Home to colonial charms like Kellie’s Castle, with architectural works from the old tin-mining days, as well as boasting the oldest cave temple in Malaysia, Ipoh’s richness in tourist attractions has made the city a must-visit tourist destination in Malaysia.
Being just second to Penang, Ipoh also happens to be a top food capital in the country. Walk along any street in Ipoh and look out for the ever-famous, regional Ipoh white coffee, and delve into other delectable delights such as bean sprout chicken and shredded chicken noodles, the latter better known as kai see hor fun.
Although Ipoh is made up of a Chinese-majority population, with Cantonese being the customary language, English is nonetheless widely used to bring together folks of different races and backgrounds. Let’s not forget that its standing as a popular place of travel has encouraged the locals to pick up conversational English, helping its citizens reach out to more visitors to boost the economic and tourist sectors.
Therefore, English is considered an essential language in Ipoh, begetting importance for people who are non-native to the language. It is no wonder that both children and adults readily attend English courses to pick up the necessary skills for mastering the language - but, how do you find the best English course in Ipoh?
We’ve made a list of the best places to study English in Ipoh - no need to hit that “English class near me” search button anymore! You can also click here to check out our list of top English tutors in Malaysia.
What are the benefits of taking an English course?
Now you know that being able to speak English is going to help you navigate your life well in Ipoh. But why should you still take an English class to improve your language skills?
You should know that many useful benefits come from taking an English course in Malaysia, such as the ones below…
Stay up-to-par with standard international English
It is easy to assume that you’ll pick up the English language skills you need as you go about your daily life in Ipoh - interacting with the locals and building on conversation and understanding from there. However, it is not always as easy as it seems, and for an ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) speaker, the last thing you’d want to know is that your language skills are not up to par with standard English.
Various English courses provided across Malaysia are centred on helping locals and foreigners learn the language as ESOL speakers. Gaining an ESOL certification after completing the English course equips non-native speakers with the essential language skills they can use in real-life scenarios! It typically covers reading and writing, vocabulary, speaking and listening, and punctuation and grammar.
After completing an ESOL-level English course, you can progress to more advanced English courses like Entry Level 3 Functional Skills or TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language). At this point, you can proudly say you are a fluent English speaker!
Fulfil entry and language requirements
Regardless of whether you are a native English speaker, you will have likely encountered the term “English language requirements” if you have ever applied for a job or made an application to a higher education institution.
Even SPM leavers still need to take an English course in Malaysia to complete the language requirements for entry into university, such as taking MUET during STPM!
You should take an English course because it is often an entry-level requirement for colleges, universities and job applications. And since the skill of being proficient in English is highly sought after in the economic and tourist sectors of Ipoh, taking an English class can you fulfil any potential entry requirements for a career in the city, ensuring you remain eligible for job opportunities while widening your job scope.
Gain confidence to showcase your language abilities
From a student’s perspective, an English course will help boost your abilities in the language - whether it’s improving your understanding, enhancing your listening skills or polishing up your public speaking.
If your English skills aren’t up to standard, then you might feel isolated amongst your English-speaking friends - therefore, joining an English course to improve your overall language skills will reduce those negative feelings and also give you the confidence you need to showcase your abilities in using English.
How about boosting your confidence with an English course in Seberang Perai or George Town?
Should you learn English with an English teacher?
Teachers are considered the backbone of our society and role models to our children. This can only be attributed to the fact that we can learn much more from teachers than if we were to take on a new area of learning on our own - in fact, teachers are vital for increasing the productivity and creativity of their students!
If that isn’t enough to convince you yet… well, there are many more reasons why you should learn English with an English teacher. These are just a few of those reasons.
Learn practical ways to use English in real-life
People say languages can be self-taught, which is true if you consider yourself to be an independent learner and are comfortable with researching any information you need on the language by yourself. It can be said that learning English through language apps and online tutorials on YouTube can help one grow in language areas like vocabulary, grammar and listening skills.
At the same time, it can also be argued that non-native speakers of English will better benefit when they learn this language from an experienced English tutor, especially if they need to use the language in practical situations. Learning from an English teacher, especially for ESOL-level speakers, allows one to pick up on language areas that are difficult to grasp as a self-taught learner. These areas include survival English, functional English, speaking and listening skills (related to the local community), and sociocultural information related to the language.
As an example, a self-taught learner may know how to name all the standard foods found in their house, but learning with an English tutor can further help this person discuss how they feel about local Ipoh delicacies!
Identify weaknesses and build on strengths in various language areas
To be fair, you may already know that you need to work on certain language skills like listening and reading, speaking with more confidence, or even just pronouncing certain English words correctly. Hey, everyone will always find room for improvement!
Feeling you’ve got a solid level of English going? Try these fun tongue twisters to challenge your English language skills!
Regardless of where your current English level is, having a professional to teach you where your strengths and weaknesses in the English language lie, as well as how to improve in these areas, will help you become a better user of the language than if you were to try working on these areas alone.
That is because the presence of an English teacher will also help to provide you with the necessary assistance and guidance for learning, personalised to your style of learning so that you can improve as an English speaker faster.
Get support throughout your learning journey
The last thing you’d want when trying to learn a new language is deciding to give up after it’s been so hard learning it on your own.
This is also why we highly encourage you to take any English course that could help you, even if that is a business English course, as long as you are working with a qualified English tutor.
Yes, your English tutor is going to cover various language areas you never realised you needed to learn about when you first picked up the language: this includes the enrichment of your knowledge in areas such as communication to mix with the local culture, presentation and organisation of ideas, or just clever ways to introduce your essay.
More importantly, you will have someone to build you up when you are facing hurdles in your language learning, and the same person will cheer you on when you have shown progress.
So, it’s time to polish your language skills under the wings of an experienced English teacher.
What are the qualities of a good English teacher?
Have you decided that you’re going to learn English with an English tutor?
That’s great!
But WAIT.
We don’t mean to ruin the vibe - just emphasising here that you should work with an English teacher who is experienced and trained to teach you the language! After setting aside some funds to learn with your English teacher, you should get your money’s worth if you have signed up for the best English class near me.
If you are ever in doubt, use these points below as a guide to choosing an English teacher for optimal language progress.
Positive qualities of a good English teacher
- They have established a welcoming learning environment. Not just you, but all students under your English teacher feel welcomed and motivated to learn whenever it is time for English class.
- They are masters of facilitating discussion and communication in the class. Even if the whole class feels reluctant to speak up, something about your English tutor ignites the class’ interest and they can use their curiosity to encourage students to share their ideas and opinions.
- They are up-to-date with the latest news that can boost student engagement. Be it world news, local news about Ipoh or even knowledge about Malaysia’s history, your English tutor is clever at bringing up interesting topics used for reading, listening, speaking and writing exercises in the English class.
- They continuously assess your progress and learning goals. This doesn’t only apply to business English course students - your English tutor should be someone responsible for paying attention to your personal learning goals and assisting you in achieving them. At the same time, they are clear when pointing out your mistakes in lessons and will provide you with steps to improve your language skills.
Now, you should also know that not every English teacher who possesses the qualities above will be perfect for your learning journey…
Qualities of an English teacher you should avoid
- They act unprofessionally as your teacher. Frequently coming late to English class, taking too long of a break during the lesson, or even having personal relationships with any of their students is a big no-no. You are looking for an English teacher who can maintain professional teacher-student relationships and is reliable when you need support for your learning journey.
- They lack clear objectives for teaching the English subject. You may notice that the class is way behind on the English course syllabus or much of the subject matter hasn’t been covered although it’s been months since you enrolled for the course. Time to find an English tutor who can stay on track with the lessons.
- They do not treat students with equal respect and attention. In any English class, your English tutor should take an unbiased stance and ensure they listen and respond to all their students as best they can. If it is clear that your tutor focuses on only certain people in the class (e.g. the flow of the class follows those who are good at English and ignores those who need help), you may need to bring it up to your English teacher or find a better tutor altogether.
We encourage you to weigh out these positive and negative qualities to find the top English teacher in your area and experience the best English course that Ipoh can offer. We’ve recommended some places below to help get you started.
Where to find an English class near me
Now that you know the power of taking an English course and learning from an English teacher, it’s time to take a look at the top English courses in Ipoh.
Ipoh Language Training Institute (iLTI)
Ipoh Language Training Institue (iLTI) English offers English courses for all ages and levels of learners - whether you are an absolute beginner, looking to give your child a headstart in English, improve your career prospects, or even brush up your existing English skills to become better at speaking.
iLTI’s Cambridge series, for instance, ranges from Pre A1 Starters (the first level of English meant for children who are just starting to learn the language) to C1 Advanced, targeted for students sitting for English language exams and equipping them with the skills for global employment and university life.
iLTI allows students to choose the English class suited to their current level of proficiency in the language, and with their emphasis on practical and result-oriented approaches, this makes iLTI the right place for ESOL students to kickstart their language-learning journey.
Cambridge English for Life (CEFL)
Perhaps you are looking for ways to read, write, listen, and speak confidently in UK standard English. Cambridge English for Life (CEFL) Ipoh makes English courses accessible to children (ages 4 onwards) to adults as they have the largest network of English language centres in the country, including one in Ipoh.
CEFL is renowned for its legacy of excellence, with many of its students attaining distinction-level scores in internationally recognised exams equivalent to that of university levels. Another advantage of learning at CEFL is that your English tutor will monitor and cater to your learning needs based on your current level of English skill as a result of the centre’s low student-to-tutor ratio, ensuring that ESOL students can get the attention they need to work on improving their English skills.
Whether you are taking an English class for adults or beginner levels, CEFL promises that you can develop your language skills at your own pace and in a fun way!
Are any residents here from the heart of Malaysia? Take a look at the best English courses in Kuala Lumpur.
Erican Language Centre
Erican Language Centre Ipoh believes that English proficiency is your key to success - which is unsurprising as over 300,000 of their local and international students have graduated under the guidance of their world-class educators.
Erican offers a wide list of programmes, such as Erican International English, Cambridge English Plus, and Business English, catering to various age groups and people with different levels of mastery in English.
Suppose you’re seeking an English class for kids. In that case, Erican’s Young Learners English Plus programme is designed with the needs of modern children in mind, providing children ages 7 to 12 with a solid foundation in the language.
Additionally, Erican’s specifically designed curriculum and teaching methods have proven to be extremely effective in helping students to succeed in their mastery of English - one of the reasons being that the centre seeks to remove the pressure of language learning by running lively and interactive classes. This initiative can work well for ESOL students.
Check out ESOL classes in Shah Alam here.
ELS Language Centre
Looking for an internationally accreditated centre? ELS Language Centre Ipoh has received the National ELT Accreditation Scheme (NEAS) endorsement, which provides quality assurance monitoring and accreditation of English Language Teaching (ELT) providers across Australia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. In addition, there are many programmes available for ESOL students, such as their After-School English Programme for developing speaking, reading and writing skills for school.
If you are looking for a business English course, ELS also offers a Workplace English Programme for others to upgrade their communication skills for both the workplace and everyday life. For a centre that prides itself on its high academic standards and professionally trained instructors, you will be in good hands with ELS guiding you through the transformative power of the English language.
Click here if you'd like to access ESOL classes in Petaling Jaya.
Why should I learn English with an English tutor on Superprof?
Another great way to get access to an English course in Malaysia would be to take an online English course, but how do you know where to find one since most traditional English classes are taught face-to-face?
Superprof is a tutoring website built on a community of teachers and mentoring professionals which has garnered the attention of learners across the world - and does not fall short when it comes to English courses.
Apart from attending your English class online, Superprof conveniently provides other learning modes such as physical lessons for an “English class near me” option and even getting your English tutor to come to you, letting you experience quality English learning at your home.
Do you realise this means you have a huge catalogue of English teachers to choose from?
Make that over 55,000 tutors who specialise in teaching ESOL English on Superprof!
On Superprof’s “Find the perfect tutor” page, you can look for an English tutor that offers classes in the areas of English you want to improve in, be it speaking, writing, reading, listening and so on. You can even read further descriptions about each tutor to see whose qualifications appeal to you most - that way, you can be sure you get your value for money when you experience the pleasure of learning one-on-one English online with your English tutor!
Don’t wait to have the best English learning experience, only on Superprof.
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