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Language school

School for learning a foreign language

A language school is a school where one studies a foreign language. Classes at a language school are usually geared towards, for example, communicative competence in a foreign language. Language learning in such schools typically supplements formal education or existing knowledge of a foreign language.

Students vary widely by age, educational background, work experience. They usually have the possibility of selecting a specific course according to their language proficiency. According to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), there are six language levels that define student language proficiency based on their speaking, writing and reading skills.

01Language courses

English

Globally, English language schools have seen the greatest demand over schools for other languages. Over one billion people are said to be learning English in a second language or foreign language context. In the United States alone, ESL learners make up over one-third of all adult, non-academic learners.

Accreditations for English Language Schools

In England, major accreditations include:

  • British Council: Accredits schools meeting high standards in education, teacher qualifications, and facilities.
  • English UK: Requires member schools to comply with strict quality standards.
  • RELSA: Accredits schools based on rigorous criteria in teaching and facilities.
  • Quality English: An international association ensuring top standards for independent schools.

In Malta, accreditation is provided by:

  • FELTOM: Accredits schools that meet high-quality standards in teaching, qualifications, and facilities.

Arabic

Arabic has also grown in popularity in the last decade. Reasons include the continued growth of Islam worldwide (the Koran holy book is in Arabic), as well as cultural, economic and political reasons.

Hindi

The Hindi language along with the culture of the Indian subcontinent has started to become important due to recent foreign policies, global competitiveness, and emigration from the country. Hindi began to be introduced as a foreign language in some American schools in the 2000s. Instructors in the language were sought to teach from the kindergarten level right up to the university as part of the National Security Language Initiative.

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Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article Language school, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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