UK: Manchester Language School Rebuts Government Speak English Threat

[Harold F. Schiffman]

Release date: 2007-02-17

 Manchester Language School Rebuts Government Speak English Threat

  (Newswire Today)  Manchester, Lancs, United Kingdom, 2007-02-17 -
Manchester language school announces lessons to those on unemployment
benefits in a move to highlight contradiction in UK government policy.
In a move designed to highlight UK government policy experts say doesnt
add up a Manchester English language school is offering free lessons to
help improve the language skills of the local workforce. The unprecedented
move comes after the A2Z Language School in Manchesters Northern quarter
decided that it could no longer tolerate ministers' hypocrisy.

According to government figures about 40,000 jobless people are unable to
work because of a poor level of English. Now the government is warning
that unemployment benefits could be cut for those who refuse to learn
English. James Taylor, Director of the A2Z School of English says this
policy is not the answer. Sure, its a good thing the welfare minister, Jim
Murphy, is placing greater emphasis put on tackling the language barrier,
Taylor said.  However cutting benefits because jobless people do not
achieve the desired level could prove counter productive in the short
term, further damaging the prospects of jobless people. What we want to do
is get students into our school, show them an effective way of learning
practical English fast, thus enabling them to integrate more quickly into
the local workforce.  Offering free introductory lessons is a good way of
doing this.

The A2Z School of English uses the revolutionary Callan Method of teaching
English. Invented by Robin Callan the method revolves around quick-fire
oral question and answer work designed to teach English in a quarter of
the time. Taylor says: This means by using the Callan Method we can get
jobless people speaking an acceptable level of English, and back into
work, four times as fast as conventional language schools. He [Murphy]
wants the same thing we want; only we are taking practical steps to ensure
it happens at a local level.

The Callan Method uniquely uses aspects of mime and performance to mimic
then correct a students pronunciation, effectively dragging correct
English out of a studenta technique proponents claim rapidly increases
proficiency in both the spoken and written form. It sounds a bit
school-masterish if you describe it like that, said Taylor. But thats the
essence of the method. Its actually an extremely fun and effective way to
learn a language, and because it is a direct method a student actually
starts to think in English. Once reaching that level of proficiency the
prospects of employment for a jobless person are dramatically improved. To
receive free lessons at the A2Z School of English email your answer to the
following question: Do you think the government speak English policy is
fair? Yes/No.

http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/14206/

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