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by Liam Norfolk
Get Set English: A Hub for English Learning & Cambridge English Exams Preparation
Ay-Up everyone!
Welcome to Get Set English, a small school with big ideas, located in the heart of Elche, Spain. Our doors are open wide to welcome English learners from all walks of life. Whether you're a local resident or from distant shores, you're in the right place.
We specialise in preparing students for the Cambridge English exams, and our first series is aimed at helping students get ready for the Cambridge English B1 exam. Each blog post here will also have an episode on our podcast. This way, you can not only read but also listen. It's a great way to improve your English listening skills!
Moreover, we're excited to announce that we'll be offering worksheets tailored for teachers and complete lessons related to our weekly blog and podcast via our website. This additional resource will further enhance your learning experience. Keep an eye out for these valuable materials to supplement your English learning journey. So, let's get started on this adventure together.
The CEFR Scale: Get your Seal of Approval with our Cambridge English Exams Preparation.
The CEFR, or Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, is a way to understand how good you are at speaking English. It's like a scale that measures from beginner (A1) to advanced (C2), with different levels in between. Now, let's make this a bit more interesting, shall we?
Learning English is a bit like a seal learning to swim. At the start (A1), you're like a baby seal, just getting used to it. As you learn more (A2), you become like a young seal, starting to move around confidently.
By B1 level, you're like a grown-up seal, able to do more things and get around better. That's where we come in at Get Set English! We're experts at helping students like you get ready for the Cambridge English exams. Right now, we're focusing on the B1 level.
It's a bit like a milestone in your English learning journey.
We're here at Get Set English to help you become wise and independent English learners. Like seals becoming masters of the sea, we want to guide you towards becoming a more confident English speaker.
Through our blog and podcast, we're giving you the tools you need to succeed in your English adventure. From B1 level to reaching the advanced level of C2, we'll be with you every step of the way. Let's dive in and begin this journey together!
And you'll see, English doesn't have to be a mother seal - or a mother-"foca", in Spanish!
From Fitness to Fluency
Let me share a bit about my journey. Originally, my background was in health and fitness, but life had different plans. After meeting my now-wife and relocating to Spain, I transitioned to become a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) teacher. The goal was clear - to stay in this beautiful country and help others learn English.
After initially working as an independent teacher, together, my wife and I decided to take the next step and set up our company Get Set English.
Founded in 2016, Get Set English has been on an exciting journey of growth and learning. After weathering the challenges of the global pandemic in 2019, we moved to larger premises, allowing us to expand and better serve our dedicated students.
Last year marked a momentous achievement for us. We were immensely proud to receive an award from The Cambridge English Assessment Centre, Apropos. This prestigious recognition stands as a testament to our dedication and success in teaching the Cambridge English Exams. It motivates us to continue striving for excellence and providing top-notch education to our students.
The year 2023 has ushered in even more thrilling changes for Get Set English. We've recently forged a partnership with Nearpod, an innovative educational platform.
Nearpod enhances our classroom experience by enabling us to deliver English lessons in a highly interactive manner.
With Nearpod, we can incorporate multimedia elements, quizzes, and collaborative activities seamlessly into our lessons. This means our students get to actively engage with the material, making learning English not just effective, but also enjoyable and dynamic.
Mastering the Speaking Exam: Part 2 Made Easy
The speaking exam, especially part 2, might feel a bit scary at first. In this part, you'll talk about a picture for about a minute. The examiner won't ask you questions about the picture during this time. It's just you and the image.
To do well in the exam, make sure you remember these seven questions. They're super important! They help you have lots of things to talk about.
Where are the people?
What are they doing?
What are they wearing?
What do they look like?
How do they feel?
Do you like doing this?
Why or why not?
These questions are like a magic key to have a good chat in the exam. So, try your best to remember them!
In the blog posts in this series, we'll be showing you exactly what grammar and vocabulary to use in this part of the exam to ensure you get the very best marks in part 2 of the B1 speaking exam, how to avoid hesitation, and tips on improving your pronunciation.
Local Language and Cultural Insights
Finally as a proud Yorkshireman, I'd like to finish each blog by sharing with you a few small cultural insights from where I was born and brought up. You may have noticed at the start of the blog post, that I said "Ay-up everyone!" Ay-up is a friendly way to say hello in Yorkshire and a few other Northern counties in England. You may have noticed that we have a sign on the side of our school in Elche, which is our unique little way to greet you all. Hope you like it!