An Adventure from Cape Town – The Garden Route
We all need a well deserved break sometimes to recharge those batteries. Teacher Christelle provides some lovely tips for an adventure along the Garden Route from Cape Town.
22 Sep 2016
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What is the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)?
What is IELTS, and who needs to take this test? For many international students interested in studying at a university where English is the language of instruction, they will be required to pass this test with a specific band. Find out more in this blog post.
16 Sep 2016
Frequently Asked Questions About Cape Town
Wondering about the nightlife in Cape Town, the weather, how expensive it is here, or where to go shopping? Read here for some more detailed answers on some of our Frequently Asked Questions.
09 Sep 2016
The English Intermediate Level ‘Plateau’
Are you at an intermediate level of English and struggling to make progress to the next level? There is such a thing as an intermediate plateau, and you may be stuck here! Christelle explains what this plateau is all about and offers some advice and tips on getting through it.
07 Sep 2016
Functional Language – Changing your Mind
Functional language is used to communicate in everyday situations. We use these (generally) fixed expressions in formal and informal settings to do a whole host of things like expressing an opinion, giving advice, etc. Tiaan reveals, in this blog, how we change our minds in English!
01 Sep 2016
Business Meetings: Check yourself Before you Wreck yourself
Business meetings can be tedious and before you know it, you have agreed to something you may not have been paying enough attention to, and may not really know what to do now. Here are some key phrases to assist with asking for repetition, clarification, verification, and spelling in a meeting.
26 Aug 2016
Teacher Christelle and her Journey to Becoming an English Teacher
Find out all about teacher Christelle in this interview where she describes how her journey into teaching English as a foreign language began. She also reveals what she loves about teaching English, and what some of the real challenges are in this profession.
23 Aug 2016
Safety and Security in Cape Town
Thinking of going abroad to study English? And Cape Town is at the top of your list but you are a bit concerned about safety and security? This is a very real and legitimate worry, considering you will be leaving what you know and trust at home. Read our top tips here about safety and security in Cape Town. And believe us, Cape Town is no different from any other city in the world – just possibly, maybe, more beautiful?
10 Aug 2016
Cape Town on a Budget!
Cape Town has a lot on offer, and as a student in this city, you can quickly spend your budget! Here are some budget-friendly activities and tips to make sure your budget lasts throughout your stay, without compromising on the fun factor!
04 Aug 2016
Presentation Skills – The Art of Creating an Impact
Most of us have an innate fear of public speaking and giving presentations. But, it turns out, some skills can be learned and teacher Tiaan provides us with some of his secrets from the Business Course classroom. Read here for some great tips on creating a more memorable presentation.
02 Aug 2016
How to Pronounce Regular Past Simple Verbs
Past simple spelling for regular verbs is pretty easy, right? But, how do you pronounce those tricky endings? Read teacher Catherine’s blog post which provides some great tips and excellent links to help you master the pronunciation of the past simple!
25 Jul 2016
10 Common English Words Borrowed from Other Languages
Read teacher Liam’s blog post about 10 common English words – that are not so English after all!
21 Jul 2016
Why universities’ Academic English courses should be valued, not vilified
The UCT Director, Simon Harrison, and Ellen Hurst, Senior Lecturer in Education Development at the University of Cape Town discuss the role and importance of Academic English in Higher Education. Harrison believes that ” it offers an opportunity to crystallise the relationship between transformation and internationalisation in a way that can support both South African and international students. It will allow the university to further its internationalisation and transformation agendas at the same time.”
18 Jul 2016
Learn English Naturally
Neuro-Linguistic Programming is a fascinating approach to changing behaviour and achieving self improvement, Based on the book ‘NLP for Lazy Learning’ by Diana Beaver, we discuss some tips for English learning based on some of premises about learning native languages from Beaver’s book.
15 Jul 2016
Student Stories | Christian Mugangu
A few months ago Christian, from DR Congo left Cape Town and the UCT English Language Centre to return home. He wrote this review for us, which also touches on his story about how he ended up studying English with us, and soon returning! Read about his journey here.
04 Jul 2016
Student Stories | Mariana Costa
“We are not Africans because we are born in Africa, we are Africans because Africa is born in us (Chester Higgins).” This is what Mariana concludes in her video about her time in Cape Town. Watch and listen to her story about how her experience took on a different shape over time.
30 Jun 2016
Abbreviations, Acronyms and Initialisms in English
FAQs, ATMs and RSVPs – what are these words in English? Abbreviations, acronyms and initialisms can get confusing for everyone, and social media and instant messaging has opened up a whole new world of communicating that can be daunting even for English speakers.
27 Jun 2016
Student Stories | Francesca Bastianelli
“I had not given much thought before departure and destination, it has been a spontaneous choice, but nothing has disappointed me in these 3 months, everything has been an exciting surprise. It looked like if what you want something, it can happen in Cape Town.” Francesca, Italy
20 Jun 2016
“With the students – I go everywhere!”
In the first of a series, Christelle van Niekerk speaks to ELC teacher Nobs Xeketwana about how she got started in the TEFL industry.
13 Jun 2016
TEFL, CELTA, DELTA…? What to look for in a TEFL course
If you decide to train to be an English as a Foreign Language teacher, choosing the right course is an important first step. But with so many different courses out there, you can soon find yourself drowning in a sea of acronyms! In this interview, Simon and Juliette explain some of the the different courses available, what to look for – and what to avoid.
07 Jun 2016
