A free trial is the best information you will get before committing. Used well, it tells you in thirty minutes what no website can: whether the teacher listens, whether the student is comfortable, and whether the plan makes sense.
Use the checklist below in three stages. You can print it or copy it into your phone notes.
Table of Contents
Before the trial
- Decide the goal in one sentence: "read fluently", "learn Tajweed", "start Hifz", "understand Arabic".
- Note the student's level honestly, even roughly. "Knows letters but joins slowly" is enough.
- Choose a time when the student is alert, not straight after school if they are exhausted.
- Test your camera, microphone and internet five minutes early. Have the mushaf ready.
If you are booking with Talqeen Academy, the trial page explains what to send on WhatsApp: the student's name and age, the course, current level, and preferred days and times with your time zone. The Academy aims to arrange the trial within 24 hours.
During the trial: what to observe
| What to watch | A good sign | A warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Level check | Teacher listens to the student read before choosing a plan | Starts teaching a fixed script without hearing the student |
| Talking time | Student recites for much of the lesson | Teacher does most of the speaking |
| Correction | Mistakes are named, explained and repeated until fixed | Mistakes ignored or corrected harshly |
| Tone | Warm, patient, specific encouragement | Rushed or discouraging |
| Plan | A clear next step and small homework | Vague promises about "fast results" |
| Comfort | Student relaxes as the lesson goes on | Student stays anxious or silent |
Questions to ask the teacher
- What would the first month look like for this student?
- How will you tell me whether the student is improving?
- What should we practise between lessons, and for how long?
- What happens if the student misses a lesson or we need to change the time?
- Which method do you use for beginners? (For reading, Talqeen uses the Noor Al-Bayan approach of teaching all 28 letters with fatha first before adding other vowels.)
After the trial: a simple scorecard
Within an hour of the lesson, while it is fresh, give each item a score from 1 to 5:
- Did the teacher listen before teaching?
- Were the corrections clear?
- Was the student comfortable?
- Did we leave with a concrete plan?
- Would the student want to come back?
Total of 20 or more is a strong sign. Between 15 and 19, consider a second trial or a different teacher. Below 15, trust your instinct.
What to do next
If the fit is good, agree the schedule that you can keep, not the ideal one. Two or three regular lessons a week beats five that get cancelled. Check the current prices so there are no surprises, and decide the class length with the teacher: 30, 45 or 60 minutes.
If it is not a fit, say so politely and ask whether another teacher is available. Matching the right teacher to the student is part of what a good academy does.
Frequently asked questions
Continue your learning with Quran Memorization Guide: Build a Sustainable Hifz Routine, Online Zoom Quran Classes: Lesson Format, Setup and First Steps, 13 Online Quran Academies from the Source: A Comparison Checklist.
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