Thinking about moving to Edinburgh

So, you are thinking about studying in Edinburgh? Good choice! Edinburgh is one of the most captivating cities in Europe, with students and professionals alike travelling here with the intention of staying for a few months but wind up staying here for a few years. ‘Multi-cultural’ is a word that is used to describe a lot of different places, but Edinburgh? 

Edinburgh wrote the book on ‘multi-culturalism’.

If you are thinking about relocating either permanently or temporarily, then here are ten things that you should be aware of before you arrive.

Doctors

Possibly the most important item on the list is healthcare. Scotland has famously free healthcare and registering with a GP (General Practitioner) is a straightforward process.  Once you arrive and you have your accommodation organised, just walk into any clinic and sign up.

Transport

Getting around Edinburgh is nice and simple. Our bus service is very reliable and our many taxi companies will help see you home whatever the hour.

If you are planning to leave the city to explore Scotland, then you should check the national rail service because you might be legible for a discount card.

Accommodation

Prices in Edinburgh vary by location but it is no secret that Edinburgh is an expensive city to live in.  As a general rule, the closer you are to the city centre, the more rent you can expect to pay. That being said, the areas surrounding Edinburgh are beautiful and the bus links are excellent.

There are options for traveling inside of Edinburgh aside from the busses, such as the many taxi companies and tram service.  If you wish to travel away from Edinburgh and explore the country, then, depending on your circumstances, you may qualify for a discount rail card.

Eating Out

Edinburgh, as mentioned before, is a wonderfully multicultural environment and nowhere is it clearer than in its restaurants.  The variety of places to eat is simply staggering and they are not just restricted to the city centre. If you miss your country’s cuisine, Edinburgh may be able to provide you with the delicacies from your home in one the great variety of international supermarkets.

Of course, if you wish to experience traditional British food then perhaps a traditional pub is just the ticket!

Cultural Immersion

Edinburgh has a vast history which has been chronicled into its very buildings. From the narrow, winding streets of the ‘Old Town’ to the masterful creation that is the ‘New Town’, Edinburgh’s architecture is a delight.  Everywhere you turn you are reminded of a beautiful, but harsh, past that graced this city. 

Even Robert Louis Stevenson, one of Scotland’s greatest writers, once remarked:

There are no stars as lovely as Edinburgh street lamps.

So what do you need to do to get here? 

Well, if you are planning to study then you will probably need IELTS or TOEFL.  Or perhaps you are looking to settle here and become a British Citizen, if so then you will probably need to do SELT.  

At ELA-Edinburgh, we offer a number of courses that can help you achieve your goals of relocating to Scotland.  Our exam focussed courses will cover all of your university requirements and if you are intending to stay then we will be very happy to help. 

Glossary

Captivating – really beautiful

To wind up – to come to a destination that was not planned

To write the book on something – to be the first expert on something

Aside from – not including

Staggering – (adj) to describe something very positively

Just the ticket – used to describe something as perfect, often used for foo

Free Students for CertTESOL

For 4 weeks, ELA Edinburgh is offering free English lessons. These lessons will take place at our school in Edinburgh city centre from 15:30 till 17:30, Monday to Friday. 

Ideal if you are a part-time worker, or would like to make use of any spare time in the afternoons to improve your English. 

You will receive a vast range of different types of lessons, from skills such as speaking, listening, writing and reading to vocabulary and grammar. You will learn lots and lots of useful new words and expressions and greatly improve your knowledge of the English grammatical system. You will be taught by a group of trainee teachers as part of their Trinity CertTESOL professional teaching qualification. 

Our aim is that the lessons are delivered in a fun, interesting and engaging way, designed to help your real-life, everyday use of the English language. Whether you are in Edinburgh long-term or short-term, working part-time or visiting, our free lessons are for everybody. Don’t worry if your English level isn’t high, we have different classes available for different levels.

Maybe you are new to Edinburgh, or to the UK, and are struggling with the language. 

Maybe it’s difficult to understand the local people in shops or restaurants or over the phone. 

This can make it very difficult to cope in day-to-day life in the UK. Our lessons will familiarise you with, conversational English in these common situations. 

Or maybe you have been learning English for many years and would just like to refresh your grammatical knowledge or learn some new colloquial expressions, slang, or more unusual or high-level vocabulary. 

Many non-native speakers of English have knowledge of the language, but lack the confidence to produce it when they have to. With a communicative and interactive focus, our lessons are a great way to gain the confidence you need and maximise the knowledge you already have to use English outside of the classroom easily and fluently.  

The Trinity CertTESOL is a qualification which is awarded to teachers who have proved they can teach to a high level. It is one of the most respected English teaching qualifications on offer and is recognised around the world. 

In order to gain this qualification, the trainees’ lessons must be of the highest standard with excellent lesson planning and clear learning aims. They must also provide evidence of your learning. The lessons will be observed by professional, highly experienced tutors so that the teachers can improve throughout the course. They will receive intense tuition between lessons – which means your lessons will get better and better. Your participation would greatly help these new teachers as well as your own English.

Our lessons are also a great way to meet new people in a strange country. There are many outsiders living in the multi-cultural city of Edinburgh, but sometimes it’s not so easy to meet people socially, especially if you are new to the city. If you have any friends who would also like to come to the lessons, bring them along! The more, the merrier!

Contact dos@elacademy.co.uk to enrol now! 

Can Theatre enhance your language skills?

What is the key to boosting any learning process?

At ELA we believe it is always about finding the perfect balance between theory and practice, and if you are looking to improve your English, why not use Theatre!

The well-rounded educational value theatre plays is increasingly being appreciated in many respects, and here are 3 reasons why you shouldn’t underestimate its benefits when it comes to brushing up on your English skills:

• Attending theatrical performances presents learners with a wide variety of communicative contexts. 
• Listening skills are utilised extensively and students develop an ear for pronunciation and accent, which will help them to sound like native speakers. 
• Thanks to the diversification of plays, students gain a deeper understanding of communicative styles, avoiding those awkward moments when someone doesn’t know what the suitable level of formality is. More cultural awareness and less faux-pas!

Theatre productions foster creativity and encourage viewers to put themselves in someone else’s shoes, thereby increasing empathy and self-awareness. As a result, students’ confidence will increase.

In a nutshell, learning English through Theatre enables students to practice key skills such as listening and, on top of that, it brings in the element of fun and students are keener to express themselves in public among friends and colleagues.

This ‘Theatre & English’ Course could be your experience of a lifetime!

Edinburgh’s hustle and bustle during summer festivals is not to be missed, so our answer is simple: take your English to the next level in the enchanting capital city of Scotland.
It’s high time you joined our ‘Theatre & English’ Course at ELA!

The next course runs from Mon, 30 July to Fri, 10 August 2018.

Contact us to get more information.

English courses at ELA-Edinburgh in the Summer 2018 – during the Edinburgh International Festivals

The summer, when many people flock to the UK to improve their English as part of a vacation, is around the corner. And Edinburgh one of the greatest places to do that, especially in August during the Edinburgh International Festival. Whether it is for your career or personal goals, getting to grips with a new language can do wonders for self-development and new possibilities.  

Choose from ELA-Edinburgh’s range of English language courses to help boost your skills this 2018:

IELTS, Cambridge and Trinity Exam Preparation Courses: Our hugely popular exam preparation courses, are done in small and dynamic classes to help you get the most out of your studies. Choose between exam preparation only, or combine this with additional English classes. 

General English: The most popular courses run for 15 (General) and 25 hours per week (Intensive).  We also offer 30 (Immersion) and 25 hours per week (Total Immersion) courses. 

Business English: Get to grips with the international language of business to help boost your CV, develop new Business vocabulary, interview and presentation skills to support your lifelong learning. Take Business English on its own, or combine with General English or exam preparation. 

BULATS: Add a little extra to completing your English language course and CV, with a BULATS certificate. This Business English testing system helps businesses to:

• easily and accurately identify training needs 
• streamline recruitment by screening applicants’ language ability
• communicate effectively in international business environments
• identify workforce strengths and weaknesses in English

Bildungsurlaub: educational leave for German employees, Immersion (30 hours) and Total Immersion (35 hours) courses are offered.

Trinity CertTESOL: Run two-three times a year, the internationally recognised teacher training course is highly practical and a chance to take a whole new career path.

English+Courses: English+Theatre, English+Tennis or English+Golf are popular Bespoke course options. 

Evening and Weekend Courses: Can’t find time to study full time? Our evening and weekend courses may be just right thing to help boost your skills. Choose between General English, Business English, Cambridge exam preparation or IELTS exam preparation.

Can’t find what you need? Contact us to find out how we meet your needs. 

As an English course provider with a track proven record, we understand that everyone is different with individual needs, and we are experienced in creating bespoke courses, tailored to our clients.