ESOL Courses

English as a second language now outranks just about any course or program in terms of sheer numbers than any other. A big reason for these impressive figures is immigration to English dominated areas like the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Because pronunciation is vastly different in each of these countries, students of ESOL courses in one country may still struggle to speak and understand the vernacular of another country or sometimes even within the same country. In England for example, the dialect will change even in small geographic areas. It is important therefore, that ESOL courses expose students to regional forms and cultural styles so that ESOL students will be able to discern meaning even when the words, grammar or pronunciation are different to the form of English he or she is taught to speak.

ESOL in the United Kingdom

Improving your English can help you get more out of your life in the UK. It will also help if you want to study, improve your CV, or apply to become a British citizen. In fact, a certain level of proficiency is definitely required for those considering citizenship and this ability is tested and must reach a certain standard. If your level of English is lower than ESOL Entry 3 and you wish to apply for naturalization, you will need to attend combined English language (ESOL) and citizenship classes. There is a huge range of ESOL courses in the UK ranging from public to private and part time to full time. English government websites are a great place to start if you are looking.

ESOL in North America

Typically called ESL courses in North America, they mean the same as ESOL courses in the UK. Requirements do vary between Canada and the United States. In Canada, as in Britain, certain proficiency is required for citizenship. In the United States, it depends upon what kind of entry has been granted. In both countries, ESOL courses are readily available although in Canada there are a greater number of government sponsored free courses than there are in the US. Both countries offer ESL classes to primary school students as part of the curriculum. For those undertaking ESL for fun or a hobby sites such as this CBC page can be quite a lot of fun - http://www.cbc.ca/ottawa/esl/lessons.html.

ESOL in the South Pacific

The two main English centers in the South Pacific for immigration are Australia and New Zealand. Again, the options for ESOL course learning are many in both countries including a number of government run programs. In Australia, the Australian Government’s English as a Second Language (ESL) – New Arrivals Program aims to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for newly arrived students from non-English speaking backgrounds by developing their English language competence and by making it easier to fully participate in schooling. These courses are generally fully government funded for some time period or until a certain level of proficiency is achieved.

In New Zealand, the two official languages are Maori and English but English is predominant in everyday use and is essential for participation in New Zealand society.  ESOL courses are an integral part in the settlement and resettlement process for people from non-English speaking backgrounds. While some ESOL courses in New Zealand are funded, the vast majority is private and primary ESOL students are integrated into regular classrooms.

In general, all ESOL courses cover speaking and listening, reading and writing, vocabulary, punctuation, and grammar.