So far, I’m quite pleased with HSK4+'s content and presentation.
For the “Free speaking” classes, I do feel like they are a bit experimental and that the instructors are sincerely trying to figure out how to teach them. This is probably the most challenging format to teach (and study) we have.
My main concern is that most of these classes are not really “free speaking” classes but rather “reading comprehension” classes. We would typically take turns reading the first article (and never get to the second one). Actually, in most of these “free speaking” classes, there is less free speaking than in regular grammar classes (where we are encouraged to create sentences using new phrases).
The problem is that (as @Chloe-Mandarin_HSK6 pointed out) the native content material is typically HSK6 (or 6+) and we often get stuck on cultural references/idioms and overly formal language used in these articles. The best way I’ve seen a teacher handle the “brain overload” was when she put in the extra effort before class to prepare a document: pasting the article into it, highlighting important words, and providing pinyin/translations. This kind of class is very helpful and deserves its own category, but it is still not a real “free speaking” class.
Maybe instead of reading the whole article, the teacher could quickly help us identify the main point and we would discuss that? If the topic is about some art exhibition in an old village that nobody has ever heard of, we can start by discussing the photos in the article and then comparing them to art we’re more familiar with. Or we can talk about our favorite artists from our respective countries, etc. Later, in HSK5 and higher classes, we would automatically have a more detailed understanding of each article and could discuss it more competently.
Anyway, because this class is so challenging and different every time, I am still willing to take it repeatedly while waiting for HSK5 lessons.