Language Lab - International House Johannesburg

ENGLISH COURSES FOR FOREIGNERS

General English

All courses are 4 weeks in duration. Students can choose from any combination of the following (maximum 6 hours of study per day):

Standard General English [4 hours per day]
Our core English course with an integrated approach to all skills. Students are provided with course books.
08.15 - 12.45.

Extension [1 hour per day]
An extension class focusing on specific language areas (i.e. listening, speaking, pronunciation, grammar). The focus of these classes changes on a monthly basis.
14.45 - 15.45.

Self-Access [1 hour per day]
An additional hour of self-study. Students can make use of our extensive computer room materials as well as a library, quiet room and listening lab. We provide free broadband internet access to all full time students. Special Student “Clubs” are also run during this period such as Games Club, Debate Club, etc.
13.45 - 14.45 or 14.45 - 15.45*

*Course times are staggered to make maximum use of our self-access facilities.

Please note – the minimum age requirement for all courses is 17.

Course dates for 2012

09 Januray - 02 February

06 February - 02 March

05 March - 30 March

10 April - 04 May

07 May - 01 June

04 June - 29 June

02 July - 27 July

30 July - 24 August

27 August - 21 September

25 September - 19 October

22 October - 16 November

19 November - 14 December

Public Holidays – the school is closed on the following dates: 21 March, 02-09 and 27 April, 01 May, 16 June, 09 August, 24 September and 17 December until January 2013 (Please note that Public Holidays will not be recompensed).

One-to-One classes

These are private classes with an experienced teacher, tailored to your specific needs. Past One-to-One courses have included: report writing, pronunciation, literacy, preparation for the Cambridge ESOL exams as well as general and business English. Starting dates are flexible.

Class Levels

IH Johannesburg offers all levels from Beginner through to Advanced.* All students are interviewed and tested upon arrival and placed into a class. New students are then monitored by their teacher for the first few days to ensure they are in the appropriate level.

Corresponding level at IH Johannesburg	Overall competency description	Cambridge Exams	IELTS	Council of Europe Equivalent
Proficiency B Proficiency A Advanced B	Fully operational command of the language at a high level in most situations, e.g. can argue a case confidently, justifying and making points persuasively.	Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)	Band 9 Band 8	C2
Advanced A Lower-Advanced B Lower-Advanced A	Good operational command of the language in a wide range of real world situations, e.g. can participate effectively in discussions and meetings.	Certificate in Advanced English (CAE)	Band 7	C1
Pre-Advanced B Pre-Advanced A Upper-Intermediate B Upper-Intermediate A	Generally effective command of the language in a range of situations. e.g. can make a contribution to discussions on practical matters.	First Certificate in English (FCE)	Band 6 Band 5	B2 Vantage
Intermediate B Intermediate A Pre-Intermediate B Pre-Intermediate A	Limited but effective command of the language in familiar situations, e.g. can take part in a routine meeting on familiar topics, particularly in an exchange of simple factual information.	Preliminary English Test (PET)	Band 4 Band 3	B1 Threshold
Elementary B Elementary A Beginners	Basic command of the language needed in a range of familiar situations, e.g. can understand and pass on simple messages.	Key English Test (KET)	Band 2 Band 1	A2 Waystage A1 Breakthrough

*Subject to availability.

Student Progress

Assessment
Students are continually assessed throughout the course and their teachers are always available to assist and provide guidance. At the end of every 4-week course, students are tested and will either move to the next level or continue at the same level depending on their evaluation. Students are given a progress report at the end of every 4-week course. Upon completion of their studies, all students are presented with a certificate indicating the final level passed.

Self-Access
During their first week at IH, students are given an introduction to the Self-Access Centre. Students receive on-going support with their self-access study by their morning teacher, the librarian and computer room assistant.