by on 20/11/2017 5435
English has long been the global standard for communication. The vast majority of parents in Malaysia understand the need to prioritise English, not just for their children’s exams but also as a skill which will benefit them for their whole lives. One of Malaysia’s longest-established English language centres is Emphasis English Academy which takes pride in offering quality English language education to students from all walks of life.
Emphasis English Academy was founded by Mr. Ronan O’Carroll in 2004. He has been teaching English in Malaysia since 2003 and he realized that the English teaching methodology in Malaysia could be further improved as students were geared principally towards examination success rather than linguistic fluency. This led him to establish the Emphasis English Academy and combining his experience and passion for teaching English, he developed a methodology of his own – the Emphasis Method.
According to Mr. Ronan, the Emphasis Method makes use of the latest scientific research on language development as well as tried and trusted language teaching methodologies to make the process of language learning more efficient, enjoyable and effective. Under the Emphasis Method, students are grouped according to their levels of competency instead of their age. New students are required to sit for an assessment test to determine the most suitable level for them before they are admitted to the courses. There are 6 levels for pre-school children and 6 levels for school children. Each level focuses on developing the various aspects of the language and giving students the confidence to communicate and express themselves in English.
Courses at Emphasis English Academy emphasize a balanced development of the four basic linguistic skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking. Their 2-hour long classes generally begin by introducing the students to the grammar and vocabulary topics of the lesson. As the lesson proceeds, it becomes more and more interactive for the students so by the end of the lesson the students are the ones doing all of the talking and the teachers are supervising them.
As young children have shorter attention spans, it’s really important to present the classes in an interesting way to not only capture but maintain their interest and attention during the lessons. As such, interactive learning and engaging activities are incorporated at the end of each class to make learning English fun and enjoyable. These activities encourage students to be proactive while providing them the opportunity to interact with each other, enabling students to practice conversing in English. The more opportunities children have for learning and using the language, the more fluent they will become.
Class sizes are kept at a maximum of 12 in a class so that teachers are able to get to know the students personally and work individually with each child to focus on each child’s strengths and weaknesses. A teacher’s role is important in learning English, as children need skills and qualified teachers to help them learn the language accurately. Teachers at Emphasis English Academy are fully-qualified native English speakers from countries like the UK, US, Canada and New Zealand, who are experts in the field of English teaching. All education materials are sourced from the UK.
Emphasis English Academy is located on the 5th floor of Ativo Plaza @ Bandar Sri Damansara. The reception area is vibrant and neat with plenty of natural light, and there is a library corner next to the reception. The collection of books on the shelves are rather impressive and they are categorized according to the levels. Students are allowed to borrow 2 books every week. Books for lower levels generally have more pictures in them to retain the attention of young children and they are especially popular among the students. As the level increases, the books would consist of more words and less pictures. A cosy reading corner has also been set up for the students with tables and chairs, decorated with a large carpet. How I wish I could go back to being a student again just so that I could enjoy this kind of facility.
