Seberang Perai, also written in Malay as Seberang Prai, is the mainland component of the Penang State.
Are you aware that Seberang Perai was originally known under British rule as Province Wellesley?
That’s right, ever since the British acquisition of Province Wellesley in 1800 and its subsequent expansion into the city we now see, the same strip of land remains to this day as part of the Penang State.
Heavily influenced by early British colonisation, it goes without saying that the English language became interwoven into state governance and administration, thereby making its way into the daily lives of local folk. Today, Seberang Perai forms part of Greater Penang, the second-largest conurbation in Malaysia - and in the rise of urban living, English has become more important than ever before in this city.
Some people cite that English has gained in popularity as it is a language that is “easy to learn”. However, learning this language can prove to be a challenge, especially for non-native speakers of English. Here at Superprof, we believe that such a challenge is nothing an English class can’t fix. Read on to find the best English tutor in Seberang Perai!
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What is the history of English as a second language?
English itself is the product of thousands of years of languages integrated into the language we know today.
The parent tongue of English, also known as Proto-Indo-European, was spoken about 5,000 years ago by nomads who are believed to have roamed the southeast European plains. You might be surprised to know that since then, English words have been gradually adapted from languages such as Sanskrit, Greek, Latin, Russian and German!
We can therefore say that English will continue to evolve, just as it is evolving with the inclusion of Malaysian slang, so much so that even local words like “lepak” (to loiter around) and “shiok” (describing something as cool or great) have made it into the Oxford Dictionary!
Regardless of the evolution of the English language, this phenomenon does not diminish its place as one of the world’s predominant forms of communication. Perhaps one of the boldest sentences ever spoken regarding the use of English happened when President Theodore Roosevelt said: “We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language” - as he called upon immigrants to assimilate themselves into the culture of the States.
Different cultures are present across the globe, with each their renditions of the language just as it is in Malaysia - nonetheless, the fact is that the status of English remains ubiquitous to this day highlights why English is important for everyone to learn.
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Why English is important to Malaysians
The English language is said to be the first global lingua franca. It is the most widely used language globally, playing especially vital roles in international trade and business, diplomatic relations, telecommunications across countries, scientific publications, mass media publications and entertainment.
As a result of the colonial expansion of the British into Malaya, the English language spread to all parts of Malaysia and eventually into our early education system, helping generations then and now learn how to speak English and more.
The fascinating part about the widespread use of English in Seberang Perai is that the language has been intertwined with local slang, making communication with others even more lively and meaningful in the city. The use of such slang, or “Manglish” as it is more commonly called in the country, can make it difficult for ESOL speakers to select the right words when interacting with local folk…
… but this twist on English is so widely used that even foreigners have to accustom themselves to this mix of standard British English and Malaysian English!
While there exist multi-ethnic groups throughout the city, a notable 34% of the Seberang Perai population is made up of Chinese folk, with most of them residing in the Central District. If you’ve visited the Central District, you might have heard this passing phrase being said among the locals there: “Yum cha!”
However, the word “yum” in the phrase should not be confused with the meaning of something being delicious! A widely used Cantonese phrase, yum cha means to “go have tea”, although most Malaysians have adapted this slang with a mix of English to generally ask their friends out for a hangout together. For instance, if you were to ask your friends out to visit a new place that’s just opened, you could easily say, “Come on, let’s yum cha!”
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How much does it cost to learn with an English teacher in Seberang Perai?
Isn’t it confusing when local twists have been added to the English language? It does interfere when you are learning how to speak English, doesn’t it?
That is why it becomes even more important to get a proper education in English, and one sure way of doing that is to take up an English class and learn from an experienced English teacher!
English classes in Seberang Perai generally cater to all populations, even if English happens to be your mother tongue or if you are just starting to learn the language. The English classes that are available in the city reach out to children of all ages, teenagers, adults and even companies seeking to train their employees to master English for communication.
Many language centres in Seberang Perai offer specialised English courses or classes for these groups, such as English classes for kids, business English courses for adults, English exam preparatory classes and intensive English training programmes for companies.
You’ll be pleased to know that English classes are carried out pretty much every day of the week in Seberang Perai - so you can choose whatever time is flexible to you, be it during the weekdays or at the weekends, in the mornings after breakfast or evenings after dinner. Almost all English centres in Seberang Perai also provide both group classes and one-on-one classes, so there is the option of also practising English skills with other learners versus the experience of a more personalised English class.
How much is the average tuition fee for an English class in Seberang Perai?
For those looking to budget but still want the quality experience of a great English lesson, classes starting from RM 50 to RM150 per session are available in the area, which also comes with discounts if you choose to learn with an English teacher over several weeks (by term).
However, if you are looking for more state-of-the-art learning facilities and a greater competitive edge, some classes range around RM900 per study term for the student who is looking to step up their English game.
It might also be helpful to know that some English course enrolments come with a membership fee for their students, so be sure to watch out for any hidden prices and take note of budget saves such as paying by term instead of paying per class.
Where to learn with an English tutor in Seberang Perai
After considering the various English as a second language courses that are available offline and online, you may want to head to a physical language centre in Seberang Perai to properly pick up the language and engage with other students.
These are some of the top places for learning with an English tutor in Seberang Perai.
Enhance Education
Enhance Education offers English language courses for young learners, teenagers, adults and even businesses. They have four strategically located English centres throughout Seberang Perai, so it will be easy for you to learn from experienced, qualified native-level English-speaking teachers.
Here, your English teacher promises to create fun, engaging, student-centred classes to boost students’ confidence, accuracy and fluency in English. Additionally, their free placement test and consultation is a further step to knowing whether you are reading, writing and speaking English fluently, which can be conducted face-to-face or online.
Erican Language Centre
Located in Bukit Mertajam, Erican Language Centre is another place for you to learn English from one of Asia’s top learning institutions. You can also learn how to speak fluently in English with the aid of their world-class educators and effective teaching methodology.
The centre provides a range of courses, including a preparatory course for IELTS, a business English course for those who need to upgrade their skills in the working environment, and also specialised courses for reading and speaking.
MyTESOL Language Centre
In Tanjung Tokong, MyTESOL Language Centre takes pride in their students’ learning experiences which are different from a traditional classroom setting, along with their warm and welcoming learning environment.
The centre offers various English courses, such as morning weekday classes for those looking to study as a group, one-on-one classes for those who want to personally work on their English proficiency, and even classes for those learning English as a second language.
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How Superprof helps you find the best English tutor in Seberang Perai
You may be wondering: what if I want to look for the right English teacher first before going to an English class? What if the English tutor does not meet the standards I am looking for? How do I make sure I am getting the quality English lessons that I paid for?
Luckily for all of us, Superprof solves this problem by offering a wide catalogue of English tutors not only available to those living in Seberang Perai but to all English learners across Malaysia!
Superprof is a learning platform that connects students to tutors of various subjects, including English for non-native speakers (you can also type in “ESOL” in the search engine of the Superprof Tutors page) which is one of the most popular subjects offered on the platform.
All you need to do is log into the Superprof Malaysia page and use the search engine to find English tutors in Seberang Perai. You will be able to see a page of English tutors in the area, along with their portfolios, teaching experiences, class schedules and tutoring fees - and here’s the best thing: most Superprof tutors offer a free trial class for students, so do look for out for them!
Additionally, there are tutors on Superprof who not only cater for face-to-face classes, but you can even learn from them online! The specifications are further listed in each tutor’s profile, so you can even choose to find an English teacher from places other than Seberang Perai, as long as the teacher is available for online English classes.
Go on, the best English tutor in Seberang Perai is just a click away!
How to speak English better in your daily life
If you are currently learning English, we are sure that one of the language areas you want to get better in is knowing how to speak English like a pro.
Are you aware this is a similar case to Celine Dion’s, who only started learning English properly after she gained recognition for her singing?
Canadian-born singer Celine Dion, whose mother tongue is French, didn’t speak any English fluently until after she took proper English lessons. After winning several awards for her French songs - and more particularly, having been awe-struck by a Michael Jackson performance at the age of 18 - she was sent to study English at the Berlitz Corporation when she was 21 years old!
So, it’s never too late to begin trying to speak English as a second language, even in your own free time when you have to put in effort to make speaking English a daily routine.
There are many things you can do outside of your lessons to improve your English speech. Try these tips below!
Practise using new English words right away…
If you’ve already attended a few lessons with your English tutor, you’ve likely picked up numerous English words that can be applied to a variety of situations in your life. Why not try using them after learning them the first time?
Let’s say you’ve learned these 5 new words with your English tutor:
Your new words: dangerous, friendly, calm, accomplish, luxurious.
Over the next week, or before the time your next English lesson rolls around, find creative ways to use these new English words when speaking your daily life. Here are some examples of a student applying these new words over a week:
- Writing down their accomplishments for the week in their journal, and reading aloud their accomplishments that begin with, “I accomplished…”.
- Doing a 10-minute meditation at the end of the week, repeating the word “calm” to themselves.
- Watching videos on the top dangerous animals in the world, and repeating to themselves what they have learned from the videos.
Not only do these ideas highlight the use of these new English words, but they also remind the person of why English is important and useful to understanding ourselves and the world around us.
Make sure you pay attention to the pronunciation of the new words, too!
…but also, make use of the English words you already know
In addition to growing your glossary of English words for speech, you should continue to work on strengthening the English words and phrases you DO know. If you already know what “happy” means, you wouldn’t want to get lost in definition with similar words like “satisfaction”, “contentment”, “carefree” and “delighted” - although they all nearly mean the same thing, they are all applied to different contexts!
A great way to practise speaking the English words, phrases and sentences you already know - and improve your familiarity with these words - is by applying them when you are talking to others around you.
Is your neighbour asking you how you are doing today? Replace the ol’ “I’m fine, thank you” with the “Never better, and how about you?” that you picked up from your English teacher.
The people you can engage with may include your neighbour, friends who are living close by, family members who know how to speak English well or even the cashier you always meet at the supermarket who speaks a fair bit of English with you.
Speaking of friends…
Converse in English with your English-speaking friends
Have you ever tried holding an entire conversation in English?
If you are a non-native speaker, this could be a challenge that will truly remind you of why English is important!
With a friend who is willing to practice with you, try holding a conversation fully in English for one minute. If that’s too easy, try 2 minutes. You lose if you run out of topics to talk about!
Here are some simple ideas for kickstarting an English conversation with your friend:
- What are your favourite things about each other?
- What is your favourite movie and why?
- Tell me about a time you went on a trip and why it was memorable for you.
- Is there a role model in your life? If not, what kind of person do you aspire to be?
Of course, that’s all just the fun of learning English with a friend, especially if they can joke and laugh along with you as you try to find the right English words to say. Another advantage is that your friend will be able to provide feedback on how you used the language at the time and potentially offer helpful opinions for improving your spoken English. What are friends for, right?
Record audios of yourself carrying out daily tasks
This last tip sounds funny at first, but let us explain how it can help you pick up English as a second language fast!
Say you were preparing porridge for lunch. Do you know how to explain the steps needed to prepare porridge in English?
Although your English teacher may highlight the use of speaking only in English during your lessons, this may not always be the case when you return home and get about your daily life. So, how about trying to practise speaking English when you are at home and talking to yourself about the chores or tasks you are doing?
These daily tasks could be:
- Steps for making chicken soup
- How to water the plants
- How to start the washing machine
- Making your bed
We also encourage that you record an audio of yourself while talking to yourself in English as this can promote accountability: you will be more likely to try and speak the language properly since you will re-watch the video of yourself speaking, and also identify English words you want to improve on. This could be working on your pronunciation or trying to sound like one of the British hosts on TV (if it helps you speak clearer and more fluently!).
Here at Superprof, we are excited about your learning journey in English! Don’t forget to check out the Superprof Tutors page to find the best English teacher in Seberang Perai and fuel your growth as a fantastic English speaker.
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