This means that now it is, to say the least, not entirely honest to cite lack of time. And we begin to reflect...
English for the Future
"My little lazybones will be fooling around for three whole months! No, of course, we need to send him to the sea, and to grandma's in the village for nitrite-free vitamins. But he's so lively, interested in everything. He definitely needs to be kept busy with something useful. If only we could somehow combine both rest and study? But he's only eleven, sending him somewhere far away is a bit scary..."
"Naturally, we need to try, as the English say, 'kill two birds with one stone' (kill two hares with one shot)," says Tatiana Oratovskaya (International House language school in Kiev). - That is why the main goal of our summer programs for children and adults is precisely the optimal combination of rest and study. We run holiday programs for children and adults in Crimea, which allows us to ensure comfortable accommodation, organized leisure with a clear program of entertainment, excursions, and sports and health activities, along with a significant boost in the language (since the program duration is usually 20 days). Classes take place in small groups, in a relaxed atmosphere, and always outdoors. The programs for children are built according to the following scheme: exercises and swimming before breakfast, discussion classes right after breakfast - three hours, then games, lunch, entertainment, sea and beach, and in the evening - one hour of additional project work. Last year, the theme of the International House children's camp was Hollywood: the children tried their hand at being film directors, actors, producers, and even brought home their own films. And all of this - in English.
This year the program will be just as exciting, and moreover the children will be staying in one of the most beautiful places in Crimea - Livadia. The organizers of the summer programs even took care to hold a children's birthday celebration - after all, among the children there are quite a few with birthdays. Such a family atmosphere of the camp and the opportunity for informal communication with our and foreign teachers gives classes and leisure a special charm, develops the children's cultural level, and shapes their social communication skills. Experience shows that children aged 9-13 willingly 'play' in a language environment controlled by adults, while teenagers find much that is useful and interesting for developing personal qualities.
English for Life and... Survival
"Finally, vacation! We'll take the family and go to Greece for a week. This year we'll go on our own, without a tour group, because I'm tired of going everywhere 'in formation'. True, I don't know how we'll communicate there. I once studied English at the institute, and I can still translate an article. But to actually speak..."
Familiar, isn't it? "As a rule, those who are about to take a trip abroad face this kind of problem. It could be a vacation, a business trip, or even moving abroad for permanent residence. The difficulty lies precisely in the practical application of a foreign language to the specific realities of life abroad," says Elena Yaremenko (Oxford-Class training center). - There is a special study course called 'English for Travelers' (Survival English). Its goal is to master modern conversational English in a short time. At first, the teacher helps to 'revive' your existing knowledge. And you will have to study new thematic material in real life: speaking in short dialogues, listening to audio recordings, watching a special educational video film. Special attention is paid to acting out real-life situations. So, tell me, what do you usually do abroad? That's right - you ask, ask, ask... And therefore the course provides for the following classic traveler conversation topics: 'Asking the Way', 'At the Airport, at the Hotel, at the Restaurant...', 'Sightseeing', 'Buying Souvenirs', 'Banking Services'. Through all these situations, like a real travel guide, an experienced teacher leads you. Booking tickets, excursions, hotel, airport, happy return home, and showing photos! Of course, to start studying, you need at least some basic knowledge. Usually such a course takes from one to three weeks of daily study. The principle is: the sooner you need to 'revive' the language, the more intensively you will have to study."
International House in Kiev offers the following study combination: to complement express courses in Kiev (two-week modules of intensive classes five times a week for two hours) with classes at IH centers in the United Kingdom.
By the way, experts unanimously note: after taking such a course and consolidating it in practice during a trip abroad, you will see for yourself what exactly in your English you will need to brush up on upon returning home.
English for Career
"This year my vacation is in November, of all times. So I'll be in Kiev all summer. Work is at a complete standstill, which is not surprising for this time of year. By the way, we have an expansion planned for the fall, and there will be an opportunity to move up the career ladder. Maybe it's just the right time to brush up my English?"
"Summer is a great time to practice business English," says Irina Tupikina (International Business Communication Personnel Training Center). - "First, you are not so loaded down at work. Second, in summer it is much easier to get up an hour earlier in the morning or, conversely, to study longer in the evening. In summer, as a rule, management can spare the time and place for English lessons for you and your colleagues right in the office. For a professional who does business with Western partners, the ability to chat 'about the weather, about nature' is not enough. There is a special business language in which negotiations and correspondence are conducted, contract texts are drafted, exchange rates and export-import issues are discussed. I would single out two varieties of such business English: general business and professional."
A common business language is needed by both company executives and middle-level employees. In one group, a broker, a commercial director, and a tourism manager can study together: the basis of a businessperson's vocabulary is the same for everyone. Agree that when learning English, it would be interesting and useful for you to learn who head-hunters are and where they find their "victims", to study the basics of modern advertising and brand management, to listen to interviews with leading specialists in marketing and client service, to learn the rules of conducting negotiations, to become acquainted with ethical norms of advertising companies, to learn the principles of corporate culture and team management, and much more.
If you need knowledge only in your specialization, you can order a training program that meets your specific interests and existing language skills, whether it be insurance, banking, tourism, construction, trade, or financial activities".
What should you pay attention to? According to Tatyana Oratovskaya, "specialized language programs are good if your general level of language proficiency is not lower than intermediate. In particular, when studying a business English course, you will not only feel a surge of knowledge necessary for work, but also be able to prepare for British exams for prestigious Cambridge certificates or those of the British Chamber of Commerce, which will definitely help you and your career".
A few kind words should be devoted to intensive courses. According to Elena Yaremenko, "an intensive course can be recommended to those who 'knew but forgot' or if there are some non-standard situations. During such classes, those types of memory are activated that may remain passive in the regular mode. In one or two months, you can train yourself to speak and comprehend the language by ear. But you will have to study 10-15 hours a week".
"Now I will definitely be able to study one-on-one with a teacher! In summer there are fewer groups, and teachers are not too busy".
As for the effectiveness of individual lessons, specialists have some hesitation. According to Elena Yaremenko, "individual lessons are acceptable if you need to prepare for exams or improve weak areas. Otherwise, it is better to study in a group. Do not forget that language is communication. And with individual lessons, a person becomes fixated on the teacher".
"Individual lessons are good when there is no opportunity to study on a fixed schedule and you need to quickly solve some specific tasks," asserts Tatyana Oratovskaya. "They can also be effective if, for example, there are serious problems in grammar and you need to sort it out calmly, without complexes in front of others. At the same time, it is difficult to place individual lessons on the same level of effectiveness as group lessons. Why? First, because natural communication between people develops in a group of more than two people. In communication, a person simultaneously perceives information (with greater or lesser effectiveness) from different sources: directly from the speaker, from the remarks of those around, etc. Thus, a person learns to perceive multi-channel information and at the same time be adequately understood. In addition, in a group, no one waits for anyone, and you need to actively show initiative, unlike individual lessons, where the teacher creates a complete 'favorable environment' and does not rush you to speak. And this, in turn, reduces dynamism and increases the passivity of the student".
Many language centers have so-called Saturday booster courses. As a rule, they involve intensive development of conversational skills through communication in a fairly informal setting with native-speaking teachers.
English for...
Abroad there is also such a phenomenon as "Foreign Language +". Behind the mysterious plus can hide anything: sports, fishing, floristry, winemaking, cooking, dancing, horseback riding, and much more. Special hours with expert teachers are devoted to such highlights in the course schedule.
Do you have some completely secret motive for learning English? Well, search, call, ask! And when choosing a training center, follow the advice of Aristotle. The wise Greek asserted: "The greatness of a school is determined by three components: logos - the quality of presentation, pathos - contact with the audience, ethos - attitude to others".