Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[English and Culture]

I agree with some of the points that have been mentioned in this thread. The school shouldn't be making a guarantee that they can teach you faster than other schools because a lot of your success will depend on your own willingness to practice outside of class.

The teachers should have at least a teaching certificate such as TESOL or CELTA. It is even better if they have graduate degrees in TESOL. You should ask the school about the kind of experience the teachers have. Have they taught English abroad? This usually means that they will be better teachers because they will understand different learning styles and how culture influences what we do in the classroom.

Finally, the methods used by the school are very important. Do the teachers stick to a textbook or do they customize the courses and create experiential activities like role plays, based on the needs of the students?

There are a lot of important questions to ask when you look for a good English school. If you want to learn more, check out the article I wrote about this here:

http://www.englishandculture.com/blog/bid/68302/Find-the-Right-Private-English-Tutor-11-Important-Questions-to-Ask[/url]
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Notes on Life and Language in the United States

[PremiereChris]

There are a lot of English language schools in Houston and the big question is always how does someone choose a good language school? The most important thing to consider is what kind of teachers does the school use? A lot of language schools don't prioritize hiring highly qualified language teachers but that is the most important quality that you want to find with a good language school. Some schools want to emphasize "certification" and that they use certified teachers but keep in mind that anyone can get certified to teach ESL. All you need to do is pay a fee, take a course, and you will get a certification. This doesn't indicate whether or not a teacher is good or not. For me, what is most important is not certifications or educational background as much as actual teaching experience. I want to know that the teacher has authentic ESL or EFL teaching experience. Moreover, I want to know that a teacher has taught English in a foreign country because teachers who have had the experience of being an expat make much better teachers. My advice to anyone looking for a great language school is to always ask about the teachers. If you can, ask to speak to one of the teachers. Then, try to judge ask about how they teach their classes and also how they speak to you over the phone or in person (if you can visit the school). If you like the teachers, you are likely to like the school.
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Chris

[scsmith1391]

Hello, I am a teacher and graduate student looking for students to take a test of writing that I have designed....the test is internet-based, and the link is below. Your help would be greatly appreciated!

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dFk5dlZJak5CRUR5T3JGckRGc3dQYUE6MQ

[Stephanie S]

A lot of people choose to take English courses in Malta instead of the UK or the Americas, because it is a lot cheaper, and also the weather is very nice. Because it is such a great alternative, there are about 40 English schools, and the competition is really high. It's good to talk to students who've studied in Malta, and also look at the reputation of the school within the academic community. Even that can be difficult to do because there are phony organisations that make list rankings of schools, saying the one that paid them the most is the best. Check who the school is affiliated with, and talk to students if you can.

http://www.elanguest.com/

[jiloeh]

I read many interesting answer about what you think it can help to make the good choice...

Thanks to my experience I can say that schools have an official guarantee (from the government) that secure your total fee with a refund policy.

Some other label like IALC is a very good, you can be sure that the school is qualified to teach english to foreign people.

From my opinion, I think agencies take commission and sometime tell that you will get the cheapest price on the market. BE CAREFUL, check on the website of the school if prices are really the same. It is also sure, that if a well known agency offer a school, it is a serious one and you can directly enroll online. They usually offer you a discount to do it directly online and they provide the same assurance and help you during the whole registration process.

I also think that a school should be small. If you arrive in a school like EF school with 200 students sometimes much more, for sure you can get many friends if you are sociable, but you won't know more than 20 people very well. It won't be the same than staying in a small school with 30 to 40 student that you know all of them.

I found a really good and friendly school in New Zealand, Coromandel Outdoor Language Centre (http://www.activity.co.nz/), that offer English morning class combine with other program during the afternoon (activities, English class, surf course,..) or EXAM preparation.

I'm still student there, so don't hesitate to contact me

Good luck

[Stephanie S]

So true, jiloeh. Often people mistakenly believe that bigger is better, or that if a school has a really flashy building, it must offer a better quality learning experience. Many times the opposite is true. What really matters is how the school chooses its teachers.

[ESLExplorer]

Here's a great list of top English schools all around the world - from Canada, to the UK, to Malta.

http://www.eslexplorer.com/en?lmd=1#topSchools

The schools are rated by students who have attended them, so you can read about personal experiences from students who have experienced the schools for themselves!

Hope this helps!

Erin Bunting
[email protected]
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Erin Bunting
ESL Explorer
ebunting[at]eslexplorer.com

[Afra]

[etutor.school]

It is hard to choose an English School that you'll be sticking with. You need to pick if you should take classes online or traditionally. It's really up to you and what you prefer. Some people prefer the convenience of online school but some people prefer being in an actual school.

In any event, if you get a chance, checkout my online language school. It's a start-up but we have a vast selection of certified and qualified English teachers.

www.etutorschool.com
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eTutor School
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www.etutorschool.com