address: Kraljice Katarine 100
11030 Beograd
Tel/Fax: 011/254 60 97
011/305 88 43
email: school@tomiema.com
web: www.tomiema.com
Background Information
Since the school was founded in 1993, we at Tom & Emma have striven to promote an atmosphere in which our students enjoy studying English. We want them to achieve a steady improvement in their knowledge of English while at the same time feeling comfortable and relaxed during the lessons. We think that the best way to achieve this is by adhering to high professional standards both for teaching and for the overall functioning of the school. This includes the choice of teaching materials used, as well as the qualifications, professional development and commitment of our teachers.
This is why, with a group of like-minded colleagues, in 1999 we founded YALS, the Yugoslav Association of Language Schools, whose aim is to promote quality in language teaching. In 2001 YALS became an associate member of EAQUALS, an organization of the Council of Europe for quality language services on whose standards and criteria the teaching process in our school is organized.
We think it is important not only to establish but also to maintain high standards. We feel we have been successful in this which is confirmed by regular inspections and re-inspection by independent inspectors as well as by the fact the number of students in our school continues to grow from year to year. As we do not advertise the school, all new students enroll through word of mouth recommendation.
Our objectives
We aim to make lessons enjoyable for our students so that they want to come to our school and are kept as motivated as possible as we believe that motivation is the key to successful learning. The latest teaching resources are used to give children a thorough grounding in all aspects of the English language in an atmosphere kept as informal and non-threatening as possible. We show children that learning can be fun and stimulate an interest in English language and culture. English is used as much as possible during lessons, even with the youngest children, to encourage them to feel comfortable in an English speaking environment from the very beginning of their studies.
We use only course books and teaching materials published by British publishers such as Oxford University Press, Longman, Cambridge University press, Macmillan, which are re-assessed each year to ensure the courses we use are the most appropriate for the needs of our students. As well as using the latest audio and video materials, especially with younger students, we use language games and teaching resources designed for teaching reading and writing to children who are native speakers of English.
Particular emphasis is put on reading English books, as well as newspapers and magazines, to which the school subscribes. We are always adding to our well-stocked library which has over 1000 readers and other books. Apart from story books for young children, we have graded readers for all levels of learners of English from complete beginner to advanced as well as unabridged and unsimplified books for our most advanced students. We also have a self access computer centre where students can improve their English outside classes under the supervision of a teacher using English language teaching software. We organise summer English language courses in Serbia and the UK for our students.
In order to increase our students’ exposure to English, in cooperation with our native speakers every year we organize a number of extra curricular activities. For our younger students these may be taking part in plays or festivals which are celebrated in different English speaking countries, quizzes, spelling bees, literary competitions etc. For our older students – debates, presentations given on different topics by foreign specialists or diplomats living in our country, workshops on how to prepare a CV or what to say in a job interview, etc.
To ensure maximum individual attention is given to each student there are never more than eight students per class with an average of four to six students. Before enrolling all our students, even beginners, are given an interview and a carefully designed assessment test. This enables us to place students according to age and linguistic level. With our adult students we also do a needs analysis which enables us to adapt the syllabus to the needs and wishes of the students. If necessary, for new students or those who fall behind remedial individual tuition can be organised until they catch up with the group, with no additional charge.
The work and progress of each student is carefully monitored. Attendance in class, completed homework, projects and other assignments as well as test results are all recorded in the student's Report Card. Parents receive a written report from their child's teacher and can discuss their child’s progress during Open Door. At the end of the academic year all the students sit a final test, which is both oral a written, and receive a course certificate. Apart from the YALS logo, this certificate also has a logo indicating associate membership of in YALS in EAQUALS.
Our aim is to prepare our students for the Cambridge First Certificate in English (FCE) examination - evidence of a sound command of English and the most widely taken of all the Cambridge examinations. It corresponds to a B2 level in the Council of Europe Common European Framework (CEF). After completing the FCE, some of our students go on take higher level Cambridge exams, while others continue with advanced general English courses. All the Cambridge examinations are recognized both internationally and by the Serbian Ministry of Education. Our students have a 100% pass rate in these examinations.
Courses for adults are based on the communicative approach. All four language skills are covered in the courses and work is done on expanding vocabulary and improving grammar. Emphasis, however, is put on spoken English and on activating the students’ passive knowledge of the language, in order to improve their communicative competence.