English

Recognising the dominance of English as an international language, we offer a range of English courses for all levels and ages to suit your needs. Our goal is to make our students autonomous users of the language in the real world. Therefore, we use communicative activities and topic-based rather than grammar-based lessons.

New grammar structures are introduced creatively, through meaningful activities that enable students to truly understand their function. The emphasis is on developing the four basic skills needed for communication (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing). Students become confident in using the language by actively participating in group or pair work activities, presentations, role-play and class discussions.

With the aid of projectors and computers in combination with coursebooks, we use stimulating activities and authentic materials, such as magazine articles, songs and online resources such as TED talks to make the learning experience as engaging as possible for each student.

In addition, we do our best to give our students opportunities for authentic communication outside the classroom with the participation in Extra-curricular activities (such as language tables with native speakers, interesting lectures in the target language, craft workshops and other events) and the Cambridge Penfriends programme. You can have a look at some of our activities here.

We prepare learners for Cambridge English exams, which test learners’ communicative ability and are globally recognized and accepted by over 15,000 universities, employers and governments around the world.

The General English Course, which most learners start at the age of 6-7 involves the following stages:

 

Pre-Primary Safari

This course for 5-year-old and 6-year-old children plants the seeds for English language learning, while taking children on a fascinating adventure involving engaging stories and drama activities, action songs, art and craft projects as well as plenty of imaginative play and physical activities. Children are exposed to the sounds, structures and vocabulary of the language, while allowed the time and space they need to develop language skills at their own pace, without any pressure or stress.

What are the benefits of joining this English course at this age? Science suggests that the younger we are, the more receptive we are to new sounds and pronunciation and the less afraid we are of taking risks to use a new language. On top of developing language skills, the course focuses on the development of their motor-sensory skills, creativity, critical thinking and social values such as sharing and respect for others. And all these, while having loads of fun!

Junior Phonics

“The beginning is the most important part of the work”- Plato

For us, developing a positive attitude towards language learning from a young age is a key goal! So we try to make sure that our young learner language classrooms are stress-free and that they are filled with joy, creativity and wonder!

This course is suitable for 6 to 7-year-old children and is an exciting introduction to the English language with the use of lively songs, chants, rhymes, animated stories, craftwork, drama, games and other fun activities. Young learners of  enjoy themselves and have fun while using language in meaningful ways, in activities that are also designed to develop their creativity. We make sure every child is actively involved in language learning, which is facilitated with the regular use of the interactive whiteboard software, through which children’s favourite characters come to life.

The emphasis is on Speaking and Listening here, but learners are also introduced to Reading and Writing, in the same way that native English speakers in kindergartens are taught. We do this through phonics instruction, which is the method most widely used worldwide in recent years because its effectiveness is supported by literacy experts around the world. According to research, teaching phonics is very effective as a reading method and considerably improves spelling skills as well. Unlike the reading methods of the past which required children to memorise and identify whole words, phonics instruction teaches children how to decode the letters in each word and equips them with the tools they need to read words they haven’t seen before and understand how reading works.

By the end of the course children are able to express and understand basic information about themselves and their family, toys, friends, pets etc. orally and read, even unfamiliar words.

Why start learning foreign languages at such an early age? Simply, because the younger we are, the better we can mimic new sounds and pronunciation. The younger the learner, the less afraid they are of making mistakes and taking risks to use the new language and create new sentences of their own. At this age, children have time to learn through play-like activities, without the stress and pressure of test scores and exams.

Junior A and B

In these two stages children focus on all four skills of the language. The Junior A course starts with phonics instruction, with the goal of making children independent readers; they are taught how to decode the phonemes of each word and therefore apply their knowledge to read words they have not seen before. We introduce each letter by its sound, not its name and we put these sounds together to read common and later less common words. Blending (putting sounds together) activities are always fun and include a variety of exciting games, through which we monitor their progress and offer support when needed. Phonics instruction continues throughout the Junior A and Junior B courses, as an aid for further developing the children’s reading and spelling skills.

Listening, speaking, reading and writing are developed creatively through lively stories that can be acted out, project work, games, songs and craftwork. Students do not just imitate, but are encouraged to develop basic communicative skills; the emphasis is on encouraging their attempts to communicate rather than correcting their errors. At the end of the course they are able to give basic information about themselves, their family and friends, their pets and their toys, both orally and in writing.

In addition to helping students develop their language skills, the course aims at giving our young learners an engaging introduction to the English language and making them love English right from the start!

Stage 8

At this level, students can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, express themselves fluently and effectively in both formal and informal situations. They are exposed to a variety of authentic materials from newspapers, magazines and the internet and are able to understand different accents of English.

Preparation for the exam is very intensive and designed in a way that ensures the achievement of students’ goals. Students are carefully trained on how to approach each exam task and write a large number of compositions, which they often have to revise and rewrite and therefore eventually improve their work and make real progress. Students also take regular mock exams which enable them to practise under exam conditions and handle the actual exam with more confidence.

As a result of the careful design of our courses and the hard work of our dedicated teaching staff, many of our students manage to pass the exam with A or A*, which does not only secure them a place in their chosen University but also equips them with the advanced level of English language required for academic study.

English for Adults

There is no doubt that in today’s international and competitive workplace, a good knowledge of English is a requirement.

Our teaching staff designs courses that fit adult learners’ needs, from General English to English for Specific Purposes.

We also offer intensive preparation for the IELTS exam, a vital certification for those planning to study for an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in the medium of English at a University overseas.