Archive for the ‘Studying in Australia’ Category
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6
Nov
2009
GEOS English Colleges
GEOS International Group
The GEOS International Group was established to contribute to international communication through teaching English. It was founded in 1973 and its colleges span approximately 15 countries, across Europe, North America, Asia and Oceania. GEOS stands for Global Education Opportunities and Services, and offers quality language teaching with experienced and caring English teachers.
GEOS colleges offer a range of professionally accredited English courses, useful for improving English language skills, gaining entry into tertiary education or seeking employment in English speaking companies. These include general English for beginners, intermediate and advanced learners, as well as more speciliased courses such as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English (CAE), Business English, International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Teaching of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), and Teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). They often offer programmes that combine leisure activities or sightseeing with English classes, such as English and Surfing. All the colleges offer modern facilities, located in exciting tourist destinations to combine English language learning with fun.
GEOS Oceania
GEOS Oceania has colleges in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Taiwan and Korea. In Australia, there are colleges in most of the capital cities including Sydney in New South Wales, Cairns, Brisbane and the Gold Coast in Queensland, Adelaide in South Australia, Perth in Western Australia and Melbourne in Victoria. In New Zealand, there are GEOS colleges in Wellington and Christchurch, and in South Africa there is a college in Cape Town. In Singapore, the GEOS college is of course in the city of Singapore, it being a city-state.
The colleges have a reputation for providing students with outstanding teaching, ensureing that students’ language goals are met while having fun. They offer extensive student support, leisure and educational facilities, help with accommodation, small class sizes, experienced and qualified teachers, as well as a diverse student body.
19
Oct
2009
Australian English
Australian English
English became the official language of Australia after being colonised by the British. However, the language evolved away from standard British English over time. One of the dominant English influences was South-East England Cockney, with input from the Irish, Welsh and Scots. During the gold rushes of the 1850s, American colloquialisms and expressions were also added to the Australian vocabulary. Today, Australian English is most similar to New Zealand English due to their similar history and geographical proximity.
Apart from a distinct Australian accent, which has been categorised as ‘broad’, ‘general’ and ‘cultivated’ (General English is the most common in English), Australia also has unique terms and expressions. These include phrases such as “fair dinkum!”, “g’day!”, and “dinky-di”, though they are more likely to be used in paradies of Australian speech than actual Australian slang.
Learning English in Australia
GEOS has several English colleges in Australia, in fact in most of the Australian capital cities. These include colleges in Sydney (NSW), Cairns (Qld), Brisbane (Qld), the Gold Coast (Qld), Adelaide (SA), Perth (WA) and Melbourne (VIC). These colleges offer a range of courses to improve English skills, often incorporating fun activities as part of the program. Some of the typical English courses on offer, depending on the particular college, include General English, TESOL, CAE, Business English and Study Tours.
All are situated in great locations for sightseeing, access to public transport, nearby cafes and shopping opportunities, often near beaches and a range of tourist activities from water sports to museums, galleries, wine tasting, entertainment venues and restaurants. There is often accommodation on-campus, and if not, places to stay nearby.
With highly qualified teachers that have experience teaching in various locations around the world, small class sizes, and students of mixed nationalities and ages, GEOS colleges offer a great experience and effective teaching. The great benefit of studying at one of these English schools is that they can immerse you in an English-speaking culture. Consequentially, students have ample opportunity to practice their skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening to English.
19
Oct
2009
English Language Colleges
Why study at a language college?
While it is possible to learn another language on your own, or through a distance education course, or simply by immersing yourself in the language by going overseas, and English language college can give you the best of all these options.
GEOS English language colleges immerse you in English-language cultures all over the world, providing ample opportunity not only to practice your language skills, but also have a lot of fun exploring the country and meeting new people. Through regular weekday and weekend activities, as well as fun courses such as ‘English plus Surfing’, students get to experience much more than simply the classroom. Students will also get to make new friends within the college, with a mix of students from over 30 different countries.
On the other hand, spending time at an English language college will mean that you get a real grasp on the language- including reading, writing, listening and speaking. From the basics to advanced English courses, GEOS colleges offer a range of courses to cater for whatever level students are at. These include General English, Cambridge Preparation Programs, English for TESOL and much more. The courses are taught by highly qualified and experienced teachers who have lived and taught all around the world. In addition, these courses offer pathways to further studies, whether university or other tertiary institutions such as TAFE.
Learning English
GEOS Gold Coast, located 5 minutes from Surfers Paradise Beach, offers a range of English language courses. These include General English, Preparation for Academic and Cambridge Exams (PACE), IELTS Exam Preparation (IELTS), Cambridge Exam Preparation (FCE/CAE), Certificate IV in Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), the Joey Kangaroo Club (Young Learners Program), and the Study Tour Program.
The Study Tour Program offers students a range of custom made courses and programs, designed to combine English lessons with an area of interest. So this would mean combining an English language course (such as General English) with sports, sightseeing, adventure holidays and more.