Orientation Course

This course does a few different things at the same time. 

• It shows your students how to learn well in the lesson. 
  • Good students direct their lesson, shadow their teacher, give realistic examples, understand how language connects, and they tell you how much they understand. 
• It lays the foundation for English all students need all the time. 
  • For example, when studying a grammar structure, you also need to say it fluently, to use good vocabulary, to use words that collocate, etc... 
• It shows them how to approach learning from specific courses.
  • For example, students may initially say, "I don't want to study grammar" because it's never been useful and fun. But after using a structure to do something interesting, they might change their tune.

Lesson:
1
2
3
4
5

Learning skills (Being a more active student)
Direct your lesson
Shadow your teacher
Practice language realistically
See how language connects

Say how
much you understand.

Language skills (The components of English)
Set phrases
Fluent, connected speech
Language structures
Context: collocations, images
Natural communication strategies 

Course (and how to approach it)
Business Result & Speakout
Clear Speech & Pronun In Use
Grammar In Use & Oxford Grammar
Vocab In Use, Collocations In Use, Idioms 
Speaking Test Strategies

All students should take this course at some point. 

• Students with vague goals should start at the Orientation Course. 
• Students with clear goals can start on a course that addresses their goals (such as a high score in a specific test). When that course is done, they should take the Orientation Course.

All students should finish this course

• If your student discovers a weakness and a course that addresses it, great. Start it after Orientation.
• In sum, the course teaches students how to study all books.
  • E.g.: students can do connected speech exercises in any book if they know rules of connected speech. 
  • English skills are never discrete. Every lesson has elements of pronunciation, grammar, vocabulary, collocations, and more. 

The Orientation Course answers: 

1. "How do I study English?"
   • Students learn how to collaborate with the teacher and take responsibility for learning language. They will accept teacher feedback, manipulate new language, and show their understanding. 
2. "What course should I choose?"
   • This course samples each broad learning area. 
   • It doesn't touch on professional specialisations like Pharma or Consulting. 
3. "What are my strengths and weaknesses?"
   • Students don't understand themselves which skills they lack—this course shows them.
   • Students don't know how to improve on specific points. This course introduces best-practice study habits.   

This course follows the flow of how an L2 is usually acquired. Here are the five lessons.

1. Phrases—learn set phrases first to deliver specific information.
2. Pronunciation—you have to be understood first. Approaching people in you L2 is far more successful with decent pronunciation. 
3. Grammar—make correct original sentences. (And, if necessary, talk around a word or concept if you don't have the precise vocabulary—a.k.a. circumcolution).
4. Vocabulary and idioms—learn specific language to communicate ideas with precision. 
5. Discussions—use all the skills above to fit together into a satisfying discussion.

FAQs:

• Can I suggest this course to a student who is already working through another course?
  • Yes. You will have to explain the benefits of the course. 
• Do I have to finish the Orientation course once a student starts it? 
  • Generally, yes. Detours are fine, but the course sets up positive habits, so do all 5 lessons.
• My student is lower-level. Can I do this course? 
  • Yes, however, you may need to skip or breeze through some bottom Language sections. All Language levels start simply. 
• My student is very advanced. Can I do this course? 
  • Absolutely.