Television can enhance the learning that occurs through a course at an English language school. Australia is home to many respected and credible training institutions.

How is this possible?

Because many people want to learn English, television programs offer one way to pick up conversational English skills and new words. However, the process of learning to speak English requires a student to be far more active than simply turning on the TV and watching. Unfortunately, English language will not be automatically added to your vocabulary through passive activity.

It is possible to add new phrases and words to your vocabulary by watching TV. By memorizing, practicing and applying new phrases and words, confidence grows and a person becomes more adept at using words and phrases in context.

Speak, speak, speak…

No matter what method you employ to try to improve your English, it is critical that you put the knowledge and skills into practice by speaking. This means that in order to become a more proficient speaker, you must speak in English as often as possible.

Active and passive vocabulary:

The act of watching television has the potential to assist you to improve your English but rarely will any improvement be noticed until you begin to work on your active and not just your passive vocabulary. It is important to distinguish the difference between active and passive vocabulary:

• Passive vocabulary is the words you can recognise but have little or no skill in using because you lack practice in using those particular words and phrases.
• Active vocabulary relates to the range of words you speak and use. These words tend to be used many times over and spoken when engaging in conversations with others.

Although watching television can certainly improve your ability to understand English (passive vocabulary), it will only help with your conversational skills if effort is made to practise the words learned and use them in conversation.

When watching TV:

• Keep a notepad and pen with you. Write down the words and phrases that you hear and wish to develop confidence in using (no more than 7 per day). Resist the temptation to translate these words into your first language. Doing so can slow your progress and, from a learning perspective, it is far more beneficial to describe or explain them using English words, no matter how simple they may be. It is also important to try to record the context in which a word or phrase was used. This can have numerous advantages when using the word(s) yourself.
• Consider using the subtitles feature of your television. Of course the idea is not that you will just read the subtitles, but will really listen to the dialogue. The benefit of using subtitles is that they can help you to more quickly understand what is being said, particularly if there is a lot of action occurring in the background. Similarly, slang words and expressions can sometimes make it more difficult to interpret what is being said. If you can do without the subtitles of a particular film or program, keep them off, but if you struggle with the language used and words delivered at a fast pace, subtitles can be helpful.

What to do with these words:

By watching television or a film, you are likely to have acquired a number of new phrases. Experts recommend that you concentrate on learning 7 new phrases per day as slow but thorough expansion of vocabulary tends to have the longest and most successful result. If you practise and repeat these words and phrases out loud each day, you are bound to notice improvements in the ways you use – and your confidence with – the English language.

Can I watch anything?

If you have limited English skills, soap operas are suggested as the most suitable type of program to watch and from which to learn. When a person is more confident and experienced, reality TV shows are a good idea because they feature more colloquial and less formal language delivered at a faster pace.

Television can be an invaluable tool to help students develop their English speaking skills.

How to Improve Your English Skills By Watching Television is a post from: Academia International Weblog

While different providers of English courses offer different English language courses, there is a range of features that prospective students should seek. In some situations, students will be combining their studies of the English language with another course, such as: Diploma of Business, and it makes sense that the two courses should be complimentary.

What are some of the most important features of English courses?

1: For people that use and need to improve their use of English in the workplace, it is useful for any English course that you take to be aligned with and well matched to your area of work. For example, people who work in businesses where English is necessary are likely to have some idea of the areas in which they will most benefit from improvement. A quality English course will address and develop a person’s knowledge and skills in these areas.

2: Of course, some students will not be undertaking studies of English because they are already employed – instead, they will be seeking to improve their appeal as an employee by having successfully completed an English course. Melbourne colleges and training providers offer many such courses that are internationally respected for their ability to up-skill candidates and provide them with a solid foundation for improving their English language skills.

3: Depending on the nature of the English course that you study, it may be possible and appropriate to focus on the terminology and expression that is most important to the field in which you work or aspire to work. For example, those who work in a variety of business and corporate contexts benefit from learning English that is especially pertinent to business courses, such as: Diploma of Business. Essentially, excellent English courses will assist students to re-code the English with which they are so familiar in everyday contexts and make it suitable for application in a variety of business situations.

4: Different English courses assess students in different ways. Some courses require students to sit exams while others do not include such formal evaluation because they are shorter in duration and significantly more intensive.

However, a range of formative and summative assessment methods may be used to assess a student’s progress and achievement, depending on the course that is undertaken. Because spoken and conversational English is so vital to many people, it is not uncommon for oral communication to be assessed and a prominent feature of many English courses.

5: Regardless of the English course that you choose, it is logical to expect that there will be a focus on grammar. However, in many cases, the most effective business courses take the student’s professional needs into consideration so that a focus is maintained on the structures of grammar that are of practical and frequent use.

In the event that a more general English course is undertaken, students may expect to spend more time and detail on the mechanics of grammar rather than its practical applications in different settings.

Many students from all parts of the world realise that studying a quality English course presents them with highly desirable career advantages and opportunities that would not be open to them without their confident and proficient use of the English language. While different English courses vary considerably in terms of their content and delivery, there are features of English courses that are important and significant, regardless of whether they are tailored to a particular industry or sector.

5 Features of English Courses is a post from: Academia International Weblog

Excellent English courses offer career advantages…

It is no myth that when a person is able to communicate and speak a language well, potential exists for them to increase their earnings as well as enjoy accelerated career progression and a variety of interesting and possibly high profile roles. A person’s ability to use the English language effectively is significantly determined by the quality of the English language course that they have taken.

In light of this, it is natural and reasonable that you would want to choose learn English through a reputable and credible provider of training and that you would want to study a course in which support, guidance and helpful feedback are offered to candidates.

What should you look for in an English course?

1. Assessment of your English proficiency – One of the most important aspects of an English language course is that the college or training provider will be interested to know the level of English proficiency at which you enter the course. When your capabilities and confidence with the English language are well understood, it is possible to have content pitched to your level and additional support directed to the areas in which you need it most. Similarly, if you have quite a good level of English proficiency, efforts can be made to extend and advance your skills.
2. Interactive learning – Given that we live in a technologically advanced era, courses that include interactive learning possibilities for students are often favoured and recognised for the way they facilitate good results and innovative ways of increasing skill. Many students find that online materials, videos and certainly audio clips of people speaking in English, help them to gain an improved command of and confidence with the language.
3. Individual attention – When you come to study English, chances are that you do not want to be treated as a number. It is likely that you aspire to achieve good results and do very well at your training course. Given this, it is appropriate that you should expect some individual attention and tailoring of content and support to match your particular needs.
4. A course with strong vocational links – Many students undertake studies of English to enhance their career prospects and broaden the professional opportunities that are available. For example, numerous students come to this country to study a business course Australia offers a number of high quality, effective business courses that appeal to students and employers from all over the world.

Although the selection of an English course can seem outwardly simple, there are important factors to consider that will help you to make the best decision and one that will yield positive outcomes in both the short and long term. Above all else, look for a training provider that is credible and will help you to learn English in a supportive and stimulating environment.

How to Decide Which English Course to Study is a post from: Academia International Weblog

Of all the possible languages to learn English brings its own difficulties and challenges, but is well worth knowing because it is arguably the most commonly spoken and used language for communication. Credible and high quality English courses can provide a thorough and effective way to learn English.

In this article, we look at some of the most significant challenges of learning English and strategies that can be used to overcome them.

1:  The way that the language reads and is spoken are different

Very often the way that English text appears on the page and the way that is pronounced and delivered are quite different. For non-native speakers of English, this can understandably be very challenging and quite confusing.

One way to overcome this challenge is to participate in a range of speech related learning activities. The Internet makes a wonderful contribution here as a number of different online speaking and listening activities can be accessed, where participants can listen and then use small sentences to speak.

Online as well as offline programs have been created to focus the learning of English in this way and are designed to provide a listening opportunity followed by the opportunity to put sentences together, rather than trying to memorise and combine separate, individual words.

2:  Fluent, spoken English is challenging to decipher and interpret

In the specialised context of the classroom of an English course, it is common for spoken English to be delivered slowly and exceptionally clearly. Students of English find that when they are removed from this situation and trying to speak and understand English in more general settings, making sense of the language is all the more difficult.

One of the best and most successful tips for overcoming this challenge is to talk with English speakers as often as possible. In fact, engaging in conversation about all sorts of topics can be remarkably educational, and also a lot of fun.

Talking with English speakers can be fun, entertaining, educationally beneficial and very significant in building your confidence and oral proficiency. You will achieve the best outcomes when you are able to practice your oral language skills with a fluent and accurate speaker who will allow you the freedom to make mistakes, but will also provide you with guidance to overcome any mistakes you may make. Great speaking partners will also congratulate you on the achievements and progress you make as you become more confident and proficient with the English language.

3:  Colloquialisms and slang confuse understanding of the English language

Some students of English find that there is a lot of slang and colloquial language that is used when English is spoken in less formal contexts. Having studied the formal and correct forms of English, this can be remarkably confusing, but there are ways to understand the difference between formal and casual language.

Some students recommend that students of English watch television programs and listen to radio stations in which English is spoken. While you may not fully understand every exchange that takes place and every word that is spoken, watching and listening to television and radio can help you to gain an appreciation of the conversations taking place and the tone and intonation that underpins them.

English can be a challenging language to learn, but the resulting benefits more than outweigh the difficulties. People learning English can benefit from taking every opportunity to read, listen and speak the English language and of course, putting the skills and knowledge learnt into practice is critically important.

3 Challenges of Learning English and How to Overcome Them is a post from: Academia International Weblog

Making the decision to learn a language is important but then follows an even more critical decision – which languages are the best to know in this day and age? Here we take a look at four languages that are well worth knowing.

1:  English

Of all the possible languages, no language presents more advantages than English. There are many different English courses available that equip candidates with the skills, knowledge and experiences that are necessary to make significant advances in their personal and professional lives. If you have decided to learn English, do your research and select a course that is offered by a credible, reputable and well-established training provider.

English is widely spoken throughout the world and is most often the language in which business exchanges occur and the language through which international communications are facilitated. The majority of academic publications and research findings are provided in English and knowledge and skill with English is beneficial and infinitely useful in many different industries and employment contexts.

The English language is also unofficially recognised as the ‘international language of travellers’. While people from all corners of the globe travel, knowledge of and the ability to speak English creates extensive opportunities for interaction and communication that would be more difficult without command of the English language.

2:  Chinese

With the ever-increasing prominence and global importance of China in terms of economics, industry and finance, knowing and understanding Chinese can be tremendously advantageous. The Chinese population is of course extensive and the fact that even more people in the world are able to communicate in Chinese, strengthens the importance and significance of this language.

Depending on your linguistic background, Chinese can be quite a difficult language to learn. However, trends show that fluent speakers of Chinese are able to enter and enjoy interesting professional positions in government, business, economics and many other contexts.

3:  Korean

The Korean language is growing as a language of choice for people wishing to study to become proficient in an additional language.

The fact that the Korean language is one of the less difficult Asian languages to learn is a significant factor in its increasing popularity. The alphabet used for this language is comparatively simple and the ability to read the language does not necessitate learning and knowing thousands of symbols.

4:  Spanish

Throughout the world, Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages. In many countries, including the United States, knowing Spanish is incredibly beneficial as this country is home to the world’s fifth largest population of Spanish speakers.

Knowing an additional language brings many advantages for an individual. Of course, the ability to read and speak more than one language can bring professional benefits but personal gains can also be realised. The study of a language can be rigorous and at times challenging, but the benefits that stand to be gained are well worth the time and discipline.

4 of the Best Languages to Know is a post from: Academia International Weblog

When a person is proficient and skilled with their use of English, new information becomes available to them, together with new and varied opportunities for communication and interaction. In fact, many people find that there are no shortages (and certainly many advantages) that arise from their command and use of the English language.

Access to the most interesting knowledge…

When you are able to read and speak English very well, because you have studied an English course, you will find that you have increased access and insight into some of the most interesting and thought provoking sources of information available.

Much of the most sought after, relevant, contemporary and fascinating knowledge and online, visual and print based information is expressed in English. A person who has committed to learn English is rewarded with greater access to many different sources of information. These include:

• Websites – There is a staggering and ever-increasing number of web pages of information written in English. In fact, more than one billion pages of information are published online. When you are able to speak and read English, you have access to an incredible amount of knowledge on the net and are better placed to pursue your interests and enquire into particular subjects of interest.
• Books – Despite the prevalence and seeming reliance of so many of us on web-based information, there will always be a place for books. An overwhelming number of books about a variety of subjects can be read in English, furthering emphasising the value of learning English.
• Print-based media – Wherever you travel throughout the world, you are bound to find that the only magazines and newspapers that are consistently found and available are those written in English. When you can speak English, it is reassuring to know that you do not have to hunt or struggle for information.
• Science – While important scientific research and developments occur throughout the world, English is frequently perceived as the fundamental language that underpins the world of science. A vast majority of scientific articles are written in English, including those that come from countries where English may not be the predominant language used.
• Current affairs – English speaking networks tend to most quickly broadcast breaking news and current affairs and are quite often seen as more reputable and credible than networks that may be smaller and may not use English as a first language. It is significant too, that news reports and current affairs in English can be viewed anywhere in the world.

New opportunities for communication…

Of all the languages in the world, English is undeniably the language that allows so many people to communicate. Even when people are not native English speakers, by learning English, new opportunities to meet, interact and communicate with people are created.

When you can speak and read English, it is possible to communicate with people all over the world and gain more from travel experiences.

It is dangerous to assume that learning English is easy or straightforward. Learning any language can be challenging and demanding, but the rewards that are available through command of the English language more than compensate for the commitment that is required.

How to Use Your Knowledge of English is a post from: Academia International Weblog

Here we take a look at four of the very best reasons to speak and read English:

1:  English is the language of the international business community

Although international business by nature spans many countries and cultures, English is the dominant language of the international business community. Overwhelmingly, English is the linguistic currency and foundation through which business exchanges and communications take place.

With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that many people who aspire to improve and enhance the way that they do business recognise the importance of education through a quality English course.

2:  Increase and expand your employment opportunities

One of the foremost reasons that people choose to study English is to enhance their career opportunities. There is no escaping the fact that candidates that can speak, read and communicate in multiple languages are highly sought after and most desirable in a range of employment situations.

Some people are surprised to find that it is not only in travel, international business and translation that bilingual or multilingual speakers are so heavily in demand. Today, organisations of many different natures and purposes desire staff that can read and speak at least two languages.

In fact, the ability to speak and read at least one language, other than your native language, is recognised by recruiters as the factor that often gives a candidate that may be similarly matched to others, the edge in securing professional positions. If learning English can give a person such a distinct career advantage, it is all the more apparent that proficiency with the English language can deliver a range of desirable professional benefits.

3:  Travel

Not only is English the language of the international business community, it is commonly understood to be the language most common to travellers.

Although people from all corners of the globe travel, it is very often the case that the English language is the common linguistic denominator. When English is the basis of communication, undertaking an English course clearly offers a personal advantage in that more opportunities and a broader range of enriching experiences are available to those who travel and can read and speak English.

4:  It shows your commitment to rigorous study

There is no denying that learning a foreign language can be difficult and challenging. However, it can also be incredibly interesting, stimulating and enjoyable.

The fact that you or any other person has committed to and completed a credible and rigorous English course actually speaks volumes about your personality and approach to learning. Potential employers, as well as numerous others, tend to be impressed by commitment to learning of this type and appreciate the dedication, time and energy that is required in order to successfully complete a course and proficiently read and speak English.

The ability to confidently and competently read and speak English is favourably perceived. However, the advantages of reading and speaking English go far beyond other people’s perceptions and branch into a range of personal and life enhancing opportunities that are made available when a person is able to speak English as a second language.

4 Reasons Why it is Great to Read and Speak English is a post from: Academia International Weblog