When will we "count our chickens"?
If, as popular wisdom says, chickens are counted in the fall, then one usually has to assess one’s academic achievements in the spring. But in the fall, we try to clarify what exactly we know and what we will have to study. As a rule, all language learning centers enroll students three times a year - for the autumn, winter, and spring semesters. And it is the autumn semester that sees the peak of enrollment.
"Approximately 90% of our students are corporate clients, employees of large domestic and international companies," says Natalia Kosenko. "In the fall, after summer vacations, management orders an audit and plans long-term employee training programs. At this time of year, it is easier to study - the fact that you have had time to rest and recuperate over the summer has its effect, and business life is only gradually picking up after the summer lull."
And as Tatyana Oratovskaya rightly noted, "the autumn surge of interest in learning is dictated, most likely, by biological rhythm and the demands of a rapidly developing society with many opportunities for energetic and educated people. Yielding to this motivation, with the onset of autumn, not only children but also adults rush to educational institutions."
Placement Testing
Placement testing is perhaps the most crucial moment when admitting a new student. Unfortunately, many of us have only a vague idea of what levels of language proficiency exist and how they differ from one another.
"When creating our unique teaching methodology, we studied a lot of literature and created, in our opinion, the most optimal system," says Natalia Kosenko. "Our learning center provides nine levels: six basic and three intermediate. The effectiveness of learning depends on the thoroughness of determining incoming knowledge. Our students are business people; many of them hold responsible positions and manage large enterprises. Their time is their 'golden fund,' and therefore our task is to ensure that they master a foreign language as quickly and efficiently as possible. Our placement test is akin to a small exam: everything is checked - vocabulary, ability to translate orally and in writing, and to conduct a conversation. Based on the analysis of the information obtained, we select for each person the most suitable group in terms of level and social composition. Of course, it is important to consider psychological readiness: some will be stimulated by classes in a higher-level group, while others, on the contrary, will become confused and discouraged. And attitude is very important for learning success."
"Today, language schools offer their services to different categories of students," notes Tatyana Oratovskaya. "How can one correctly assess one’s capabilities and calculate the prospects of study in terms of time and money? It is not so easy to understand the system of knowledge levels, for example, of the English language. There are European and American standards for assessing English language proficiency. Successfully passing the international IELTS test qualifies you for work or study in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Obtaining the British certificates 'A-C' - FCE, CAE, CPE - indicates that you can communicate with native English speakers without any problems, freely perceive information at lectures by foreign professors in Ukrainian universities, and also qualify for study and work in Great Britain and other EU countries. You cannot do without the TOEFL exam if you want to study in North America. Well, for our Ukrainian business, you are simply indispensable if you have a fluent command of a foreign language: firstly, you save time by expanding the horizons of your profession, and secondly, you save company funds by doing without an interpreter.
The division into levels and the number of study hours at each level depends on the training programs of a particular educational institution, but, as a rule, they all offer beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, each of which is designed for 100-140 hours. After the mandatory entrance testing, highly professional language centers will advise you on the prospects and duration of study in relation to your goals and tasks.
The entrance test is quite indicative for making a decision about study at the International House language school in Kyiv, where it consists of two components: a computer test checking grammar knowledge and an oral interview. Usually this is enough to correctly determine the prospect of study and choose services - training according to an individual program, in regular groups, or at language centers in Britain and other countries of this international network. IH also provides 'external' language testing services to confirm the real level of language proficiency. This kind of testing is necessary for those who go to international conferences or participate in international projects.
Calculating the prospect of study at International House is quite simple: they will immediately tell you what skills you will acquire upon completion of any full level. For example, having completed the Intermediate level, you have the potential to score 4.5-5.5 points if you want to take IELTS, and 133-173 points when taking TOEFL; in real life, this means that according to international standards you 'can communicate in English with a certain degree of confidence and understand others.' Similar schemes exist for all levels."
What Does the Coming Year Have in Store for Us?
As a rule, each academic year brings something new for us, the students. Our interlocutors share their new plans and developments.
“Each new academic year brings new students, updated teaching materials, and meetings with new organizations and companies interested in cooperating with our training center,” says Natalia Kosenko. “About 80% of students come through recommendations from those who studied with us. This is how both individual students and entire organizations find us. It is gratifying that our previous clients remain loyal to us. Even when management changes and a tender is announced for the selection of a training center, we consistently hold our ground.”
“Preparation for taking British and American English exams is gaining momentum,” shares observations Tatyana Oratovskaya. “Every year more children and adults want to assess their knowledge according to European standards. An undeniably important event is that currently, in close cooperation between the Ministry of Education of Ukraine and International House in Ukraine and Hungary, a pilot project is being prepared to introduce the experience of conducting EURO exams for schoolchildren, which in the future could replace final/entrance exams or become alternative English exams in our country. All interested parties are awaited by International professional trainings for English teachers (the nearest CELTA course is scheduled for October). A CELTYL course is also expected - a training for primary and secondary school teachers. And starting this year, all IH clients will be able to use the resource center for free: the Internet, library, and video library.”