General English

Learning English from top to bottom

Learning English from the beginning to its most complex structures is usually what students go for. Focusing on a variety of situations and interactions, General English classes normally cover grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and all skills for a learner to become fluent and independent in the language.

This broad approach means you should acquire multiple linguistic abilities to cope with most, if not all, interactions in English. Writing an email, introducing yourself to someone, giving a speech, talking on the phone, going for a job interview, traveling abroad, listening to a lecture, reading and watching the news, etc. As you can see, to improve all major skills all together requires some time, especially if you are a new learner.

I do not use “vague” descriptions such as basic, intermediate, or advanced. Since the beginning, I have adopted an internationally approved and validated system of levels such as the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) for Languages. This way, you know how your abilities compare to other learners’ all over the world. To do your placement test and learn about your skills in English, click here.

Classes

As an instructor dedicated to my students’ needs, the majority of the learners working with me go for private, one-on-one (1:1) classes. Pairs of students are also possible. Whatever the case, you should consider the pros and cons of each form. The following image compares the main features of private classes (one-on-one), in which there is only one student with the instructor, to those of groups of two students:

My General English courses are structured around the following elements: at least two hours of lessons each week, preferably in different days; for each hour of class, there is about one extra hour for homework and review; use of an online platform to integrate materials, whiteboard resources, communication, and recording of classes for future access and study; adoption of an internationally referenced coursebook, usually comprised of a student book and a workbook; frequent progress checks and level tests to assess your performance throughout the year.