprout Classroom, is free with no sign-up. Each lesson takes a few minutes and a wrong answer shows the reason straight away. Learn mode is open for P1 to P6 and S4, and lessons are in Chinese for now.