General English

Course length : 2 to 52 weeks

English proficiency level :

Elementary to Advanced (levels A1/A2 to C1+ on the Common European Framework) . We aim to offer up to six levels, so that you can study with other students at a similar level to you (the number of levels we have at any time depends on how many students we have at that level).

Course content

The General English course follows a textbook. Teachers will also provide you with other material like different textbooks, films, web sites and, sometimes, they will take you on excursions to places that are related to the topics or themes you are studying. You will usually have two teachers for regular classes, and different teachers for option classes. Regular classes run five days a week and the teachers will work closely with you to make sure all aspects of your language development are covered.

Teaching Methodology

The way the course is taught is based on the most up to date understandings of how language is best taught and learnt. The teaching methods we use are influenced by our understanding of:

・ The nature of language

・ The nature of language learning

・ The roles of teacher, learner and learning materials.

The course follows the themes and topics presented in the course books. The core elements of the program are grammar, vocabulary, and the skills of speaking, pronunciation, listening, reading and writing.

In general, classes:

・ Involve lots of communicative activities, tasks, role-plays, games, writing letters and replying to them, etc. You will do most of these activities with other students, and your teacher will listen carefully to you, and help with any problems.

・ Classes cover speaking, listening, writing and reading, as well as vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation.

・ Although there is a text book for each level, teachers will also use other materials, depending on the needs of the students in the class.

Assessment

Assessment is an important part of your course. It tells us how well you are doing and what we need to do to help develop your English. There are three main forms of assessment. First, when you first come to the college you will do a test that will tell us the best level for you to begin. Then you will have a test every week. This will let you check your progress. Then, in the fourth week of the term, you will do a term test. The term test will cover speaking, listening, reading and writing. The term test helps us to decide ifyou are ready for the next level of study. It also helps us to check your progress. You should expect to spend up to three months at each level . However, we have a flexible system so, if you learn quickly, you can progress in less time than that. If you do stay in a level for three months then you can expect to do three term tests. At the end of your course you will get a certificate that shows how long you studied, the level you achieved and your grades for speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Option classes

Full time students on student visas will have one hour a day of Option Classes. This means you can choose a special focus to help you learn in the area of English where you need the most help. Option classes include: conversation, current affair discussion groups, movies, reading, writing, grammar, and pronunciation. So if you're worried about your pronunciation, you can do something about it. However, the option classes we run when you are studying will be dependant upon demand.

Timetable

Your hours will depend on whether you are studying part-time or full-time. But remember, if you have a student visa, you must study full time.

Below is a timetable showing the hours that classes may operate. Whether we open classes at particular times depends on demand.