General English (English Language Studies)
At our school in Bournemouth, there are systems for ensuring that students receive personalized attention. We aim to provide the kind of linguistic training and support that they need in order to make rapid progress and quickly attain a good degree of fluency and accuracy in English. Students will study in small, multinational classes (the maximum number of students is 18, although the average number is 10) along with students of a similar age and language ability. We map all of our courses against the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
Course Type
Standard course (20 lessons = 15 hours per week) or
Intensive course (24 lessons = 18 hours per week). This course includes 4 lessons of communicative skills practice per week. This course covers the same material and uses the same methodology as the General English Standard Course. However, in the afternoon on four days per week, there are lessons dedicated additional skills practice. These extra lessons are designed to give students the chance to develop their confidence in reading, writing, speaking and listening. Super-Intensive course (28 lessons = 21 hours per week). This course provides and additional 4 lessons per week over the Intensive course, in order to extend the student’s language practice opportunities and build confidence and fluency.
Levels
We run English Language Studies (general English) courses at six levels:
- Beginner (advance notice required! Please tell us if you are a beginner).
- Elementary.
- Pre-intermediate.
- Intermediate.
- Upper-intermediate.
- Advanced.
Each level should take approximately 180 hours to complete.
Course Methodology
Built into every student’s course are the following:
Placement test. This is designed to enable us to gauge the approximate level of a student and to place him or her in a class along with other students of similar ability.
Needs analysis. This is used to find out what students need and would like to learn on their course.
Skills development. Development of the skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking through meaningful practice.
Task-based activities designed to improve fluency, such as discussions, pair and group work, roleplays, problem-solving, and so on.
Systems work. Focus on and consolidation of the systems of grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. Students will learn and use new language forms and vocabulary through practice in contemporary, realistic, everyday situations.
Supportive error correction and constructive feedback.
Learner skills development. We aim to teach students effective ways of learning, from efficient note-taking to ways of storing and activating vocabulary. In particular,
we would aim to encourage students to use self-access resources, such as the library, video room, listening materials, CD-Roms, the Internet and so on.
Progress tests. These are designed to show us how well a student is learning new forms and vocabulary, and how well he or she is able to apply new skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking.
Tutorials. To provide two-way feedback, so that teachers can pass on hints, tips and advice on how best to study, as well as address any problems shown up by students’ performance in class and in their progress tests. At the same time, students can ask for help in areas that are particularly important for them.
Homework. An essential part of every student’s course – consolidates classwork and provides extra practice in the skills and systems.
Academic counselling. Distinct from the tutorials programme, the academic counselling that we provide aims to maximize every student’s potential, so that he or she could:
- transfer to another course at our partner school, such as an examination preparation course or an English for Special Purposes course.
- apply to go on to study at a college or university in an English-speaking country.
- seek work in an English-speaking environment (where visa regulations allow this).
- Preparation for external examinations. Where possible, we would like to help every student to prepare for an external examination, so that he or she will be able to return home with an internationally-recognized qualification.
Testimonial – What our students say:
The experience with you was very good, I wanted to leave it in writing in my own words. From the beginning your deal made me decide to go to England. You made everything very easy for me.
You do a very good job and I hope that many more people can have an experience as good as mine thanks to your excellent management. Thank you very much!
Ana Vallejo Rives, Spanish, March 2018.