Ashley Baek
Before your first lesson
Make room for Korean, not connection problems.
You do not need a studio. You need to hear, be heard and find the material without losing the conversation.
Check the actual invitation first
Confirm the date, time zone, meeting link and agreed contact route with your teacher. Do not assume a Korea-time appointment is the same calendar day where you live. Ask if anything is unclear; this checklist does not confirm a booking.
Use the meeting service your teacher specifies. If that service is Zoom, its official audio guide explains how to test the speaker and microphone, including hearing a playback of your voice. Follow the instructions for your device. Other services have different controls; Zoom is an example, not an AshleyBaek requirement.
Your five-minute setup check
- Find the appointment. Put the confirmed local start time and meeting link in one place. Keep the teacher's agreed contact route available if the link fails. Do not post a private lesson link publicly.
- Test both directions of sound. Use the meeting service's test function where available. Hearing a test sound checks output; hearing your own test playback checks input. Test with the same headphones or speaker you will use in the lesson.
- Open one material. Have the teacher's assigned page ready. If none is assigned, ask what to bring rather than buying a course. The free speaking sample can be a starting point to discuss, not an assumed assignment.
- Try looking and speaking. Can you see the prompt while using the call? On one phone, rehearse switching between the two. A paper note with the exercise title and your question may be simpler than adding another device.
- Check what others could see. Before any screen sharing, close private documents and messages. Share only the relevant material using the service's controls. Do not record the teacher or another learner without their agreement.
Leave a clear note if something fails
Use the agreed contact route and describe the symptom, not just "It does not work." For example: "I opened the meeting link. I can see you, but I cannot hear you. I am using my phone with headphones. What should I try next?" This is an English message template, not a new Korean lesson.
Do not send passwords, verification codes or screenshots containing other people's details. Avoid changing unfamiliar account or security settings during the lesson. If the problem cannot be resolved, agree on the next step directly; a missed connection does not automatically mean a refund or free replacement lesson.
Bring one learning question
Once the setup works, write one thing you want help with: a sound you cannot distinguish, a familiar sentence you cannot finish, or a situation you want to prepare for. You can use the level-check worksheet separately. Today's checklist checks your setup, not your Korean ability.
Ask about a lesson that fits your situation
Tell Ashley your goal, time zone and preferred lesson times. Confirm availability, meeting method, scope and fee before making plans.
Ask about personal Korean lessons