The 'W' Philosophy
'W' is a direct response to the failings of the private language schools currently operating in Poland. Having worked for several and seen how they treat their teachers and students, I realised that there was a better way of teaching English. This is our 'way of doing'.
Speaking is the most important skill anyone can learn in a foreign language. Through the spoken production of the language, all aspects of the language can be learned, including grammar. Language schools traditionally rely on grammar-orientated books which is meant to be taught via skills-based activities. The end result? Students are often left feeling confused about when to use the "sixteen tenses" (in fact there are only two) and cannot express themselves in the language. It's our view that all grammar teaches you is to say nothing accurately. We avoid this by getting the students used to speaking English within a contextualised framework. Our end result? Confident speakers of English who are able to deal with any situation they might encounter.
One teacher to twelve students is not a particularly good ratio, but it is profitable for the language schools. Admittedly, it's better than a normal state school, but language learning requires much closer teacher-student support. Our groups are fixed at a maximum of six students, allowing for enough interaction within the group but also ensuring that every student is assisted by the teacher whenever they've got a problem.
I feel that books are expensive and do not reflect the language you will need when interacting with other English speakers. Many of them are poorly-written and do not provide enough opportunites to practice speaking. This is why I developed all the materials used at 'W': starting from scratch, topics based on my own experiences of living abroad were placed at the core. The most commonly-used words and phrases were then incorporated. As I produce all my own materials, the handouts can be updated to accommodate the latest changes in culture and language, which means that they will always reflect the most up-to-date English possible.
I've always found the idea of ten or twelve levels slightly strange: is there REALLY a difference between "Pre-intermediate" and "Intermediate"? I strongly believe that the six levels in the Common European Framework fairly reflect the actual stages of development when learning to speak a language. The materials used are designed to fit within that framework, allowing students to make swift and noticeable progress.
Ultimately, we're not a "bums on seats" school. We take great pride in offering the best possible service to our students, enabling them to achieve their aim of speaking better English. And if that sounds like what you've been looking for, you should come and give us a go. You won't be disappointed.
(C) W 2008