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.
11
Sep
2009
English Language Colleges in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is located to the southeast of Australia, and is composed of two main islands: the North Island and the South Island. The South Island is the larger island, and is divided along its length by the Southern Alps, while the North Island is less mountainous but more volcanic. The realm of New Zealand also includes Stewart Island, the Chatham Islands, the Cook Islands, and the Ross Dependency in Antarctica.
Its capital is Wellington, though its largest city is Auckland. The official languages are Maori and English, as its indigenous people are the Maori and it was settled by Europeans in the seventeenth century. The first Europeans to reach New Zealand were Dutch, who gave it the name Nova Zeelandia, but it was the English who claimed sovereignty and negotiated a treaty with the Maori in 1840, thereby anglicising the name to ‘New Zealand’. Queen Elizabeth II is the official head of state, represented by the Governor-General, however the actual governing of the country is undertaken by the democratically elected Parliament and Prime Minister.
English Colleges in New Zealand
The GEOS Wellington English College was established in 2003 and is the youngest of the GEOS group. Usually the college contains around 30 to 40 students. The school caters for General English courses (both full-time and part-time), TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and TOEIC (Test of English for International Purposes) courses, Cambridge FCE (First Certificate in English) and CAE (Advanced English) courses, as well as IELTS Examination Preparation and English for Academic Purposes.
The GEOS Christchurch English college opened in 1997 and has now grown to 120 students, though the maximum number of students in a class remains only twelve so students can interact with the teacher easily. It is located in the heart of the city, next to the Avon River. Students come from all over the world to learn English there, with a variety of courses.
30
Jun
2009
CAE- Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English
CAE
The Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English is an examination that tests a candidate’s English abilities for work or study purposes. There are many benefits to taking the CAE including its wide recognition by businesses and academia, convenience of location (it is available across 127 countries), and its availability (exams are generally held twice a year). A preparation CAE course will equip candidates with valuable language skills at a Level C1 of the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). Furthermore, it is valid for life and gives you confidence to use English in actual situations.
Is CAE the right test for you?
The CAE is for those who can - in English- read quickly enough to succeed in an academic course, understand complex opinions, produce clear and well-structured pieces of text, use English flexibly in social situations and effectively in business situations. As the name of the Certificate implies the test is aimed at those with an advanced grasp of the English language in all its forms - speaking, writing, reading and listening.
CAE test format
In contrast to other test papers such as TOEFL and the IELTS, the CAE paper has five components. The first section deals with reading skills (1.25 hrs) which requires the applicant to understand a wide range of texts include fiction and non-fiction books, journals, magazines and newspapers. The second section tests the applicant’s writing abilities (1.5hrs) through producing 2 pieces of writing in different formats (such as a report, essay, article, proposal, etc). This is followed by a component that tests the applicant’s use of English grammar and vocabulary through a serires of different tasks. Then there is the listening component (40 minutes) that tests understanding across different verbal texts (eg lectures, radio broadcasts, conversations, and speeches). Finally there is a 15 minute speaking exam which you undertake with another candidate to test your skills in different types of interaction.