General English course at a language school abroad

When seeing the list of available courses at a language school abroad, some adult students may feel lost and wonder which educational program is the best to choose.

Remember the golden rule: if you're in doubt, choose a general language course.

If you need a specialized program, you will know it. For example, if a student is preparing to enter a foreign university, they will know which exam is required and what score they need to achieve. Aviation school students will be aware of aviation English, medical professionals of medical English, and so on. General English is the everyday speech of a native speaker—the way every native speaker understands, speaks, reads, and writes. Such an educational program is not tied to a specific field of activity and reflects the following idea: this is how English-speaking people communicate in life, on the street, in the supermarket, on public transport.

What is a General English Course

Sometimes such educational programs abroad are called standard or intensive English. Standard - 20 lessons per week, intensive - 25 or 30 lessons per week. The term “lesson” refers to an academic hour—45-60 minutes. In other words, if a lesson lasts 45 minutes, then 20 lessons usually mean two classes of 1.5 hours each. The number of students in a group varies, but in most cases, it's 4 to 16 people. Expect that the fewer students in a group, the more expensive the tuition might be.

Who Are These Courses Designed For

Such language education programs abroad are designed for age groups starting from 5-6 years old. The only exception is that if you are an adult, you will not study in the same group as children under 18. Otherwise, freshmen and established managers study together in the same academic group. However, some programs limit age, for example, only for those over 50 or only over 23 years old.

What and How Do They Study

The general English course is comprehensive. Students equally study the four components of the language: speaking practice, grammar, writing, and listening. Teaching methods naturally vary among teachers, even within the same school. But teachers make the lessons interactive, striving to provide a personalized approach to each student and achieve the required results for each student.

Each component includes its own teaching methods. When it comes to listening, you might listen to an audio recording, and then the teacher will ask questions about what was heard. Speaking practice involves discussing a general topic—your last vacation, your favorite dish, and so on. Writing means having to answer a question in writing or describe an event from your life. Grammar involves the ability to listen to the teacher's explanations and complete exercises. Usually, part of the homework is also related to grammar.

Do I Really Have to Do Homework?

Yes, the teacher assigns homework. If you are preparing for an international exam, the amount of homework can take up to 5-6 hours to complete. Don't be scared. Generally, the general English course does not imply such a workload after classes, but be prepared to spend 1-2 hours on homework.

Why is General English Essential for Higher Education Abroad?

This course meets the goals of most students learning English. Once you reach the advanced level, you will be able to speak, write, read, and understand English without any problems. Even if you are preparing for exams or studying a specialized English course, you will still need to study general English. After all, it's not about a special language. If you cannot talk about yourself or retell a movie plot, you are unlikely to be able to discuss stock market quotes or your company’s marketing strategy.