How To Be Successful in Your Pre-Sessional Course

Elly, Majed, Csili, Anna Rita.                             Kosar and Antonio

Here at LSI Portsmouth, one of the most intensive courses we run is our Pre-sessional courses, which prepare students for their university courses.  It is not for the faint hearted, it takes dedication, perseverance and a lot of work.  The students AND the teachers work incredibly hard, putting in so very many hours of preparation, study and course work. 

Last week was Graduation week at the University of Portsmouth and we were so proud to welcome back two very special students who had attended their graduation just around the corner at the university.  We thought it would be nice to interview them, so the lovely girls in reception, who get to know all the students spoke to them and got some fantastic pictures. They both gave some really good advice for prospective university students.

Regular readers of our blog will remember Majed, who did a rooftop interview video for us.

So, this is his second interview, and we couldn’t be more proud to speak to him today.

What is your name?

Majed Alshehri

Where are you from?

Saudi

When were you with us Majed?

September 2014 – July 2015

What courses did you do?

A bit of everything!  GE, IELTS, Cambridge and PSE

What did you go on to do at the university?

Advanced Manufacturing Technology MSc at UoP (And he got a Distinction!!!)

Majed, why did you choose to come to the UK to study?

I was able to go anywhere, but I decided either the UK or the US. In the end, I felt I would have better academic opportunities if I came to the UK

Ok, Majed, what made you choose LSI Portsmouth?

Because LSI is the best!

;-) Thank you very much. So now, Majed what does the future hold for you?

I’m going back to work, I was just promoted because I now have this Masters. (Congratulations Majed)  Later on, I think I may do a PhD, and if so, I would really like to do it at the University of Portsmouth.

If you had one bit of advice you could give anyone who was coming to study English in the UK, what would it be?

It’s really important that you focus on your studies.  It’s only a couple of years and then you can do what you want.  I have seen quite a few people who have wasted their time, not doing the work, maybe because they weren’t paying for themselves, it’s a real shame and such a wasted opportunity.

Majed visited one of our current Pre-sessional classes while he was here, to share his experience and to give the students some encouragement.  To see how much they appreciated it, have a look at their faces!

What is your name?

Kosar Akram

Where are you from?

Iraq

When were you at LSI Portsmouth?

2012

What course did you do?

The Pre-sessional course.

What did you go on to do?

Civil Engineering BEng Hons – (and she got a First!)

Congratulations Kosar. So tell us why did you choose to come to the UK?

Because of the culture.  I love the accent!  I felt that there were a lot of opportunities here.  It is also close to a lot of other places, which gave even more opportunities.

What made you choose to come to LSI Portsmouth?

I did a lot of research before coming here.  I saw really positive reviews from other students. From the photos I saw it looked like a very multicultural place, and I could imagine myself in one of those photos. Before I came I had a lot of contact with the school, through emails and phone calls and I was very impressed with how helpful and friendly everyone was.

So, Kosar, what does the future hold for you now?

Ah so much; My first aim was to get a graduate job, and I did it, I got a job with the UK’s largest construction company! (Congratulations again). I also want to work in women’s rights.  I would love to become one of the inspiring personalities in the world and encourage women to follow their dreams.

I would really like to write a book about my life and experiences and of living through two wars. I would like to work with Kurdish people in the UK, we have a lot of challenges.

If there was one bit of advice you would give anyone coming to study English in the UK?

The absolute most important thing is to INTEGRATE!  You MUST make friends with everyone, no matter who they are or where they’re from.  It’s not just about going to classes.  I believe it is honestly one of the best things I have done since I have been here.

  

(The lady who interviewed Kosar said the following: “I cried multiple times while talking to her – thank god it wasn’t on film.  I am so incredibly proud of her.  When you think about everything that she has overcome and how hard she has worked to get to where she is, it really makes you feel like you need a kick up the backside and get out and do something with your life.  Truly inspiring.)

Kosar gave the speech at her graduation ceremony https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSOixGgmNN4 watch from around 1:11:00.

Majed and Kosar, thank you so much for coming back to see us and for talking to us today. We are so grateful and so happy that you got what you deserved, you both worked so hard, and showed what can be achieved when you really want something.  Please keep in touch

Thank you Elly and Csili for doing the interviews and photos.

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For anyone thinking of following a Pre-sessional course - here is a brief list of what they study:

• The language and study skills that are needed for a BA/BSc, MA/MSc or PhD taught in English

• The expectations and culture of British universities

• How to become a successful independent learner

• How to adapt to living and studying in the UK Course Content:

• Research skills

• Academic writing including grammar, vocabulary, referencing and avoiding plagiarism

• Academic reading

• Listening and note-taking

• Speaking, for example in seminars and tutorials

• Presentations

• Critical thinking

• Time management

• Independent study skills

• Basic IT

For more information about the courses have a look at this link: http://www.lsi-portsmouth.co.uk/images/PSE_Brochure_High_Res.pdf

Why Learning English Online May Not Be For You

Pros And Cons Of Learning English Online

Why Learning English Online May Not Be For You

Before you try and answer the question of how to learn English online, it might be useful to start with the question of why learn English online, in fact, why are you learning English at all?

By double-checking your motivation and objectives, you should be able to ensure that you learn English in the best way for you. Learning English online is often seen as a cheaper solution than learning in a local English school, or learning English in England, but it has to work, it has to be an effective use of your time.

How to learn English online: Check your motivation

The question about motivation is important, because the cheaper or simpler the solution, the more motivation you’re going to need to reach the same outcomes. Learning English online can be free of charge, or cost just a few pounds or dollars, but at that price there will be very little to keep you inspired, and you will need to be the driving force behind your learning. So one answer to this question of how to learn English online is “with support”. That could be the support of other students, or it could mean finding an online English tutor. Once you have a small team around you, you’ll be more likely to complete the exercises you’ve set yourself, practise new language you’ve learned or revise for the next session. That gentle external pressure to complete work and move on is one of the biggest secrets of how to learn English online.

How to learn English online: Set objectives

If you don’t know where you’re going, it’s very difficult to know when you’ve arrived. If you need English for your studies or for work, you might be able to identify a specific level of English you need. English exams are a great way to find test and confirm your level to yourself and other people, and it gives you a formal qualification too. Tests like IELTS or Cambridge exams such as Key (KET), Preliminary (PET), First (FCE), Advanced (CAE) and Proficiency (CPE) are very comprehensive ways of testing your English which lead to an internationally recognised level which universities and employers can all use to understand your level of English.

If you’re wondering how to learn English online for an exam such as these, that might be difficult, unless you find an online course which definitely covers all the different aspects of the exam, including speaking and listening. This is when sometime it is better to use face-to-face classes.

By setting objectives, you can also measure your progress. By being aware of your level and how you are moving towards your objective, you’ll be able to see how effective learning English online is for you.

Be certain of the quality

Also, be careful of the quality of online English materials – it’s very important that you don’t learn incorrect English, because it will be quite difficult to unlearn it later. We have had situations here at our school in Hampshire (UK) where students come to us who have spent many, many years teaching themselves English online, and then absolutely insist a particular phrase or sentence in English is correct when in fact no one would ever say it in real life or understand them!

Don’t blame yourself if it doesn’t work out

Even if you’re using a great online English course, with no errors or mistakes, it may still be hard work teaching yourself. The reason learning English online is so cheap is that there is very little or no teacher time, and the same materials are being used for everyone, regardless of what you want to learn, or need and regardless of your learning style, your motivations, you character, your interests, your life and your experiences of learning English in the past.

In short, an online course is not adapted to you. You’ll possibly go through most of it without feeling a deep connection to it, you won’t feel it’s about you, and you’ll still have to do a lot of work once your skills have improved to adapt what you’ve learned to be able to talk about you and your life, and have the kinds of conversations you’d like to have.

If you find it doesn’t work out, that you’re not learning, and you’ve not progressed, then it’s easy to blame yourself – to say “I didn’t try hard enough”, “I wasn’t motivated enough”. That is unfair, because it is very hard to stay motivated when you’re learning something that isn’t about you. Only a tiny proportion of the population can be totally self-motivated in these conditions. Eventually, most people will give up. If they are really keen to learn English, that’s the time when something like a local English class in a group with a teacher, or best of the best, attending an English school in the UK will help the most.

The Pros and Cons of learning English online

Here’s a summary of our pros and cons of learning English online:

PROS (the positive things about learning English online)

It usually will cost less money to learn English online

+ Learning online can fit around your availabilities

+ There is no need to book time off work to study online

+ Online English courses can give you access to more vocabulary and things to read than you would ever need.

+ Learning English online is flexible, and you can do as much or as little as you need to

+ You can combine online English with face-to-face learning as a really great way to consolidate what you learn with a teacher (we think this is the best way of learning online!)

CONS (the negatives about learning English online)

- It can take a long time to build your knowledge through online learning

- You have to be extremely motivated to learn online over a long period

- The quality of cheap online courses may be low, and the English you learn may actually be incorrect

- Learning English online is not the best way to practise speaking and listening with real people

- Sometimes the technology gets in the way of learning, and the experience is not organic like real life

- Online English courses can give you a false sense of security – they don’t always prepare you for the randomness of real life

- Online courses are generic, and do not focus on you, your learning styles, your strengths and weaknesses, your objectives or your likes and interests

- If it doesn’t work out learning online, there is a risk that you’ll blame yourself and become disengaged with learning English (for the wrong reasons)

- You generally get what you pay for, but some big brands charge much too much money for their online programmes, and it might be cheaper in the end to just learn English in England!

Benefits Of Learning English In England During Summer

Top Places To Visit In England During Summer

So, you’ve decided to come and learn English in the summer - possibly at a summer school in England. Besides improving your English what exactly are the out-of-school benefits of coming here at this time of year?

Well there is just so much to see and do, especially here in the South of England. The question is, where do you start?

If you want beautiful beaches, lovely countryside and a laidback atmosphere, then go to the Isle of Wight. Just 10 minutes from Portsmouth by Hovercraft, you feel like you have stepped back in time. You can visit Osborne House, the gorgeous summer home of Queen Victoria, cycle around the island and go to the famous ‘Needles’ on the West coast or visit the charming seaside towns of Shanklin and Sandown on the East coast. There is even a steam train and an old London Underground train to ride on!

Portsmouth itself is fabulous in the summer. You can spend all day at the Historic Dockyard visiting some of the world’s most famous ships, such as HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and the Mary Rose. While you are there, why not take a boat tour of the harbour. If you feel like chilling out then head for Southsea Common. This huge expanse of green along the seafront is great for a barbecue, playing some sport or simply taking in the sun’s rays. For some stunning views and to fully appreciate what makes Portsmouth so special, go to the top of the Spinnaker Tower.

How about a boat trip? There are lots of possibilities. Numerous boats go up and down the coast from either Portsmouth or Southampton and from many places in between. You can also take lovely boat trips along the canals and rivers in both Chichester and Guildford. If you would like to stretch your legs then take a map and go to the New Forest or the South Downs National Park. Both places give you an opportunity to see what makes the English countryside so special during the summer.

If you like the historic, then look no further than either Winchester or Salisbury. These glorious cities have much to offer. Visit two of the finest Cathedrals anywhere in Europe, go to some fascinating museums or stroll around the streets where you will find lots of great independent shops, pubs and restaurants. End a hectic day with a cream tea in a cafe. What could be more English than that!

LSI Portsmouth - Past and Present - Spot the Difference

Spot the Differences

Recently one of our teachers brought in a photo that he had seen of Portsmouth taken in 1946.  Below you can see the same view today.
In the top left-hand corner, you can see LSI Portsmouth (labelled on the Google Earth picture).

For people who live in Portsmouth, it really is quite fascinating to see all the changes, how much greenery has gone, how the road systems have changed, the fact that the train line has been lifted to go over the road that is there now. And eagle-eyed viewers will see in the old photo that the Guildhall in the old photo appears to be completely gutted from bombing during the war.

If you can see any other particular changes, leave a note in the comments below.

Photo circa 1946 

Google Earth 2017

Why You Should Take the CELTA

What is the Celta and why do we ask for it?

Today we are talking to Lewis Richards, who is our Exams Director of Studies.  He has worked here at LSI Portsmouth since 2000 and is now also a CELTA teacher trainer.  

So Lewis, firstly for anyone who doesn’t know, what is the CELTA?

So, CELTA stands for Certificate of English Language Teaching for Adults, and it’s an entry-level qualification for people who want to teach English as a foreign language.  It’s a course accredited by the University of Cambridge, and you can take a CELTA in one of hundreds of officially recognised CELTA training centres all over the world.

Who would usually do this course?

You don’t need any teaching experience to do a CELTA, so many people who do it are coming to teaching for the first time, and want to learn how to teach English.  Some people do the course with some teaching experience already, either in another field (for example, they have been state school teachers and are looking for a change), or they have done some English teaching abroad, for example, but without a recognised qualification.  The course is designed for people who have never taught before, so it assumes no prior knowledge.  Once they have passed the CELTA, trainees then can apply for teaching jobs in reputable EFL schools in the UK or worldwide.

What does the training include?

It’s a very practical, hands-on course, and in fact on most courses you will be in the classroom teaching a short lesson (either 20 minutes or 40 minutes) on the first day of the course.  The course is divided into several parts – there is input from the tutors on different aspects of teaching (how to teach grammar, for example, how to correct students, or how to manage a classroom), there is teaching practice, where trainees teach lessons to real students (who are offered a free or very cheap course), and there are four assignments to write during the course, which require the trainees to research and reflect on different aspects of teaching.

After teaching practice, the trainees evaluate their own lessons, and also give feedback to their peers, so it’s a very supportive and developmental atmosphere.

Why do you think it is important for teachers to do a CELTA?

I think it’s essential to have knowledge of and experience of the basics of teaching English as a foreign language, in order to be able to give good lessons to students.  Without the training, input and feedback, it isn’t really possible to teach properly.  The fact also that you are trained and mentored by highly qualified and experienced tutors helps a lot.

What should potential teachers be aware of?

Well, unfortunately there are many ‘EFL’ or ‘TEFL’ qualifications out there online, and only the CELTA and the Trinity TESOL are recognised by the British Council and by good schools around the world.  Be very careful not to pay for a course which looks like a CELTA or a Trinity but actually isn’t.  The best way to check is to look at Cambridge’s list of recognised CELTA centres.  I’ve had the experience of having to turn people down for a job because the qualification they had wasn’t the right one.  It’s worth investing in the proper qualification.

What made you want to become a CELTA trainer?

Well, I was lucky enough to be trained by a brilliant tutor, Paul Seligson (he’s the co-author of some of the well-known ‘English File’ series), and I wanted to try to pass on my experience and knowledge of teaching from the last 20 years to new teachers, just as he did to me.  I’ve taught quite a few courses now, and I find it very interesting and very rewarding.

Thank you so much Lewis, that has answered so many questions.

Fact file:

Cost: £1300 approx.

Length: 4 weeks full-time; part-time courses vary in length.

What else is necessary (first degree and skills):  Education to A’Level or equivalent.  If you are not a native speaker, a C1 level of English is the minimum required.

British Council Accreditation requirements and link

As LSI Portsmouth is a British Council Accredited institution we follow the requirements as laid out in the British Council handbook of minimum requirements for Academic Staff (section 4.2) (https://www.britishcouncil.org/sites/default/files/accreditation_uk_handbook_2016-17.pdf) as well as a minimum of two years teaching experience.

Students and Teachers in Court in Portsmouth!

Just recently the 30+ class went to Portsmouth Crown Court as part of the crime theme week. We were inspired by one of our students, Lisa from Germany who is a corporate lawyer. Lisa is at LSI to improve her English before she starts her new job.

We sat in on the sentencing of seven men found guilty of drug dealing. We listened to the prosecution barrister (lawyer) give his summary of the evidence against these men to the Judge. We found out that they had dealt hundreds of thousands of pounds of drugs in Portsmouth. We heard lots of details like the £500 a month leased Audi TT they used to take the drugs from Manchester to Portsmouth. We also heard about the grandmother in Manchester who looked after the drugs in an orange bag.
Neil Powney

“For me, as a lawyer, it was interesting to see a criminal trial at a British court, to see a hearing with completely different habits.” (Lisa from Germany)

“I was a little bit nervous before we went into the court, just in case we saw a murder trial. It was very impressive to see eight barristers all wearing their wigs at the same time.” (Mariko from Japan)

“Learning English in an unusual daily situation is an incredible way to improve a lot of vocabulary. I’m very happy to witness a case in a British court and see the barristers wearing white wigs.” (Lilly from Peru)

“Yesterday we went to the crown court. I was looking forward to going there with the class. I was wondering why we had to pass through a control like at the airport.

So, when we were in the crown court room I checked the situation and got an overall view. Neil told us before that the trial was for drug dealing. There were eight accused, young lads. I felt sorry for them, then I asked myself what life will bring them in the future? Starting life like this is really bad, and getting out of it is hard.” (Manuela from Switzerland)

“Yesterday we went to a real English court and looked at a real meeting of the court. As one of our class said, it was like a theatre – very strong judge, prosecutors in the wigs, no phones, no photos, keep silence, very interesting atmosphere. But what is interesting, I didn’t feel pressure so much, because there it was not crowded, there was fresh air and comfortable seats, like a theatre. What a shame that photos and videos were forbidden.” (Ekaterina from Russia)

Festivals and Holidays - British Culture

Like any country, the UK has plenty of festivals and holidays, some national and others regional. Here are some of the more common/unusual ones.

Burns Night (25th January) – Scotland

This is a celebration of Scotland’s most famous poet, Robbie Burns. On this day throughout Scotland there are lots of events, many of which involve bagpipe playing, the singing of traditional songs, the eating of a classic Scottish dish, Haggis, as well as the drinking of a certain amount of whisky! To know more click here

Glastonbury (June) – England

By far and away the most famous music festival in the UK, Glastonbury has now been going since 1970. Over the years many of the world’s most famous groups and musicians have performed here such as the Rolling Stones, Adele, David Bowie and many others. In addition to the music, there is theatre, comedy, dance and many other forms of art. More information here

Victorious Festival (August) – Portsmouth

This is a two-day music festival held on Castle Field and Southsea Common. The 2017 Festival may be attended by as many as 200,000 people and will have acts such as Madness and Stereophonics. More information here

Goodwood Festival of Speed (June-July) – Goodwood (20 miles from Portsmouth)

If you like cars and racing then you are going to love Goodwood. Many of the latest sports and high-performance cars are on display or racing around, and numerous famous racing drivers are on hand for racing enthusiasts to talk to.

More information here.

Boxing Day (26th December) – UK wide

While in many countries the day after Christmas day is a return to work, that’s not the case in the UK. We have another day to recover from all we’ve eaten and drunk on the 25th! But why exactly is it called Boxing Day? Well, there are many theories but one of them is that in the 19th-century servants and others, who had to work on Christmas Day, were given the next day off as a holiday and in addition they were given a box by their employers which contained a small present. To know more click here

Two New Vacancies - Exciting Positions at LSI Portsmouth

We have two new positions that have opened at LSI Portsmouth.  To see further details click here

We still have a few teacher vacancies - see here

What Is IELTS - An Overview - Part One

To continue with our IELTS blogs, over the next few months, we will be publishing a few more blogs on IELTS; what is IELTS? Why do you need it? Tips on how to pass it as well as other information.

In this first blog, we'll start with - What is IELTS? 

Noun [ U ]  UK & US pronunciation: /ˈaɪ.elts/

IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System. It is a standardised test developed to assess the English language level of non-native speakers.

Standardised means that when someone is sitting down to do an IELTS test in Beijing, on the same day in Riyadh, a different student will be doing exactly the same test. Furthermore, if those two students performed in exactly the same way, they would receive exactly the same grade. IELTS examiners go through stringent preparatory courses and are monitored to ensure that they maintain the IELTS standard, worldwide.

The IELTS tests 4 skills – Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. For each of these parts an IELTS candidate will receive a ‘band score’. The band score ranges from 9 (maximum mark, representative of an expert user) to a 1 (minimum mark, non-user who can only use a few words) to a 0 (did not turn up to the exam).

In 2014, 2.5 million IELTS tests were taken in more than 140 countries. The highest scoring countries were:

The United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and Ireland.

These were the only four countries which scored average band scores of 7+. Of all those who took the IELTS in 2014, worldwide females scored on average higher than males, 6.0 versus 5.8.

There are two IELTS tests; an Academic test and a General test. Typically Academic IELTS is taken by those who need to prove their level of English is suitable to go to a University, the average mark required varies from University to University but is typically 6.5 or 7.

The General IELTS test is typically taken by those who need to prove their level of English for immigration purposes. Australia, for example, usually requires those wishing to enter the country to score a 7 for each of the four parts of the IELTS test.

Academic is usually more popular than General, with ¾ of all IELTS test takers choosing Academic IELTS.

It is important to note that the IELTS certificate is not a lifetime one, it lasts for 2 years and then ‘expires’. It is therefore important to time your IELTS test with any visa / university applications.

IELTS is the most popular language test for higher education and immigration, there are over 1,000 IELTS test centres in more than 140 countries worldwide. IELTS is accepted by over 9,000 organisations globally, with America being the fastest growing market for the test.

How Learning English And Having Fun Can Go Hand In Hand

Our 30+ courses are proving incredibly popular and if you read teacher Neil's account below, you can see why.

How To Learn English Easily And Enjoy The Experience!

Mariko, Bruna and Lilli

 As part of the 30+ course we had a yoga class taken by one of our students, Bruna. Bruna is from Brazil, and is studying at LSI to improve her English before she starts a yoga teaching qualification in London. What better way to prepare, than teaching her first ever yoga class? The other students had never done yoga before, but were very keen to give it a go. So, we converted our classroom with a set of LSI yoga mats, and put on our gym clothes in excited anticipation for Bruna’s instruction.

What followed was beyond anything we could have imagined. Bruna led us through a set of beginner yoga positions like the cobra, the mountain pose and the down dog for an hour. As I had never done yoga before I was surprised at how difficult it was, and how inflexible I am. Despite this, I found it really positive for my mind and body. Also, it was the first time I had taught a class whilst laying on a mat, standing on one foot, or doing stomach crunches. This was also rewarding, as it meant we were learning language in a real life context, and we managed to improve our use of imperatives and prepositions.

 Neil Powney

“Being able to share something I love with my classmates and teacher made me incredibly happy, and very satisfied with LSI.” (Bruna, from Brazil)

“My knowledge of yoga was completely overturned after my first lesson. I thought yoga was to relax and to find your balance. In fact, it’s hard work. But I felt very well after that and it awakened an interest for yoga in me and just feeling your body. I like it!” (Mariko, from Japan)

“I have done yoga for the last six years. Actually yoga is a good way to release your mind after working or studying a lot. During this class you learn a lot of vocabulary of the whole body, you relax your mind and have a stretching workout. I suggest that everyone tries yoga.” (Lisa, from Germany)

Our 30+ Courses:

Our 30+ General English courses are exclusively for adults aged 30 years or more.  Students can learn English with people of their own age in the lovely surroundings of the south of England in one of the UK’s top language schools. The course is very flexible as can be seen above. Students can study just in the morning if they wish and then enjoy visiting places of historic interest here in Portsmouth, or just wander along the sea, or go shopping at one of the shopping centres here. Of course afternoon classes are available also, it’s all about personal choice and preference.

To see more details please click here

British Culture - Queuing - Why do we do it?

Queuing and why we do it

Another in our series of articles about British Culture. This week we look at the art of Queuing - and why and how to do it properly.

If you were to ask people around the world what they think the British love doing, many would immediately think about queuing. The British are certainly experts on queuing and have a particular set of rules about how to do it properly!

So when in the UK this is what you need to do:

1. Never ‘jump’ the queue! (jump – go to the front of the queue) This is considered the biggest no-no of all and will result in everybody muttering loudly, though being British nobody will probably say anything directly to the queue jumper.

2. Try not to stand too close to the person in front of you. The British like a certain amount of personal space.

3. If a large gap opens up in front of the person who is in front of you, do not tell them to move forward. This is not considered to be polite.

4. On the whole people do not really talk much to each other when in a queue, though a casual remark about the weather is acceptable. Do not talk about Brexit!

5. Do not offer your place in a queue to another person. A ‘newcomer’ to the queue is always expected to go to the back (Unless you came together and will leave together – for example at the Supermarket).

6. In a supermarket it’s OK to ask someone to hold your place in the queue as long as a) you ask politely b) you are near the back of the queue and c) you come back quickly. Otherwise the others in the queue will start muttering again!

So are the British, in reality, actually good at queuing? On the whole they are, but then so are lots of other nationalities. It very much depends on where you are. In a bank, a supermarket or when buying tickets at the cinema, theatre etc. the British are pretty good at queuing. However, at bus stops or waiting to get on to a train or the Tube (the London Underground), the system starts to break down. It can collapse completely outside large stores on the first day of the Christmas sales. Seeing people shoving and shouting at each other, an observer might say: ‘This is just not cricket!’ before they themselves try to force their way into the store!

Dreams Do Come True - The Beauty Of Learning English In The South Of England

With grateful thanks to http://ispu.ru/node/15684

Top Places To Visit In The South Of England During Your Language Stay

In January we had some lovely Russian students who came to stay and learn with us here in Portsmouth. On their return they wrote their feelings about their experiences (in Russian) and it was posted on their website.  Very very kindly, they have translated into English what was said. We are incredibly grateful for the kind words and for the translation - as seen below. 

Dreams Come True

Students of Ivanovo State Power Engineering University (Ivanovo, Russia) share their impressions about the trip to LSI, Portsmouth (Language Specialists International), the United Kingdom.

It is the sixth year when a group of students of Ivanovo State Power Engineering University (ISPU) and other Ivanovo universities has returned from LSI. ISPU is the official representative of LSI in the region and it annually organizes a two-week trip for students and teachers to LSI.

It should be noted that during this visit the cooperation agreement between ISPU and LSI was extended for the next three years, which means that other students and teachers will have the opportunity to visit this language school.

Irina Ermakova (associate professor, Intensive English Learning Department, ISPU, group leader):

I would like to start by saying that on board the plane to London I encountered Irina Lutsenko, a graduate of our university, who now works as a flight attendant in Aeroflot Company (Russian Airlines). Irina also studied at LSI a few years ago and told me that every single time she arrived in London she remembered her trip to Portsmouth. She said, “That experience (by the way that was my first trip abroad) urged me to travel around the world and get to know new countries and cultures. Thanks to LSI, I learnt a lot and got an invaluable experience immersing in the native speakers’ environment. The company I am working for now has strict requirements for the English language skills. Therefore, I can say for sure that LSI played an important role in the way my career is developing now.”

We were really impressed with professionalism of the teachers who taught us modern everyday English, continuous acquaintance with the UK culture (at LSI, in a host family, using public transport and just strolling along the streets, not to mention sightseeing of Portsmouth, London and Oxford). We had a good opportunity to see how traditions and customs of our country differ from others (students from more than 60 countries study at LSI)... “The luggage” of our impressions and received knowledge certainly exceeded all the Customs’ norms. We are sure that these impressions and knowledge will not only serve as an incentive for further English study, but it will also help to believe that dreams do come true.

Big Ben, The Tower of London, Tower Bridge, St Pauls Cathedral, Covent Gardens, Hyde Park and Abbey Road - With grateful thanks to http://ispu.ru/node/15684

Here are some students’ impressions about the trip we would like to share with you.

Sofya Gruzdeva:

I was lucky enough to visit such an amazing country as the United Kingdom. We began preparing for the trip three months in advance in order to gather all the documents for the UK Visa Centre. Thanks to the professors of Intensive English Learning Department there were no difficulties in doing it and all the efforts were worth it. I think I was lucky to live with an Indian family and a roommate who was a student from Japan. I was enlisted in B2 level group where I got acquainted with the guys from Italy, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Japan and Saudi Arabia. Those classes with fantastic teachers will never be forgotten. No time to be bored! I also got an opportunity to visit London and go sightseeing: Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Westminster, Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Saint Paul's Cathedral, Trafalgar Square, the National Gallery and many other attractions. Portsmouth made an indelible impression on me as well. It`s a very cozy, quiet, small city with wonderful people and incredibly beautiful streets and buildings. I would be extremely happy to be back to Britain and study at LSI.

Sabrin and Iasmin Al-Taiasne:

It`s already the third time we have been to Portsmouth. Many people ask us why we go to Portsmouth, they think that our English is perfect. Yes, our English is really good enough and we are no longer surprised by separate hot and cold water taps or ‘invertedly’ placed bus stops. But, England is constantly amazing us and each time we come here, we learn something new. Both the host family and LSI help us to be immersed into the culture of the country. Here we are taught vocabulary that native speakers of English use in everyday life. You can easily talk with LSI teachers about things that have surprised you and share your impressions with them. Captivating lessons boost your desire to learn English. Here you can have a talk on various topics with guys from other countries, play educational games and just have a cup of coffee to restore your energy after difficult grammar lessons. The city itself is stunning. On the one hand, Portsmouth is a quiet, calm and clean city, but on the other it is incredibly lively. Everything here is within walking distance: shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs, etc. It takes just 15 minutes to get to the coast where you can breathe fresh sea air. These things urge us to come back again and again.

Ilia Denisov:

Although it was my second trip to Portsmouth and I knew almost all particularities of the educational process and leisure, I got a lot of impressions. There were two Swiss men, a Bulgarian, a Spaniard and a student from Saudi Arabia in my group and, by the way, I still keep in touch with some of them. As for the teachers, they are real professionals with their individual approach to students, that’s why the lessons were neither hard nor tedious. I spent my free time walking around the city and hanging out in local pubs. To sum it up, if you visit England and spend at least two weeks at LSI, you will improve your English skills, find new friends from all over the world, get experience of coping with challenges, and enrich your knowledge about other cultures. 

Iuliia Vasileva:

First of all, I want to thank ISPU for the opportunity to spend the best winter holidays in my life! I hope that cooperation between LSI and ISPU will continue from year to year. I have already visited the United Kingdom twice in a similar program but I should admit that this trip turned out to be the best! I had a nice and friendly host family, great teachers and an incredible opportunity to practice my English with foreign students! The lessons were so intensive and gripping, the teachers didn’t let you get bored. I am happy I participated in this program and I do want to return! I nurse the hope that I would visit LSI again!

Daria Chistova:

My first attempts of translating the documents for the UK Visa Centre were a good experience. When we had overcome all travel formalities and procedures, our group of 11 people headed for Portsmouth. On the first day we took an exam which helped properly identify our level of English. I found myself in the group taught by a young teacher named Kate. The lessons were top level! Everyone in my group was very friendly and communication with new friends and practice of English were a great joy!

My hostess treated me kindly and we are still in touch with her by communicating in social networks. I enjoyed the cuisine, the nature, the architecture and the attitude of the British to us.

My childhood dream was to visit London and it came true. We spent two and a half days to explore this city. I will never forget Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, Royal Observatory, Tower of London, Tower Bridge, subway trips and nighttime strolls.

I received new knowledge at LSI that will definitely be useful for studying at my university. I hope that I will get a chance to return to this beautiful place.

Maria Ponamareva:

The trip to Portsmouth was magnificent! I really liked LSI, especially those creative lessons! I got a good practice. My English family was wonderful. We were talking for hours touching upon all sorts of topics. I set a goal to visit this place next year. Having once been at LSI you will inevitably wish to get there again.

Many grateful thanks for translating this for us to Irina Ermakova

Ivanovo State Power Engineering University.

This is a condensed translated version of the original article seen here: http://ispu.ru/node/15684

What is the Best Thing about England? We Asked, Our Students Told Us.

I Love England Because

As a teacher, when you ask students questions you often have an idea what they will answer, but more times than not, they will come up with something completely unexpected. For the last month or so we have run a little ‘campaign’ on Facebook where once a week we have asked our students what was their favourite thing about certain areas, for example, the best thing about Sundays, favourite place in Portsmouth and why they were learning English, that sort of thing. We made it easy, they just had to answer with one word. Some great answers came back. Someone said you need the English language in the same way you need a passport (which of course isn't just one word ;-). To the question about Sundays? The best things were; sleeping, leisure, relaxing, shopping!

The post that we got the most answers to was the question 'What is the best thing about England?'. The responses were so varied and really interesting. At the top of the list were LSI Portsmouth (thank you ;-), Portsmouth, the People and well ‘everything’. 

Then we came to a wide variety of things, politics, history, culture, language, London and all the changes that are happening at the moment. 

This really appears to go to show that the reasons we think people come to England might not necessarily be the actual reasons, or maybe the reasons they have stated as being their favourite they have discovered as the best things since coming here. Whichever it is, it is good to know that England has so many good reasons to visit.  Can you add any?

(For privacy’s sake we blanked out the names and pictures of those writing – if you want to see the actual post then please visit our Facebook page.)

The Best Things About Business English

Main Differences Between General English And Executive English Courses

Business English? What is it?

I was asked this morning what Business English is? ‘What is the difference between Business English and ordinary English?’ they asked.

Well, that is a really interesting question, which a lot of people have different opinions about. (This is after all just an opinion blog). To answer this question a little better, it might be easier to compare the differences between the General English and Business English courses that we run here at LSI Portsmouth.

Firstly as a language school in England, the basics are the same for all our students. They are immersed in an English environment, where they have to use their English, whether they like it or not. The benefit of this cannot be underestimated. Seeing and hearing the language spoken all around every day is such a boost to anyone’s language learning. No leaving the classroom and reverting back to your own language here, you have to use what you have learned and more, and you will see it and hear it all around you, the street signs, on the radio, on the TV, in the shops, there is no getting away from learning English while you are here.

Socialising with other students is also the same whatever type of course you do. You may choose to stick with people on the same type of course as you, but you will still more than likely be talking to other students from all over the world, you will hear different accents, different viewpoints and have a greater cultural awareness from this simple and fun fact.
        

Our Executive Course Students socialising
in the Executive coffee lounge

Very often the students, both General and Executive, stay with a homestay. Here there is a slight difference; those on our general English course will stay with a standard homestay, while those on a Business English course will tend to stay with an Executive homestay, families who offer high levels of comfort and convenience (all have broadband wifi and are within walking distance of LSI); most of our homestays are current or retired professionals

When you learn general English you look at grammar, structures; tenses and word order etc., vocabulary, and pronunciation. You would also look at the typical functional language that you would need in an everyday situation, like buying a train ticket, shopping, maybe going to the hairdresser? Of course, there are skills that are necessary as well like listening, understanding fast speech, being able to read a newspaper or social media.

The students who study General English are very often studying it for pleasure or possibly because they want to have a better level of English for now or in the future, but not necessarily for any specific purpose. They may have taken time out of a course and often stay with us for an extended period, often for a month or two at least, sometimes up to a year.

By contrast, most of the students who come and study on our Executive or Business English courses are working people. Of course, this makes life a bit more difficult to take months away from, so their courses are much shorter and are concentrated, more intensive. They have a wide range of grammar, skills and functions fitted into their one or two weeks.  On average our Executive students stay with us for two weeks, some for shorter some for longer.

Of course, the basics are still needed as above, so the grammar and structure, the pronunciation and the skills are the same, but your course would be focussed on the specific field you were in.

For example, a Journalist would want to look at different writing styles, the terminology in their field, whether it is newspapers, magazines, social media or broadcast journalism. The type of language that is specific to that area. A broadcast journalist would probably have practice speaking English in a broadcasting role-play, maybe being filmed so as to be able to discuss this after, looking for ways to improve. An Export manager though would look at the language of transport and distribution logistics, export documentation, possibly the language of customs requirements and tariffs. They might look at the functional language of telephoning to give and receive information, speak at length in detail, negotiate a contract or email writing.

        

A small group on the Business English Course
practising 'meetings' language.

In order for our students who are on the Executive English courses to have a tailored course, specific to their requirements, they would generally have a one to one teacher for part of the day, so their exact needs were analysed and met. Maybe for a part of the day they would join a small group of similar level and needs business students. At LSI Portsmouth the small group element of the business course comprises no more than four similar level students, each with similar requirements. The benefit of studying with a few other students is being able to hear other accents, and hear other opinions, but not be intimidated when trying out new elements of the language. The added benefit of a small group is that there is plenty of opportunity to speak. In the smaller group lessons the students will practice the function language, for example leading and having a meeting. This is then very close to a real life situation for many of them, with a variety of different accents to understand.

Over the last 35 years here, we have managed to perfect our courses that deal with corporate English, and our feedback from our students to the question ‘What would you change about the course?’ nine times out of ten says ‘Nothing’.

So, in short, what is the difference between a Business English course and a General English course? A Business English course will be tailored to be specific to what the student needs in a work situation, in order to be able to communicate easier in a corporate environment, whereas a general English course is more to raise the general level of English used in everyday life. If you are a working person? Then the Business English course is probably exactly what you need ;-)