Extended Learning with IH Torquay

In order to maintain the level of English that you have now reached it is important that you make every effort to keep up your contact with the language when you return home.

Read English regularly

It is possible to find graded readers (similar to short stories) which you may enjoy. Make sure that you choose a graded reader which you find interesting and is not too difficult – something you can read without using a dictionary. Newspapers, novels and magazines are all helpful and usually available online. Just remember that you don’t have to understand every word you do not recognise: try to work out the meaning from the context.

The following websites should be useful for you: https://www.newsinlevels.com/ or https://readlang.com/ or
https://www.commonlit.org/.

Watch Television in English

Watch films or TV with English subtitles: doing this will help you with pronunciation and to learn new vocabulary and idiomatic language.

Try BBC News 24 or CNN on satellite or cable. Also, listen to the BBC World Service on the radio –
bbc.co.uk/worldservice. The World Service has a special section for learners of English which includes e-mail discussion, guides, text and pictures to support radio programmes and examples of English –
bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish.

Listen to Authentic Materials

Keep your listening practice short. Breakingnewsenglish.com has over 4000 FREE lessons online, all with listening at different levels. Why not search for a topic you are interested in?

Many of the graded books are accompanied by recorded texts. Why not listen while you are travelling to work? If you enjoy listening to podcasts, don’t forget that the BBC has hundreds of different programmes available for download – just make sure you download them before leaving the UK. – bbc.co.uk/podcasts

Ted Talks are a great way to improve your listening skills and extend your vocabulary of current affairs. They are also very useful for improving presentation style and techniques. https://www.ted.com/talks

Practise English at every opportunity

Join a conversation class or an English speaking club. If you have friends who also enjoy speaking English, why not arrange the occasional ‘English Evening’, maybe with English food and music?

Writing is one of the best ways to practise and remember new language. Why not try writing a journal in English every day?

Continue using the techniques for language learning that you learnt in class. These may include mind maps, vocabulary cards or post-its, recycling techniques and prioritisation of language. Above all, keep on reviewing your work!

Keep in touch with the school and your fellow students on Facebook – just add us as a friend. And most important of all … make time to practise regularly – a little each day is best!

The CEFR (COMMON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK)

The CEFR (COMMON EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK) describes varying levels of skill and ability in reading, listening, speaking and writing at each level.

Level	Description
A1	Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type. Can introduce themselves and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where they live, people they know and things they have. Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.
A2	Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. Can describe in simple terms aspects of their background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.
B1	Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc. Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple connected text on topics which are familiar or of personal interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes & ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.
B2	Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
C1	Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and recognise implicit meaning. Can express themselves fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
C2	Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read. Can summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation. Can express themselves spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in more complex situations.