South and Central Asia
Online English lessons for children in South Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus: a guide by country
Quick answer
Across South Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus, live 1-to-1 online lessons give children more time to speak English at home. CurioKids teaches children aged 4 to 12 in 25-minute lessons, one to one, with a real teacher. Every country has its own CurioKids page, which has a waitlist if lessons there haven't opened yet.
This guide covers fourteen countries with very different relationships with English. In much of South Asia, English is used across school and children often read and write it well but need more speaking practice. In Central Asia and the Caucasus, English is usually a foreign language learned alongside Russian and a home language, often in a different script. This guide gives the regional picture and links to a detailed guide for each country.
- By CurioKids teamHow we write our guides
- Published
- Updated
- 7 min read
Key takeaways
- In much of South Asia, English is a language of teaching, so lessons help most with speaking at length and reading for meaning.
- In Central Asia and the Caucasus, English is usually a third language, and children who already use two are well prepared.
- Children who read Devanagari, Bengali, Urdu, Thaana, Cyrillic, Georgian or Armenian benefit from clear English phonics.
- No country in this guide changes its clocks, so a weekly after-school slot stays the same all year.
On this page
Which countries does this guide cover?
In South Asia: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives. In Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. In the Caucasus: Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Each guide covers school English there, the sounds and letters children find tricky, after-school times and what to look for in lessons.
How does English fit into school across South Asia?
Across South Asia, English has a large place in education. In Bhutan and the Maldives, it is the main language of teaching for most subjects. In India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, many schools, especially private ones, teach in English, while others teach in the national or a regional language with English as a subject. In Sri Lanka, English is the link language between Sinhala and Tamil speakers and is taught in all schools.
A common pattern follows: children read and write a lot of English but get little chance to speak it at length in class, and some become shy about mistakes. A 1-to-1 lesson, where your child talks for most of the time with a patient teacher, is often what unlocks their spoken English. See our guide for when a child is shy to speak English.
How does English fit in across Central Asia and the Caucasus?
In Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, children usually grow up with a national language and Russian, and English is the main foreign language at school. In Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, children learn in Georgian, Armenian or Azerbaijani, often with Russian as well, and English is the foreign language most families prioritise. For many children, English is their third language, and that's a strength: they already know how to keep languages apart.
What do the region's scripts mean for reading English?
| Script | Used in | What it means for English |
|---|---|---|
| Devanagari, Bengali, Sinhala, Tamil and other South Asian scripts | India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka | Very regular spelling, so English's irregular spelling needs clear phonics |
| Urdu and Thaana, written right to left | Pakistan, the Maldives | English direction is new; b and d mix-ups are common for a while |
| Dzongkha, in a Tibetan-based script | Bhutan | English letters are new, though children learn in English at school |
| Cyrillic | Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Russian across the region | Some letters look alike but sound different, such as P for an r sound |
| Latin alphabet | Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan | Familiar letters, but some sound different, such as x |
| Georgian and Armenian alphabets | Georgia, Armenia | Letters all their own; English letters are new |
Whatever the script, phonics taught in a clear order, with plenty of blending practice, gives children a reliable way into English reading.
When do online lessons fit across the region?
The countries in this guide span a few time zones, from the Caucasus in the west to Bangladesh and Bhutan in the east, with India and Sri Lanka on the half hour and Nepal fifteen minutes beyond that. None of them change their clocks. The simplest option is usually to choose a 25-minute lesson after school, between about 4pm and 8pm local time, or a weekend morning.
Weekends differ: in Bangladesh and the Maldives, the weekend is Friday and Saturday; in Nepal, Saturday is the main day off. Check that lesson times are shown in your own local time, especially if your clock is on the half or quarter hour. Our guide to online lessons across time zones explains more.
Does my child's accent matter?
Much less than parents often think. English is spoken with many accents, and children in this region will have their own. What matters is clear speech that others understand, good listening across accents and the confidence to speak. A good teacher helps with sounds that cause misunderstanding without trying to change who your child is. Read does my child need a native English teacher?.
What age should children in the region start extra English?
There's no single right age. From around four, short, playful lessons with songs, pictures, games and letter sounds help children enjoy English and tune their ear, with no pressure to write. From six or seven, as reading in the home language develops at school, English phonics and simple reading can grow alongside it. Older beginners often move quickly, because they already read well and know how to learn. What matters most is that English stays enjoyable. See English for 4-year-olds.
What should families look for in online lessons?
- A live, real teacher with your child speaking for much of the lesson.
- 1-to-1 time that follows your child's own level.
- Clear phonics for reading, especially for younger children.
- Feedback after lessons and progress you can see.
- Clear safety rules: checked teachers, lessons only inside the provider's classroom, and a way to report a concern.
To compare progress across very different school systems, the CEFR is a useful common scale. Its early levels for children are Pre-A1, A1 and A2. See CEFR levels for children explained.
Can families in the region book CurioKids lessons?
Each country in South Asia, Central Asia and the Caucasus has its own page: our India page, our Pakistan page, our Bangladesh page, our Sri Lanka page, our Nepal page, our Bhutan page, our Maldives page, our Kazakhstan page, our Uzbekistan page, our Kyrgyzstan page, our Tajikistan page, our Georgia page, our Armenia page and our Azerbaijan page. Where lessons are open, you can book a free first lesson there; where they haven't opened yet, leave your details on the page's waitlist and we'll let you know when you can book. Families in Singapore and Malaysia can book now from our Singapore and Malaysia pages.
CurioKids lessons are live and 1-to-1, 25 minutes each, for children aged 4–12, with a real teacher in the CurioKids online classroom. Most children start with Phonics Starter, then move on to CEFR-based levels. See our levels, safety and FAQ pages.
Frequently asked questions
Which countries does this guide cover?
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives in South Asia; Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in Central Asia; and Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in the Caucasus.
My child goes to an English-medium school. Why would they need lessons?
Children in English-medium schools often read and write well but get little chance to speak at length. A 1-to-1 lesson gives them that practice, along with help reading for meaning.
What time are online English lessons in this region?
We suggest choosing an after-school slot between about 4pm and 8pm local time, or a weekend morning. None of these countries change their clocks, so a weekly slot stays the same.
Is learning English as a third language harder?
Not usually. Children who already use two languages know how to keep them apart and switch between them, which helps with a third. Keep the home languages strong.