As a language, English is not the most readily accessible language to master for very many. The vagaries of the English language, together with its predisposition for caveats and exceptions to general rules of syntax and grammar, all mean that English can be a complex and difficult language to learn. Fortunately, help is at hand with many
English language courses now available in the UK to help people learn the basics, or complexities, of this uniquely beautiful form of communication.
Of course, the needs for the individual in learning English can be many and varied and must be differentiated to match these requirements. For example, a businessperson with a decent grasp of basic spoken English may need to learn a form of executive English for business purposes and there are excellent companies based around the UK, such as EAC, that offer this facility. In contrast, a child who is interested in learning English as a second language would have a very different set of learning objectives to the business executive.
Meeting these differing needs are a select group of companies, headed by EAC, a company that are specialists in English language courses and programmes aimed at adults, teenagers and children to nurture their interest and passion to learn English.
EAC offer a variety of English courses in Edinburgh, and at other venues across the UK and Spain that cater for the varying needs of all their students. One of the most popular courses are their English summer schools programs which allow children the chance not only to develop their linguistic skills, but also undertake a variety of cultural activities, visits and social occasions; these are not only educational and informative, but immense fun too.
In 2010 alone, EAC welcomed over 12,000 students onto their English summer schools. There were 48 different nationalities covered by the group, ensuring that there was a broad cultural mix that allowed all students the maximum opportunity to develop, not only the new linguistic skills they were learning, but also a gain completely new group of friends.
The first thing to note is that the education provided to each of these children who attended English courses in UK schools, is first rate. All of the teachers at EAC have a Cambridge, CELTA or ESOL certificate or an equivalent, ensuring that the teachers have the required skill set to maximise the learning opportunities for the individual.
Furthermore, the course taught by the teacher covers a wide range of English language skills, from the basic rules of grammar, syntax and vocabulary, to speaking, reading and individual project work, all designed to accompany the learning taking place on a daily basis.
A summer spent at an English language school is, however, more than just an opportunity to immerse yourself in the language and customs, but a cultural and social event. As such, the social side of school is equally important at EAC and a trained activity team put together a fun-filled programme of sightseeing, sports, excursions and days out in the locality, to ensure that the students are having as much fun out of the classroom as they are inside it.
It is this seemingly minor point that EAC seem to have innately understood and which makes them so popular year on year. The fact that children come onto these courses not only vastly improves their English in terms of reading, writing and speaking, but they also are given a broad range of experiences. These social activities not only allow them to develop their new language skills in a real and meaningful context, but they also ensure that students have a great time while on the course too!
For the young learner, it is the perfect win-win situation: They receive an outstanding additional education in one of the most important languages in the world today, from specialist teachers who devise and deliver a rigorous and balanced curriculum. Then on the social side, they get to enjoy themselves and put these skills into practice immediately, allowing them to further reinforce the skills and abilities they have learned in the classroom.
It is easy to see why so many students are so quick to sign up to EAC English summer schools and also explains why so many teenagers and adults are also discovering that their English skills can be enhanced by the structured learning and clearly defined and delivered curriculum that EAC provide.
English is a beautifully strange language, filled with quirks, foibles and with a depth and richness that can make it impermeable to many who do not speak it as a first language. It is therefore a positive boon that companies like EAC offer a range of courses that allow their students to conquer English in an educational, meaningful and, above all, enjoyable way!