When you choose to do a course with us, the first thing we do is to test your level. We have classes at different levels and it is vital you are in the right place for the most effective learning.

Our classes are organised into the following levels

Beginners

Beginners Plus

Elementary

Pre Intermediate

Intermediate

Upper Intermediate

Advanced

Proficiency

You can see how the syllabus is constructed by following the link to syllabus and in many cases this will give you a good idea before you start. Our levels are also mapped onto the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages which will give you a detailed list of the kinds of things you should be able to do at different levels.

For non-European languages the situation is a bit more complicated, as well as the normal spoken language (introductions, talking about yourself, etc) we will need to know other more specific things. For Chinese we will need to know whether you have learned the pinyin (the 4 tones in Mandarin) and for Japanese the Hiragana (one of the writing systems in Japanese). In Japanese this will be followed at higher levels by learning the Katakana and then the Kanji.

Obviously if you are a beginner the situation is not very complicated. One of the most common questions we are asked about level is form people who studied in the past – maybe GCSE at school several years ago- and to find that level really depends on what has happened since then. It might be the case that a grade C at GCSE 10 years ago means a beginners’ class is best while an A 2 years ago might mean a higher level. Our classes are mainly communicative so there is an emphasis on speaking. This is not always matched by experience of having learned a language at school.

At the moment we are developing an online level test which we hope to have in place during the early part of 2011 but mean while we are always happy to talk to you on the phone or in person to assess your level without any commitment. Just give us a call.