Intensive English Language Courses in Poland?

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if someone could help me out with something.

I have a brother (currently living in Asia) who is looking for an intensive English language course (4-6 weeks). Since I am living in Poland we thought it would be cool if he attended a course like that in Poland.

Does anyone know if there are schools that do offer something like that. I phoned the British Council today and they said they only have this during the summer vacations.

Thank you,
Aman

the English teachers will be circling now, sensing the aroma of blood in the water....

who will strike first?

I'll jump straight in;

I can supply a teacher immediately that can provide intensive lessons for as many hours a day as you need, with material designed for exactly what you need.

You can call up a school, but all they'll do is sell you as many classes in their standard schedule as possible, so that you'll end up getting FCE training you don't need mixed with Business English you don't understand, for three times the money you need to pay. The British Council are especially guilty of this sort of thing.

I guarantee that my offer will be a better value deal than any school in Poland can provide.

PM me if you'd like more info.

you can do all that before even knowing what city this person lives in?

Sorry guys, I perhaps should have indicated the city.

I live in Krakow. But if I cannot find anything in Krakow, I would be more than willing to consider any other location in the country. We still would be able to see each other on weekends.

By the way, do you guys know what is price range for courses like that?

Aman

....I predict a feeding frenzy....

Yep, a network of respected colleagues on call over most of the country. Of course, if you want a class next to Lake Solina, the price might be a little higher...


If you phone up a big school like Berl!tz, then they'll probably charge you 1000zl/for an 8-hour "immersion" day, and then they'll give the teacher 3-400 hundred of that and pocket the rest.

If you're in Krakow, there are excellent Polish teachers and experienced natives who will sell you a better course for a lot less than any school will charge. Their hourly rate will be between 60-100zl, depending on how many hours you want in one go.

Anyone who charges less than 1zl per min or more than 2zl is taking advantage of you.

Why would someone who is charging cheap prices is taking advantage of you?

Generally because they're offering you a service they're not qualified to perform. Even in Krakow, a massively oversaturated town for language teaching, the going rate is a zloty a minute. If a teacher isn't able to get that, there are reasons why. Inexperience and business naivete are the kinder explanations, but I still wouldn't want to pay for an intensive English course from an inexperienced teacher.

richfilth:

sorry man, don't mean to look into this too deeply but I'm still curious.....

so you have a "network of respected colleagues on call over most of the country" who somehow also do not have busy schedules teaching english already (or doing anything else for that matter) and can, at the drop of a hat, stop everything they're doing and for 6 straight weeks, give this student "as many hours a day as you need"???

sorry man, it simply doesn't seem realistic to me.

Anything's possible when you run a business Fuzzy, although I can understand your doubt; the "can do" attitude hasn't really penetrated the Polish world of business yet.

Berlitz language school offers really good intensive courses. Contact them and see what they can offer.

No they don't.

Yes they do! They are expensive but the results are good. I have seen it happen many times.

Utter rubbish. Anybody who has ever been involved in any way with language teaching knows that:
Berlitz charge stupid prices;
Berlitz pay pathetic wages;
Berlitz use completely discredited methodology;
Berlitz schools in Poland pass off Poles as native speakers (and charge the extra a native costs).

I know one guy who used to work at Berlitz who was only fired after being so drunk that he fell of his desk and couldn't get up again because it was the second time he'd done it that week!

I both agree and disagree with you and I will try and explain why.

Berlitz charges stupid prices - yes
Berlitz pay pathetic wages - yes and no
Berlitz use a completely discredited methodology - don't agree.
Berlitz schools in Poland pass off Poles as native speakers (and charge the extra a native costs). I have heard this also but they don't charge extra as that is not true. I do know that teachers are not allowed to use Polish even if they are Polish leading to the belief that they are, in fact natives, even though they are not when going to a client.

I know one guy who used to work at Berlitz who was only fired after being so drunk that he fell of his desk and couldn't get up again because it was the second time he'd done it that week![/quote] This has changed. You are only fired if you don't drink Polish vodka - hehe. Seriously, this is not the case now.

My only experience in Berlitz Wroclaw and they have some quality teachers who actually have knowledge of English and have lived in either America or the UK and produce realistic and proven results.

I am not saying nor have I said that they are the best, I simply have offered a suggestion based upon my experience.

Berlitz pay pathetic wages and when you consider the stupidly high prices they charge, those wages are simply a rip off.


Discredited in the eyes of anybody other than greedy lazy school owners. Next you'll be telling us that Callan is a good method!

I know Poles who used to teach at Berlitz who were instructed to tell clients that they were not Polish.


Wow: they have knowledge of English and lived in an English speaking country?! Stunning. I note, however, that you haven't got a word to say about their knowledge of how to teach, how to explain the language or any tiny little things like that.

Don't touch Berlitz. They have slick marketing, but a Nineteenth Century method. A good language trainer will use elements from diffrerent methodologies for sound reasons. Not just one. and an old one at that.

richfilth wrote:


along with anyone else logically looking at what you're offering. highly qualified teachers scattered all throughout Poland, awaiting richfilth's call, ready to drop everything and slap together a 6 week intensive course, dedicating all their time and effort to just that.

i got no beef with you man.....ale przesadzasz stary.......

For reasons beyond my understanding you seem to have issues with Berlitz for some reason and that is your right. However, schools in different cities have different performances even though they are connected to a particular group, just as in other businesses. The teachers in Berlitz Wroclaw are both competent and effective teachers who see real results, demand results from their students and have an interest in their progress and achieving the students goals. However, the Berlitz method has it's limitations, as does the Callan Method. I personally believe to learn a language you have to do the correct research and find the method that suits you as a person. For some, the Berlitz and callan methods work. For others, the more traditional method works. Each of us learn in different ways and we shouldn't knock nor decry tried and trusted methods that have seen many people successfully master a foreign language, whether we think it's good or not.

Personally, I don't knock any method of learning English or a foreign language as long as the student is learning and making effective progress and feels such.

Exactly. You can always tell when someone has attended a 'method school'.

I teach English and I have learned that one method doesn't fit everyone and so adapt to the student and their way of learning. It takes a little time but once on their level I see results.

Which is one of the many reasons why Berlitz should be avoided.

This is the problem with Berlitz - it doesn't adapt to anything. Basically it's about marketing and has been for years.

I don't need to defend my methods, but experienced teachers don't just "slap together" a course. If you've been teaching for years, you know what the core requirements of a course are, and if you're used to planning a year's worth of classes ahead, then condensing that into 6 weeks isn't as difficult or as time-consuming as you seem to think.

Intensive courses are in the range of 20-30 hours a week, and are led by more than one teacher; that's the norm all over the world, not just in Poland. The scheduling is always an issue, but I'm not offering to find a teacher who will move in with the OP and teach him 24/7 (although I'm sure there are some who will offer that, if the money's right).

Berlitz was overly commercial in Japan. Some schools can't hide their rampant capitalism. The teaching becomes secondary and students get ripped off. New 'novelties' have to be cost effective.

That is an unfair comment. For some it works and for some it doesn't. For some the traditional method just doesn't work and the Berlitz method does. Taking such a blinkered view is also harming the student. I have seen many people finally get to grips with English through a course at Berlitz. Hence, it works for them and we shouldn't knock them for that nor say that a school is bad because we have one example of something. Berlitz is an option is all I am saying.

They've been like that pretty well since day one.

Richfilth's idea might be a good one for the OP, or speak to International House who tend to have good teachers.

NOVA were amongst the worst for greed and corruption. I'm glad I got in and out when I did. I've been around the block when it comes to methods and I'd improve every single one of them. They are hashed together too quickly and without sufficient regard to the teacher.

Now, if I was to be like the others I could say all sorts of things about IH from my experience and so on. However, in my view, why not try them to see if it works for them? Good idea.