esl programs
Cómo Escoger un Curso de Inglés en el Exterior
Puede ser difícil aprender inglés como segunda lengua, pero es imprescindible hacerlo si deseas tener acceso a los mejores trabajos, educación y oportunidades culturales.
Es por esto que muchos hispano hablantes deciden tomar un curso de inglés en el extranjero. Estos cursos se llaman “ESL programs” o “English as a Second Language programs”, que quiere decir ‘programas de inglés como segunda lengua’.
Hay cursos individuales o en grupo, y los mejores pueden ser caros, así que aquí te damos una guía de cómo escoger el mejor curso de inglés para que le saques el mayor provecho a tu inversión:
1. Confirma la experiencia del profesor
Cuando visites sitios de escuelas de inglés en Internet o veas anuncios sobre cursos de inglés, debes investigar a fondo y averiguar todo lo que puedas acerca del programa, quién lo enseña y su experiencia en el campo.
Pon atención y averigua si el curso es dirigido por un voluntario o por alguien que está certificado para enseñar el inglés como segunda lengua.
Una persona certificada ha sido entrenada y conoce muchos, si no todos, los retos que un estudiante de inglés puede encontrar. Por supuesto, esto no quiere decir que un voluntario hará un mal trabajo, sin embargo, un profesor certificado incrementa la posibilidad de que tu experiencia en el aula sea muy enriquecedora.
2. Pide referencias
Una vez que tengas varios programas en mente, pídele al profesor o a la escuela que te envíe referencias. No dudes en pedirlas, pues si estás pagando por el programa tienes derecho a saber si este lo vale.
La mayoría de escuelas y profesores tienen una lista de antiguos alumnos que están dispuestos a hablar con clientes potenciales sobre su experiencia con los programas. Contáctalos y pregúntales sobre el profesor y cómo el curso los benefició. Estas personas inclusive te pueden dar información valiosa sobre la comunidad donde se encuentra la escuela y sobre la cultura del lugar.
3. Analiza cómo aprendes mejor
Es importante considerar en qué tipo de ambiente aprendes mejor.
¿Eres el tipo de persona que trabaja mejor sola, fuera de un aula? Si es así, te conviene más trabajar con un profesor particular o tomar un curso de inglés virtual, sin embargo, esto puede resultar más caro, por lo que debes considerar tu posición financiera antes de decidir.
Hay también opciones de grupos muy pequeños y espacios tranquilos como bibliotecas y salas de conferencia; todo esto es importante porque mucho ruido y distracciones pueden entorpecer el aprendizaje.
4. Busca alternativas económicas
Dependiendo de donde vives, puedes encontrar alternativas más económicas a un programa de inglés, por ejemplo, grupos comunitarios o iniciativas gubernamentales. Estos van a resultar mucho más baratos que un profesor o escuela privada, sin embargo, probablemente no vas a recibir el mismo tipo de atención.
Si realmente deseas aprender el inglés profundamente, vale la pena invertir en un buen programa, en una ciudad donde se hable la lengua diariamente y donde puedas experimentar la cultura de habla inglesa en su totalidad.
Business Don’ts - What ESL Students Should and Shouldn’t Do in an International Business Environment
For many ESL students, doing business abroad can be tricky. Not knowing about the foreign culture can really work against you. Excessive anxiety or being overly eager to do business can become enormous obstacles that end up closing doors rather than opening them.
When business students learn English they accomplish their desire to know the language, which they need for business contacts. However, it does not mean complete and adequate preparation for international collaboration. When communicating with their foreign counterparts, business people encounter a different type of thinking, which determines decision-making. Thus, to be prepared for international cooperation there are many things to consider and many things to avoid. If you want to know what you shouldn’t and should do, read on.
Don’t get over eager to do business - They might take advantage of your disadvantage
Take your time to fully understand what is being said. Don’t make any rash decisions, ask for clarification if necessary. Use expressions like “can we go over that again” when in doubt. If you feel at all uncertain make sure you have everything written down and ask for a second meeting. Take all the time you need to review and go over all the info. Also, you might want to take an electronic dictionary. They have certain unique functions, such as error tolerant input, cross-referencing (e.g. synonyms and antonyms), and word and spelling and they are probably faster to use.
Be prepared
Make sure you have the information you are going to discuss written down. Take notes with you so you are very familiar with what you are going to talk about and how. Make sure you know what you’re going to say; don’t assume people will be willing to help. Practice before the encounter so you will feel confident. You have to know all relevant vocabulary and expressions before any meeting and or presentations.
Try to learn a little about the culture, business and people you’re going to do business with
Because English is so widely used around the world, it is quite possible that many members of your audience will not be native English speakers. In other words, they will not have an Anglo-Saxon culture. Even within the Anglo-Saxon world, there are many differences in culture. If we hypothetically imagine a German working for an Israeli company making a presentation in English to a Japanese audience in Korea, we can see that there are even more possibilities for cultural misunderstanding. You should try to learn about any particular cultural matters that may affect your audience. This is one reason why preparation is so important. Cultural differences can also be seen in body language for example. To someone from Southern France or Italy, a presenter who uses his hands and arms when speaking may seem dynamic and friendly. To an Englishman, the same presenter may seem unsure of his words and lacking in self-confidence.
The importance of studying mentality differences has practical implications. Being aware of mentality differences leads to international cooperation and the chance to avoid many cross-cultural conflicts. If you feel you need to improve your English speaking skills, there are great ESL programs designed to help you overcome your language barriers.
If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our ESL blog as the original source).
Useful Business Presentation Tips for ESL Students
Delivering a business presentation can be a daunting task for many people. However for those who speak English as a second language a business presentation can pose a true challenge. People are sometimes afraid of speaking in public, and if you add the natural discomfort of speaking in a foreign language to that, the situation may seem overwhelming. The good news is that there is always something you can do to make things better. If you follow a few simple tips, giving a presentation is actually very easy.
Tip 1: Prepare, prepare, prepare
Preparation is everything! With good preparation and planning you will be totally confident and less nervous. And your audience will feel your confidence. Your audience, too, will be confident. They will be confident in you. And this will give you control. Control of your audience and of your presentation. With control, you will be “in charge” and your audience will listen positively to your message
Tip 2: Ask yourself these questions
“Why am I giving this presentation?” Do you need to inform, to persuade, to train or to sell? Your objective it very important. It should be clear in your mind. After all, it cannot possibly be clear to your audience if it is not clear in your mind
“Who am I giving this presentation to?” You should try to know how many people there will be, who they are, where they are from, whether they are experts or non-experts, etc. This is important because it will give you a clue as to what they can expect from you.
“Where am I giving this presentation?” In a small hotel meeting-room or a large conference hall? What facilities and equipment are available? What are the seating arrangements?
“When am I giving this presentation and how long will it be?” Will it be 5 minutes or 1 hour? During what part of the day is it?
“How should I give this presentation?” What should your approach be? Formal or informal? How many visual aids should you use?
“What should I say?” Now you must decide exactly what you want to say. First, you should brainstorm your ideas. You should include only information that is relevant to your audience and your objective. You can always give additional information during the questions after the presentation. The title is also important since it will help you to focus on the subject.
Tip 3: Structure
A well organized presentation with a clear structure is easier for the audience to follow. It is therefore more effective. You should organize the points you wish to make in a logical order. Most presentations are organized in three parts, followed by questions:
Short introduction
• welcome your audience
• introduce your subject
• explain the structure of your presentation
• explain rules for questions
Body of presentation
• present the subject itself
Short conclusion
• summarize your presentation
• thank your audience
• invite questions
Remember a successful presentation is one of the most effective ways of communicating your message. And because English is so widely used in international business, a working knowledge of the vocabulary and techniques used in an English language presentation is a valuable asset. If you need to improve your English for this type of situation, sign up for an ESL program that covers business presentations.
If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention our ESL blog as the original source).
How to Put an End to Your Problems with Business English
How many English courses have you started in your life? How much money have you spent on CDs, books and countless other tools to learn English? But…can you talk to an English speaker without filling countless gaps with mumblings, like err…, ehhh…, ummm, etc.? Probably the answer is NO. But the truth is that English is essential for you, but not just any type of English. What you need is to learn business English, which is very different from the general one that we all know. And why is that? Because you work for a very important international company and everyday you face the problem of not understanding what a person is saying in a business meeting. Is there a solution?
What is business English? Business English is the “language” that every executive uses to close deals, to talk to investors, to make presentations, etc. So if you cannot understand business English, you will probably lose several opportunities to expand your business. Business English is characterized by the fact that the meaning of the words are highly different, in other words, it is the English that we all know, but used by businessmen; therefore, the phrases and particularly the words can only be understood by those who do business.
Even when you take as many English courses as you can, and you purchase every new CD to learn English, your problems with business English will not fade away because those are tools to learn regular English, so you will find yourself repeating the names of animals and colors, and not the words that you use on a daily basis in your office. What you need is to find the perfect place that understands your necessities and gives you a quick solution as you certainly do not have time to waste; we must remember that you are an executive, whose agenda is full of meetings, conference calls, and presentation, which are, of course, in English.
Believe it or not, there is a solution to help you to tackle this annoying problem. You should go to a school that offers ESL programs and focuses on teaching the type of English that each person needs. In your case, a very busy executive, you should go for an intensive program which involves travelling to the US for three weeks to learn business English. The ESL school will prepare your lessons for the three weeks considering all the business situations that you have to handle everyday in your company. Moreover, this will give you the opportunity to meet other businessmen while you are learning; as a consequence, you will have the possibility to learn the language and to do some business networking at the same time.
To conclude, there is no need for you to worry any longer about understanding what an investor or a partner is saying in a meeting or in a conference call. After taking the ESL program, you will be able to cope with business English easily; so…what are you waiting for?
If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.englishlci.com as the original source).
Doing Business in English - Is it Mission Impossible?
How many times has a colleague of yours suggested taking a business English course? You, as an experienced executive, whose agenda has no place for any other extra activity, and who has been working for the same company for more than ten years, simply answer, “what for?” Never in your business life in that same company have you needed business English to do your job, so for you that is just a ridiculous suggestion. But imagine that one day, your company decides to invest in an English speaking country, just to expand the business and try new horizons, which of course will involve travelling to that country, having meetings and conference calls, making presentations and answering letters and e-mails, all of which involves using business English. I guess that now your colleague’s suggestion does not sound that ridiculous, right?
At first, you believe that you will be able to handle the situation. Bearing in mind your years of experience in the business and the fact that you understand English pretty well, how complicated can this be for you? So the day comes in which you and the rest of the company must travel to the other country to explain the company’s investment objectives and purposes. Before flying you buy a business English dictionary, just in case you may need it. The meeting starts and you discover that all the company’s staff speaks and understands English easily. Suddenly, you realize that business English is not as easy as you thought; even when you understand some parts of the conversation, it is not crystal clear at all. Not to mention the fact that it is impossible for you to give your opinion or explain the tasks that the sector you are responsible for performs. Apparently, even when you know the business well, trying to express the same ideas in another language is not a piece of cake at all.
So, after the meeting, your boss asks you why you were so quiet. Of course you will not talk about your language problems; therefore, you make up an excuse. And now you only wonder what you will do: is this the end of your career?
Fortunately, there is a quick and efficient solution for you. Travel abroad and attend classes at a school that has a special ESL program for executives like you, who need to learn business English to continue doing business. The first thing they should do is enquiry about your real needs, in other words, they prepare the lessons considering all the situations that you will have to handle, and they teach you in consequence. A great three-week program involves travelling to the US and meeting other executives, which will not only allow you to learn the language in real life situations, but also to share business experience with other colleagues.
To sum up, it is not impossible to do business in English; you only need a program that focuses on your needs as an executive. And the most important thing: enroll in the program even if you may not need business English for your current job, as you never know when things can change.
If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.englishlci.com as the original source).
What English Vocabulary Should You Learn?
When you are learning English, and in your ESL programs, you will come in contact with thousands of new words and it will be very difficult to remember all of them, thus, you have to choose the words you truly want to learn.
There are 3 things you must consider when learning new vocabulary:
1.How do you identify the words you should learn?
You must think about how useful a word would be to you. Some words may work for casual and informal talk while others are better for formal and serious conversation. Think of how often and where a word or expression is used, then, you will know if it is worth learning.
The best way to learn new vocabulary is to study words in context; however, it may be hard to decide which words to learn. Words fall into two categories:
-Passive vocabulary (receptive)
-Active vocabulary (productive)
Your purpose for learning English will very much determine the level of effort you should put into learning active vocabulary. You have to understand the contextual nature of vocabulary, how a word is employed, and why, where and when it is used.
2.What do you have to learn about a word?
In a dictionary you will find information about the word’s:
-Spelling
-Meaning
-Pronunciation
-Part of speech
-Inflected forms
-Grammatical features
-Collocations
-Similar and opposite words
-Examples on how to use it
You should write the words that interest you down, along with all this information or part of it; it all depends on what you need. You must consider if you want the word to become a part of your active vocabulary or if you need to understand it when you read or listen. If you want it to be a part of your active vocabulary, write down everything that is listed above.
3.How should you undertake learning new words?
Words have to be learned in context; never memorize them. Pay attention to how and where a word or expression is used.
Look for interesting articles in newspapers or magazines. Listen to English as much as you can, in the radio, on TV, at the movies, at bars, at supermarkets, or in CDs.
Write down the new words you hear, sort them in alphabetical order, and look them up. It may be easier if you write down the words by date, so that you remember what happened the day you heard it, but you should find the way that works best for you. You can record the words along with useful information to listen regularly until you learn it. The key is to get organized!
If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.englishlci.com as the original source).
A Foolproof Plan to Improve Your English during Your Stay in the US
Whether you’ve enrolled in an ESL program for beginners, advanced ESl classes, or Business English courses, the key to improving your English lies in how seriously you take your English learning goals and how hard you’ll try to achieve them. Sounds too “serious”, right? And no fun? Although, improving your English does require a certain amount of hard work and concentration, it is possible to find the perfect balance between concentrated studying and spontaneous, fun learning. Follow this foolproof plan, and you’ll be speaking more confidently in English in no time.
Plunge into it head first!
No matter how great, how experienced, or how knowledgeable your teachers are, you will never absorb the teachings they impart through osmosis. Do not think you can just sit quietly in the back of the classroom, and just listen and watch what goes on. If you really want to improve your English, you have to dive into the experience; participate and be actively engaged in the lessons, right from the start, even if you’re a beginner and will only be able to say a few words. This is not the time to be shy or self-conscious about your English, after all, you’ll be surrounded by students just like you!
Do your homework
Throughout your life you’ve always heard teachers and parents tell you to study and do your homework, and let’s face it, they were a pain in the neck. But they were right. After school study is essential to strengthen everything you’ve seen in class. All of those new words, grammar tenses, and expressions must be reviewed, practiced, and chewed on, so to speak. This way you’ll increase your chances of remembering and effectively using everything you’ve learned. Besides the exercises assigned to you by your teacher, there are several fun things you could do for “homework”. You could read short news articles or blog posts. Watch videos on YouTube or CNN.com. Make a note of any new words or vocabulary and then look them up in your dictionary. The resources are endless!
Get out and mingle!
It is absolutely essential that you practice what you’re learning in class in real life settings. Engage the locals in conversation and ask them about their customs, history, sites of interest, and activities. Even if you’re a beginner there’s lots you could say and practice, from day-to-day phrases, to polite requests. No matter what your level is, you must make the effort to speak to people outside the classroom. You could join a club or organization, even sign up for extracurricular classes, like cooking, pottery, or skiing.
There is an amazing variety of ESL programs to choose from, but once you do make your choice, you have to commit to it for the duration. An English course in the US is an investment, and one you won’t want to waste. To really make it worth your time and money, you must do your part. If you do, you won’t be sorry. You’ll feel more confident speaking English and be ready to take on the world!
Tips for ESL Students - Destroy Your Fear of the Possessive Apostrophe
Apostrophes are not intended to be the nightmare of ESL students or anyone else for that matter. Here we destroy your fear of the possessive apostrophe by showing you how easy it is to understand.
What is the difference between the two sentences in the following three sets of statements?
1. The girl’s papers are on the table, and
The girls’ papers are on the table
2. The book’s pages are damaged, and
The books’ pages are damaged
3. What you see there is the dog’s food, and
What you see there is the dogs’ food
The possessive apostrophe is always used, as its name states, to denote possession of something. It is normal for those taking ESL lessons, to feel confused by the position of such an apostrophe in a noun; however, it is truly very simple to understand.
The trick, if you want to see it as such, is for the ESL student to define if the possessive noun, or the owner of the thing, which can be a person or a thing, is singular or plural, and whether or not it ends in –s in its written form.
These are the rules:
1. When the possessive noun is singular, always add an apostrophe (’) + an -s. For example:
- The cat’s litter
- Laura’s house
- The baby’s crib
2. When the possessive noun doesn’t end in –s in its written form, always add an apostrophe (’) + an –s. For example:
- Mary’s children
- The dog’s food
- The house’s roof
3. When the possessive noun is plural and ends in –s, which includes most plural nouns, just add an apostrophe (’). For example:
- The cats’ tails
- The foods’ flavors
- The texts’ meaning
This is why you see sentences with things like the following:
- Charles’s car (Note that ‘Charles’ is singular)
- The children’s toys (Note that ‘children’ is plural, but it doesn’t end in –s)
- The boss’s office (Note that ‘boss’ is singular)
And this is also why you don’t know if something belongs to one person or to several until it is written down.
In fact, you basically have to remember the third rule; if this one doesn’t apply, always add an apostrophe (’) and an –s.
Now you’re ready to go out and impress everyone at your ESL class, but remember to spread the joy. Let your classmates into the big secret you just learned and release their fear too!
If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.englishlci.com as the original source).
Useful Word Partnerships for ESL Students
Some pairs of words often occur together. If you meet one, you can expect the other. This makes it easier for ESL students to understand written and spoken language, and build their vocabulary as well. Word partnerships are seen in ESL classes which become useful and necessary for everyday language. Higher level ESL programs also present this type of vocabulary, but they add other more complex or specialized word combinations. ESL students have a chance to see them, practice them, and use them in everyday situations.
Below you will see different combinations of word partnerships:
Verb – noun combinations
1. Answer the phone
2. Appoint a new manager
3. Arrange a meeting
4. Export goods
5. Pay tax
6. Solve a problem
7. Type a letter
8. Welcome a visitor
9. Fill a vacancy
10. Interview an applicant
11. Offer a discount
12. Owe some money
13. Rent office space
14. Run a business
15. Send a fax
16. Sign a contract
17. Address a meeting
18. Arrange a demonstration
19. Consider a proposal
20. Fire an employee
21. Keep a record
22. Pay an invoice
23. Place an order
24. Phone a client
25. Build a factory
26. Cash a cheque
27. Dispatch goods
28. Express thanks
29. Postpone a meeting
30. Reach an agreement
31. Reduce costs
32. Settle disputes
EXAMPLES
1. They might offer you a discount if you pay within ten days.
2. Do you need a license to export goods to the Soviet Union?
3. Don’t forget we have to pay tax on the profit we made.
4. I’m trying to arrange a meeting with my bank manager next Tuesday.
5. They hope to reduce costs by employing fewer staff.
6. Could you arrange a demonstration so we can see exactly how it works?
7. It’s not always easy to settle disputes between management and staff.
8. They’re going to build a factory on some vacant land nearby.
Adjective – noun combinations
33. Annual conference
34. Early retirement
35. Extended credit
36. Limited liability
37. Natural resources
38. Occupational pension
39. Private offer
40. Unfair dismissal
41. Effective communication
42. Financial difficulties
43. High priority
44. Introductory offer
45. Skilled workers
46. Sound investment
47. Vacant property
48. Wide range
49. Continuous supply
50. Fundamental disagreement
51. Illustrated brochure
52. Multi-national company
53. Potential customer
54. Prompt reply
55. Strict control
56. Visual aid
57. Advanced technology
58 .Alternative arrangements
59. Close attention
60. Competitive quote
61. Considerable expense
62. Essential requirement
63. Manual labor
64. Raw materials
EXAMPLES
1. As a special introductory offer, they’re selling two for the price of one.
2. I’m going to the annual conference of our trade union.
3. He was only 50 but he decided to take early retirement.
4. There is a shortage of skilled workers for this kind of work.
5. We can’t use the hall so we’ll have to make alternative arrangements.
6. They were recently taken over by a multi-national company.
7. I’d like you to meet her. She could be a potential customer.
8. I want you to pay close attention to everything he does.
If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.englishlci.com as the original source).
ESL Class - How to Expand your Vocabulary with Opposites
When you learn new vocabulary, it is sometimes difficult to remember new words; you probably tend to translate or use the dictionary as the fastest way out. Trying to remember opposites is a great technique that may prevent you from constantly turning to a dictionary for either the definition or translation.
In most ESL programs, teachers teach a word through opposites, synonyms, illustrations, mimics, examples, etc. You can build your vocabulary by asking yourself if you know the opposite of one of the most important words in a sentence. It also helps to learn words in a complete sentence. This makes them much easier to remember. These are also great strategies to avoid translating in class. Why is it so important to avoid translation? Most ESL teachers believe that if you use or speak your native language in class, this will not allow you to incorporate the second language in a easy, fast, and natural way.
Learning through opposites is effective, and as mentioned above, ESL students must try to avoid translations and learn the language through the second language itself.
Below, you’ll see some examples of opposites used in business English:
1. Reject-accept: He has accepted my recommendation.
2. Demolish-build: They are demolishing an office block down by the river.
3. Attack-defend: She defended the company’s policy on the environment.
4. Withdraw-deposit: She’s gone to the bank to deposit money.
5. Accept-evade: Is he the kind of person that accepts his responsibilities?
6. Fail-succeed: I think his reorganization plan will ultimately fail.
7. Impose-lift: They’ve imposed restrictions on the use of cell phones.
8. Gain-lose: Share prices gained ground throughout the day.
9. Lose-make (money): We made a lot of money on that last deal.
10. Keep-miss: Did he miss his appointment with that journalist?
11. Lower-raise: They say the banks are going to raise interest rates.
12. Increase-reduce: I think this move will increase the deficit.
13. Complicate-simplify: Won’t the new clocking-in-system simplify things?
14. Strengthen-weaken: Getting outside finance can only weaken our position.
15. Expand-decline: Ship building has expanded in this area over the years.
16. Accept-deny: He denied that the company was in trouble.
17. Disapprove-approve: Many employees approved of the new law.
18. Defend-accuse: A defense attorney is responsible for defending his client.
19. Buy-sell: Over the last 10 years the company has bought millions of units.
20. Inform-misinform: As they were misinformed, they didn’t get the message correctly.
21. Legal-illegal: He was accused of illegal business practices.
22. Lay off-hire: A large number of staff members were hired this week.
23. Understand-misunderstand: Everyone misunderstood the new French engineer who was hired last week.
24. Agree-disagree: Not everyone agreed that working offshore the whole week was a bad idea.
25. Employed-unemployed: Many legal aliens are unemployed in this city.
If you liked this article, tell all your friends about it. They’ll thank you for it. If you have a blog or website, you can link to it or even post it to your own site (don’t forget to mention www.englishlci.com as the original source).
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