GENERAL ENGLISH
What is General English?
The General English course has the main focus on communication skills, this course also provides a solid foundation in conversation and the main linguistic skills such as reading, writing, listening and speaking.There is a core course book and workbook, which are supplemented by teachers with authentic materials such as newspapers, magazines, menus, manuals, brochures and a range of other sources.
Key points
- Suitable for any student who wishes to improve their English in a less intensive way.
- General ‘all-round’ approach.
- Revision of major grammar and vocabulary at each level.
- In-house examinations.
- More time for out-of-class activities.
Timeline
Afternoon: 1:45 pm – 5:00 pm.
Hours per week: 15,h 20h or 30h.
Entry requirements: Students should have a basic knowledge of English (A1 level). Those who are complete beginners will have to enter a one-to-one programme until A1 level is achieved.
Study & Work Package
It consists of a visa period of 8 months, beginning from the start date of the course. The package includes 6 months of study, 2 months of vacation and a work permit of up to 20 hours per week.Preparation Package
Preparation courses can be purchased together with the study and work package or separately. Recommended only for students of upper-intermediate level or higher.Full Time Package
In this package, the student can choose how many weeks to study with different levels of General English being taught in the morning and afternoon.METHODOLOGY
The goal of the methodology is to provide elements and tools that will allow learners the opportunity to communicate in classroom, based on real life experiences and situations that are created by our teachers and detailed in our coursebooks. Our coursebooks have been carefully selected and designed by OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS and CAMBRIDGE.
- Our focus is a Communicative Approach – speaking with correction.
- Grammar is presented communicatively through Guided Discovery and the Test Teach Test method.
- Class staging procedure at Academic Bridge has been designed in line with student feedback, class observations (DoS and Peer) and current best practice in TEFL. Following the staging procedure ensures continuity for all students throughout the school.
- The coursebook is used as the guideline for the lesson and is not used exclusively. The key systems – Grammar, Vocabulary and Pronunciation, are taught using the coursebook material and alternative resources.
- Skills work – Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking – is best taken from the coursebook as the material is in line with the weekly objectives of the unit.
- Our teachers use the first half of Monday’s lessons as revision and practice of the content from the previous week, which provides a sense of continuity for existing students and helps new students integrate more easily into the classes.
UNDERSTAND HOW WE PLACE OUR STUDENTS
Elementary
You can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help. You can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases.
Pre-Intermediate
You can communicate in a simple way on familiar and routine matters. You can describe certain aspects of your background and other familiar matters in simple terms.
Intermediate
You can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar topics regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. You can deal with most situations likely to arise where the language is spoken.
Upper Intermediate
You can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar topics regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.You can also describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
Advanced
You can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation. You can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
Proficiency Level
You can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. You can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. You are able to express yourself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.