Online English lessons for children in Mongolia: from Cyrillic to English letters

How do children in Mongolia learn English?

English is the main foreign language taught in Mongolian schools today, and many families in Ulaanbaatar and other cities also choose English classes outside school. Some private and international schools teach much of the day in English. How much English a child has met by a given age varies a lot, so focus on your child's own next step rather than comparing.

Mongolian children also learn two scripts for their own language: Cyrillic, used in everyday writing, and the traditional Mongolian script, which is taught at school. English adds a third. That sounds like a lot, but children who already handle two scripts know how to learn a new one.

Why can Cyrillic letters confuse a child learning English?

Several letters look the same, or nearly the same, in Mongolian Cyrillic and English but stand for different sounds. That can trip up a child who reads Mongolian well.

Knowing this helps you stay patient when your child reads HAT as nat. The fix is clear, steady phonics: learning each English letter sound on its own, practising it in short words, and only then moving on. See what phonics is and what CVC words are.

Which English sounds take practice for Mongolian speakers?

Every first language makes some English sounds harder. Children who speak Mongolian often need practice with the th sounds in this and three, with the w sound in window, and with English vowels, which are more numerous and change with spelling, as in cat, cart and cake. These improve with listening and gentle practice. Songs and rhymes are a great help, because they let children hear and repeat the same sounds many times.

What if my child starts English at eight or ten?

Older beginners do very well. They already read Mongolian fluently, can concentrate for longer and know how to learn at school, so they often move quickly through the first steps. They may feel shy about starting with simple words, so a teacher who chooses topics and games that suit their age matters. Once the letter sounds are secure, they can soon read, describe pictures and ask questions at their own level. See English for 8 to 10 year olds.

When can a child in Mongolia fit in an online lesson?

It usually works best to choose a 25-minute lesson after school, roughly between 4pm and 8pm, or on a weekend morning. Mongolia doesn't change its clocks, so the slot stays at the same local time all year. Ulaanbaatar and most of the country share one time zone; the far west is an hour behind, so check that lesson times are shown in your own time if you live there.

In winter, an online lesson has an extra benefit: no journey in the cold and dark. All your child needs is a quiet, warm corner, a laptop or tablet and a steady connection. Test the connection with a short video call at your planned lesson time first.

Is a 1-to-1 lesson better than a group class?

Both can work. A group class is sociable and gives practice with other children. In a 1-to-1 lesson your child has the teacher's full attention: they speak much more, the teacher can slow down on a tricky letter or sound, and the lesson moves at their pace. For a child sorting out two alphabets, that personal attention is especially useful.

What should I look for in online English lessons?

• A live, real teacher who listens and responds to your child.
• 1-to-1 lessons with plenty of speaking time.
• A step-by-step phonics course for reading.
• A clear starting level and feedback after lessons.
• Short, lively lessons with games for younger children.
• Clear safety rules: checked teachers, lessons only inside the provider's classroom, and a way to report a concern.

To track progress, the CEFR is an international scale of language ability. For young learners the early levels are Pre-A1, A1 and A2. See CEFR levels for children explained.

How can I support English at home in Mongolia?

• Read English picture books together and point to each word as you read.
• Make a game of the look-alike letters: which ones are tricky this week?
• Sing English songs together, which builds listening and confidence.
• Ask your child to read you the English words they spot on packaging and signs.
• Keep reading and talking in Mongolian. A strong first language helps with a second.

How would CurioKids lessons work for a family in Mongolia?

CurioKids gives children aged 4–12 live, 1-to-1 online English lessons, 25 minutes each, with a real teacher in the CurioKids classroom: video, an interactive whiteboard, lesson slides and games. Most children start with Phonics Starter, 52 lessons from letter sounds to reading sentences, then move on to CEFR-based levels. Lessons happen only inside our classroom. See our curriculum and safety pages.

Visit our Mongolia page to see how lessons work, what your child will learn and how we keep children safe. If lessons for families in Mongolia haven't opened yet, the page has a waitlist: leave your details and we'll let you know when you can book your child's free first lesson. Plans for families in Mongolia are priced in US dollars: see the prices for Mongolia.