Running for his life!

What do you do when you are away from home, in a strange country and with some time on your hands? Run a marathon!

At the start of the race

Well this is what Jorge seems to do. Our lovely executive student Jorge Quidel, 37, from Syngenta S.A. in Chile, has been with us since the end of October and will stay until the start of December.  He recently found himself in exactly this situation. “Because of my job I travel quite a lot in South America, so I have run in Argentina, Panama and Chile and now England!” Jorge has been running for 7 years now, he told us; “I practise four or five times per week and enter important races two or three times a year.” 

On the 18^th November, Jorge competed in the Gosport half marathon 2012.

He said he really enjoyed himself and was pleased with his time, although not his best, he said it was good enough.

We asked him what his goal was with his running; ‘My next goal is the ‘Ultra Marathon’ … a race that starts in Chile, and finishes in Argentina, going over the Corillera in the process.  In total it is 100 kilometres over 3 days.

Jorge at the end of the race

It is about 2000 meters above sea level, which means it is more difficult and takes longer to run.  Usually, when I run on the flat, a kilometre takes about 6 minutes, in the mountains it will take more like 12 minutes, so double the time.

The first day is 34 kms, which will take about 6 hours, the second is 42 km (8 hrs) and finally the third day 25 km (5 hrs).”  

We wish Jorge the very best for the ‘Ultra Marathon’, and thank him for letting us see his photos.

So, next time you are away from home and a little bored …

LSI Exceeds Expectations in all Key Areas

LSI is very happy to announce to students, staff, agents and all other stakeholders that the school had a highly successful Educational Oversight inspection through ISI in its October 2012 inspection. LSI achieved Grade 1 (the highest possible grade) in all three sections of the report and ‘exceeds expectations’ in every area inspected:
- The quality of the curriculum, teaching and learners’ achievement
- Students’ welfare, including health and safety
- The effectiveness of governance, leadership and management

 Click here to see the full report

"Might as Well Swim It!" READY TO GO

The teachers at LSI can be quite an active lot and certainly do their bit for charity.  Here Cathy Willatt talks about her recent dip in the ocean all in the name of a very good cause.

"It all started, with a conversation in a pub, in Portsmouth, with an old friend. She was visiting me from the Isle of Wight. "It's SO expensive getting the ferry over from the Island." She commented, "Apparently it's the most expensive stretch of water to cross in the world."

'Might as well swim it" I joked.

Now, she's the sort of friend who knows about stuff, the sort of friend you shouldn't make jokes like that with. She replied, deadly serious, "I'd love to," adding, "You can definitely join an organised swim... I'll send you a link."

So, in a fit of over enthusiastic adventurism I said, "Cool, let's do it!" and (probably) went directly to the bar to get another drink. A fire of excitement lit in her eyes and I quietly contemplated a horrendous cold, British public appearance in lycra.

Wind the clock forward two years (it's quite difficult to get a place on those organised swims..)

Then the day arrives. A trial swim the week before tells me that I can tolerate the cold, just. Word on the Isle of Wight street says that a fleece lined rash vest is the ideal solution to the cold, for someone who doesn't want to spend £200 on a wetsuit. The weather forecast tells me that it's cold in there, 15.8degrees. Thankfully, it also predicts good conditions. I consume as much sugar and porridge as a 6 am. appetite will permit, and together with my friend, leave for the rendezvous point at the Yarmouth Lifeboat HQ.

We didn't feel brave. We didn't feel adventurous. On balance I'd say we felt a little under-prepared and very under-dressed, particularly when almost all of the other 62 swimmers stripped off to reveal super-sporty wetsuits, some even with wetsuit gloves! One, an ex-paralympian had trained diligently for months to bring down his time from last year. Another, a woman well into her eighties was so slim and fit that parts of her antiquated wetsuit were loose around her body. Meanwhile, in the background, a TV crew gathered to  interview a  beach blonde and beautiful 'minor celebrity', looking focused on delivering the result she'd promised her audience. We got a cup of tea out of the machine and pottered around in our flip flops until our names were called to join our group for the boat journey across.

Now, nothing gives you that 'James Bond' feeling quite as much as whizzing across the flat water on a speedboat in the early morning light, surrounded by people shrouded in black lycra, heading for a remote beach.  We turned to each other, grinned and laughed. It'll be fun, it'll be amazing, if we survive! As we approached the remote beach, a truly beautiful sight greeted us: 41 brightly coloured kayaks were lined up, their oars in the air, the spectacular Needles behind them on the horizon. They would be our escort for the crossing.

Ater a few minutes shivering on the shore, it was our turn to go in.  The cold stole our breath immediately. Only short little puffs of air came in or went out. Our arms moved slowly and gently under the water just to build up some blood flow, gently gently, then legs, and then finally we found our stroke. It was cold. Cold enough for the threat of failure to be there. Cold enough that we wished we'd trained harder, hydrated more. Cold enough that we simply had to keep moving. There was only one way home now though, and as we gradually found our rhythm and relaxed into the hypnotic, synchronised stroke we know so well, the metres started to pass. 'Keep breathing, keep moving, don't stop or the cold will get you' became the mantra going over and over in my mind.

A kayak oar was raised. Some activity. People moving in the wrong direction. Shouting. In the snapshots between breaths we could see someone being pulled from the water. Cramp maybe, or the cold? Nothing worse I hoped. Keep breathing, keep moving, don't stop or the cold will get you.

I could see the tips of my fingers, not beyond. Below me the cloudy green water quickly turned to black. I thought vaguely of the huge ships that pass through here. Must be deep. Really deep. Keep breathing, keep moving, don't stop or the cold will get you.

Something brushed my face. What was it? A creature? A sea snake? A SHARK? Don't think about it. Keep breathing, keep moving, don't stop or the cold will get you.

Then a signal. We turned towards the beach. Each snapshot brought a new, clearer view. A colourful line; huts, people, tiny people, many many tiny people. Among them my boyfriend, my island friends, and maybe other friends who had travelled just to see me. This was something special indeed. Keep breathing, keep moving, don't stop or the cold will get you.

Then clearer water, what's this? Sand beneath us and sounds, clapping & cheering as we moved towards the slipway. 'Look triumphant' we were told, and so, on cold tired legs through waves and loose sand, seaweed and stones, we threw our hands into the air, big wet hugs, and cold-faced smiles as we stumbled, ungainly, out of the cold water and into the arms of warm dry loved ones.

We had swum 2.5km, the water was 15.8 degrees, it took us 44 minutes, my friend and I  raised £900 for charity, contributing to a total ₤23,000 raised for The West Wight Sports Centre. We were 64 swimmers, 41 kayakers, 5 speedboats, 3 'nanny' boats to warn shipping, and the Freshwater lifeboat.

The paralympian broke his previous record. The 80 year old woman swooshed out of the water fit and well, and the 'minor celebrity' was last seen high on a cliff, back in front of those cameras looking stylishly blonde and wet, as we had hot milky coffee and bacon sandwiches and looked on."



Click here to watch video



Thanks so much to West Wight Sports Centre for organising the swim and giving us this fantastic opportunity to swim across the Solent. Thanks also to my boyfriend, my family,  my friends, and my colleagues at LSI for their support and encouragement, and for their generous donations to the West Wight Sports Centre and the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

Cathy Willatt

November 2012

Information links:

http://www.westwight.co.uk/



Information from Queens Harbour Master about swimming the Solent:

Speaking with the British Ambassador

Emma Hoyle, our Marketing Officer for Germany recently had the pleasure of meeting Simon McDonald, the British Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany when attending HRM Expo - Europe’s largest Exhibition for Human Resource Management held at the Cologne Exhibition Centre. 

 

This year there were over 650 exhibitors and more than 14,000 visitors.  The exhibition is attended by keynote speakers and specialists dealing with every aspect of HR from recruiters and workers to CEOs and CFOs.

Emma was delighted to be invited to speak on a panel organised by EnglishUK to discuss “What exactly is Business English and how can it help your business?”  Simon McDonald CMG – the British Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany, joined the panel as a guest speaker to emphasise the role of English language in today’s Business World.  On the panel were Emma,  Mark Waistell from Accent English Language Training & Consultancy and David Arrowsmith from Inlingua Cheltenham and John Barnet from Cambridge Academy of English.

 

From Left: Simon McDonald, Emma Hoyle, Mark Waistell and David Arrowsmith, (John Barnet not shown) 

Emma (Looking glamorous) being interviewed for a video

Back from the Grind - the Inspection has past!

Two weeks ago, we had our inspection by the ISI . Anyone who has been through an inspection, either by the British Council or the new inspection from the ISI, will have an inkling how much preparation goes into an inspection.

The school first heard they would be inspected (in the last quarter of this year) back in February or so, and since then it has been all systems on red alert, making sure all paperwork was available and that the building was up to scratch. Then in August it was full steam ahead, getting paperwork finalised and it seemed to just about every teacher, manager, director and even cleaner in the school that this was all their life involved.

We have now had our inspection, of course it went well (the update with our results will be published next month), so now we are back in the game of what we do best, teaching and having fun and the blog will now be back on course to be updated regularly.

Watch this space!

One of the Kindest Cuts of All.

In the UK this month, men from all walks of life and all ages are foregoing the daily tousle with the razor in the name of a good cause; to raise awareness and funds towards prostate cancer and men’s health.  1 in 9 men will be told during their lifetime that they have cancer, and as we all know, men’s health issues are still not something that is discussed as easily as women's health issues, so this is a very real problem that needs addressing.

From the Movember UK website:

"Once registered at movember.com each Mo Bro must begin the 1st of Movember with a clean shaven face. For the entire month each Mo Bro must grow and groom a moustache. There is to be no joining of the mo to the sideburns (that’s considered a beard), there’s to be no joining of the handlebars to the chin (that’s considered a goatee) and each Mo Bro must conduct himself like a true gentleman.

A Mo Sista is essentially a woman who loves a Mo. An individual that is dedicated to supporting the Mo Bros in her life through their moustache growing journey; whether it be a friend, colleague, family member or partner. These inspirational women are committed to raising awareness of men's health issues and much needed funds for men's health along the way.

Mo Bros effectively become walking, talking billboards for the 30 days of November and through their actions and words raise awareness by prompting private and public conversation around the often ignored issue of men’s health."

To read more please click here

Gordon Scruton, one of our lovely teachers has embraced the cause.  Gordon loves his beard, so for him it was a real wrench to take it off for the clean shaven 1st of November entry. As you can see below, he did and is now working hard at getting his lip to sprout again at full speed.

Before

During - no going back

After - too late to change your mind!

Gordon is joined by the equally lovely teacher Mike Baldwin (sadly no photos available), and both our lovely bald chinned ones are looking for sponsors.  So if you have enjoyed watching the man above suffer, do pop over to their space on the site and sponsor them - it's all in the name of an extremely good cause.

Please click here to sponsor - anything - just a pound will do!   Team LSI

Who wants to be a host family?

Maggie Paton is one of LSI’s most loved executive host mothers. She recently took a few minutes out of her busy schedule to talk to us about her experience as a homestay.

Maggie at home with students

Originally from the North of England, Maggie moved down to the South nearly 40 years ago.  She started on the road of being a homestay by being asked by the local IBM whether she could take a manager in, this she agreed to and found that she really enjoyed it and it was a great success.  When she moved to Portsmouth, a few years later, she decided to try it again for two years as a homestay for LSI, and nearly 9 years later she is still doing it.

So Maggie how does it work?  “You have to be willing to give, to accept people in your own home.  I always try to make them feel comfortable, feel at home and as though they are part of the family, the way I would like to feel if I was in their position.

“What would I say is the best part of being a host mother? Seeing people from all parts of the world and meeting fantastic people from all walks of life.  I can’t really think of any negatives, maybe having to always plan everything, but otherwise no I really love it. 

“I’ve had students, who have stayed quite a long time, sometimes up to 3 months, and they become part of the family, and you really get to know them. Of course then when they leave, you end up really missing them. You can get really quite attached to them.”

What advice would she give to anyone thinking about becoming a host family?   “Give it a go, try, be open, just relax and enjoy it.  You need, of course, to be quite sociable and enjoy cooking, because that is part of it.”

Do any of the students find it difficult? “Yes! And when they arrive they are actually quite nervous, because in a hotel they don’t have to mix or speak to anyone or join in with a family, so when they first arrive they really don’t quite know what they are doing. It doesn’t matter what level they are in a company, I know they’re nervous, doesn’t matter if they are a CEO …so you’re inviting someone into your home who is not sure, so again I turn it round and think how I would feel, the more welcoming you are the more relaxed they become.”

What advice would you give to any student who was trying to decide whether to stay in a hotel or in a homestay?  “Stay with a host family because you’ll practise your English, you’ll get used to the English lifestyle and you’re immersed into English.  You talk with the host family for an hour at dinner time, if there are two students you are mixing with another nationality, and you are mixing with the host family, which I think is really important.  I think it is as important as the course.  If you go and stay in a hotel you’ll speak English in the day, you’ll go back and not speak to anyone or just communicate a little bit in English”.

 Do you keep in touch with any of your ex students?  “I keep in touch with most of them, I get postcards.  It’s wonderful at New Year and Christmas. I’ve been invited to weddings in Switzerland, to Munich, on the back of a motor bike in Germany, to the Opera in Italy.  Brazil is on my list!  My lovely Italian students have told me I am family and I’ve invited them to stay with me before Christmas to go shopping.  When the Tsunami hit I wrote to every one of my Japanese students to make sure they and their families were okay, So yes I keep in touch with most of them.

“Even if I retire I will carry on, I like the company, I love cooking, I embrace it, I come from a family where the house was always full, when that changed I didn’t like it, so it’s my new family, Yes! I will carry on”

A Business Guide for Beginners

Last year saw the launch of no less than two books from LSI authors.

The first was ‘A Business Guide for Beginners’ by our very own Executive teacher Des O’Keeffe.

Des got the idea of writing this book after several years of explaining business concepts and vocabulary to students (and it has to be said to some of the teachers as well).  He certainly has the background and experience to be able to write about such a subject having had a 30 year business career and an MBA from The University of Bradford.  He worked in the financial area, helping to set up Tesco’s Hungarian operation, and held a financial directorship in Poland.  Des has been teaching English since 2003, has also taught on an MBA course in Latvia, and has provided financial training in Malawi.

  

Des says about the writing process: “I would strongly advise writing by the clock, not when the mood takes you.  Also, don’t underestimate the time needed for correction and last minute tinkering – in my case that task took almost as long as to write the main draft”

The book is available online at Amazon. This is how  the book is described on its sleeve:

“Many, whether completing their education or looking for a change of career, will have started to consider entering the business world, whether taking up a career in industry, starting up their own business or studying business. In any case, the first barrier to overcome may be complete or partial lack of knowledge of what business is actually all about; its basic concepts and terminology.

A Business Guide for Beginners addresses the needs of readers seeking to develop their practical knowledge of business: how it is organised and functions. This business primer also sets out to give those who decide to give business a go with ideas and, hopefully, motivation for approaching their ventures into the business world with recipes for success.”

It had a great review in “English Teaching Professional”

… (It) provides … a solid basis for any future business student, business  English teacher, enthusiast – or someone who simply wants a business ‘quick fix’. … It is ideal as an addition to a business English teacher’s resource shelf or for use as a reference book for business students.

Phil Wade

Bordeaux, France.

Suzie Coates - going up in the world

A hugely deserved promotion was announced last month to Suzie Coates – our new Senior Teacher Trainer for GE.

Suzie is really popular with staff and teachers alike and we were all delighted for her getting the recognition she deserves.  In her new role she will be giving more workshops to the staff and along with ADOS Lewis will be in charge of teacher development and mentoring for the General English teachers.

For the last 10 years, Suzie has been teaching and has been in countries as diverse as Hungary, Australia, Egypt and the UK. She says “Meeting people and learning about other cultures is the best thing about being a TEFL teacher.

“My most memorable experience in teaching? That would probably be celebrating New Year in Australia with Japanese and Swiss students back in 2004 and then getting chucked in the pool!”

We asked Suzie what advice she would give to anyone thinking of going into teaching: “I would say find a school with a really good training programme if you can and then work really hard for the first couple of years.  After that it all falls into place.”

How does she see her future? “I’d like to continue all the things I love doing: skiing, diving, travelling and being outside.  Career-wise I have a DELTA but I think I would like at some point to do a Masters in some aspect of EFL, maybe looking at the psychological side of learning”

The scoop! Before she became a teacher, Suzie was a professional violinist.  And her claim to fame? “I appeared playing the violin in an Oscar winning film – ‘Shine’ but… if you blink you’ll miss me!”

The Olympic Torch comes to Portsmouth

With the upcoming Olympics just a few weeks away, arrangements are being made all over the country for the competition and festivities . 

Our city of Portsmouth is being visited on the 15^th and 16^th July.

The history of the Olympic flame can be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olympic_Flame

Check here, this link shows where the torch is each day.

http://www.london2012.com/torch-relay/route/

To their advantage...

The second book was ‘IELTS Advantage: Writing Skills’, co-written by Lewis Richards, our General English Assistant Director of Studies, and Richard Brown a former LSI teacher who now works in Spain.  Both of whom have extensive teaching and training experience.

Richard and Lewis at the book signing in Cafe P last September

Lewis says: “IELTS Advantage is a book that aims to help students achieve a 6.5 or 7.0 (or more!) in the writing section of the IELTS exam.  Richard and I developed the ideas for the book over many years at LSI of writing our own materials to help students with writing.  We found that, although there are many good IELTS books on the market, what was missing was a step-by-step guide to all the different types of writing that students have to do in the exam.  After years of working together on materials, and trying them out in our classes, we decided to see if we could put them together in book.  IELTS Advantage has now been on sale for around nine months, and has proved really successful in helping students (either in classes, or by self-study) achieve a high writing score in the exam.  We’re currently writing a new book, this time an IELTS course book, which will focus on all four parts of the exam”

(Don't tell anyone but...Lewis spent a day recently showing screen shots of the fact that his book had a higher ranking on Amazon than Raymond Murphy's 'English Grammar in Use'!)

How Amazon puts it: 

Product Description



"IELTS Advantage: Writing Skills" is a fully comprehensive resource for passing the writing section of the IELTS exam with a grade of 6.5-7.0 or higher. Students are guided step-by-step through the different tasks in the writing module, using material developed in the classroom, by authors with many years' experience in helping hundreds of IELTS candidates achieve a high IELTS score. "IELTS Advantage: Writing Skills": shows students how to organise and structure an answer for all types of task 1 and 2 questions; contains a model essay in each unit, showing students exactly what is required; contains a general interest article in each unit, developing ideas and vocabulary for a common topic in the exam; quickly develops students' fluency and confidence in producing pieces of writing through a focus on academic vocabulary and collocations; and, contains grammar exercises in each unit, showing students how to apply a wide range of grammar items in their IELTS writing. Key features: suitable for classroom study or self-study; includes answer key; real writing samples from IELTS students, with examiners' comments, show in detail what is required to achieve a 6.5 , for example, frequent exam tips from the authors' experience as IELTS examiners help students achieve a higher score; and, check and challenge sections allow students to revise material and take their writing to the next level. "IELTS Advantage" is a series of course books offering step-by-step guidance to achieving a high IELTS score.

Reviews:

i have bought this book in 2011, and i am now preparing myself to take ielts exam and i need 7, this book is an amazing and informative book,which is teach you step by step,it is the best book i have ever bought for ielts ,one things which is not related to the author is the page 129 is missing which is a shame there are two more diagram in this page,guys you are brilliant, i wish i have known you in reality as i chose both of you as my teacher for ielts. thanks
please wish me high score

Although this book is not published by Cambridge University Press, it is the best writing guide for IELTS. Cambridge books seem to have neglected writing part of the exam, at least when it comes to aiming for band 7+. This wonderful book does job much better than they do. Collocations and phrases are the main characteristic of this excellent reference, but is not the only thing I adore. Sample essays and comments teach you as well. I've been struggling to understand rules of task 1, including a plan of this kind of essay. I purchased this outstanding book and everything changed. I feel more confident. Missing page is not a problem because the publisher attached this for my request. Worth buying and working through it!

Link on amazon:

60 Years on the Throne!

If you were in England this last week it would have been quite difficult to not know that the Queen of England celebrated 60 years from when she was crowned Monarch of England.

All over the country there were celebrations, from street parties and concerts to fireworks. The country celebrated by having a bank holiday added on to the the late Spring bank holiday, making it a four day weekend.

LSI decided that it would open for the Diamond Jubilee holiday, for any students who preferred to study.

To mark the occasion and to have a little fun (after all it was a holiday) we had a little party in the student social area with some nibbles and quizzes.

If you’d like to read more about the event check this out:

http://www.thediamondjubilee.org/

LSI Hosts the First IELTS Conference in the UK

 May the 19^th and LSI holds the first ever IELTS conference in the UK.

LSI has a fantastic reputation for their IELTS courses, and, with a published IELTS course book author as head of the team, the classes are constantly full.

In May LSI hosted the ‘IELTS Conference – Ideas and approaches for teaching IELTS’, led by three of our very own teachers and a guest speaker and attended by over 50 different visitors from ten institutions.

All the speakers generously offered advice and tips on how to make the potentially dull exam classes lively and interactive, each drawing on their many years of experience.

‘We were very proud to be able to showcase our school and what we have to offer.  It was great to meet everyone and as teachers we really enjoyed being able to share what we have and also to hear from others’ says Lewis Richards.  Teacher, teacher trainer and co author of ‘IELTS Advantage: Writing Skills’, Lewis outlined practical ideas and approaches for teaching IELTS writing, addressing the difficulties of how to make IELTS writing more interactive and student centred.

Senior teacher trainer Suzie Coates looked at how to help lower level IELTS students improve their speaking for the exam.

One of our most popular IELTS teachers Fiona Lewis focussed on methods of training students to improve their listening skills, giving practical tips and advice.

We were delighted to have multi-published author of IELTS and Medical English course books Sam McCarter as a guest speaker.  Sam looked at the difficult subject of reading and how to make this more interesting and dynamic, which would surely be welcomed by teachers and students alike. ‘Sam was just so generous with his time and knowledge and everyone really appreciated the time and effort he put in to come here and share his ideas’ explained Lewis.

The day was rounded off by an informal and interactive session where everyone was able to share ideas and talk about the problems they face in teaching IELTS.

As Lewis says "What made it really special was the way everyone joined in and shared ideas, we couldn't have hoped for a better day".

New Self-Catering Accommodation Opens

In April, our new year-round LSI self-catering student house was opened for business and has so far proven to be a great success.

While the majority of our students are extremely happy staying in home-stays, there have always been a few students who would like an alternative to the home-stay or hotel accommodation that is on offer. 

Completely renovated and redecorated, close to shops, restaurants, bars and cafes, 8 study bedrooms afford a different style of studying a foreign language away from home.  With two fully equipped kitchens, flat screen wall mounted TV in  the living room, and wifi throughout, this new house has all that the independent adult student could want when staying for a longer period.

As in any house there are rules, which are in place to ensure no neighbours, or students who are staying in the house, are disturbed.  The aim is for the house to be a safe, friendly place to stay while offering the opportunity for real independence.

We caught up with house manager Mama Carolina (at 32 an unlikely Mama, but this is her new nick-name) to find out how things at the house were going.  “When new guests arrive I try and get us all to eat together to get to know each other.  Of course if someone wants to be on their own that is fine too.  What do I like about the place? I can be who and what I want to be - I can be an adult. I LOVE my house”.

For more information click here for a downloadable PDF

Dragon Boat Festival 2012

The Dragon Boats

Some of the stalls

LSI has a plethora of talent among the staff and teachers, and recently some of the ‘crafty’ types joined forces to create 'The Craft Committee' and set up at the 2012 Dragon Boat Festival to raise money for charity.  The Dragon Boat festival is run by the Rotary Club who raise funds and work towards helping those less fortunate.  Their motto is 'Service above Self'.

The 2012 festival was held over a slightly overcast weekend in the middle of May. Luckily for everyone though, the Saturday was blessed with sporadic sun which made things more bearable, particularly for the dragon boat contestants who had to be on the water anyway.

Dragon boat racing is an ancient Chinese tradition and races are still held in the Far East on a regular basis, always exciting the watching audience with the noise and fun. Each forty-foot boat is paddled by up to sixteen people with a drummer at the helm keeping the rhythm for rowers.   You can see in the photo how close the race can get!

The Craft Committee was held in a beer tent (thank you very much) and was the idea of Caroline (Gwatkin), Rotarian and teacher (among other roles).  Joining Caroline were Ceri Tipler, Claire Greenway, Cristina Purcell, Alan Daysh, Sue Hodgson and ex teachers Abbi Headon (wife of Jeremy Catlin), Margaret Ferguson and Diana Collins.

As you can see by the photos, a lot of fun was had by both the contestants and the stall holders and hopefully all the visitors.

The Committee members (a few are missing!)

IELTS - new candidate identity verification system

On the 26^th May, LSI introduced the new verification system for the IELTS test.

IELTS is committed to ensuring the highest quality to their testing system and the care they give their customers.  They have therefore introduced new measures to protect the integrity of the testing.  For more information about the new verification system please see:

http://takeielts.britishcouncil.org/book-your-test/terms-and-conditions/ielts-candidate-identity-verification

Workshop in Turkey

Angela in Turkey

Our Marketing agent for Turkey, Italy and Switzerland; Angela Evans, recently attended the ALPHE 2012 workshop in Istanbul, where educators have the chance to meet and get to know student advisors from all over, but in particular from Turkey and Russia.  Angela says “It was great to meet everyone and I also had the opportunity of introducing our new self-catering student house, which was very well received, as well as letting everyone know about the forthcoming Cambridge course option which we are launching in September 2012. This was only the second time I have been over to Istanbul but I had an excellent trip and was looked after so well by everyone I met.”  She goes on to say “Portsmouth is one of the lesser known student destinations in this region, and I really enjoyed introducing our city and showing off what it has to offer!”