EC San Francisco English Language School

The letter P is extremely powerful. Everyday, I see students take it for granted. Beginner or Advanced, students fail to acknowledge the importance of ‘planning’. When learning a foreign language, it’s always easy for us to sit back and let the teacher run the show.

Stop and think for just one moment.

Who takes the register, sets your homework, tells you which page to open in your coursebook? Who corrects you when speaking, marks your writing and helps you with the exercises in grammar banks? That’s right, it’s your teacher. But what if you could do something more, on top of all this extra help? What if you could learn new material BEFORE your teacher has the intention of teaching it? “Wow Harrison! My English would be incredible!”

You’re right. It would improve significantly!

So, now that we’re thinking ahead and interested in the idea of ‘planning’ BEFORE we study, what does ‘planning’ involve? Furthermore, how do we make such planning ‘perfect’? Well, there are a number of ways.

The first step is make sure you’re up to speed with the current exercises in your course book. After all, it is impossible to plan ahead if you’re already falling behind the rest of your class. Once you’re confident with the current material covered in the unit of your coursebook, start to read over some of the topics in the following unit. Of course, this reading should be done after class. Try not to rush into the new unit. Remember, you’ll be studying this new material very soon. Skim (read quickly) over any new language that interests you. Once you have identified some vocabulary or grammar that grabs your attention, begin your own independent study.

Lets take an example. Perhaps you’ve just finished learning the past simple. Maybe it was the present perfect. After mastering these two tenses, next in your unit is the present perfect continuous. You might think to yourself “Hmm.. I’ve been living in Spain since I was 12, what is the purpose of this sentence? When should I use this tense and not the past simple or present perfect?” These are the questions you can almost immediately address. Make the most of the grammar banks provided, search the internet for practice exercises or ask your teacher if they can spend a few spare minutes after class to answer any of these questions.

By putting aside just 20 minutes a day, this FUTURE material will be much easier to learn when you and your classmates start it in class the following day/week. The new material you have read beforehand might be difficult. Maybe you’re more confused in class than when you first started. Not a problem. What makes outside, independent learning so advantageous is that it provides you with something invaluable- ‘awareness’. The fact that you can go into your classroom already knowing what kinds of material you’re teacher has planned, you ‘performance’ in class will be higher than if you hadn’t started looking ahead.

After getting the basic ‘gist’ of English that you have not yet covered in class, you have a great advantage over your classmates! Even if you find this new material tricky, the fact that you are aware of it sets you up to improve your current level. This means that your ‘performance’ in class will be higher than it would have been if you hadn’t planned ahead! Simple.

If there is one thing you can take from this post it’s this… Remember your 5 ‘P’s!

Perfect Planning Prevents Poor Performance

EC San Francisco would like to introduce our new Student Services Counselor, Amanda Marquez! Amanda is no stranger to San Francisco and will primarily be located at the front desk, assisting both Amy and Ashley with EC’s administrative duties. We are extremely happy to have her on board and look forward to her contributions.

I was born and raised in beautiful Pasadena, California; but fell in love with the Bay Area at an early age. I moved here in 2009 and graduated from San Francisco State University with a BA in Art History and Studio Art. I’ve tried to travel as much as I could over the years and spent a life-changing semester in Florence, Italy.
I’ve currently rooted myself in Oakland – and with a little more spare time after graduating college – I’ve been practicing my Spanish, working on my container garden, learning how to use my sewing machine, and making herbal salves.

Thank you!!!

I’m Harrison Smith. I currently teach the Cambridge ESOL examination-based classes here in San Francisco, whilst I also provide weekly extra-curricular pronunciation practice. As some of you may know, when I’m not in the classroom I’m usually occupied elsewhere. Your Student ID Cards, Activities Calendars and the printing of Initial or End Evaluation Forms are likely to be within reach of my (rather small) fingertips. Putting these tasks to one side, I’m usually updating online grammar lessons via this very blog. Having moved to California after teaching for EC Cambridge, I was always looking forward to spending my winter break back in the UK. Fortunately, during my two weeks across the pond I was able to visit two of EC’s most popular language centres.

First on my agenda was to stop off and see some of my old colleagues. Madge McClary (Assistant Director of Studies), Natasha De Souza (Director of Studies) and Daniela Sibiriu (Academic Assistant) were just as on the ball as the day I left. Despite being pressed for time, we were able to greet with open arms before I gave them a quick summary of the happenings at our branch in the Bay Area. After a nostalgic return to the Guildhall Chambers by Cambridge’s Market Square, I made my way to the school’s second building, just a brisk stroll away. It was there I met with Michael Wood (Custromer Service and Admissions Officer) and Vanessza Kaloczy (Young Learning Coordinator). Mike (also an EC blogger) and I exchanged a couple of inside jokes before he filled me in about his role within the company. I took a few snaps with the camera before meeting Vanessza, of whom I had always shared good working relations with during my time in Cambridge. I asked Vanessza: “What makes EC Cambridge a popular destination for students?” She responded:

“Besides the name, if you come from abroad and you’re here for a few months, Cambridge is a great place. You get to know the city really quickly. I moved from Hungary four years ago and when I think about it, that’s why I like Cambridge. I found my way around and was able to make friends easily because there are so many international students in a city that’s quite small”.

When asked if she’d like to work at an EC centre in the US, she stated: “Maybe, but it’s a bit far away!”. Still, I naturally recommended she visit us stateside.

The following day I took the train to from Cambridge to London Kings Cross. Having amused myself for a couple of hours and indulged in a traditional pub lunch at the heart of Covent Garden, I was able to escape the miserable weather before making my way to EC London. The centre’s excellent location, both nationally and within the capital itself, is clearly of mass student appeal. Laura Bowkley (Centre Director) gave a warm welcome and made me feel right at home. Similar to Cambridge yet unlike San Francisco, EC London makes use of several venues to accomodate its extensive number of students. After giving me a casual tour of the classrooms and a quick peek into the teacher’s lounge, we took a seat in the EC cafe. After Laura mentioned that EC staff receive a 50% discount, I couldn’t help but imagine the prospect of having a similar set-up back in Northern California.

The cafeteria provides a great space for students to socialise, whilst the school makes practical use of it by encouraging students to particpate in some of its regular breakfast clubs. I put Laura on the spot a little and asked her to describe the EC brand in three words. In her mind, EC Language Centres can be defined as ‘dynamic’, ‘positive’ and of great ‘quality’. Having upheld the school’s ‘core values’ in what was, well, almost three words, she definitely hit the nail right on the head!

My time in England, like all great holidays, went by significantly faster than anticipated. Despite this inconvenient reality, I had plenty of positives to take back with me to San Francisco. I had witnessed a company that sustains its high standards from opposite sides of the Atlantic. I got to meet energetic, international colleagues whose enthusiasm to progress mirrored my own aspirations and desire to achieve future learning objectives. Above all, I was able to board a 13 hour flight to SFO confident that the future remains bright for all us within the EC network. Whether you’re a student, teacher, member of staff or even comically dressed as our vibrant orange logo for Halloween (Sara Buckingham, that’s for you), the best is certainly yet to come.

North America, South Africa, UK or Malta. Wherever you are, pay us a visit and see for yourself.

Quite literally, we go the extra mile.

harrisonsmith@ecenglish.com