Language Courses FAQ

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1. Are you registered with government or any other official authority?
2. At what time should I be at school on my first day?
3. What will I do on my first day?
4. Will my lessons be in the morning or afternoon?
5. Do I have to buy my course books?
6. If I have question about my course, whom can I ask?
7. Can I have a holiday?
8. Could I start to learn a new language in another country even though I don't speak a word of that language now?
9. How many weeks can I study?
10. Do I get a certificate or diploma after the course?
11. How will you know my English language level?
12. How much can I expect to learn after a 2-week, 4-week, or 12-week course?
13. Will there be teachers who speak my language?
14. Will Tellus prepare me to take any official exams?
15. How many students are there per class?
16. How old do I have to be to participate in a Tellus language course?
17. When do the courses start?
18. What do you teach in your classes?
19. Can I practise my speaking?
20. Can I have a private tutor if I don't take a class?
21. Can I combine group and one-to-one lessons?
22. How many lessons a week will I get with my English course?
23. How long is a lesson?
24. What can I expect in a General English lesson?
25. What will I do in Elective Classes?
26. What is Structured Study?
27. Can I choose the start date I want?
28. How will my progress be monitored?
29. When should I arrive?
30. Do you offer discounted prices?
31. How far in advance should I book my program?
32. Are there any extra-curricular activities?
33. Should I be covered by a medical insurance?
34. Do you have private tutors and how much do they cost?
35. Disability?
36. Public Holidays - will I have lessons?

Are you registered with government or any other official authority?

Of course, just visit our accreditation page.

At what time should I be at school on my first day?

At 8.45am. Bring your passport, proof of insurance and a pen to do the initial English test on your first day.

What will I do on my first day?

You will do a placement test, meet the staff and have an introduction to the school, facilities, courses and the local area. You will receive an individual timetable later in the day and your classes begin on the following day. Remember, if you have questions feel free to ask! The staff are there to help, especially on your first day.

Will my lessons be in the morning or afternoon?

This depends on the results of your placement test. However, most lessons are taught in the mornings.

Do I have to buy my course books?

Adult Courses:

Please be advised that some courses require that students buy the coursebook and workbook (if the course is for one month or longer, or if it is an examination course). If your course is shorter than 1 month, you may need to pay a deposit (£20) to borrow the coursebook from TELLUS. If you don’t write in the book and give it back in good condition at the end of the course, we will gladly refund your deposit.

Junior Courses:

Your course fees include the course materials.

If I have question about my course, whom can I ask?

Ask the Assistant Director of Studies (Mrs Karen Corne) or your teacher.

Can I have a holiday?

On English Courses, holiday breaks will depend on your visa regulations and you must give the school at least one month's notice if you want to take a holiday.

Could I start to learn a new language in another country even though I don't speak a word of that language now?

It is possible and we run courses for beginners, too.

How many weeks can I study?

You can start from a minimum of 1 week's study with us and there is no maximum length of time. You can choose the length of your study program according to your needs and what you wish to achieve.

Do I get a certificate or diploma after the course?

You will receive a Certificate of Studies at the end of your course, which will show your level of English, the dates on which you have studied, as well as your attendance. Naturally, if you are studying on any of the examination courses and sit the relevant examination, you will get a certificate from the awarding organisation in question

How will you know my English language level?

You will need to do a placement test on your first day.

How much can I expect to learn after a 2-week, 4-week, or 12-week course?

Every student's speed of learning is different. However, we usually estimate that to get from one level to the next a student will need approximately 10 weeks (intensive courses can greatly reduce the time needed for this).

Will there be teachers who speak my language?

We will teach our courses purely in English. However, we will find a translator for any serious welfare issues if necessary.

Will Tellus prepare me to take any official exams?

Yes, you can take exam preparation courses such as IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC, Trinity or Cambridge exams (FCE, CAE and CPE) with Tellus. We are an approved TOEIC and Trinity Spoken English examination centre.

How many students are there per class?

On average there are 8 students in a class, with a maximum of 12…

How old do I have to be to participate in a Tellus language course?

For our adult programmes you must be at least 16 years of age – for junior programmes, mostly in summer, the minimum age is 12. We have a few summer programmes that are open to younger students. For more details please contact us.

When do the courses start?

Courses start on Mondays. If the Monday is a public holiday, the course will start on Tuesday.

Are there evening and weekend classes?

We offer evening or weekend classes as and when required. Please, contact us for more details.

What do you teach in your classes?

At Tellus, we use the communicative method. Teachers always try to get everybody involved in conversation but we also make sure all the four skills (writing, reading, listening and speaking) will improve thoroughly.

Can I practise my speaking?

Yes of course! Teachers encourage you to speak by using the communicative method in all classes, which develops confidence and fluency in your spoken English. The school has an English-only policy and outside the school you will speak English with your host family and new friends all the time.

Can I have a private tutor if I don't take a class?

Yes, but only if you don't need a visa or already have one.

Can I combine group and one-to-one lessons?

Yes, you certainly can – for example, group lessons in the morning and one-to-ones in the afternoon.

How many lessons a week will I get with my English course?

It depends on the course you have chosen. Normally, our courses consist of 15 hours of lessons per week but up to 15 additional lessons per week are available.

How long is a lesson?

A standard lesson at Tellus is 60 minutes in length.

What can I expect in a General English lesson?

Tellus uses the Communicative Language Approach in English classes. We use real-life situations and encourage communication throughout each lesson. The course content has a solid base of language functions (grammar) and appropriate social language (idiomatic expressions, gestures, English for different functions etc.). Even in grammar classes, you will have lots of opportunity to practise communication using the newly taught grammar structures as a base. This method puts great emphasis on listening and developing the ability to understand others. You will use lots of different resources in the classroom. Among these, course books act as the core tool which integrates the language and skills input. You will also use audio-visual resources, authentic materials and a wide range of computer-based activities that give you the opportunity to expand your learning through language exercises and the Internet. Be prepared to take part in all the class activities, do your homework and go to the structured study sessions – you will then make maximum progress!

What will I do in Elective Classes?

Elective option content will depend upon your English level, but may include Vocabulary, Current Affairs, Local Culture or English for Business. English for Business electives may include subjects such as communication in the workplace, participation in meetings, writing skills in business situations and interview techniques.)

What is Structured Study?

See Question What can I expect in a General English lesson?

Can I choose the start date I want?

Yes, most courses are offered year-round but some have a limited number of start dates. Please, check with us for course availability on your desired date.

How will my progress be monitored?

Your assessment begins with a placement test and then, when you go into class, you will be allocated an Individual Student Record (ISR) to assess your progress on a daily basis. Your teacher will record your class work, spoken participation in class, homework and the scores from your progress tests, which take place once a month and is followed by a tutorial with your main class teacher. Projects, student portfolios and formal examinations such as IELTS, TOEFL or Cambridge Examinations also form an important part of our overall assessment

When should I arrive?

Classes start usually on Mondays. Therefore, we recommend you arrive on the Saturday or Sunday before your start date.

Do you offer discounted prices?

Yes. The more weeks you take, the bigger your discount will be. The tuition discount is already included in the price list. We also have “special offers” (for details, see the menu).

How far in advance should I book my program?

In order to have the widest choice available to you in terms of the course and accommodation (if you need accommodation) options, we recommend you book as far in advance as possible. If you book late, you might find that there are no places available for you.

Are there any extra-curricular activities?

Yes, the school has its own Student Services Manager who will make sure you have a good time and stay busy during your stay!

Should I be covered by a medical insurance?

Yes, you should have valid Medical Insurance for your whole stay as well as travel insurance. If you need insurance, we can provide you with cover.

Do you have private tutors and how much do they cost?

Yes, we offer one-to-one lessons in our school. Please, check the current prices from our website.

Disability?

We accept persons with a disability. However, we are not able to accept persons requiring wheelchair access or unable to walk up and down stairs. This is because we do not have a building suitable for wheelchairs and the building has three floors with no escalators.

Persons unable to attend our building could be taught in alternative premises that are accessible such as a hotel. Please consult us.

Public Holidays - will I have lessons?

No, if your course starts on a public holiday, we will move it to the following day. Tellus is closed on public holidays. We will try to make up the hours that you lose over a public holiday, but we cannot guarantee it.