Online English lessons for children in Uruguay: from class video lessons to 1-to-1 speaking time

How do children in Uruguay learn English at school?

Uruguay is known for Plan Ceibal, which gives children at state schools a laptop or tablet. Through Ceibal en Inglés, many children learn English with a remote teacher who joins the class by video. What happens in each class depends on the school, so your child's school is the best source for what their class covers and how often.

This gives many children in Uruguay a head start with online learning. They already know how to look at a screen, listen to a teacher who is somewhere else and answer back. That makes the step to a 1-to-1 online lesson a small one.

How is a 1-to-1 lesson different from a class lesson by video?

In a class lesson, the remote teacher speaks to the whole group, and each child gets only a few turns. In a 1-to-1 lesson, the teacher is talking with one child. Every question is for your child, every answer gets a reply, and the pace follows them.

• More speaking. Your child answers, asks, describes and retells, rather than mostly listening.
• Pace that fits. A child who is ahead can move on; a child who needs more time can repeat without anyone waiting.
• Corrections in the moment. The teacher hears each sound your child makes and can help straight away.

If you are weighing up the options, our guide comparing online and in-person English lessons sets out what each does well.

Which English sounds take practice for Spanish speakers?

Spanish and English share an alphabet and many words, which helps beginners a lot. The differences are mostly in sounds, and they are very normal.

• B and v. In Spanish, b and v make the same sound. In English they are different, so berry and very need careful listening.
• The English h. Spanish h is silent, and Spanish j is a throaty sound. The soft, breathy English h in hat and happy is new, so it may be left out or said too strongly at first.
• More vowels. Spanish has five vowel sounds; English has many more. Ship and sheep, or cat and cut, can sound alike to a child for a while.
• No th. Latin American Spanish has no th, so thank you may come out as sank you for a while.

Which false friends should I point out?

False friends look the same in Spanish and English but mean different things. Two worth knowing: actual in Spanish means current, not real, and carpeta means a folder, not a carpet. Children find them funny, and that helps them remember.

Is screen time a worry if my child already learns on a tablet?

Not all screen time is the same. Watching videos alone is very different from a live lesson where your child talks, listens and thinks with a real person. A short, active lesson is closer to a conversation than to watching a programme.

A few simple habits help: keep lessons short, use a quiet room with a grown-up nearby, and plan something away from screens afterwards, like a walk or a game. Our guide on online lessons and screen time has more practical ideas.

When is a good time for lessons during the school year in Uruguay?

The school year in Uruguay runs from about March to December. A 25-minute lesson fits easily around school and homework, and many families pick a weekday afternoon or a weekend morning. Uruguay keeps the same time all year, so once you have a slot, it stays put.

The long summer holiday from December to February is a good time to keep English going. A weekly lesson over the summer means your child starts the new year in March with English fresh in their mind.

What should I watch for in a first online lesson?

A first lesson tells you a lot in a short time. Notice how much your child speaks compared with the teacher, whether the teacher waits patiently for answers, and whether your child comes away smiling. Ask what level the teacher thinks your child is at and what they would work on next. Our guide on what to look for in a free first lesson has a fuller list.

How can I support English at home without speaking it myself?

Children aged 4 to 12 pick up a lot from short, cheerful routines. You do not need fluent English to set them up.

• Choose an English song for the car or for tidying up, and sing it until everyone knows it.
• Read a simple picture book together in English, and keep reading in Spanish at bedtime too.
• Play a quick game of finding things around the house that start with an English sound.
• Ask your child to show you something from their lesson. Teaching it back is great practice.

How would CurioKids lessons work for a family in Uruguay?

CurioKids gives children aged 4 to 12 live, 1-to-1 online English lessons with a real teacher, 25 minutes each, in the CurioKids online classroom with video, an interactive whiteboard, lesson slides and games. Most children start with Phonics Starter; a child who already reads can be placed straight into a CEFR-based level after the free first lesson. Phonics Starter is our 52-lesson reading course, from letter sounds to reading sentences. Teachers can't teach until our team has confirmed a background check and they have signed our teaching agreement. Lessons happen only inside the CurioKids classroom, and your child's teacher gives feedback after lessons. See our levels and safety pages for more.

For a child in Uruguay who already learns English on a screen at school, Phonics Starter adds the reading side, step by step.

Visit our Uruguay page to see how lessons work, what your child will learn and how we keep children safe. If lessons for families in Uruguay 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 Uruguay are priced in Uruguayan pesos: see the prices for Uruguay.