Foreign Language Education Abroad

Foreign Language Education Abroad

You have been trying to improve your foreign language for years. You have attended many courses but somehow it does not reach the level you want. Your grammar is good, you are good on the tests, but you cannot speak. Or do you find it difficult to take the time to go to a foreign language course in Turkey? The solution is to complete your foreign language education in a native language country. After you reach a certain level, the education you will receive abroad will complete your language learning process.

Courses Offered in Foreign Language Schools

The programs offered in language schools have been prepared by considering the purposes of learning the foreign language and the areas to be used. If these programs come up with different names in each school, they can be grouped under a few main headings.

General Language Courses

General language programs are courses prepared by considering the needs of people who want to gain daily speaking skills. These courses try to improve speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills. Students strengthen their language skills by communicating with students and teachers of other nationalities through theater, various games, discussions, and writing exercises in the classroom setting. General language courses are offered at various levels, and attention is paid to placing students in the class that best suits their current level and needs.

Vacation Courses

In these courses, which are offered especially in the summer months, the participants are offered basic foreign language lessons as well as practical programs. University students and employees can also attend these courses for adults.

Exam Preparation Courses

These courses are designed to assist students who will take international language exams in preparation for the exam system as well as general English. The most common exam preparation courses for your English level are TOEFL and IELTS, an international determinant. While IELTS is more common in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, TOEFL is now seen as a level marker in all countries. Students who wish to participate in exam preparation programs must have at least an intermediate level of language. Also; You can also attend GMAT, GRE, SAT Exam Preparation Courses abroad. Especially for those who want to study for MBA, Master, and undergraduate education in the USA, it is possible to attend these exam preparation courses every month, which are required by American Universities. Courses are generally given for 4 weeks. It requires 25 hours of classroom, lab or individual study per week. GMAT, GRE, and SAT exam courses are held only in American schools. To register for courses, you must apply at least 8 weeks before the course start date.

General language programs are courses prepared by considering the needs of people who want to gain daily speaking skills. These courses try to improve speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills. Students strengthen their language skills by communicating with students and teachers of other nationalities through theater, various games, discussions, and writing exercises in the classroom setting. General language courses are offered at various levels, and attention is paid to placing students in the class that best suits their current level and needs.

Vocational Language Courses

The most common of these programs are "language for business" programs, in which terms related to the business world in general, correspondence, speech, and meeting techniques are taught. Business English courses, which are organized by many schools, especially in English-speaking countries, attract professionals from all branches. It is also possible to find vocational language programs in specialized areas. There are a few short-term programs that professionals working in the fields of medicine, law, and tourism may prefer.

Language Courses for Executive Programs

Executive Courses are carefully prepared programs that can meet the needs of middle or senior managers with limited time and professionals who want to improve themselves in the business world. By taking advantage of these intensive course programs, you can improve your English and bring it to a level that you can communicate effectively in this language. The aim of these programs, which are meticulously created to respond to the time, language level, specific language needs, and position of the trainees, is to increase professional skills reinforced with effective and confident communication. It is aimed for the businessman to gain the necessary competence in matters such as establishing solid communication between colleagues, mutual understanding, negotiating, presentation, and hospitality process. Programs are mostly applied in group lessons of 3 to 4 people and one-on-one lessons.

Academic Year Programs

Academic year or semester programs abroad or in Turkey with students who plan to attend college in a foreign language; are ideal programs for anyone who wants to improve their English level. Academic semester programs mostly range from 20 to 24 weeks, while the duration of academic year programs is 32-36 weeks. These programs usually start on certain dates of the year. Throughout the program, students are trying to improve their general English knowledge in areas such as business English, exam preparation programs, or Academic English according to their needs. Programs are also called economical package programs, as they are around 30% more economical than language courses starting at any given date.

English for Teachers

The aim of these programs is to increase the language skills of foreign language teachers whose native language is not English. During the course, topics such as language analysis, teaching strategies, curriculum design, and lesson planning, pronunciation development, vocabulary enrichment, assessment and grading, error analysis, and correction are covered. You can also teach English abroad with the CELTA and TEFL certificates you will receive from these courses.

Foreign Language and Aptitude Tests Abroad

1) TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)

TOEFL English proficiency students measure the United States and around the world on a total of 4400 university colleges, institutes and Turkey are also considered to be exempt from an examination of some university preparatory school.

You have to take this test to prove your English proficiency, especially if you intend to study in the USA or Canada. It is not possible to stay or pass the TOEFL test. The important thing is that your score is accepted by the university you are applying for. This threshold varies according to each university and college; however, the generally accepted score is 213 and above. (Computer-based exams are evaluated over 300. In the classic TOEFL exam (paper-based) made using paper and pencil, 213 points correspond to 550 points. The TOEFL Exam has started to be administered in a computer environment since July 1998 and the new system has been introduced in most of the test centers.

TOEFL Istanbul in Turkey, Ankara, and İzmir, the computerized system (Computer-based) are given.

Candelas is a TOEFL IBT test center, where the exam can also be taken.

The TOEFL exam brochures and sample questions can be found at www.toefl.org or from exam centers. The validity period of the TOEFL exam is 2 years.

2) SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test)

SAT is an exam organized by The College Board and required to apply to university undergraduate programs in the USA. Any U.S.A. seeking undergraduate education Citizens are requested from students and some universities require foreign students. It consists of Math (Numerical), in which algebra, arithmetic, and geometry knowledge are tested, and Verbal (Verbal) sections, which aim to measure reading comprehension, grammar, and analytical assessment knowledge and skills, each for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

For more information about exam and registration procedures, you can access the SAT official site at  sat.org 

3) IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

IELTS UK, Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United States institutions of higher education and English proficiency exam required for preparatory classes to be exempted from some universities in Turkey. There are Academic and General IELTS exams, but Academic IELTS exams are valid for higher education. The generally accepted grade for admission to higher education institutions is 6.0 and above. However, this threshold changes according to the expectations of the country of application and the higher education board. The validity period of the IELTS exam is 2 years; however, some universities accept up to 5 years.

You can learn all the necessary information about the exam on the website of the British Council, britishcouncil.org.tr

4) GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)

GMAT is an exam conducted by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and directed by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which is established by 131 schools with a master's program (MBA) in Business Administration.

GMAT is an exam that aims to measure the verbal, quantitative, and analytical abilities acquired over time and is designed to assist students applying to schools to determine their graduate education competencies in business and other related fields. It is used by 1,300 schools around the world to evaluate applications and is required by 850 schools as an application requirement.

The GMAT exam is not an exam that aims to measure the proficiency of knowledge in business and related fields, the knowledge acquired in a particular field in undergraduate education, character traits such as motivation, creativity, human relations, or competence in another field.

You can obtain GMAT exam brochures and sample questions from the GMAT exam official website and test centers, which you can access at www.gmat.org.

5) GRE (Graduate Record Examination)

The U.S.A., especially in engineering and social sciences. and many other English-medium universities in other countries. It is organized by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). GRE exam is applied in two formats as General Test and Subject Test. The GRE General Test is a general examination and must be taken by all graduate and doctoral students who have set the GRE as the admission requirement. GRE Subject Test, on the other hand, is carried out to measure the proficiency of those who want to study at the graduate level in 8 disciplines and it is required by some educational institutions to be taken together with the General Test. You can obtain the GRE exam brochures and sample questions from the official GRE exam website and test centers, which you can access at gre.org 

6) LSAT (Law School Admission Test)

LSAT is a half-day exam required by 200 law faculties that are members of the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) as an application requirement. It aims to measure the ability to comprehend texts and make results-oriented evaluations and is conducted 4 times a year in exam centers around the world.

The vast majority of law faculties require applicants to take the December exam held the year before the year applied at the latest.

For more information about the exam and registration procedures, you can visit the LSAT official website at lsat.org

7) MCAT (Medical College Admission Test)

It is an exam organized by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) that aims to assist applicants to medical schools' admissions assessment boards in predicting their chances of successfully completing medical education. This exam aims to determine the level of knowledge in basic sciences required for medical education, as well as problem-solving, analytical thinking, and composition writing skills. The exam is held twice a year. In order to take the MCAT exam more than three times, you must make a special application. Exam results are posted within 60 days after the exam date. The exam fee is 185 USD. You can use the official MCAT exam website at aamc.org to learn more about registering for the MCAT exam and other issues.

8) USMLE (The United States Medical Licensing Examination)

The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is a three-stage exam (Steps 1, 2, and 3) and is designed in the United States. Medical education taken outside of the United States is required for acceptance of equivalence. USMLE is organized by the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB), which is formed by the medical boards of states in the USA, and the National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME), which is another institution authorized to examine in the field of medicine, and in addition to these boards, It is carried out with the participation of a relevant commission, the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG). USMLE is an exam designed to evaluate the physicians' ability to apply their knowledge, concepts, and medical principles in a safe and effective way in the treatment of patients. All three stages of the exam are complementary to each other. You can find information about the exam at usmle.org