General English
Our General English classes allow students to develop in whichever areas of English they would like to focus on, or that their teacher thinks is a priority. The beauty of General English classes is that they’re highly flexible, and your teacher will work with you to figure out what is best.
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These classes are really for anyone wishing to improve their English on a general level, which means any combination of the four foundational skills (reading, listening, writing, and speaking) and vocabulary and grammar, alongside any more active skills that the student wishes to develop (presenting, persuasive writing, asking questions, expressing emotions, and many more).
What should you expect?
Language learning is a complex process that, alongside many other things, is highly dependent on the interests, goals, level of motivation, and learning style of the individual student - variables that vary over time as well as between students. It is not uncommon for language students’ goals to change over time - perhaps you have successfully improved your foundational grammar and feel more confident in using it naturally, but now you want to shift the focus to the comprehension of advanced texts. These different goals require different focuses, which is why tailored and personalised teaching is so important.
Given the emphasis on personalisation, it is difficult to explain what exactly you’ll receive during these General English classes. As such, we have written a few real examples below below to give you a taste. Once we learn more about you, as well as your goals, challenges and interests through the pre-trial communications and, most importantly, the trial session, we’ll be able to provide a tailor-made proposal for you as an individual learner.
As a summary, you’ll:
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Work with a compassionate and experienced teacher who invests in you and your goals.
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Continuously identify and work on specific areas of your English, from reading and writing, to listening and speaking, to vocabulary and grammar.
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Receive highly personalised materials and exercises based on your interests and goals outside of language learning.
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Work on skills focuses as appropriate and desired, such as debating, persuasive writing, academic reading, figurative speech, and so on.
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Enjoy the experience!
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Materials and Resources
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Authentic materials: There is a general focus on authentic materials, whether that be articles, books, podcasts, documentaries, films, or anything else in the real English-language world. Ensuring that the level of difficulty is placed so as to push the student at an appropriate pace, students are able to progress without feeling overwhelmed.
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Personalisation: Depending on the goals, personalised materials can be produced to target specific skills and focuses. For example, some materials include personalised vocabulary lists and translation materials, as well as documentaries and podcasts available to everyone.
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Grammar: When there is a focus on grammar, we use Lingolia English and Perfect English Grammar for study materials, which teachers often complement with personalised exercises for each student.
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Assessment and Feedback
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Depending on the requirements and preferences of the student, feedback and assessment is done in different ways across a spectrum from relaxed to strict.
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Feedback is given every lesson, with more detailed reports and explanations available to the student if and when desired.
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Assessment in General English classes is usually relaxed and grounded in perceived levels of fluency confidence, but certain students who benefit from a more structured approach do examinable exercises in and out of classes, such as speaking exams graded in a structured manner. If you are enthusiastic about feedback and assessment, please mention it during your trial, or afterwards!​
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Classroom Environment
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Understanding that learning any language requires a lot of time, energy, and effort, we strive to create a learning environment that is conducive to both progress and enjoyment. We do this by getting to know our students and caring about them and their lives, asking good questions and sharing interesting stories. Reading our reviews is perhaps the best way to understand what we mean!
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Our teachers are able, however, to manipulate the learning environment to target specific goals. For example, for someone practicing speaking to difficult audiences, our teachers can increase the level of stress, the difficulty of questions, and even the impoliteness of responses. Similarly, we can add elements of movement and cognitive challenges to make the situation more difficult, thus representing the difficulties of the real world.
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Please think about what might be best for you, and speak to your teacher for ideas!
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Your Teacher
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Your teacher will be a TEFL-qualified, professional, friendly and caring individual who is invested in you and your progress. All of our teachers are native English-speakers and are learning or have learned a foreign language. This way, they understand your challenges and your journey!
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We’re really proud of the quality of our teachers and the connections built in-class. This is a core part of our philosophy - that you feel cared for.
Student Stories and Reviews
Maria, Primary School Teacher, Switzerland
General English
Maria came to us wanting to improve her already advanced English in the context of expressing more complex, nuanced and accurate thoughts and feelings. This desire came about through difficulties in expressing herself in situations with close friends where the common language was English, so she was seeking a friendly and safe atmosphere to learn and develop.
Generally, the structure of Maria’s classes involves several things. We design and provide tailored homework as preparation for her classes. This preparation is important for Maria to improve her broad set of English skills, as well as making the classes more efficient, productive and enjoyable. We then design each class with specific goals, such as summarising, pronunciation, and explicative power. Some previous examples of tasks have been:
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Think about and write notes on a situation in your past where you felt inspired. What happened? Why were you inspired? How did it feel? How did it impact you?
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Read the following pieces on minimalism and the minimalist lifestyle, noting down interesting vocabulary and constructions: https://www.theminimalists.com/minimalism/; https://mnmlist.com/minimalist-faqs/; https://exilelifestyle.com/minimalism-explained/. What does leading a minimalistic life entail? How can you achieve it? Would you want to? Why?
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Consider the following questions: Is there such thing as a “good” life? Can you live well, or badly, or is it simply living? What might a good life entail?
"Lessons with Rohan are a pleasant and valuable weekly appointment. Right from the start, he managed to make me feel at ease and build a relationship of trust and listening, thanks to which I can experiment and practice the language without judgment and with spontaneity. Rohan proposes weekly topics for reflection and exercises to do, which we then review during the lesson; he always manages to find interesting ideas, listen to my needs, and turn them into an opportunity to learn. Also remarkable is the commitment and time he dedicates to the lessons, which I find to be far from taken for granted! I really believe he is a competent and exceptional teacher and, moreover, a wonderful, interesting and special person."
Request a Trial
What is the process from now until classes?
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1. Request a trial
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2. Meet one of our teachers
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3. Decide on a payment plan and a learning strategy with your teacher
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4. Get started!
