6 reasons General English is the right English course for you!

Study English in Australia with Academia

So you’ve decided that you want to study English in Australia.

However, you’re confused as to which course is best for you!

With all the different English courses in Melbourne, it’s hard to figure out which one is going to help you best improve your day-to-day English.

This week, we’re here to help you answer that question.

Is General English right for you?

Answer each of the questions below to discover if our General English course is the right fit for you!

Do you want to improve your day-to-day speaking?

We’ve written several times before about how to choose the right diploma. One of the most important points to consider was what skills you already have, and what you want to learn.

When choosing your English course, start by looking at this point!

Ask yourself…

How fluent you currently are
How fluent you wish to become
What sort of English skills you need to learn
Your purpose for learning English

Some people (like students going on to an Australian university) will need to learn very specific skills.

For many however, General English is a great place to begin.

With a broad set of areas, General English focuses on improving your reading, writing and speaking, making your life in Australia easier.

Begin at an English level that fits your level of learning

Unlike other courses, a General English course doesn’t force you to go to an advanced level immediately, especially if you are not fit there yet.

Before enrolling in English for General Purposes, you will be assessed on your English level and will be placed in a class that matches your skill level.

Our General English courses in Melbourne are divided into six levels:

GE1 – Beginner
GE2 – Elementary
GE3 – Pre-intermediate
GE4 – Intermediate
GE5 – Upper-intermediate
GE6 – Advanced

Each of these account for your current fluency, as well as how fluent you wish to become.

You will be placed into a level that will challenge and push you, but which won’t leave you feeling lost or confused.

You want to learn conversational English and less formal expressions

The way that any language is spoken day-to-day is vastly different from how it is supposed to be spoken. English is no exception.

Everyday English is full of slang, sayings and other informal expressions.

If you want to become fluent, you will need to learn to understand and use them.

Other types of English courses won’t be able to help you here. For example, English for IELTS Preparation focuses on the criteria included on the IELTS test – slang is NOT one of them.

With its focus on day-to-day English however, General English includes more informal and conversational English, helping you become comfortable in more casual or colloquial settings.

Boost your confidence as an English speaker

The more knowledgeable you are, the more confident you can be!

When you enrol in our General English course, you will progress from having low confidence when engaging in conversations, to communicating effectively in different situations and daily conversations.

Everything that you learn in our English for General Purposes course builds your vocabulary – and your confidence! The result? A solid understanding and command of phrases, sentences, tenses, and structures to use.

Be flexible

Many English courses in Melbourne such as our very own English for Academic Purposes and English for IELTS Preparation teach very specific skills and focus on very specific areas.

While they might help you at university or while you sit an IELTS exam, they may not prepare you for things like:

Sitting a job interview
Building a relationship with your co-workers
Understand other English-speakers

With its focus on everyday speaking and writing, English for General Purposes is flexible, and will help you gain confidence for everyday communications.

Learn how to communicate more effectively

Communicating involves more than just knowing the words and grammar.

To communicate effectively using English, you will also need to know how to:

Stress or emphasise certain words
Keep your written messages concise
Use English metaphors and similes
Use formal and informal language

You won’t learn these subtle things from reading a textbook or dictionary; they are learned one of two ways:

Through experience, or
When you learn from a native speaker when you enrol in an English course that focuses on everyday, practical English skills!

Develop your English with Academia’s English courses in Melbourne!

Whether you choose General English or a more specialised course, Academia delivers excellent teaching and support services to international students who wish to study English in Australia.

Each of our English courses in Melbourne is endorsed by the NEAS, a global leader in quality assurance for the English Language Teaching (ELT) sector.

And as a medium-sized institution, you are guaranteed to receive a warm, friendly, and supportive learning atmosphere that you mightn’t receive at a larger one.

Want to sit in on one of our classes yourself? If you are already in Australia, you can visit us for a free English lesson to see how our classes work (and whether General English is right for you).

Learn more about our English courses in Melbourne or our General English course by getting in touch with our friendly staff today.