New Zealand

With the Pacific Ocean to the east, and the Tasman Sea to the west, New Zealand is an island nation with a population of only 3.7 million. New Zealand was probably first settled by the Maori - Polynesians who arrived from the Hawaiian islands over 1000 years ago. European settlement didn’t begin until the 17th Century, with the British colonising the islands and exploiting its vast natural resources, timber, whales and seals, and also fighting many wars with the Maori tribes over the land. Eventually the British and Maori chiefs signed a peace treaty and relations between European and Maori have improved greatly since. Today, the people of New Zealand come together in a wonderful mixture of races, cultures, and ethnic backgrounds. The Lifestyle is casual and relaxed. New Zealanders, or "Kiwis", are known for their friendliness, tolerance and modesty.

Auckland

Located on the shores of the Waitemata Harbour and with a population of 1.3 million, Auckland is New Zealand’s largest and most cosmopolitan city, and the centre of NZ’s business and culture. In Auckland you can enjoy theatre, the arts, restaurants, sporting events, outdoor activities and more. The central business district, where the school is located, is surrounded by some beautiful parks and reserves, and just a short drive away are located some of Auckland ‘s finest beaches. Auckland is a multicultural society, drawn from many ethnic backgrounds, where Maori European and Asian cultures mix in an atmosphere of friendly tolerance.

Wellington

Wellington, New Zealand ’s capital city is famous for its strong arts culture and intimate city atmosphere. Located on a picturesque harbour, surrounded by dramatic hills, Wellington is home to New Zealand’s national museum, Te Papa, along with over 50 other museums and galleries.

You can explore the centre of the city simply by walking : at just two kilometres across, the vibrancy and excitement of the city’s cool cafes, elegant department stores, designer boutiques and local arts and craft markets are all within easy reach. There are lots of outdoor attractions nearby and Wellington’s central location makes it the ideal starting point to see the rest of New Zealand.

Auckland

The school, established in 1984, is one of the longest established private English Language Training Establishments in New Zealand. It is located in the centre of Auckland City, next to a park and a church. It is close to inner-city conveniences such as banks, shops, post office, bus stations, restaurants and cafes, while at the same time, located away from busy traffic noise.

The Downtown premises include 42 classrooms on six floors of two modern office buildings. Classrooms are spacious and all have natural light. Other facilities include student lounges, a recreation room and a large self access centre offering internet and e-mail access for students, self study materials and library resources. The school is equipped for a maximum of 450 students, however, the average number of students is 300-400.

Wellington

The school is located in the heart of the city’s popular café district “the Courtenay Quarter” and thus, you can find over 30 restaurants and cafes only 2 minutes walk from school. The bus stop is only 1 minute walk from the school. The building is very modern and includes 7 classrooms. There are also a large student common room with table tennis, kitchen facilities and computers with free internet/email.

Two persons are in charge of administration and there are 5 to 7 teachers depending on the season. The school is equipped for a maximum of 90 students, however, the average number of students is 40-60.

All teachers of our partner school are TESOL-qualified to teach English to Speakers of Other Languages. They come from New Zealand, England, Canada, the USA, Scotland, Australia and other English-Speaking Countries. They have a wide range of experience and teaching styles, and students are exposed to a variety of approaches and accents.

Teaching Methodology at the school is skills-based. This means that you are taught the 4 macro-skills of Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. Each macro skill can be divided into sub-skills; for example, Speaking is divided into pronunciation, rhythm and stress, conversation techniques, situational and functional language, etc. Grammar, structure and vocabulary development are taught across all the skills. The teaching approach is communicative. This means that during the lessons, students are constantly involved in actively using English to communicate with their classmates and teachers in meaningful situations. Focus is on practical usage. Students are given a textbook to work from and the teacher supplies additional material from other books, newspapers, magazines, radio and TV broadcasts, songs, etc.

Students are interviewed and tested on arrival, and placed in a class that corresponds to their test result. There are 7 main levels of English at the school, from absolute beginner to advanced. Every 10 weeks, students are tested again, and if they pass the test, they can move up a level. Students who find their classes either too difficult or too easy, can, after talking to their teacher and academic counsellor, try another class.

• Standard Program (Part Time) : 15 lessons per week
• One lesson = 55 minutes
• Level : from 100% beginner to advanced
• Duration : 2 to 30 weeks
• Starting Date : Every Monday (except on Public Holidays)
• Schedule : Monday to Friday from 9h00 to 12h15 (+ 15 minutes break)

Details :

• Intensive Program (Full Time) : 23 lessons per week
• One lesson = 55 minutes
• Level : from 100% beginner to advanced
• Duration : 2 to 30 weeks
• Starting Date : Every Monday (except on Public Holidays)
• Schedule : Mon-Fri from 9h00 to 12h15 (+ 15 minutes break) and Mon-Thu from 13h15 to 15h15

• Intensive Program (Full Time) : 23 lessons per week

• One lesson = 55 minutes

• Level : Intermediate

• Duration : 10 or 12 weeks

• Schedule : Monday to Friday from 9h00 to 12h15 (+ 15 minutes break) and Monday to Thursday from 13h15 to 15h15

• Student course book + materials ($80) and exam fee (approx. NZ$280) not included.

• Course entry subject to a level placement test and a minimum number of participants.

• Intensive Program (Full Time) : 23 lessons per week

• One lesson = 55 minutes

• Level : Upper Intermediate

• Duration : 5 weeks

• Schedule : Monday to Friday from 9h00 to 12h15 (+ 15 minutes break) and Monday to Thursday from 13h15 to 15h15

• Exam fee (approx. NZ$265). Exam by own arrangement.

• Course entry subject to a level placement test and a minimum number of participants.

Details :

• Intensive Program (Full Time) : 23 lessons per week
• One lesson = 55 minutes
• Level : Intermediate
• Duration : 5 weeks
• Schedule : Monday to Friday from 9h00 to 12h15 (+ 15 minutes break) and Monday to Thursday from 13h15 to 15h15
• Exam fee (approx. US$110) not included. Exam by own arrangement.
• Course entry subject to a level placement test and a minimum number of participants.

Standard and Intensive Course : Any Monday except on public holidays

Official starting dates : 03 January, 12 March, 21 May, 30 July, 08 October 2007

Cambridge :

CPE : 03 January 2007 - 09 March 2007 / Exam Date : 10 March 2007 (10 weeks)

FCE, CAE, CPE : 19 March 2007 - 08 June 2007 / Exam Date : 12-14 June 2007 (12 weeks)

FCE, CAE, CPE : 17 September 2007 - 07 December 2007 / Exam Date : 11-13 December 2007 (12 weeks)

IELTS :

Course 1 : 03 Jan - 02 Feb 2007
Course 2 : 05 Feb - 09 Mar 2007
Course 3 : 12 Mar – 13 Apr 2007
Course 4 : 16 Apr - 18 May 2007
Course 5 : 21 May - 22 Jun 2007
Course 6 : 25 Jun - 27 Jul 2007
Course 7 : 30 Jul - 31 Aug 2007
Course 8 : 03 Sep - 05 Oct 2007
Course 9 : 08 Oct - 09 Nov 2007
Course 10 : 12 Nov - 14 Dec 2007

TOEFL : course begins on an official starting date or otherwise on demand.

From season to season, your options are endless. So, whichever school you choose, you’ll only be a short distance away from a huge range of extra-curricular activities and adventures. Here’s just a small sample of the activities and adventures you can experience.