Why learn English with us?

Here at IH Bristol, we are passionate about teaching languages. We enjoy meeting new students and helping them get the most out of their stay in England. We know that each student is an individual and we make sure we meet their needs.
 
We also invite students to become involved in our social programme. They can even suggest events, if there is something they are especially interested in. We want students to feel part of the IH Bristol family from day one. If you feel at home, you will relax and the more relaxed you are, the better and the faster you will learn.

Teachers and teaching style

 
Our teachers are all qualified teachers of English as a foreign language. They all take part in an ongoing programme of teacher development. This means they are always learning the latest methods to ensure language-learning success. As a teacher training centre, we are aware of new methods and theories of teaching.
 
We have special methods to help you learn English without stress. The most important thing is to help you feel confident about using the English you learn. And we have lots of techniques to achieve this.
 
We focus on natural English, the language spoken by ordinary people everyday. We teach in phrases, so students can feel they are communicating in the same way as a native English speaker. We encourage students to learn a lot of vocabulary through various methods, e.g.:
  • Phrase of the Day
  • Project 100 (minimum 100 new pieces of vocabulary/language per 15 hours morning classes)
  • Cultural Question

IHB Video

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Variety of courses

We offer a wide variety of courses, which are summarised below. If there is a course you cannot find, please contact us to find out if we can offer it to you.

General English 20 Lessons

Morning General English 20 lessons - Free afternoons

General English 30 Lessons

Morning General English 20 lessons, with an extra 10 lessons in the afternoon focusing on fluency and further skills development

General English + IELTS

Morning General English 20 lessons, with an intensive exam preparation course 10 lessons covering all aspects of the IELTS exam in detail

General English + Cambridge

Morning General English 20 lessons, with an intensive exam preparation course 10 lessons covering all aspects of the Cambridge exam in detail

Part-time English for Working Life and Cambridge Preparation

Evening courses of 1.5-3 hours per week, ideal for Bristol locals fitting their studies around other commitments 

OET Preparation

A one-week, intensive exam preparation course covering all aspects of the OET exam for healthcare professionals (doctors, midwives and nurses)

Private One-to-One lessons

The focus of these classes can be anything the student wishes to cover, with optional General English 20 lessons 

Junior Programmes

Available in January, April, June-summer for individuals and groups, or closed groups at any time of the year, this course combines 20 General English lessons per week with an exciting afternoon, evening and Saturdays social activity programme with optional afternoon Creative Classes

Creative Classes

These courses form part of our Junior Programmes as standard, and can also be added to adult General English courses for groups of 10+

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How your English will improve

Aims

The General English courses help students improve all their skills:
  • reading
  • writing
  • speaking
  • listening
  • grammar
  • vocabulary
  • cultural knowledge
This helps students to use English in the UK and in an international context. There is an emphasis on practical, effective and natural communication.

Improving every aspect of your language:

  • Grammar - so you are more correct in English, and easier to understand
  • Vocabulary and idioms - so you can understand much more English, and sound up to date
  • Pronunciation of English - so your accent is better and you can speak English in a more natural way
  • Spoken fluency - so others understand you better
  • Listening comprehension - so you can follow English conversations with greater understanding
  • Reading comprehension - so you can read all sorts of English texts and understand them better
  • Writing skills - so you can write different sorts of English texts
  • British life and culture - you will also learn about our culture, the media and the British way of life

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Support before, during and after your course

Before your course

Before you come to learn with us, you can improve your English by using the free exercises on our website. They're a great way to prepare for studying English in the UK.

During your course

During your time here, you will learn English inside and outside the classroom. You will learn English from your teachers, of course, but we also want you to learn English after class. That's why we will help you become an independent English learner. 
 
When you take an exam, there's no teacher to tell you the right answers. When you are using English at work, there's no one to tell you which tense to use in your telephone conversations. You have to be independent.
 
Here are some of the many ways we'll help you learn to be independent:
  • We discuss how students can learn better in and outside the school
  • Each week, we will give you a cultural project in one class which will help you discover aspects of the British way of life 
  • You'll learn a new useful phrase or expression every day before your first class
  • We'll give you more than 50 different ideas for ways of improving your English
  • Your welcome pack includes many essential phrases for you to communicate outside school

After your course

After your course, you will be in a better position to continue to learn English. You will be more confident and know many strategies for independent learning. You can also continue using the material on this website.

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