Opinion: It's quite rude to expect someone 2+ levels above your competency to tutor you in a language (without payment).

I see this often.

A1-B1 Speakers seeking ONLY NATIVES as conversational partners (really tutors), while being unwilling to practice with students of the same language.

If you're an A1 in French, for example, you shouldn't feel entitled to a Native speaker to help you. Not even if you're A2, B1, or perhaps even B2. If you want a native as a conversational partner, that's okay, but don't turn down speakers who are within 1-2 levels of your competency.

It's good to take things one step at a time. As this applies to language, you shouldn't be looking for solely Native speakers until you have conversed hundreds of hours with A1-A2 students, and then B1-B2 students, and then with C1-C2 students. After that, if you wish to exclusively talk to native speakers, that's your prerogative. You must first devote enough time to earning such a privilege, however.

If you feel you absolutely must speak with Natives to ensure proper pronunciation and syntax, either travel to the country where your target language is spoken or enroll in a class taught by a fluent speaker.

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Edit: The idea that practicing with other students "reinforces mistakes" is such nonsense.

When I was involved in chess club as a youngin', nobody ever saw their mistakes being reinforced by playing with other students. Nobody ever felt entitled to play ONLY with Garry Kasparov either.

When I played football, nobody ever saw their mistakes being reinforced by playing with athletes of the same grade level. Nobody ever said "I MUST play and learn only with NFL players and coaches".

If you are learning Newtonian Calculus, your tutor only needs to be someone who has aced Newtonian Calculus. Someone 1-2 levels above you, and you, or the university, might need to pay them. You don't need a Cal Poly professor to be your personal tutor free of charge, and there's also nothing wrong with having study partners currently enrolled in the same class.

submitted by /u/Accomplished_Fox658
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