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Questions and Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

A basic introduction to VivaLing. Do not hesitate to drop us a line if your question is not on this page. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Basics

We select two coaches whose experience and availability best match your goals and objectives. Check out their profiles and introduction videos in your customer account. Choose the coach that best suits you. The two coaches you choose will be your main coaches. You can decide to learn with both on an alternating basis or choose one of them as your primary coach. Both have access to your learning plan. Please note that all our coaches know how to adapt perfectly to the interests of their learners.

Of course! Objectives can change, and each learner has different needs and schedules. If your availability and/or the type of course you are taking (Business, Conversation or Exam Preparation) changes, you can modify your criteria by clicking on ‘Edit’ in the learner’s language journey. You will be presented with a new selection of coaches. Please note that the previous coach selection will disappear and you will not be able to modify or cancel your potential upcoming sessions. If this new selection does not suit you or if you have a specific request, do not hesitate to contact us at support@vivaling.com, and we will respond to your request as soon as possible.

The duration depends on the learner’s age, ability to concentrate, initial level, goals and schedule. For children between the ages of 3 and 8, we recommend 15 to 25-minute sessions. For learners between 8 and 15 years old, our recommendation is a session length of 25 to 40 minutes. For our older learners, we recommend sessions of 40 to 55 minutes. Of course, you can try out a duration time and readjust it the next time you book if you think it is too short or too long.

You can book your sessions online via your personal account or the VivaLing app. Simply click on ‘Book’ in the learner’s language journey. You can book one session or multiple sessions at the same time. You can modify or cancel your session up to 24 hours before the session starts.

Yes, you can! Your VivaLing account is accessible 7 days a week and 24 hours a day. You can book or cancel your sessions according to your needs and availability. You are free to make any changes or cancel a session 24 hours before the beginning of your session. Please note that you are unable to make any modifications or cancellations within 24 hours of the session start time. This is in accordance with our Terms & Conditions.

You can cancel and/or modify your sessions in just a few clicks. First, you need to go to your personal account, then to ‘language journey’ and then to the coach’s agenda. Here you can find the session you need to modify, then simply cancel it and book a new session at a time that suits you. You can find the history of your reservations, cancellations and refunds in the ‘Credit history’ section under ‘My Account’ located in the banner at the top of the main page of your personal account. Please note that you are unable to make any modifications or cancellations within 24 hours of the session start time. This is in accordance with our Terms & Conditions.

Feel free to add reminders to your personal calendar or to a shared family calendar. In order to give you the best chance of success, VivaLing has set up automatic reminders sent by email 48 hours and 1 hour before each session. You can also install the VivaLing application on each learner’s phone and/or tablet and activate the notifications; each learner will then receive his or her session reminders. Pinning the schedule on the fridge is also a safe bet. 😉

To add a new learner, please click on the ‘Add Learner’ button. Once the profile is created, make sure to create a new language journey by clicking on ‘Add a course’. If you wish only to add a new language to an existing learner, you’ll just need to create a new language journey. This will only take a few minutes, and the selection of your coaches will be immediate. If the proposed selection of coaches does not suit you, if you have a specific request or if you have reached the maximum of 4 profiles or 4 language journeys on your account, contact us at support@vivaling.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible with a new selection.

You can update the learner’s interests by going to the learner’s profile (in the “Learners” section) and clicking on “Edit”. However, once the language path has been created, you will not be able to change the name, gender or age of the learner. Please do not hesitate to contact our team at support@vivaling.com, we will be happy to assist you.

To change your time zone, go to “Timezone” located on the main page of your customer account and then edit your time zone.

Please note that session times might be affected as you change the time zone, so make sure that the upcoming sessions still work with your schedule after the modification.

If you have any questions about teaching and pedagogy, please do not hesitate to contact your coach directly. You will find his or her email address in the learner’s language journey in your personal account. For all other questions, please contact us at support@vivaling.com.

Our Coaches

Our coaches are carefully selected from thousands of candidates around the world. We only select those who are native speakers, have a teaching certification and a minimum of 2 years teaching experience. Each VivaLing coach is specialised in teaching various age groups and levels and can therefore meet the specific needs of each of our learners. Your coaches are flexible and, above all, adapt to you. VivaLing coaches devote the session time to focusing entirely on the objectives, hobbies and topics of discussion that you described at the time of registering each learner.

To learn more

We carefully select your coaches according to the learner’s age, level and objectives. We also make sure that their schedules reflect your availability.

In your VivaLing account, you have access to your coach’s email address under his/her name. Contact your coach if you have any questions about the course content. For any questions related to the use of your personal account, please contact us

The advantage of VivaLing pedagogy is that we practice total immersion in a foreign language, which is the form of learning that shows the most results according to scientific studies. Our coaches use dynamic, conversational, and interest-based learning. Your future coach will be able to make himself perfectly understood and adapt to the learner’s level, thanks in particular to great resources and interactive tools. 🙂 This is the strength of VivaLing – intuitive, fun and interactive learning!

Yes! VivaLing is like having a private language coach in your home but behind a screen! At VivaLing, it’s not a recorded video or a group session. Every coach carefully prepares each session and connects in a real-time video call directly to the learner.

Your coach is leaving VivaLling for a new adventure! Rest assured, it’s not a problem because we make new coach recommendations. You will be able to discover his/her profile and availability in your personal account. The new coach will have access to the videos of past sessions and will be able to resume your learning where you left off. It is a great opportunity to start a new learning cycle!

Pricing

Prices vary depending on the length of the session. 80% of our learners choose to save money by selecting one of our packages (see prices here).
Also, our Referral Program offers our most loyal customers up to 250€ / 290US$ / 400S$ of credit and 16 free sessions. Don’t forget to check it out!

To reserve a session, you need to have the correct amount available in your customer account. You may have to top-up your account before booking a session. To do so, go to your personal account, click on ‘Top up’ and choose the top-up amount or package that suits you. The cost of the session will be debited immediately after each booking.

Our packages are the best way to save money at VivaLing. With the Regular and Ultra packages you can save 5% or 10% on your language courses. A package works like credit that you can use every time you book a session. This way, you can use the package for all languages and all members of the same family – adults and children. It also means you can pay as and when you choose to learn.

VivaLing offers you a method of payment by credit card. Your payment will be made in complete security via a secure payment platform.

Like any learning activity, regularity is the key to success. You make your own bookings at your own pace and at times that suit you, without commitment nor subscription. We suggest that you plan several shorter sessions closer together rather than a long session once in a while. Ideally, you should have one or two sessions per week on a regular basis for several months.

All your purchases, made on or after 1 December 2023, whether single or in packs, have a limited period of use of 12 months.

Our group sessions are recommended for up to two members of the same family, provided they are of the same age, have the same level (reading and writing) and share the same goals. It is essential that each learner is able to interact with their coach. For technical reasons, we recommend that learners in a duo course (one-to-two session) attend their session at the same computer. If the age, level and expectations of each of your children are significantly different, we recommend that you take individual sessions to start. Of course, this can change over time. Please note that in order to create a duo profile, it is necessary that each learner already has an individual profile. Then, with just a few clicks, you can create a common language journey for the chosen learning language. For more information on the rates for duo classes (one-to-two session).

Yes, we have a Referral Program! As a customer, you can give your friends and family a free 25-minute session (worth 18€, 20US$, or 26S$)!

To get started, simply go to the ‘Refer your friends’ window located at the bottom right of your screen and forward your referral code to your friends, colleagues, and family members. When they register, they will click on the personalized link shared with them or type your referral code in the “Referral/Promo Code” box on the registration page. They will see 18€, 20US$, or 26S$ credited automatically on their account! 

To thank you for your loyalty and support as a member of our referral program, we are pleased to offer you up to 250€ / 290US$ / 400S$ credit and 16 free sessions on your VivaLing account (according to the conditions of our Referral Program). From your “Refer your friends” window, you will also find more details about your referral history and a counter of converted friends

Simply go to your customer account and select the “Refer your friends” window at the bottom right of your screen. There, you will find a personalized link with your referral code to share by email, social network, etc. Your referral code will also be displayed at the top of the main page of your personal space.

Do you have a referral code? Please refer to the section ‘I have a referral code, how do I use it?’

For information regarding additional discount coupons, visit your personal account and click on the red button “Top up”. Next, select the package matching with your special offer. Finally, enter the corresponding code in the “Coupon code” section and click on “Apply Coupon”!

If you have any questions or require assistance, please contact us at support@vivaling.com. We will be happy to help!

It couldn’t be easier! When you register, click on the personalized link shared with you or type your code in the “Referral/Promo Code” box in the registration form. You will see 18€, 20US$, or 26S$ credited automatically on your account! If you have any questions, contact us at support@vivaling.com. We will be happy to assist you.

Yes, we do! To thank you for your loyalty and your support, we have designed the VivaVoyager Rewards Program; a free program that allows our customers to enjoy exclusive benefits by earning points, called “Vivas”, through their purchases and various other activities. These Vivas can be redeemed for discounts and other rewards.
Our rewards program is divided into 4 different levels: Backpacker, Explorer, Pioneer and Cosmonaut. The higher you go in the program, the more interesting the benefits! Find out more on your personal VivaLing account.

Your Vivas have a limited period of use of 6 months after being awarded to you, which is indicated in the “Vivas”/”Details” tab on your personal account. Session refunds are limited to 1 year. Your discount coupons can only be used once and have no expiry date.

You automatically join our VivaLing rewards program as soon as the total amount of your purchases reaches 199€/199US$/199S$. Each time you make a purchase, your Vivas are added to your account and an email is sent to you informing you of your new Viva balance.

Your points can be exchanged from your personal VivaLing account when you top up your account.The number of Vivas you can use and the amount of the corresponding discount will be specified on the order completion page.

Cancellation and refund policy

You will be able to cancel and reschedule your sessions freely up to 24 hours before the start of the session. Within this 24-hour window, the session is definitely charged as we are contractually obliged to pay your teacher for the personalised session he/she has prepared for you, the time he/she has booked and as this slot cannot be booked by another learner.

You can cancel and reschedule your sessions without penalty up to 24 hours before the course.

We don’t think you’ll change your mind, as it almost never happens. 🙂 However, if you do change your mind within the first month of purchase, we will refund you, at our discretion, any unused credit after deducting the administrative fees and free bonuses given with the packages. All details are in our Terms & Conditions.

If a session is cancelled outside the 24-hour window prior to the session, the refund is credited immediately to your account. Within the 24-hour window, our support team will credit your account as soon as possible. Rest assured that in all cases your session is refunded. You can find the history of reservations, cancellations and refunds of your sessions in the ‘Credit history’ section under ‘My Account’ located in the banner at the top of the main page of your personal account.

However, if you change your mind, please note that unused credits are not refundable after the first month. Nevertheless, it is possible to transfer your credit to another learner or family member. All you have to do is find another VivaLing learner who wants to acquire your credit. For more details, we invite you to consult our Terms & Conditions. Feel free to contact us at support@vivaling.com; we will be happy to assist you in making the transfer to another family.

Our Sessions

Our sessions are 100% personalised and, therefore, all unique. A session includes a variety of activities that relate to the age, level and needs of the learner. Although it can vary from session to session, generally the coaches will devote some of the session to introduce new words or concepts, which are then practiced through different interactive activities. The sessions are all designed to be communicative, learner focused and fun!

The topics covered vary from one session to another depending on the learner’s age, level, objectives and interests/hobbies. For instance, a young child may learn colors in English by talking about Peppa Pig while a teenager may develop his/her vocabulary by talking about Harry Potter or his/her favourite band, and an adult learner may want to practice day-to-day conversational English or improve his or her business language. Our coaches are prepared and experienced in teaching a huge range of topics!

All sessions are recorded, uploaded online and password protected. Your session reports, including the links to the recordings, are posted online within a maximum of 48 hours (2 working days) following the session. Once online, the report is sent to you by email to the email address provided. Please be sure to check your junk folder if you can’t locate the email in your inbox. You will also be able to find the report in your personal account, on the language journey of each learner and on the VivaLing application for smartphones or tablets if it is installed. If you have left your child alone during the lesson, you can review what happened. In addition, you can use these video recordings to review what is learned from one session to the next.

Our Pedagogy

Yes. Our coaches follow a curriculum that has been designed and thought out by experienced educators, and it is based on the most modern methods of neurolinguistics. If a coach is required to follow a specific curriculum, he or she may also customize the content in relation to his or her own experience and according to the needs and objectives of each learner.

Our coaches are trained to use a variety of tools and resources such as puppets and nursery rhymes for little ones, educational apps, quizzes, and animated games for older children, and authentic texts and listening activities for adults.

Choose realistic and quantifiable goals. Your coach will establish your progression plan according to your goals and your level. Your session report will also include some activities to be completed at home and you can view session recordings between sessions as many times as you wish.

VivaLing coaches adapt to the needs of each learner and are able to accompany them on a specific academic program. All you have to do is specify the objectives when you register. If you need help with an assignment or an oral exam, please contact your coach by email and specify your needs (at least 48 hours before the session). You will find your coach’s email address in your personal account, on the language journey of each learner.

Every session is recorded and posted in your VivaLing account. The learner can watch it again (and again!), and it becomes like a second or third session. The coach can suggest homework depending on the objectives and motivation of the learner. We are also always happy to share some new games, reading texts and videos to maximize your child’s language exposure. Feel free to contact your coach if you would like homework or if you have any pedagogical questions.

Your account can only contain one email address and one phone number. All our communication is sent to this email address (i.e. your session reminder emails, session reports, newsletters, messages from your coach/es. etc.). However, if you would like your child/spouse to receive session reminders directly, we suggest that you download the VivaLing application for smartphones and be sure to enable notifications.

Security and privacy

All our sessions are recorded and protected by a personalised password. No image is used for promotion purposes without the explicit agreement of our customers.

All our customer data is treated with the utmost respect and remains absolutely confidential in accordance with the DGPS. If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact us at support@vivaling.com.

Connection

Sessions are held on a computer or tablet equipped with a microphone and camera (internal or external). You need a connection with a minimum of 0.6 Mbps. You can check the quality of your internet connection on speedtest.net. We use the Zoom video conferencing system and invite you to test it before joining your first session. Also, in order to guarantee the best possible experience, it is necessary to ensure that your tools and software are regularly updated.

Your personal VivaLing account is available on a computer, tablet, or smartphone from your usual browser and with our very own VivaLing application! From this space, you can create learner profiles, language courses, book, cancel and reschedule your sessions, add credit to your account, consult your reports and sessions recording. What’s more, you can also join your coach’s room at the time of the session with just a single click! You can find the link to our application from your personal account page in the section ‘Download our applications and get started’.

Our coaches are trained to assist you with the most common troubleshooting issues. If the problems persist, contact our team immediately at support@vivaling.com, and our consultants will contact you quickly. If possible, take screenshots of the problem so that our technical team can easily identify the difficulty you have encountered.

The coach can share control of the screen so that the learner can write, draw or point to an element according to his/her level. Computer keyboards and mice are most convenient, but a tablet screen also allows this functionality.

VivaLing for Kids

Our youngest learners are three years old. It really depends on the maturity of the child. Our coaches are trained to teach their language in a playful and interactive way from an early age.

We advise you to stay close to your child during the first session in order to provide assistance in the event of technical difficulties (microphone or video issues). Thereafter, we encourage parents to leave their children alone with their coach/es so that the exchange is as authentic and as free as possible.

We will be happy to select a suitable coach for you if your child is shy. Our coaches have different personalities and energy. Some coaches know how to keep up with the rhythm of a hyperactive child while others have the experience and ability to motivate a shy or introverted child. If you think your child has special needs, do not hesitate to contact us at support@vivaling.com, and we will provide you with the most suitable coach.

Yes. A large number of our learners are beginners, and our coaches are fully trained and prepared for this situation. The language barrier is reduced as the sessions progress, and your child will quickly gain confidence and engage in conversation thanks to VivaLing’s pedagogy. If you would like to read about other customers’ experiences, please take a look at Verified Reviews

Yes. All you have to do is inform us of their interests during registration so that the coach can prepare adapted and personalised content and material from the very first session. Our coaches are fully qualified and are skilled to quickly identify the personality and real needs of their learners.

Yes. VivaLing has had a lot of success over the years. The fun, interactive and personalised approach we offer converts even the most reluctant learner to find the fun in learning a foreign language!

At VivaLing, we offer session lengths suitable for everyone, from 15 to 55 minutes. We recommend starting with shorter sessions, then, as the learner’s feedback and requests are processed, you can increase the duration of the sessions. For more information, please consult our FAQ ‘How do I choose the session length?’.

Yes! Our coaches are trained in exam preparation, such as the Cambridge exams, IELTS, and TOEFL in English, Dele in Spanish, HSK or YCT in Manadarin, etc. Some are even active examiners for those exams! We are equipped to deal with all requests. You can enter the learning objective when the learner registers, and then modify it in the language journey by clicking on ‘Edit’ if it changes. Feel free to contact us if you have a specific need.

The VivaLing difference

At VivaLing, you will never be just a number in a customer database. You will be able to progress at your own pace with the personalised help of our certified coaches and be accompanied by our learning team, whatever your needs. Our customers particularly appreciate:

  • the quality of the teaching – our coaches are native speakers and experienced
  • the personalisation of courses according to their interests and objectives
  • the innovative learning based on neuroscience and positive pedagogy
  • the flexibility
  • they can vary the length of the sessions according to their availability (15, 25, 40 or 55 minutes)
  • the video conference sessions
  • when and where they want
  • that there is no subscription
  • the great customer service at their disposal

VivaLing’s mission is to use innovative instruction and resources provided by passionate and professional educators to establish bonds through personalized and positive interactions.

Far from being a simple teaching platform, we are proud of our status as an academy and our desire to provide high quality, tailor-made teaching.

Our coaches are all trained in the Villa@ method (including 25 hours of teacher training), a learning method developed by VivaLing that combines neuroscience, positive pedagogy and technology.

VivaLing was born in 2015 in Singapore and has grown thanks to the active community of French people abroad. Our online academy very quickly spread to Europe where many members also joined the team. Today VivaLing has learners in more than 40 countries around the world. We continue to grow thanks to the enthusiasm of our learners who recommend us to their family and friends.

The VivaLing team is spread between our Singapore headquarters and our European office. Our coaches, just like our learners, are located all over the world.