The most frequently asked questions about SGI
Monday 21 December 2009
Monday 14 December 2009
Twelve tips for IELTS success
If you have already started an IELTS preparation course or are thinking seriously about doing so, you will find these twelve tips will go a long way in ensuring you achieve your best possible IELTS score:
IELTS Listening module
1) At the beginning of the IELTS listening module, there is always an example which you should use to familiarise yourself with the sound, the speakers and the situation they are speaking in.
2) At the end of each section there is usually a pause in the recording. Use this pause to prepare yourself for the next set of questions.
3)At the end of the recording you have some time to transfer your answers to the Answer sheet. This is an opportunity for you to check your spelling, punctuation and grammar.
IELTS Reading module
4) As you read, don’t try to understand the precise meaning of every word or phrase, you just don’t have the time! At first you need to read for general meaning.
5) Sometimes tasks require you to use words from the text in the answer and at other times you are expected to use your own words. Check the instructions carefully!
6) Make sure you keep to the word limits that are stated. E.g Use no more than five words. Keep to this by avoiding unnecessary words in your answer.
IELTS Writing module
7) It is absolutely vital that you keep to the topic set. You must never try to prepare sections of text before the exam.
8) You should make sure that you write at least 150 words in Task 1 and at least 250 words in Task 2. If you write less you will lose marks. There is however no maximum number of words for either task.
9) When planning your essay make sure you allow time at the end to check your through your writing.
IELTS Speaking module
10) In the speaking module, don’t try to give a prepared speech, or talk about a different topic from the one you are asked to discuss. You will lose marks for this.
11) Don’t just answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to the examiner’s questions, add more details to your answer. In each case, aim to explain at least one point, preferably two.
12) Remember that you are being tested on your ability to communicate effectively not on your general knowledge.
SGI English School in London offers a range of IELTS courses.
Wednesday 2 December 2009
A Brief History of Business English Teaching
What methodologists and teachers consider differentiates Business English from General English has obvious implications on how Business English is taught, along with the dominant approaches in English language teaching at any given time. We can see this by taking a brief look at developments in Business English teaching.
In the late 1960s and 1970s it was felt that the difference between Business English and General English was mainly specialist vocabulary, and this was reflected in the coursebooks and materials of the time. These focused largely on texts with comprehension questions, vocabulary exercises, and repetition drills. Business skills and application to real-life situations were not generally focused on.
A move towards greater skills training in a business context occurred in 1972 with the publication of the BBC coursebook and video English for Business, which incorporated greater emphasis on areas such as listening skills development, dialogue practice and role-plays, therefore accepting the need to develop students’ skills to deal with practical situations. This trend continued during the mid-1970s and 1980s, when Business English teaching followed the move in General English teaching towards a more functional syllabus. The focus was now on functional language and the teaching of formulaic phrases for recommending, agreeing, disagreeing etc. These were introduced in business contexts and practised in role-plays of common business situations such as making appointments, making introductions, business lunches etc.
From the late 1980s the focus shifted to working on business communication skills. This was largely due to the development of company training programmes in the late 1980s, which began to provide employees with opportunities to attend courses in presentation techniques, negotiating and effective meeting skills, among other things. This of course led to the publication of books and materials on business communication skills. This has profoundly influenced Business English teaching up to the present day in that the focus on Business communication skills forms a major component of most current Business English courses and coursebooks.
To conclude, and broadly-speaking, the focus on real-world communication, which is prevalent in much contemporary Business English teaching, fits in neatly with the principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), the predominant approach to English language teaching in the world for the past twenty years. In essence this is an approach to language teaching where the underlying key objective is to develop the learners’ ability to use language to communicate effectively. An important point related to CLT is that fluency and acceptable language is the primary goal. Language accuracy is judged in context.
The English School in London SGI provides a range of Business English courses.
Tuesday 1 December 2009
SGI Christmas competition, win an English course in London with us!
It's the season of giving! At SGI we're having a Christmas competition and you can win a one-week English course with us in London!
All you have to do is visit the Christmas competition page and write an original sentence with the words described. All instructions there. Have fun and good luck!
Thursday 19 November 2009
Book your English course in London now for 2010 and get 2009 fees!
If you book your 2010 English course until the end of 2009 we’ll offer
you 2009 fees. Don’t miss this chance.
Tuesday 10 November 2009
One-to-One English language immersion courses – do they work?
As an English school in London that offers One-to-One English language immersion courses, the question of do they work is often debated by our academic staff, and as with many subjects dependent on many variables, the resultant conclusion is often…it depends.
Depends on what…well, the main ingredients are the school and its ethos, which flows down into the teachers used and the academic management employed to oversee and direct the course. Equally important is the English language level and clarity of objective of the student and last, but of course not least, the motivation and expectation of the student.
Intensive One-to-One English language courses are typically at least 20 hours or more a week. It is quite common for English language schools to define an immersion type course as 30 hours a week or possibly more. One clear implication of this is the importance of the English language level of the student…if a student is of a particularly low level, beginner or elementary, the effectiveness of a 30 hour immersion course is questionable. The ability of a student to concentrate, particularly if the lessons are being conducted in English, is limited and a 30 hour course could well be counter-productive with the student running out of steam halfway through the day! This is an important consideration that needs to be sorted out before the course starts. A 15 hour semi-immersion course would probably best suit the low-level student on the basis of efficient learning.
Of course sales departments might take a different view…..If the customer wanted 30 hours per week then sell the customer student 30 hours per week I hear them say. Of course, this links to the ethos of the school and how professionally and rigorously they approach an individual’s course. Much ‘fancy talk’ surrounds the marketing of One-to-One English immersion courses, but in essence it boils down to establishing clearly and absolutely what a student wants as well as, through assessment, what it is that a student needs. Often referred to theoretically as a ‘negotiated syllabus’, once the ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ are collected and considered, an academic manager would discuss and agree on the syllabus of the course with the student as well as agree with student on realistic and achievable goals. As you might expect, this type of approach best suits students who have well-defined and specific needs and objectives. This often, perhaps a little lazily, is linked to Business English students, but in truth applies across the board to anyone who has a strong motivation to improve their proficiency in English.
An important complement to a thorough and high-quality approach to planning a course would be the selection of teachers to execute the programme. If well-qualified and experienced teaching staff are a given, then the task of matching teacher and student becomes paramount. If pronunciation work is the key focus then the main tutor should be the resident phonology expert. If a key objective is to better communicate in English within a financial context, then the tutor who comes from a financial background should be selected. This matching exercise does pre-suppose that the academic manager of the course is able to draw on a sufficiently large pool of teachers with a good range of backgrounds and expertise. This may or may not be the case and it would be advisable for the student to investigate this aspect when considering buying a course with a particular language school.
So a course gets completed, the student goes home and life goes on…did it work? Was it a successful course? Well customer feedback both written and verbal is a good starting point. One thing for sure, the school has to always set out with the intent of providing an excellent course and if that objective is adhered to in a steadfast manner then one is maximising the possibility of indeed providing an excellent One-to-One English language course.
Read more about our English courses in London.
Depends on what…well, the main ingredients are the school and its ethos, which flows down into the teachers used and the academic management employed to oversee and direct the course. Equally important is the English language level and clarity of objective of the student and last, but of course not least, the motivation and expectation of the student.
Intensive One-to-One English language courses are typically at least 20 hours or more a week. It is quite common for English language schools to define an immersion type course as 30 hours a week or possibly more. One clear implication of this is the importance of the English language level of the student…if a student is of a particularly low level, beginner or elementary, the effectiveness of a 30 hour immersion course is questionable. The ability of a student to concentrate, particularly if the lessons are being conducted in English, is limited and a 30 hour course could well be counter-productive with the student running out of steam halfway through the day! This is an important consideration that needs to be sorted out before the course starts. A 15 hour semi-immersion course would probably best suit the low-level student on the basis of efficient learning.
Of course sales departments might take a different view…..If the customer wanted 30 hours per week then sell the customer student 30 hours per week I hear them say. Of course, this links to the ethos of the school and how professionally and rigorously they approach an individual’s course. Much ‘fancy talk’ surrounds the marketing of One-to-One English immersion courses, but in essence it boils down to establishing clearly and absolutely what a student wants as well as, through assessment, what it is that a student needs. Often referred to theoretically as a ‘negotiated syllabus’, once the ‘wants’ and ‘needs’ are collected and considered, an academic manager would discuss and agree on the syllabus of the course with the student as well as agree with student on realistic and achievable goals. As you might expect, this type of approach best suits students who have well-defined and specific needs and objectives. This often, perhaps a little lazily, is linked to Business English students, but in truth applies across the board to anyone who has a strong motivation to improve their proficiency in English.
An important complement to a thorough and high-quality approach to planning a course would be the selection of teachers to execute the programme. If well-qualified and experienced teaching staff are a given, then the task of matching teacher and student becomes paramount. If pronunciation work is the key focus then the main tutor should be the resident phonology expert. If a key objective is to better communicate in English within a financial context, then the tutor who comes from a financial background should be selected. This matching exercise does pre-suppose that the academic manager of the course is able to draw on a sufficiently large pool of teachers with a good range of backgrounds and expertise. This may or may not be the case and it would be advisable for the student to investigate this aspect when considering buying a course with a particular language school.
So a course gets completed, the student goes home and life goes on…did it work? Was it a successful course? Well customer feedback both written and verbal is a good starting point. One thing for sure, the school has to always set out with the intent of providing an excellent course and if that objective is adhered to in a steadfast manner then one is maximising the possibility of indeed providing an excellent One-to-One English language course.
Read more about our English courses in London.
Thursday 5 November 2009
Ten Tips for Learning English as a Second Language
Through the years, St George International has hosted thousands of foreign students who have studied English courses in our English school in London. Although we like to think that SGI London is one of the best (if not the best) place on Earth to learn English, we’re aware that sometimes it can be difficult to learn a foreign language. Many students have asked the question: “What is the best way to learn a new language?” so we decided to write a few tips for you.
1.Wanting to learn
This may seem obvious, but if you’re not really committed to learn a new language, no class and no book in the world will be able to help you. You have to really want to learn the language otherwise it’s just too difficult. Just be honest with yourself, think about the reasons you want to study English and find your motivation.
2.Identifying your motivation
After you find your motivation, you need to identify it. Ask yourself “Why do I want to improve my English”? Is it to find a new/better job? To be promoted in your current job? Is it to travel around the world? To go to University? Considering living abroad? Make new friends? Watching a movie without the need for subtitles? There are many reasons to learn English and each person is different. If you think about your motivation and think how improving your English will help you to achieve your goals, it will be easier to stick to the task.
3.Setting your goals.
Once you have identified your motivation, you need to set up your goals to learn English. Those goals will help you to understand which areas you want to work on, see your progress and maintain your motivation.
It’s important to visualize your main goal, but it’s also important to set up small goals along the way that will motivate and encourage you to keep going. Learning a new language is a process.
4.Practice makes perfect
After you have set your goals, you know what you’ll need to practice. Now you need to focus on what needs to be done in order to achieve those goals and do it the correct way. You should understand yourself and how you learn better. For example, do you learn better by reading, doing, seeing or listening? Set time aside for study so you don’t have any excuses not to do it. Make sure to practice areas such as basic grammar, pronunciation and other aspects of the English language.
You should practice at least 5 days a week in order to see any progress. We say “Practice makes perfect, but only if it is the perfect practice”. This means not only practice the right way but having consistency. The more you practice, the better you become at it. For example, at SGI you can practice with other students as well.
5.Expose yourself to English as much as possible
The more you surround yourself with English the more you get used to it and the easier it will be to learn the language. Read books or magazines in English, listen to the radio in English (Windows Media Player has hundreds of radio stations in English), watch TV or movies without lyrics, speak to native English speakers. You will start to recognise sounds, words and phrases and it will become more familiar. Soon you’ll start thinking in English as well! Constructing the sentence in English in your head first is a good way to make fewer mistakes.
6.Increasing your vocabulary
Reading is an excellent way of increasing your vocabulary. You don’t need to read the Oxford dictionary from the beginning until the end, but consider reading everything you possibly can in English. You’ll learn new words.
Note: If you are a beginner, you may want to start off with a bilingual dictionary but once you are past the beginner stage of learning English as a second language, give it to a friend who is a beginner and get yourself a dictionary that is English-English.
7.Having fun
Why not? Learning a new language can be a fun thing to do. And the more you enjoy it, the easier it will be. Read comic books, play a game with a friend who is also learning English as a second language. At SGI for example, we have lots of fun social activities like boat trips, visits to museums, quizzes, etc, where we have lots of fun while also helping our students to improve their English.
8.Cultivate friendships with native English speakers
At SGI there are lots of opportunities to make friendships with other English students, but you can also do it in many other ways. The Internet for example is a wonderful way of meeting people that, like you, are learning English as a second language. Search for learning English groups and communities and find a learning buddy. You can also join the St Georges Facebook group.
9.Finding a good teacher
Using a qualified teacher that understands English is a step in the right direction. A teacher can set you goals and timelines for learning.
10.Acknowledge the progress you've made
If you follow these tips, your English will definitely improve. Remember, be patient….progress comes slowly but surely. Stopping at key stages and acknowledging your improvement is important to keep you motivated and also to celebrate your accomplishment. Sooner or later you will reach your goal!
Learning a new language is a skill that needs constant use. After you learn English and finish your course, you’ll need to continue to practice it otherwise you might lose it. Another language helps you understand the world, different cultures and different perceptions of life. Click here to know more about our English courses in London.
Please feel free to comment here or in our group English School in London on Facebook.
1.Wanting to learn
This may seem obvious, but if you’re not really committed to learn a new language, no class and no book in the world will be able to help you. You have to really want to learn the language otherwise it’s just too difficult. Just be honest with yourself, think about the reasons you want to study English and find your motivation.
2.Identifying your motivation
After you find your motivation, you need to identify it. Ask yourself “Why do I want to improve my English”? Is it to find a new/better job? To be promoted in your current job? Is it to travel around the world? To go to University? Considering living abroad? Make new friends? Watching a movie without the need for subtitles? There are many reasons to learn English and each person is different. If you think about your motivation and think how improving your English will help you to achieve your goals, it will be easier to stick to the task.
3.Setting your goals.
Once you have identified your motivation, you need to set up your goals to learn English. Those goals will help you to understand which areas you want to work on, see your progress and maintain your motivation.
It’s important to visualize your main goal, but it’s also important to set up small goals along the way that will motivate and encourage you to keep going. Learning a new language is a process.
4.Practice makes perfect
After you have set your goals, you know what you’ll need to practice. Now you need to focus on what needs to be done in order to achieve those goals and do it the correct way. You should understand yourself and how you learn better. For example, do you learn better by reading, doing, seeing or listening? Set time aside for study so you don’t have any excuses not to do it. Make sure to practice areas such as basic grammar, pronunciation and other aspects of the English language.
You should practice at least 5 days a week in order to see any progress. We say “Practice makes perfect, but only if it is the perfect practice”. This means not only practice the right way but having consistency. The more you practice, the better you become at it. For example, at SGI you can practice with other students as well.
5.Expose yourself to English as much as possible
The more you surround yourself with English the more you get used to it and the easier it will be to learn the language. Read books or magazines in English, listen to the radio in English (Windows Media Player has hundreds of radio stations in English), watch TV or movies without lyrics, speak to native English speakers. You will start to recognise sounds, words and phrases and it will become more familiar. Soon you’ll start thinking in English as well! Constructing the sentence in English in your head first is a good way to make fewer mistakes.
6.Increasing your vocabulary
Reading is an excellent way of increasing your vocabulary. You don’t need to read the Oxford dictionary from the beginning until the end, but consider reading everything you possibly can in English. You’ll learn new words.
Note: If you are a beginner, you may want to start off with a bilingual dictionary but once you are past the beginner stage of learning English as a second language, give it to a friend who is a beginner and get yourself a dictionary that is English-English.
7.Having fun
Why not? Learning a new language can be a fun thing to do. And the more you enjoy it, the easier it will be. Read comic books, play a game with a friend who is also learning English as a second language. At SGI for example, we have lots of fun social activities like boat trips, visits to museums, quizzes, etc, where we have lots of fun while also helping our students to improve their English.
8.Cultivate friendships with native English speakers
At SGI there are lots of opportunities to make friendships with other English students, but you can also do it in many other ways. The Internet for example is a wonderful way of meeting people that, like you, are learning English as a second language. Search for learning English groups and communities and find a learning buddy. You can also join the St Georges Facebook group.
9.Finding a good teacher
Using a qualified teacher that understands English is a step in the right direction. A teacher can set you goals and timelines for learning.
10.Acknowledge the progress you've made
If you follow these tips, your English will definitely improve. Remember, be patient….progress comes slowly but surely. Stopping at key stages and acknowledging your improvement is important to keep you motivated and also to celebrate your accomplishment. Sooner or later you will reach your goal!
Learning a new language is a skill that needs constant use. After you learn English and finish your course, you’ll need to continue to practice it otherwise you might lose it. Another language helps you understand the world, different cultures and different perceptions of life. Click here to know more about our English courses in London.
Please feel free to comment here or in our group English School in London on Facebook.
Tuesday 3 November 2009
Halloween English tips
Pumpkin: A large, orange vegetable associated with Halloween.
Jack-o-lantern: Traditionally people cut out scary faces in pumpkins and put a candle inside. These pumpkins with faces are called "Jack-o-lanterns." Jack-o-lanterns are made to scare away evil spirits on Halloween.
"trick or treat": On Halloween, children go from house to house and say "trick or treat." This phrase means give me candy or I will play a trick on you. Families usually give the children candy. If the children don't get candy, they sometimes play mean tricks like breaking the house's Jack-o-lantern or putting soap on its windows.
Costume party: A party where everyone dresses in scary costumes.
Goblin: An unkind spirit which plays tricks on people.
Witch: A woman with magic powers.
Warlock: a man with magic powers
Bobbing for apples: This is a traditional Halloween game. You put apples in a barrel of water and people try to take the floating apples out of the water using only their mouths.
Thursday 15 October 2009
TESOL Teacher Training Courses
Did you know that SGI also offers TESOL teacher training courses? Check our dedicated website to know more information.
Thursday 8 October 2009
The SGI October Halloween Newsletter is out!
Have a look at the new SGI newsletter dedicated to Halloween! It's full of fun and informational stuff and you can also win an English course with us here in London!
Tuesday 6 October 2009
The new Visa Points Based System for abroad language students in the UK
The international education sector has been living with the UK Border Agency’s new student visa guidelines for over 6 months now, and, initial teething troubles aside, it all seems to be working well, at least from this language school’s point of view. Indeed, it all seems pretty transparent: if a language school is willing to sponsor a foreign student’s visa application, and that student can prove he or she is genuinely interested in studying English and can afford course fees and living expenses, then it seems that the road to getting a student visa is relatively clear.
Of course, not any language school can issue a visa letter, which is why the UK Border Agency have been paying inspection visits to schools over the last year, ensuring that we are indeed what we say we are, and that we have clear systems to monitor our students when they arrive. Our own inspection, back in October 2008, was a thorough one, checking up on our courses and facilities, on how we monitor student attendance and keep student records, such as passport copies and contact details. We were fortunate enough to pass, and joined what is known as the Tier 4 Register of Sponsors, a list of bona fide educational institutions licenced by the UK Border Agency to issue Visa Letters.
Of course, getting a Visa Letter is just part of the process for an international student who wants to come to the UK to take an English course. They also need to prove their academic or linguistic level, usually by submitting examination certificates with their visa application, as well as their ability to pay for their course fees and living expenses without recourse to employment or benefits. But assuming these boxes are all successfully ticked, then an English language course should be just a flight away in an English school in London, for example.
And with the new compliance rules, by which students’ daily attendance is monitored thoroughly, and language schools are required to keep students’ contact details and passport copies, stories of empty classrooms and illegal working should be consigned to the past.
In reality, of course, it is not always as straightforward as schools and students would prefer. There are still stories of visa letters being rejected on technicalities - despite schools’ adherence to guidelines - and language level and financial documentation is not always deemed satisfactory (or genuine), leading to frustrating delays and refusals. As with any brand new (and rather complex) system, one cannot sometimes help coming to the conclusion that not all those implementing the scheme understand the rules as well as they should do – resulting in elementary errors preventing bona fide students from commencing their courses on time. In our experience, however, blunders are rare and getting rarer - and if the idea is to ensure that only genuine students go to genuine English language schools to benefit from a quality UK education, then, at least for this language school, the system seems to be working.
Of course, not any language school can issue a visa letter, which is why the UK Border Agency have been paying inspection visits to schools over the last year, ensuring that we are indeed what we say we are, and that we have clear systems to monitor our students when they arrive. Our own inspection, back in October 2008, was a thorough one, checking up on our courses and facilities, on how we monitor student attendance and keep student records, such as passport copies and contact details. We were fortunate enough to pass, and joined what is known as the Tier 4 Register of Sponsors, a list of bona fide educational institutions licenced by the UK Border Agency to issue Visa Letters.
Of course, getting a Visa Letter is just part of the process for an international student who wants to come to the UK to take an English course. They also need to prove their academic or linguistic level, usually by submitting examination certificates with their visa application, as well as their ability to pay for their course fees and living expenses without recourse to employment or benefits. But assuming these boxes are all successfully ticked, then an English language course should be just a flight away in an English school in London, for example.
And with the new compliance rules, by which students’ daily attendance is monitored thoroughly, and language schools are required to keep students’ contact details and passport copies, stories of empty classrooms and illegal working should be consigned to the past.
In reality, of course, it is not always as straightforward as schools and students would prefer. There are still stories of visa letters being rejected on technicalities - despite schools’ adherence to guidelines - and language level and financial documentation is not always deemed satisfactory (or genuine), leading to frustrating delays and refusals. As with any brand new (and rather complex) system, one cannot sometimes help coming to the conclusion that not all those implementing the scheme understand the rules as well as they should do – resulting in elementary errors preventing bona fide students from commencing their courses on time. In our experience, however, blunders are rare and getting rarer - and if the idea is to ensure that only genuine students go to genuine English language schools to benefit from a quality UK education, then, at least for this language school, the system seems to be working.
Tuesday 22 September 2009
NEW SCHOOL VIDEOS!
We're very excited here at SGI with our new school videos! You can listen to Barney and David talking about the school, listen to some of our students speaking about their experience at SGI, watch a group class and even see busy Oxford Circus!
Thursday 17 September 2009
European Day of Languages - Win an English course with us!
On the 26th September 2009 we’re celebrating the European Day of Languages together with the Council of Europe and many countries across Europe.
In order to celebrate it we’re offering a one week standard English course in London to the winner that answers correctly the 4 English questions. It's as simple as that!
For your chance to win, just visit the St George International website and enter our competition.
Friday 11 September 2009
Friday 14 August 2009
Chat with us!
We have now a live chat on our homepage to help with all your enquiries. Visit our website and just click on the green button on the top: "Chat with us":
Tuesday 11 August 2009
Monday 10 August 2009
Foreign language courses sales increase directly linked to the recession
Despite the current poor state of the economy, Saint George International (SGI), the language training specialists, have announced a marked increase in the number of foreign language courses sales, throughout the UK, in the first 2 quarters of the year.
The school’s marketing team has concluded that this surge of activity is in fact a direct result of the economic crisis. Many professional people, recently made redundant, are turning to language study as they increasingly seek an edge in their job search or look for a career change as they find themselves dealing with an extremely competitive and saturated job market.
To underline this later point , Britain reached a bleak milestone in May this year, as figures showed the number of workers now unemployed passed 2.4 million, the highest it has been since 1995. Indeed a recent report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel And Development suggests the jobs market will continue to shrink over the next three months – with both private and public sector chiefs planning to lay off many more people than they hire.
Improving language skills, or indeed learning a new language, is obviously one clear route open to people wanting to make themselves more employable, particularly given the international nature of companies and commercial activity these days. Employers are now particularly keen to hire people who speak more than one language and, given the current job market, having good language skills can make all the difference.
Max Loach, School Director of Saint George International comments: “Since the beginning of this year we’ve seen a very healthy increase in the number of people attending our foreign language courses throughout the UK, particularly those learning French, Spanish, Italian, German, Russian and Chinese but other languages as well. This has also covered all types of language study, General, Business Language courses and Academic Language Courses. Feedback from students suggests that this situation is a direct result of the economic downturn as a good number of them have recently lost their jobs or are concerned about losing their jobs and so are taking the opportunity to improve their language skills or possibly taking the plunge to learn a new language. I do feel that learning a new language is a real positive investment in one’s future at anytime but especially during a time of crisis like the one we’re in now.”
Find out more about all the quality SGI Foreign Languages programmes at:
http://www.stgeorges.co.uk/foreign-languages or our English courses in London.
The school’s marketing team has concluded that this surge of activity is in fact a direct result of the economic crisis. Many professional people, recently made redundant, are turning to language study as they increasingly seek an edge in their job search or look for a career change as they find themselves dealing with an extremely competitive and saturated job market.
To underline this later point , Britain reached a bleak milestone in May this year, as figures showed the number of workers now unemployed passed 2.4 million, the highest it has been since 1995. Indeed a recent report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel And Development suggests the jobs market will continue to shrink over the next three months – with both private and public sector chiefs planning to lay off many more people than they hire.
Improving language skills, or indeed learning a new language, is obviously one clear route open to people wanting to make themselves more employable, particularly given the international nature of companies and commercial activity these days. Employers are now particularly keen to hire people who speak more than one language and, given the current job market, having good language skills can make all the difference.
Max Loach, School Director of Saint George International comments: “Since the beginning of this year we’ve seen a very healthy increase in the number of people attending our foreign language courses throughout the UK, particularly those learning French, Spanish, Italian, German, Russian and Chinese but other languages as well. This has also covered all types of language study, General, Business Language courses and Academic Language Courses. Feedback from students suggests that this situation is a direct result of the economic downturn as a good number of them have recently lost their jobs or are concerned about losing their jobs and so are taking the opportunity to improve their language skills or possibly taking the plunge to learn a new language. I do feel that learning a new language is a real positive investment in one’s future at anytime but especially during a time of crisis like the one we’re in now.”
Find out more about all the quality SGI Foreign Languages programmes at:
http://www.stgeorges.co.uk/foreign-languages or our English courses in London.
Wednesday 5 August 2009
Guess and Win!
Win a course at SGI! We're offering a one week Intensive course of English to the winner who can name the famous ex-students. Click on the image above to participate.Friday 31 July 2009
A Brief History of Business English Teaching
What methodologists and teachers consider differentiates Business English from General English has obvious implications on how Business English is taught, along with the dominant approaches in English language teaching at any given time. We can see this by taking a brief look at developments in Business English teaching.
In the late 1960s and 1970s it was felt that the difference between Business English and General English was mainly specialist vocabulary, and this was reflected in the coursebooks and materials of the time. These focused largely on texts with comprehension questions, vocabulary exercises, and repetition drills. Business skills and application to real-life situations were not generally focused on.
A move towards greater skills training in a business context occurred in 1972 with the publication of the BBC coursebook and video English for Business, which incorporated greater emphasis on areas such as listening skills development, dialogue practice and role-plays, therefore accepting the need to develop students’ skills to deal with practical situations. This trend continued during the mid-1970s and 1980s, when Business English teaching followed the move in General English teaching towards a more functional syllabus. The focus was now on functional language and the teaching of formulaic phrases for recommending, agreeing, disagreeing etc. These were introduced in business contexts and practised in role-plays of common business situations such as making appointments, making introductions, business lunches etc.
From the late 1980s the focus shifted to working on business communication skills. This was largely due to the development of company training programmes in the late 1980s, which began to provide employees with opportunities to attend courses in presentation techniques, negotiating and effective meeting skills, among other things. This of course led to the publication of books and materials on business communication skills. This has profoundly influenced Business English teaching up to the present day in that the focus on Business communication skills forms a major component of most current Business English courses and coursebooks.
To conclude, and broadly-speaking, the focus on real-world communication, which is prevalent in much contemporary Business English teaching, fits in neatly with the principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), the predominant approach to English language teaching in the world for the past twenty years. In essence this is an approach to language teaching where the underlying key objective is to develop the learners’ ability to use language to communicate effectively. An important point related to CLT is that fluency and acceptable language is the primary goal. Language accuracy is judged in context.
Submitted by Saint George International www.stgeorges.co.uk
In the late 1960s and 1970s it was felt that the difference between Business English and General English was mainly specialist vocabulary, and this was reflected in the coursebooks and materials of the time. These focused largely on texts with comprehension questions, vocabulary exercises, and repetition drills. Business skills and application to real-life situations were not generally focused on.
A move towards greater skills training in a business context occurred in 1972 with the publication of the BBC coursebook and video English for Business, which incorporated greater emphasis on areas such as listening skills development, dialogue practice and role-plays, therefore accepting the need to develop students’ skills to deal with practical situations. This trend continued during the mid-1970s and 1980s, when Business English teaching followed the move in General English teaching towards a more functional syllabus. The focus was now on functional language and the teaching of formulaic phrases for recommending, agreeing, disagreeing etc. These were introduced in business contexts and practised in role-plays of common business situations such as making appointments, making introductions, business lunches etc.
From the late 1980s the focus shifted to working on business communication skills. This was largely due to the development of company training programmes in the late 1980s, which began to provide employees with opportunities to attend courses in presentation techniques, negotiating and effective meeting skills, among other things. This of course led to the publication of books and materials on business communication skills. This has profoundly influenced Business English teaching up to the present day in that the focus on Business communication skills forms a major component of most current Business English courses and coursebooks.
To conclude, and broadly-speaking, the focus on real-world communication, which is prevalent in much contemporary Business English teaching, fits in neatly with the principles of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), the predominant approach to English language teaching in the world for the past twenty years. In essence this is an approach to language teaching where the underlying key objective is to develop the learners’ ability to use language to communicate effectively. An important point related to CLT is that fluency and acceptable language is the primary goal. Language accuracy is judged in context.
Submitted by Saint George International www.stgeorges.co.uk
Summer Games Day!
Summer Games Day on Saturday 8th August at Regents Park from 1pm - SGI will be competing against other English schools - and we need you to win! Enroll from Tuesday: http://www.stgeorges.co.uk/img/summer-games.gif
Wednesday 29 July 2009
Under the Bridges Walking Tour
Join teacher Owen at 3:15pm today on a fascinating walk along the River Thames from St.Paul’s Cathedral to The Tower of London. As well as being one of our popular English teachers, Owen is also a professional tour guide and proud owner of a ‘City of London Green Badge’!!! Bring your camera!! Please sign up online: http://www.stgeorges.co.uk/english-courses/e-learning.shtml
Tuesday 28 July 2009
A Foundation for life. University Foundation courses in London
Why not do a University Foundation course at a British-Council accredited language school in the cosmopolitan international atmosphere of London?
University Foundation courses have become increasingly popular in recent years as a way for overseas students to gain admission to British Universities and Colleges of Higher Education. These courses will typically involve an element of English language development, leading to the taking of the IELTS test, and an assessed element of subject study within a broad area, such as Business, Engineering etc.
Typically either 6 or 9 months in length, University Foundation courses can be taken at a whole range of different organisations, however taking these courses at British-Council accredited language schools has grown enormously in popularity in recent years. There are a number of good reasons for this……
Small is good
Language Schools are invariably quite small in comparison to universities. Typically language schools range in student numbers from 80-200 whereas even small universities will usually have many thousands of students. This ‘smallness’ has a number of benefits at both the pre-course and in-course stages.
Whilst there are inevitably variations in response, generally language schools within the accredited private sector are able to provide a very quick personal service to enquiring parents of prospective University Foundation course students. This is particularly important at the pre-course stage when parents need to feel they are making the right choice for their son or daughter. Being able to ask questions, seek explanations and clarifications and quite possibly being able to speak in your mother tongue is tremendously reassuring to the customer. This is something universities, who operate in a much more standardised way due to the volume of students, struggle to do.
Another positive feature of private sector language schools is class size. Typically classes will be between 10-15 students at language schools whereas university classes are typically in excess of 30. This small class feature is very important to students from overseas, they particular need that greater degree of personal attention afforded at a quality language school. After all, they are getting familiar with a new culture, they are probably struggling with their English and many may be away from their home countries for the first time.
Language is the key
Of course the key area of expertise of an English language school is, not surprisingly, English language teaching! Almost without exception, University Foundation course students need to work extensively on their English, not least because they have to achieve a proven level of English usually by way of the IELTS test, in order to enter university. This makes language schools the natural habitat for the international student, as the importance of developing confidence and proficiency with their English is absolutely vital if they want to succeed at university and enjoy their intended long stay in the UK.
An added bonus, of studying at a language school is the high degree of sensitivity and awareness of other cultures that resides within faculty. The staff are totally attuned to dealing with different cultures and this partly emanates out of the fact that many of the teachers have travelled and taught English extensively overseas. This means that dealing sensitively with students from different cultures is something that is second nature to language school teachers and staff.
Broadening Horizons:
You can take University Foundation courses anywhere in the UK but the number of students choosing to study in London has steadily increased over the past decade.
London of course is simply one of the great cities of the world. There is an energy and excitement about London that quickens the pulse of even the most seasoned traveller. That sense of discovery and opportunity within a cosmopolitan international setting is an invigorating starting point for any young person looking to broaden their horizons.
This article was submitted by Saint George International
University Foundation courses have become increasingly popular in recent years as a way for overseas students to gain admission to British Universities and Colleges of Higher Education. These courses will typically involve an element of English language development, leading to the taking of the IELTS test, and an assessed element of subject study within a broad area, such as Business, Engineering etc.
Typically either 6 or 9 months in length, University Foundation courses can be taken at a whole range of different organisations, however taking these courses at British-Council accredited language schools has grown enormously in popularity in recent years. There are a number of good reasons for this……
Small is good
Language Schools are invariably quite small in comparison to universities. Typically language schools range in student numbers from 80-200 whereas even small universities will usually have many thousands of students. This ‘smallness’ has a number of benefits at both the pre-course and in-course stages.
Whilst there are inevitably variations in response, generally language schools within the accredited private sector are able to provide a very quick personal service to enquiring parents of prospective University Foundation course students. This is particularly important at the pre-course stage when parents need to feel they are making the right choice for their son or daughter. Being able to ask questions, seek explanations and clarifications and quite possibly being able to speak in your mother tongue is tremendously reassuring to the customer. This is something universities, who operate in a much more standardised way due to the volume of students, struggle to do.
Another positive feature of private sector language schools is class size. Typically classes will be between 10-15 students at language schools whereas university classes are typically in excess of 30. This small class feature is very important to students from overseas, they particular need that greater degree of personal attention afforded at a quality language school. After all, they are getting familiar with a new culture, they are probably struggling with their English and many may be away from their home countries for the first time.
Language is the key
Of course the key area of expertise of an English language school is, not surprisingly, English language teaching! Almost without exception, University Foundation course students need to work extensively on their English, not least because they have to achieve a proven level of English usually by way of the IELTS test, in order to enter university. This makes language schools the natural habitat for the international student, as the importance of developing confidence and proficiency with their English is absolutely vital if they want to succeed at university and enjoy their intended long stay in the UK.
An added bonus, of studying at a language school is the high degree of sensitivity and awareness of other cultures that resides within faculty. The staff are totally attuned to dealing with different cultures and this partly emanates out of the fact that many of the teachers have travelled and taught English extensively overseas. This means that dealing sensitively with students from different cultures is something that is second nature to language school teachers and staff.
Broadening Horizons:
You can take University Foundation courses anywhere in the UK but the number of students choosing to study in London has steadily increased over the past decade.
London of course is simply one of the great cities of the world. There is an energy and excitement about London that quickens the pulse of even the most seasoned traveller. That sense of discovery and opportunity within a cosmopolitan international setting is an invigorating starting point for any young person looking to broaden their horizons.
This article was submitted by Saint George International
Monday 20 July 2009
Friday 10 July 2009
Boat Trip 30th June 2009
On the 30th June 2009 SGI promoted a boat trip to see the sights of London from the Thames and visit the Greenwich Meridian Line, as part of our social programme, involving both teachers and students. Our social activities are opportunities for everyone to meet each other, visit London and practice their English while having fun!
What to expect from a good English language course
To learn English has more or less become a necessity for citizens of the world today. In 2008 the English Language grew ever more global with some 1,300,000,000 speakers using it as their first, second, business, or technical tongue. This huge global demand to learn English has spawned The English language teaching ( ELT) industry, an industry that in the UK alone contributes in excess of £1 billion in exports annually to the UK economy.
This global industry is largely made up of English language schools of all sizes and of varying quality that can be found on almost every street corner of every city in the world. So you’ve decided to learn English so what should you expect from a good English language course
Here at Saint George International ( SGI) in London we have laid down a ‘Student Charter’ which we feel ensures students receive a good English language course when they come to us. These are the key points.
We aim to ensure that all students…..
- develop their ability to speak and understand everyday English;
- increase their grammatical knowledge so they can use a greater range of structures when speaking English;
- develop their ability to read and write English more efficiently;
- increase their active vocabulary and are provided with ideas as to how to independently improve their vocabulary;
- improve their pronunciation and expressiveness when speaking English;
- build their confidence in using English through controlled communicative activities in the classroom;
- develop their ability to become more independent as learners of English by providing self-study opportunities in the self-study centre along with advice on continuing their learning when they finish their studies at Saint George International;
- have a clear indication of the progress they make through our system of tests, tutorials and public examinations;
- are offered the opportunity to take a public examination if they want to do so;
- are treated as individuals with individual needs.
From our experience, if a language school in London or anywhere else can cover the above points then you the student are almost certainly receiving a good English language course.
Submitted by Saint George International http://www.stgeorges.co.uk/learn-english.shtml
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