Our Method
First steps
At ELS, we believe in structuring the content of the lessons to meet the specific needs of each student with the emphasis on flexibility and so we carry out an initial appraisal as part of the introductory meeting.
At this meeting with the student we will discuss and set the Language Training goals and objectives.
These cover areas such as business communication and presentation skills, language skills required for day to day life situations and preferred methods of learning.
At the end of this consultation, the student is asked to list his/her most important language training goals and these will become the focus of the individual language training program.
Also, in order to determine the current degree of the student's language ability, initial testing is carried out by the assigned Language Instructor to assess the level of listening, reading comprehension, writing and conversational skills. This testing enables us to determine appropriate course books and materials as well as language teaching methods.
Regular progress reviews
At the beginning of each month, the Instructor will discuss with the student the language objectives for the month so that the student has a clear idea of the level of progression that he/she can expect to attain by month end.
How we teach
At ELS, we are very much focused on helping the student to communicate with spontaneity and accuracy in the target language as quickly and painlessly as possible.
So, while grammar is an essential part of the learning process, we also believe in teaching the student key conversational phrases and words to enable the student to start communicating in the target language straight away.
Our teaching methods are relaxed and informal and we try to make them fun. We encourage our students to actively participate in speaking and we use real life situations and role play to help them feel more comfortable.
Course books are supplemented by other materials such as flashcards to develop vocabulary skills, CDs and podcasts to improve listening and conversational skills and publications such as newspapers and magazines to develop reading and writing skills.