ESL EXAMS

Many government agencies, corporations and schools will ask you to take theESL (English s a Second Language) Exam. This will check your ability to read, write, understand, listen to, and speak English.

There are 3 kinds of ESL Exams: General English, Business English, and Academic English

GENERAL ENGLISH ESL EXAMS

The most well known ESL Exam is the Cambridge Main Suite. About 1.5 million people from as many as 135 countries take this test every year.

The Cambridge Main Suite is composed of 5 different exams of varying difficulty. The easiest are the Key English Test (KET) and the Preliminary English Test (PET).

Both tests are required in order to qualify for the higher level exams, though they may be sufficient to gain entry to the smaller companies and schools. There are only three kinds of grades: Pass With Merit, Pass, and Fail.

The third test is the First Cetificate in English or the FCE, which is often required for those who want to get a work visa or qualify for a job in another country. However, the Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) is usually required by the more prestigious companies and universities. The highest, and hardest, exam is the Certificate of Proficiency in English or CPE, and is needed to qualify to become an English teacher.

You may also get a Cambridge Certificate in English Language Skills or CELS which measure individual reading, writing, listening and speaking abilities.

BUSINESS ENGLISH

The most renowned certification for Business English skills is the TOEIC or Test of English for International Communication. This is given by the Educational Testing Service or ETC. It is often required by schools or government agencies, not only for hiring, but for promoting employees or determining if they should be sent to offices or branches in another country. Some schools, on the other hand, will ask for the TOEIC as a requirement for graduation.

Cambridge also gives the Business English Certificates (BEC). Unlike the Cambridge Main Suite it is primarily concerned with your ability to use the language in a business setting. Another alternative is the The Business Language Testing Service or BULATS.

ACADEMIC ENGLISH

For those who want to study in a university, the TOEFL is the recognized authority in academic English. This test is required by over 5000 universities in ninety different countries.

Cambridge also gives the International English Language Testing System, or IELTS, which is also recognized by schools, immigration, and employees.

The older you are, the harder it is to learn another language. A toddler will pick up a language almost effortlessly; in fact, studies show that with enough exposure, it’s possible for a child to speak four or five languages at the same time, just by hearing it spoken constantly by an adult.

However, by the age of six or seven, learning a language takes hard work, a lot of practice, and a great deal more discipline and concentration. Aside from just exposure, we will also have to study the rules of a language through textbooks and drills.

This doesn’t mean that our ability to learn a language disappears; it just becomes more conscious. It is still possible to learn five languages (in fact, many scholars will take up several in order to study a text in its original) but the study has to be rigorous. And that’s what turns many people away from the idea of learning another language, even if it’s something like English.

There are many benefits to learning English, but the benefits are often clouded under the confusing structure and idiomatic structures of the language. Take heart! Not only are there numerous English language classes available, but the books, movies, websites and reading material offer plenty of opportunity to practice.

The key is to focus on the rewards of learning. And that lies outside of the textbooks. Surround yourself with the language, see it spoken in all its musicality and richness. That is why young children learn so fast. They don’t equate language with drills and rules, but as an opportunity to communicate and to discover new things about the world around them. In other words, they see the fun of learning a language.

If you are bored by the books open in front of you, take a break. Watch a Hollywood movie—see how much more amazing it is when you’re not trapped by watching the sub titles, which often lose so much in the translation? Or go on a website and talk to other English speakers on discussion forums. You’ll find that by interacting with other people, being rewarded for your efforts by making a new friend (or even setting up a date!), you’ll hit he books with more excitement and enthusiasm.

The best way to understand the structure of a language is through grammar drills. However, to fully appreciate a language and become fluent in it, you need exposure. You need to hear it, speak it, and be able to process the information at real-time speed.

There are plenty of opportunities to do that in the real world. The more times you venture out to practice your growing English skills, the faster you will learn. You will also find the process more enjoyable and rewarding.

Watch children’s shows

Understandably, the first two to six weeks of learning a language are very difficult. You do not have the vocabulary or a strong enough understanding of the grammar structures to fully comprehend what is going on. One way of practicing your skills without feeling completely overwhelmed is to watch children’s shows.
These programs are designed for young learners, so the pace of the language is slow and the pictures provide valuable context clues. Also, watch these programs again and again. This will help you catch the cadence of the language or see how certain words are pronounced.

Watch movies…with subtitles

Many language learners will learn how to read another language before mastering how to listen or speak it. That’s because written text is easier to understand, since you have time to translate the words to your own tongue and think of a proper response.

One way of building your comprehension while preparing yourself for speaking or hearing the language is to watch movies with subtitles. This lets you listen to a language while reading it, so you can see how words are pronounced, the proper tones and which syllables are stressed, or even correct accents.

There are a number of skills here that you can’t get from just reading a language. Knowing which words in a sentence are stressed can really help in making yourself understood.

Read, read, read

One of the most important aspects of learning a language is to build your vocabulary. Reading a dictionary doesn’t help. It’s more effective to learn useful phrases, which is a more practical and is easier to remember. You can do this by reading books so you can see the language at work, and then be able to refer to a dictionary if you encounter an unfamiliar word.

One of the reasons why English learners have such a hard time mastering the language is that they revert to the instinct of doing one-on-one translation. They hear a word, then they mentally try to find the equivalent in their Mother Tongue. If that doesn’t work, they try to think of what the word means in picture form. This takes about five to ten seconds, and by then, they’ve completely dropped out of the conversation, can’t understand what’s going on, and are then pulled deeper into the spiral of confusion.

This doesn’t work. First of all, there is rarely any one-to-one equivalent between phrases, since a language often has nuances that are intrinsic to the culture. Unique sentence structures and grammar forms also make it harder to translate completely.

The best way to learn a language is to use visualization. This is why children learn a language so fast. Instead of connecting a word to another word in their first language, they link it to impressions. For example, when they hear the word “happy” they envision a smiling face, rather than searching for the equivalent in another tongue. That’s why they can flexibly shift from one language to another.

You can apply this to objects, sounds, even abstract conepts like feelings and personality traits. Just find a picture for every word you learn, remembering the context by which it was used. Try to use the word as often as possible so the picture becomes more and more clear.

As you learn more and more words, let your mind translate it into a kind of slide slow or power point presentation, which lets you review the words. This is much easier than trying to memorize a list, and can even be soothing. That’s because you’re using the brain’s natural way of learning a language.

Teaching English as a Foreign Language (also called TEFL) is the process of instructing students on the nature of English when it is not their mother tongue.

Different Learning Settings

TEFL is usually taught in the student’s mother country, as part of a school curriculum or an optional class for those who want to develop their English skills. In some cases TEFL can be taught in English speaking regions (there are English camps or English refresher courses) but these are usually taken by those who want to gain accreditation in preparation for university or as a requirement for getting a job or government position.

TEFL classes can be taught on the campus as part of a curriculum, but there are also special language schools and private tutorial sessions. It is also possible to take a TEFL class online, which is an ideal set up for busy executives who may otherwise not have the time to go to a traditional classroom.

Qualifications for Teachers

In order to become an accredited ESL teacher you must possess an undergraduate degree and a TESL or TEFL certificate. Your undergraduate degree does not have to be in Education or English; any course will do.

You may get your certificates from a number of organizations, but it is best to get one that is well respected so you will not encounter any problems. Some of the most well known English certifications come from the UCLES, CELTA and the Trinity CertTESOL. However some schools will also give TEFL certificates. It is considered a component of certain curriculums.

However, there are some places like Berlitz that require you to participate in their own unique training programs.

Benefits of ESL Teachers

You may be asking what kind of salary and compensation you can get as an ESL teacher. Well, it really depends on your own qualifications, including experience and expertise, as well as the kind of training you received. Naturally even with the same kind of certification, someone who has had several years of teaching under her belt will get higher pay, and has a bigger chance of being hired by a reputable school.

There is a big boom in the language industry. Thanks to globalization, more and more people are realizing the importance of being able to speak English in order to advance in their careers.

This has led to a boom in ESL training schools. Students can now choose from traditional classes in schools and universities, specialized classes (normally taken at night or on weekends), one on one tutorials, and online classes.

As with all booms, there are unscrupulous individuals looking to make a fast buck, often exploiting teachers and students in the process. For example, there are mass recruiters that will conveniently ignore the agreements in the contract, such as the number of working hours per day, and the net payment.

The sorry lack of accreditation and government quality control are also very disturbing. Because of the loopholes in the law, anyone can open a business and then present it as a language school, even if the teachers are not properly trained, or the curriculum is haphazard.

Students and teachers who wish to protect themselves from these charlatans can go to the Internet and look for black lists and gray lists, which name the schools that are known to break the law, or conversely, schools that have an impeccable reputation.

ESL in Europe

As the European Union has grown, so has the use of English as the language of commerce and trade. There is a huge demand for ESL teachers, with students from both the academe and the private or commercial sector. Teachers will be pleased to find many job opportunities and can enjoy a good standard of living.

ESL in Hong Kong

Pay and working conditions in Asia for ESL teachers vary. In Hong Kong, English is taught with great rigor and high expectations, partially due to the ties of the country to the United Kingdom. In fact, the government has released a lot of money to fund research in ESL. There is also a high demand in Japan and South Korea, and the shortage of fluent English speakers has prompted universities to offer to shoulder travel and housing expenses to get the best teachers. Pay can be something around two thousand dollars upwards.

There are many techniques used in teaching English to students who do not consider it a first language.

Reading

This techniques uses reading material developed for young learners such as kids and teens. It is called TEFL and has become more and more popular. By using simple reading material, that has a more conversational tone than those developed for adults, these materials introduce learners to English words and sentence structures in a fun and engaging way. Children’s literature in particular uses things like rhymes and a play in words to teach pronunciation.

Teachers who use this technique often use a strategy called multiple pass. The first time the book is used, the teacher pauses to elaborate on complicated words or concepts. The students are then asked to go through the work on their own, and without pause.

Blended learning

This is a relatively new technique that is now under hot discussion in the ESL circles. It was based on very new research that students learn much faster through a combination of face-to-face classroom interactions and online or electronic practice. This has been made possible by development in technology and the creation of a Virtual Learning Environment, also called VLEs.

VLEs are used in conjunction with a traditional curriculum. The students still have classroom discussions, where they interact with a teacher and their fellow students. They follow a standard curriculum, and take courses with appropriate learning material.

However, students are also asked to do online activities when they leave the classroom. They can test their new skills in games, or listen to audio files that help them hear how a word is pronounced or the inflections in a sentence. There are also downloadable grammar lists or vocabulary lists, or other materials that would otherwise have been to expensive to distribute in the classroom.

Blended learning also allows adult learners—people who have jobs to go to, or household chores to complete—to study part of the course on their own time. The flexibility is unequalled, and they don’t even have to lug around books. They can log on the web through their laptops or office computers, and quickly complete an exercise between meetings.

Language education is the process by which someone learns or teaches a new language. It can apply to one’s Mother Tongue—even if you’re a native English speaker, you may have to take additional courses to prepare you for rigorous academic work—or on a completely different language.

Methods of Language Education

Different schools use different techniques. There really is no one perfect method; it really depends on the learning style of the student, or the teaching philosophy of the school. However, research does show that adult learners have very specific needs and certain methods that may be good for children do not apply to those who are above the age of 20.

Grammar Translation Method

In this method, students are given direct translations of a text and are asked to commit them to memory. It was used in the 19th century but has since been declared an inefficient way of learning a language. However, it is the only method for a student to learn Latin, a dead language.

Audio Lingual Method

This is the method used in those travelers tapes. Students listen to recorded conversations where people act out certain situations. They are also asked to participate in several drills. The emphasis of this method is practical use of a language. However this method is not widely used today, despite studies showing their efficiency.

Communicative language teaching

Communicative language teaching (also called CLT) is teaching method that focuses on interaction between students and teachers. It has been criticized but remains to be popular especially in Europe.

Language Immersion

This method simply surrounds students in an environment where they must speak in a language whether or not they understand it. While it certainly forces someone to speak a language (much the same way that a person who is thrown into a pool learns to swim) its weakness is that it does not promote accuracy of a language. This is very popular in Canada.

Minimalist/methodist

This method is known for its simplicity. It uses flash cards and revolves around using language in a certain context.

Directed Practice

This method uses repetition of phrases in order to master a language. While it is very precise and the grammar is quite accurate, it does not allow a student to learn the language in a flexible manner.
language. Within these limits, the student’s usage is accurate and precise. However the student’s choice of what to say is not flexible.

However, as early as 1974, Europeans have been encouraged—sometimes even forced by the curriculum—to learn another language. Only two countries, Ireland and Great Britan, did not require students to learn a language not predominantly spoken in their own country. In fact, in some countries, students learn as much as three foreign languages. These countries include Belgium’s Flemish Community, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, Finland, Sweden, Cyprus, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia and Slovakia

Here are some learning methods that the students have used to learn another language:

Code Switching

Most students use code switching as a learning method when they are trying to master a language. It is often frowned upon by teachers, but it is instinctive—and in the students’ point of view, practical.

In code switching the student tries to speak the foreign language as much as they can, but then switches to their mother tongue when they stumble on a phrase or word they can’t translate.

One advantage of code of code switching is that it builds confidence and motivates them to learn more. Instead of feeling frustrated that they “can’t speak” the language, they are encouraged to try to communicate as much as possible—their anxiety assured by the psychological safety net that if they stumble, they can use their own language.It also feeds their excitement by letting them practice the language early on, rather than waiting till the time that they “feel adept”.

Blended learning

This method mixes face to face instruction with practice using the internet or the computer. It has been increasingly popular in the last five years, thanks in part to the development of technology and how affordable computer equipment has become.

Private tutorials

One of the best ways of learning a language is to receive private instruction from a native English speaker. However, this presumes that the instructor is as good at teaching as he is at speaking English (and this is not always the case). Really good tutors can also charge a high fee for their services. However, the benefit is that the classes are given at the student’s pace, thus guaranteeing that he masters all the basics before going on to the next level.

The European Commission has made many efforts to encourage its citizens to learn another language aside from those spoken in their own country.

As early as 1974, most countries already made it compulsory for schools to teach several languages, with students required to take at least one as part of their class schedule. (The only exceptions to these were Ireland and the United Kingdom).

In some countries, such as Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Swedn, Poland, and many from the Eastern Bloc, students were tasked to learn at least two.

Most foreign language classes in Europe run for about 3 to 4 hours per week. Students begin taking foreign language classes when they are about ten years old, towards the last few years of primary school. This continues to secondary school. However, in Malta, Italy, Luxembourg and Norway, students start learning a foreign language as early as six years old.

The most popular choice for foreign language is English. About 93% of Europe’s children take this in school, perhaps because of how the language is deemed “practical.” It is the language of trade and commerce, and of course (in the children’s eyes) the language of Hollywood, Harry Potter, and video games.

The second most popular choice for foreign language is French, though it is a far second: only about 33% of Europe’s students choose to take this class. The third choice is German, which comprises about 13%.

It is true that Europe promotes learning a foreign language as part of the mandatory curriculum, but this does not immediately guarantee fluency. In fact, a study shows that only about 10% of those who took classes can call themselves fluent in English. This heightens the need for extra language courses, perhaps private tutorials, English camps, or refresher courses.

Students can also opt to take additional units, or ask for heavier course work. They can also sharpen their language skills by reading books, joining online discussion boards, watching movies in that language, and using practice drills.