English courses in Melbourne: 6 tips to enhance your learning!
There are many reasons to enroll in our English courses in Melbourne:
- Enhance employability
- Travel purposes
- Academic requirements
- To be globally competitive
- To start a global career
Whatever reasons you have for taking your skills to the next level, learning English is an important part of your plan.
As such, you’ll want to ensure that you do everything you can to learn English – and that includes out-of-class work as well.
So, what can you do to enhance your learning and study English effectively?
1) Determine your current English skill
If you enrol in an English course in Melbourne that’s beyond your current skill set, you may end up feeling lost and confused. It can feel disheartening!
Enroll in a course that’s too easy for your current knowledge, and you might find yourself bored in class, waiting to be challenged!
One way to start is by taking a practice IELTS test (International English Language Testing System) online.
Many universities and businesses in Australia use IELTS to measure English skills – and these tests allow you to understand where you sit on the scale.
Another way is by organising a chat with one of Academia’s course advisors. Our friendly staff want you to have the best experience while learning English – this includes ensuring that you enrol in the right course.
During our discussion, we will evaluate your English skills, discover any prior learning or experience, and recommend an English course best suited to your strengths.
2) Set your internet browser to English results only
Becoming familiar with English starts by surrounding yourself with English-speaking people and being in an environment where everyone is using the language.
If you’re enrolled in an English course in Melbourne, we suggest taking this even further!
On top of speaking English in your day-to-day life, change your internet browser to display English results only.
This encourages you to spend more time reading English, improving your reading skills!
3) Practise makes perfect
There’s an old saying that “practise makes perfect”.
And it applies to learning English too!
The best way to pick up any new language is to practice. Practice your pronunciation (YouTube videos are a great resource!), and encourage friends to engage in English-only conversations – even outside of the classroom.
At Academia, we offer a range out after-hours clubs and activities to let you practice your English even further, including:
- Conversation Club, where you can meet and socialise (and of course speak English!) with students from different classes
- Writing Extra, where we help students improve their writing skills (including drafting and editing)
- Job Club, where we offer you one-on-one support for writing a job application and resume
Discover all these FREE extra classes and activities here.
4) Watch movies and tv series in English
When we were kids, we were probably told to switch off the television and hit the books, but now, we’re telling you to do quite the opposite! (Well, sort of!)
In additional to theoretical, classroom-based learning, we recommend watching television (or perhaps in today’s digital world, opening YouTube or switching over to Netflix!)
The twist? Turn this into a chance to learn even more by changing the language settings!
We suggest changing the spoken language to English and turning on subtitles in your native language.
This lets you learn new words, grammar, and pronunciation, while also having access to the translation, for when you need a little assistance.
Already seen this movie a hundred times? Even better!
If you’re familiar with the dialogue (in your own language), why not try turning off subtitles, and seeing if you can still follow the plot along?
We recommend starting with an episode of a television show first, as these are often shorter than a full-length movie.
4) Read books and newspapers in English
If you are studying a more advanced English course, studying English as part of a university application, we strongly suggest reading books and newspapers in English.
That’s because these courses have higher standards for English skill: you will have to learn more advanced words, and read more complicated reports and papers.
This type of language is similar to the type of language you’ll find in books and newspapers.
By reading more advanced and formal pieces of writing, you’re training your brain higher level language techniques, skills, and habits.
5) Take notes – outside the classroom, too!
We don’t expect you to pull out a pen and paper throughout the day, so instead, we suggest making the most of the “Notes” feature on your smartphone.
Whenever you hear a new word, write it down in your phone, to the best of your ability. Even if you’re not quite sure of its exact spelling, you can try writing it out the way it sounds.
When you get home, take these new words and look them up online. This will tell you:
- What the word means
- How to spell it properly
- How to pronounce it
- The way it’s used in a sentence
- Whether it’s a formal or slang term
Now the only thing left to do is practise, practise, practise!
If you keep this up throughout your studies in Melbourne, you will build an impressive vocabulary over time.
6) Choose the right English course in Melbourne
We briefly mentioned this in point #1, but we’ll say it again: different English students have different goals and skill levels.
For example, if your goal is to successfully enter an Australian university, you might be interested in studying English for Academic Purposes (EAP).
And if you’re planning on sitting the IELTS test, you might like to try to improve your score with our English for IELTS Preparation course – specifically designed to improve your language skills and test-taking techniques.
When you study English in Melbourne with Academia, you’ll learn in a friendly, supportive, and encouraging environment that truly supports students’ individual needs.
Explore Academia’s NEAS-approved English courses.
Enrol in our English courses in Melbourne!
Our English courses in Melbourne are award-winners, and recognised as some of the best in Australia.
Why? Academia students love our:
- Friendly and encouraging learning environment
- One-on-one support from teachers
- Small class sizes, which means more attention
- Experienced instructors
- Additional clubs and activities
Explore our English language classes to see how we can help you become a more effective and confident English communicator:
General English (GE)
Code: 074238K
Whether you’re a beginner or a confident speaker, Academia’s General English course is the course for you, with classes for each skill level.
As part of this course, you will learn appropriate grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation, giving you a strong grasp of the English language and improving your day-to-day English skills.
Find out more about our General English course.
English for Academic Purposes (EAP)
Code: 064230K
Aiming to enrol in an Australian university? Learn how to read academic studies, write reports and conduct research by enrolling in our English for Academic Purposes.
This course will help you get ahead, teaching you everything you need to know about advanced vocabulary, syntax, and grammar found in the English language.
The course also maximises chances for a successful university application.
Find out more about our English for Academic Purposes course.
English for IELTS Preparation
Code: 068514A
Need to sit the IELTS test? Academia helps you prepare for your test with our purpose-built English for IELTS Preparation course.
Compared to General English, English for IELTS Preparation is tailored for the tasks you will have to perform for your IELTS.
In addition, English for IELTS Preparation also teaches you effective study and test-taking techniques to help you better prepare!
Find out more about our IELTS Preparation today.
Study English with Academia!
Take your English language skills with Academia’s award-winning English courses in Melbourne.
No matter what your goal is, our instructors and classes can help you become a more confident speaker and reader.
Curious to learn more about our English courses? We would love to chat.
Give us a call on the numbers below, or fill in our enquiry form, and we will be in touch!
