British and American English- What’s the Difference?
Teacher Il-Haam looks at some of the key differences between British and American English in this blog post. Is there a right and/or wrong way to teach and speak/learn English?
29 Sep 2017
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Teacher Catherine’s English Listening Challenge
Teacher Catherine is challenging you all to a two week English listening challenge. Try it out and let us know how it goes!
22 Sep 2017
TEFL: A Life-changing Experience
Joey completed the UCT TEFL course in January 2017. In this post he shares his reasons for doing a TEFL course, what it was like at UCT, and what his plans are for the future with his newly acquired English teaching skills and certificate.
15 Sep 2017
‘How Can I Learn English Faster?’
Teacher Luke has been teaching English at the UCT English Language Centre since the middle of 2016. Luke is about to submit his masters dissertation in Education and enjoys teaching all levels of English. One of the questions he frequently gets asked by his students is ‘How can I learn English faster?’ In this blog post he provides 3 tips to speed up your learning.
07 Sep 2017
Student Stories | Shumukh from Saudi Arabia
Part 1 of the Student Stories Series!
Read what Shumukh has to say about why she chose to improve her English at ELC in Cape Town and what her plans are for the future.
01 Sep 2017
Using YouTube to Learn English
The internet is a fantastic source of information and offers everything you could possibly need to learn English. We take a look at how you can use YouTube to learn or improve your English, and offer some tips for more effective self-learning.
21 Jul 2017
Free TOEFL Exam Practice
Not everyone has the time or resources to travel abroad to attend an English exam preparation course. For those who cannot, you can attend a free, 6-week MOOC compiled and administered by the people who create, administer and score the real TOEFL exam. Read more about it here.
07 Jul 2017
Teaching English Abroad
Wondering if you should do a TEFL course and go abroad to teach English as a foreign language? Here are a couple of reasons which may help you in the decision making process.
28 Jun 2017
I’m a Brazilian in Africa!
“Everyone has a story. It might or might not be a love story. It can be a story of dreams, friendship, hope, survival or even death. And every story is worth telling. But more than that. it’s worth living.” (From the novel ‘Everyone has a Story’ by Savi Sharma). Read about Bernardo’s story and his English learning experience in Cape Town here.
19 Jun 2017
Authentic Materials – Wear Sunscreen!
Using authentic materials in class keeps things interesting, and can be loads fo fun for teachers and students. Here’s an idea for using a famous ‘song’ called ‘Wear Sunscreen’.
26 May 2017
My Language Experience of Cape Town
Can a 7-week trip to learn English in Cape Town really make such a difference? Read about Alessandra’s experience and the things that left their impression on her about this magical city and the wonderful people she met along the way.
10 May 2017
My TEFL Adventure in Spain
People choose to go into TEFL for a variety of reasons. Some are looking for a way to travel and see the world, while others wish to get into the industry and make a career out of teaching English. Teacher Catherine reveals her motivations and tells us about her adventures as an English teacher in Spain.
05 May 2017
Like a Local: Stellenbosch
We all know that if you want to experience a place properly, then you should do it through the eyes (taste buds, ears, senses…) of a local. Teacher Nobs shares her favourite places to eat in Stellenbosch, where she lives and explains why she loves these places so much.
26 Apr 2017
Strategies for Learning a New Language
Learning a new language can be hard and it takes time. Teacher Nobs shares a few strategies with us which can help make it a more enjoyable and beneficial process, and she also reveals why she specifically enjoys teaching English to the lower levels.
05 Apr 2017
EAP – English for Academic Purposes
English for Academic Purposes is a very specific type of English course aimed at students who wish to improve their academic English. Teacher Alex, the EAP course designer and facilitator briefly explains what EAP is.
28 Mar 2017
Student Focus: Ndaambe from Namibia
We chatted to Ndaambe shortly after she completed her 7-week intensive English course with us to find out more about this friendly, ambitious businesswoman from Namibia who runs a successful guest house, continuously educates herself and is mom to three grown children. Read here to find out more about Ndaambe.
22 Mar 2017
Beginner English on the Go
Our new students arrive every Monday and after a brief level test they are taken on a campus tour. But how do you explain campus facilities and details to students who have very little English? Well, you get creative and you use lots of hand signals and gestures! Read this blog post about last week Monday.
06 Mar 2017
How Can I Practice my English Outside the Classroom?
We provide a number of ways you can, and should, practice your English outside the comforts of the English classroom. Remember that learning a language does not stop once class time is over, and it’s up to you to maximise every opportunity you get!
24 Feb 2017
Which English Course is Right for Me?
Some students may know exactly what they need, or what their English goals are. But many students write to us from all over the world requesting advice and guidance on which course is best for them. Juliette, our Director of Studies, responds to some typical enquiries (edited) we get, and provides some general direction and advice.
10 Feb 2017
Speaking English Like a Human
How do English teachers get their students to speak the language more naturally, and less like ” an amateur tennis match without the overuse of grunting noises”? Teacher Tiaan provides us with some tips in this blog post.
14 Dec 2016
