The Global Language Network Reviews

Great teachers and such a great value for a language learning experience. If you are dedicated and have the time, there s no reason to say no!

Took a 12 week Frequent Flyer/Nearly Native course. I had already had instruction from taking the language throughout college, but this conversation-based class noticeably improved my fluency. I found myself thinking in the language rather than translating. I put in work outside of the class too, but the class was the height of my practice. Thanks Claudia!

I cannot speak to GLN's beginner classes, but for the advanced classes, GLN provides the environment and opportunity to really improve facility with a language.

One of the best places if you want to learn a new language. I am really happy to be a part of GLN

Thank you GLN. I took Spanish with Becca and she was absolutely amazing. The classes were online and that was the only way for me to join. I will definitely sign up for another class soon if they continue to be online.

GLN provides accessible opportunities for people to learn new languages in an immersive classroom environment. I've taken 2 GLN classes and I look forward to taking more in the future!

I took Yoruba for Foreigners this Summer with Busayomi. My family is Nigerian, but I could barely understand a word of it, let alone speak it. Signing up for the class was pretty easy. It was also pretty affordable and they even give you a stipend at the end if you have good attendance throughout the course. The entire course was 8 weeks and done through Zoom. The class was pretty small, about 5 of us. The teacher was amazing. Very patient and encouraging! We started with basics like greetings and made our way up to more complex vocabulary and sentence structure. Honestly I was shocked to see Yoruba being offered as a language because I've been looking for a class for years. It was definitely fun to impress my family with all the things I had learned. I would definitely recommend GLN to anyone interested in learning a language. They have dozens of languages available, the more popular languages and the less common.

I had a great time in a beginning French class. Fun community, high quality instruction, and useful content for any beginner.

I highly recommend GNL if you are looking to learn a new language! They offer plenty of different languages at a very affordable price. Teachers are volunteers, you don t have to buy textbooks, there are no tests and classes are fun.

I really want to like this organization but i honestly wish i signed up for a language course elsewhere. This is definitely not where you should sign up if you are looking to learn in a serious, structured environment on a timeline. The organization is so incredibly disorganized, it seems everything is a suggestion. To start with, the course i enrolled for was postponed for a week, just one day before the class was supposed to start. After just one class, we have been informed by the instructor that she will be away for 2 weeks and GLN has to either find substitutes or cancel the classes. While i understand that instructors are volunteers and do not blame the instructor, i'm failing to understand how GLN was not aware and prepared for this. GLN doesn't think to communicate this with students, it was the instructor who informed us. GLN also doesn't think to communicate that they are unable to find a substitute even up until the day before class is supposed to hold. If i hadn't called to find out what the deal is, i would still have planned my Thursday as if the class would hold. This is not okay. I encourage GLN to straighten out its processes. While it is understood that the organization is reliant on volunteers, GLN can be a lot more organized. Again if you are pursuing learning a language seriously, i wouldn't recommend that you take it with GLN as it operates right now.

Took a Spanish class online with them! What a cool nonprofit!

Edit 9/15: After I posted my initial review below, a representative from GLN reached out to me and clarified that there had initially been three students registered for the course and two had transferred or dropped prior at the last minute, which explains the initial welcome e-mail implying that the class was happening, and then subsequent cancellation. This is in contrast to what I was told when I initially called GLN and was told that I was the only student who had signed up. I guess the lady who answered the phone was ill-informed. GLN was very apologetic when we talked after I posted the review, and helpful in trying to work out a solution that would satisfy me. I'm going to give GLN a second chance and try a different class this semester. I'll update this review further once I've done that.

Original review:

I registered and paid and was extremely excited to take my class. Once I got my official welcome e-mail a week beforehand, I was even more excited. Then, the day before class was scheduled to begin, they canceled it. Apparently not enough people signed up. If they would have warned me, I could have tried to get my friends to sign up to make it happen, but instead they chose to lie to me with a welcome e-mail for a nonexistent class. And now I have to wait three more weeks to get back the money I paid a month ago when I signed up. So I guess if you want to give out interest free loans for two months and get nothing in return, GLN is the perfect organization for you.

GLN is an incredible organization that brings together members of the DMV community who are striving to create meaningful social impact through language learning and cultural understanding. GLN draws highly educated teachers who are most passionate about GLN's mission and view education, and particularly language learning, as the key to a better world.
GLN understands the need for work/life balance and provides teachers and students the option to select semester-by-semester time commitments that are realistic and will lead to the highest attendance levels and class commitment. The cost to students is low and GLN returns a large portion of student tuition upon successful course completion, even endowing the discount to students with up to a couple of absences. This consistently leads to a diverse class body where interest in the language and in the mission are common uniting denominators. GLN s class schedule and price structure are crucial as many students are young professionals who also want to take time out from their entry-level jobs to strengthen this longterm skillset. The organization is aware and appreciative of the time and money of its staff, volunteers and students and reimburses expenses according to IRS guidelines
GLN's staff members are organized, responsive, and friendly. They work to create a collaborative environment and care about building community and connection among language learners and the target groups with whom students are ultimately seeking to communicate. Furthermore, the CEO is driven and has an inspiring and constantly developing and advancing vision for the organization which he works with staff to implement.
The language classes are high-caliber and focused, in part due to the balance that GLN strikes between providing a framework for a potential curriculum, while leaving most of the content and creativity to the teachers. The ability to tailor the curriculum results in a sense of freedom, excitement, and investment in the course from the teacher's perspective.
GLN's culture is the true definition of liberal, welcoming people of all backgrounds and creating an atmosphere within which meaningful and open discussions can take place among students and teachers. The organization does not reek in any way, shape or form of an agenda, political or otherwise and is quite a breath of fresh air from general DC company/organization culture.
The organization manages to maintain consistency in class quality and culture via intensive training sessions for yet uninitiated teachers who are likely unacquainted with GLN's unique and effective approach to language pedagogy. I felt my teaching method improved with GLN's training and the experience that I acquired while there, both through my own classes and also while taking classes (offered at a large discount to current volunteer teachers) and observing fellow teachers.
It was a pleasure and blessing to work at GLN as a Chinese language teacher and I would highly recommend to others, as I have many times since my time there.

Classes were convenient and budget friendly. GLN is a great community!

I just finished my first semester of Mandarin with GLN and loved it! I can't recommend GLN enough. The teacher was great and highly qualified and the small class size made the language learning process fun and engaging. I will definitely continue on to take the other levels.

GLN offers a fun and affordable way to learn a new language, or brush up on other second language skills. I highly recommend taking a course through GLN, a great experience!

This was such a great experience! My teacher was fantastic. She was knowledgeable and helpful.

GLN is an amazing resource for anyone trying to learn or enhance their foreign language skills. They incentivize students to come to class by refunding up to $120 of the initial $200 deposit if you don't miss more than two classes. Fun and comfortable learning environment. Highly recommend!