My initial post ended with the question:

Does anyone have any other ideas for how to make lessons more affordable on a more independent platform like italki?

No one needs to debate whether or not having group lessons is a novel idea.  Local (in-person) language schools and even online language schools offer lessons in this format, but this discussion is about independent platforms - services that provide the systems to enable direct communication and negotiation between a student and the teacher of their choice.  I feel that italki is a very transparent service and makes its terms and business model clear.

Questioning the value of group lessons is a valid and worthwhile discussion.  There is evidence that interaction plays a role in second language acquisition though its exact purpose is debated (Ellis 1991).  We can assume that there are some students with the means who still prefer group lessons, especially considering personality differences.  If italki officially supported group lessons, some sort of measurement would be possible to help understand these preferences.

Ellis, R (1991). The Interaction Hypothesis: A Critical Evaluation.  https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED338037

Carlo, 

I agree that the current system is definitely not designed for group lessons.  Changes would have to be made to accommodate for multiple student users for one lesson id, feedback from multiple users on the same lesson, teacher / student stats that differentiate individual and group lessons, etc. 

Grzybek,

That teachers are finding ways to go around these limitations to offer group lessons is no surprise, but wouldn't it be better if the system acknowledged this need and incorporated it into the platform?

Vera,

That is an excellent point from a user experience point-of-view.  This is a common problem with all group lessons on any subject.  People who have the means to pay for 1:1 help will likely prefer to do so, so I think that group lessons are often assumed to have a lower value to an individual student.  Another way to say this that every class is multi-level, and everyone's role is to do their best to encourage each other and find ways to include people with different abilities, propensities, and interests.

Maybe the system could allow the teacher to establish the stated level of the planned lesson with example materials.  Students could evaluate whether this would be a good fit for their language needs.  Or, maybe the system could implement this feature by starting user groups, where users voluntarily join together with others with similar goals.  Then, as a group, these students could work together to determine the amounts they could afford to pay and which teacher they would like to choose.

Having a genuine discussion with your English teacher or tutor should naturally lead to some disagreements.  Maybe a 'debate' sounds too serious.  Still, supporting your statements with reasons and examples should be your usual way of communicating.

Besides, every international English language proficiency exam asks you to give and support an opinion in speech or in writing.

While the author of the article might have had a more structured debate session in mind, I recommend that everyone find a teacher who encourages their students to share their views.

I appreciate your thoughts about your own language learning experience, Steve.  I think that the 'immersion method' and references to 'learning like a child' have belied conscious learning.

The book 'Babel No More' by Michael Erard offered some interesting insights into the common stated goal of becoming a 'polyglot'.  Erard describes several contemporary and historical accounts and gets to know a few polyglots who did not benefit from growing up in a multilingual context.  What I felt from these accounts is that forcing yourself to achieve and maintain proficiency in languages you do not need to use in your everyday life leaves you with the ability to communicate in different languages, but nothing to communicate about.  One of the modern polyglots featured in the book spends his working hours alone, tediously moving from language to language in order to maintain or make small gains in proficiency.

What I called for in this article almost a year ago is still what I believe - a language learner has to understand their motivations and interests in learning a language to not only improve in their language proficiency, but also to maintain enthusiasm.

The Sunday of the Cross (Lesson 29)

The week of the Cross comes to its end and I confess that I don't take my cross and fail to choose the right path. Abraham heard God's voice and acted in accordance with it, he bore his cross and it resulted in the fulfillment of all the wonderful blessings that he had received from God. Everyone is able to follow Abraham's example, including myself, and it's actually rather easy. First one should stop talking, running, worrying and take a second of complete silence, for it's only in silence that one is able to hear God's soft, gentle voice, which unlike roaring wind, earthquake and fire is His true manifestation, as it was once revealed to the prophet Elijah. A person bears his cross if being perfectly aware of his actions and listening carefully to concise messages of his conscience he does what he is supposed to do, forgetting all the good that he has done, humbly aspiring to perfection. The Cross of Christ is the invincible trophy and our small crosses in relation to the Cross become invincible as well. If we carry them, we are given strength and we (or 'we, ourselves') become invincible, pure, radiant, holy, almost almighty and truly deified. Woe to me, that I don't take my cross! But I don't lose hope, I should try it again!