23
Nov
2009
Academic and Cambridge Exams
PACE
GEOS Gold Coast is an English college offering a range of English language courses for all levels. Among these, it offers a course in Preparation for Academic and Cambridge Exams (PACE). PACE is a twelve-week course designed for students at an Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate level that are looking to study at an intensive level. It helps those who want to improve all areas of their English skills quickly, but are not at an appropriate level to enter the IELTS or Cambridge Exam preparation courses.
This course will improve students’ skills so they can enrol in an exam preparation course, but will also help those wanting to improve their English to travel and work in Australia. Students are tested on a weekly basis on grammar and vocabulary, speaking, listening, reading and writing. Classes are held five days a week, with different topics each week ranging from cinema to science, relationships and travel. Apart from in-class work on interviews, writing reports, reading comprehension, negotiation, grammar and so on, homework is also assigned each day from research tasks to translation.
Academic English
Academic writing is a genre different to news articles, fiction novels or blogging. It involves not only a strong grasp of the English language in order to present your argument succintly, but also specific skills in paraphrasing, summarising, critiqueing and referencing. For example, in a literature review you will outline the main ideas of other authors, referencing their works, then comparing and contrasting to reveal strengths and weaknesses.
A well-written academic paper will also be structured logically, cohesively and coherently. Students must know how to write a strong introduction and conclusion, as well as being able to link the main points in the body with topic and linking sentences. Furthermore, most academic papers will not be written in the first person using ‘I’. Instead, the author’s voice should come across through perceptive analysis of the evidence.
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.
25
Jun
2009
ESL and EFL
What is ESL and EFL?
ESL stands for ‘English as a Second Language’ and EFL stands for ‘English as a Foreign Language’. These terms refer to the study of English by non-native speakers. ESL is primarily used in regard to teaching students English who are already in an English-speaking country, and need to learn the language to help pass exams, get a job or to advance their career. By contrast, EFL is generally used in reference to teaching English in a non-English speaking country in order to travel to an English-speaking country or simply to be able to work in their own country. For those intending to stay in their native country, English is often picked up as a skill to improve job prospects in multinational corporations or to assist in liaising with English speakers overseas. This is particularly relevant due to the global nature of commerce today and the widespread use of English as the ‘lingua franca’ or common language. The significance of the English language can be seen in its widespread use as 75 countries have English as their official language.
These two branches have developed into quite distinct divisions, requiring different training qualifications, using different teaching methodologies, emphasising different aspects of language learning (e.g. business terminology vs academic English or everyday English), and forming separate professional associations. English study as ESL or EFL can be undertaken at all levels of education- primary, secondary, tertiary and adult education.
Learning English
Learning a language isn’t always easy. It requires determination and focus, especially as language is a skill that develops slowly over time. Not only are the parameters of the English language enormous- with at least a quarter of a million distinct words (excluding jargon and regional variations)- but there are various aspects to language learning as well. These include speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills, each with their own difficulties such as grammar rules, spelling rules, and pronunciation and inflection norms.