language school

There are actually no strict admission restrictions for language schools. As long as you want to learn English, prepare training funds, apply for a visa, and apply, you can generally get admission.

However, there are so many language training institutions. What factors need to be considered to find a school that suits you?

First of all, determine your purpose of learning English. Do you have further plans for further studies after graduation, or do you just want to learn English? 

Language training institutions in the UK are divided into private language schools and university-affiliated language centers.

 

private language school

advantage: 

Private language schools provide a wide range of courses, from general English to English courses for various special projects, such as high school preparation English, business English, computer English, and English for elementary school teachers.

 

For students who want to study special subjects or high school, private language schools are a good choice. The teaching in private language schools is more lively and life-oriented than language classes in universities. For students who want to experience humanities, economy, and culture, the rich and vivid teaching content of private language schools will allow you to gain the greatest gain.

 

Since the class sizes of most private language schools are not as large as the language centers attached to university schools, the start dates are very flexible and you can enroll almost every Monday. Moreover, teachers can take better care of the needs of each student and devote more attention to their learning. At the same time, because the students are mainly overseas students, the teachers are familiar with the weaknesses of their classmates, and their teaching standards are much higher than those in language classes affiliated with universities.

 shortcoming:

Except for a few super private schools that can directly enter university without taking IELTS/TOEFL after completing their diploma courses, most students who graduate from private language schools must have IELTS/TOEFL scores to enter university.

 

University-affiliated language center

advantage:

The teachers of the language center attached to the school have a better understanding of the school’s formal curriculum education system and the language learning obstacles that students are likely to encounter when entering higher education in the future. Therefore, they can provide students with various information to help students overcome language and other problems. There are various obstacles that may arise when taking formal courses in the future. In terms of courses, academic English is the main focus. Students can familiarize themselves with the university's environment and equipment in advance, which will help shorten their adaptation period when taking formal courses in the future. 

shortcoming: 

Most of the students in language classes affiliated with British universities come from academic institutions cooperating with English-speaking countries such as Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, or students who have been in the UK for a while and have a certain level of English. When teaching, school teachers do not fully consider students from non-English-speaking countries such as China, South Korea, and Japan.

 

Since the language classes attached to the university are mainly for further studies, the course schedule and learning atmosphere are quite tense. The courses are less selective, either general English or academic English. In the language centers of some well-known universities, since Chinese students need to obtain supporting visas for English and graduate studies, more than 89% of the students are Chinese students studying in academic English classes.

 

In addition, there is usually localism in language classes affiliated with universities. For example, suppose that a student Chen has finished studying in the language class of University A, only to find that University A has rejected his application for admission. Or you find that University B or graduate school courses are more suitable for you. At this time, Chen is unable to apply for University B with the language scores of University A. At this time, the only way is to take the IELTS test (there is a risk of failing the test) ; or Go to University B and take another direct English class.

 

In fact, the so-called public and private language schools are not necessarily good or bad. Basically, the teaching and courses of each language center have their own characteristics. Students can discuss with the consultant to find some concepts based on the above-mentioned factors and other considerations to find the language learning environment that best suits them.

 

Consideration of geographical environment, climate, and human factors

Language centers and overseas students are most densely distributed in big cities. There are also people who are impressed by the large number of international students in big cities and want to develop in other places. It is suggested here that in addition to considering humanistic factors, students should also weigh themselves and make decisions about their adaptability to the new environment.

Some students also want to go to the countryside, where there are fewer Chinese people, so that they can learn English better. However, because life in the countryside is boring and monotonous, there are fewer overseas students. Over time, overseas students form their own life circle, or form gangs, independent of mainstream life, and the meaning of studying abroad is lost.

 

Considerations of other economic factors

When many friends choose a language school, financial cost is a major factor in their choice. Current tuition fees at British language schools range from £180-£300 per week. In terms of living expenses, basically the cost of daily necessities in the UK is about the same as in China, or even tends to be lower. Prices in metropolitan areas are actually lower than those in the countryside. This is because logistics and warehousing are mostly located in cities, and freight costs are naturally passed on to prices in the countryside. One year's language school tuition plus living expenses costs about 100,000 to 200,000 yuan. In addition to financial considerations, if you have relatives or friends in the local area, you can take care of them nearby.

 

Other subtle considerations

How long has the school been established?

The history of a school's establishment has a certain positive relationship with teaching experience, teacher quality and teaching material development. The good thing about the new school is that everything is new, and the teachers are also new. The school wants to make a name for itself in the world, so the service must be good. In the old school, everything is already on track, you just need to move forward at a normal speed. If someone messes up, you have nothing to do! The best ones are schools with a certain history, and with board certification, you will be more assured of the quality of teaching.

 

The type of environment you prefer

Big cities - convenient transportation, many activities, many job opportunities, many information, many competitions, many choices and low prices, many restaurants, many bookstores, many shopping and exhibition opportunities, complete living functions, and it is convenient to fly back to the country

Small towns or villages - beautiful environment, leisurely pace, without the noise and crowds of cities. You have to go around again and again when you return home, but the prices are not necessarily low ...

 

types of school

Is it a university language center with a campus where you can experience university life, or is it a private language center with rich activity arrangements, convenient and cheap schools located in the city center?

school size

Do you prefer a small school with small class sizes and good interaction between teachers and classmates, or a university-affiliated school with less selective courses?

 

proportion of students

If you are concerned about the number of Chinese-speaking students in your school, generally the language centers affiliated with well-known universities will have more Chinese students. In contrast, many private language schools will have more European or South American students.

 

What is the school type like?

 Some people think that a language center affiliated with a university must be larger and of better quality than a private language school, but in fact this may not be the case. Just ask what type of school it is, and the most important thing is to understand its quality based on your personal needs and preferences, as well as the following considerations:

 

Proportion of Chinese students

According to the school’s research experience, when the number of students from the same country in a class exceeds 20 %, the learning effect will be greatly reduced. Therefore, it is recommended that you avoid choosing a school with too many Chinese students.

 

Proportion of Asian students

Usually, the proportion of Asian students will also have some impact on your learning effect, but it also depends on whether you mind.

 

Teacher level

At present, the level of language schools varies. The quality of the courses depends on the teachers. Therefore, you must find a language school whose teachers are recognized by professional teachers such as TESOL and can provide teachers with further training. Of course, the tuition fee is worth one cent, and the teachers are one cent, and you must find a cheap one. It seems impossible for schools to expect high-level teachers.

Study progress and tutoring school course progress

Whether the planned courses and introduction to students' learning progress are clearly announced on a regular basis. Whether there are regular experts to provide evaluation opinions and feedback. You should carefully ask whether there will be a language proficiency test and an internationally recognized certificate after graduation. It can also be considered. A reference for school size, reputation, and quality.

 

What hardware equipment should the school have?

What equipment the school provides is very important to students. Generally speaking, in addition to classrooms, most schools will provide libraries and audio-visual equipment for students to use for free during after-school self-study, such as computer classrooms and student lounges. Some larger ones will also have restaurants, student dormitories, bookstores, etc.

Is email or the Internet available?

More and more schools provide e-mail or the Internet for students to use. The difference is that some require payment and some are free.

 

How many classes a week and how many hours?

The length of the course has a lot to do with the study tour goals you set. If you want to learn while having fun, you should choose a half-day course and only take 15 or 20 classes a week, which is a more relaxed course ; on the contrary, If you really want to learn English quickly and seriously, you should choose an intensive course with 25 or 30 classes a week.

 

class size

According to the recommendations of the Australian government, the best learning results are achieved in classes with a maximum number of 15 students. Usually, except for the summer vacation from July to September , it will be full to 18 people. Normally, it should be around 10 people.

 

When will the course start?

The starting date of the course is closely related to your study abroad / study tour time plan, so don’t ignore this part. Generally, private language centers are available. General English can be admitted to the university-affiliated language center every Monday. Academic English or special English, there are certain Class start time. You should also consider the start times of subsequent courses.

After you have completed the above procedures, you can first check the list of legal language schools in the country, do a preliminary screening first, remove the cities you will not go to, choose a university center or a private school, and then go to the school's website to view courses Does the design meet your needs? Then shortlist a few that you like.