ESF Language & Language are one of the largest extracurricular and holiday camp providers in Hong Kong. Our language classes are age-appropriate and focus on key skills such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing through hands-on and interactive activities.
We offer playgroup (from 6 months up) and English and Spanish programmes for students 2.5 to 16 years old.
ESF Language & Learning nurtures children’s natural ability to learn languages. Our experienced, qualified teachers will bring out the best in your child’s language learning abilities in fun and interactive classes.
Our young students learn and master not only a second language but also team work, decision making, self-confidence, and problem solving skills.
ESF Language also offers Mandarin, Japanese, Coding and online reading courses for children of all ages!
All Language programmes are open to both ESF and Non-ESF Students!
Some of our Senior Teachers including Ivy Wong took the time to answer some frequently asked questions.
There are so many after school language programmes in Hong Kong, why would my child want to join these classes?
“ESF Language & Learning offers English, Spanish and French classes taught by qualified teachers in real classroom settings. We bridge the gap between local and international school curriculum in language learning by blending traditional methods alongside interactive, engaging and meaningful approaches.”
Furthermore….
“ESF Language & Learning programmes are a great place for young students to begin their English Language learning journey. We provide a safe, responsive and nurturing environment, in small groups, to support the learning and development of our students. Our classrooms are a place where children feel physically and emotionally safe to express themselves and their ideas without judgment. They know they are valued and respected and given many opportunities to build social skills. Our teachers are caring and professional in their interactions with children.”
My students learn English at school, isn't this enough for them?
“ESF Language & Learning class sizes are much smaller than mainstream classes, which ensures more one-to-one interaction between the student and teacher. In some of our classes, especially kindergarten classes, we also place educational assistants to make sure each child's needs are being met. We provide lots of opportunities for our children to speak in English and share their learning with their peers.”
Can students really improve their English skills by attending these after school classes for two or three hours?
“Through the feedback from students and parents, we have found that many of our students are learning more effectively using the interactive approach that we adopt in lessons. While we use textbooks and worksheets in our classes, we also incorporate contextualized activities for our students to apply the language learnt.
Average English class durations in mainstream schools and learning centers are 40 minutes to 1 hour. When students are given a longer lesson time to introduce a topic, practise the related grammar and vocabulary, apply it in an open-ended activity and receive teacher feedback, the learning experience is deeper and more memorable”
Another opinion is….
“We believe they can! Studies have shown that the three characteristics of effective learning include playing and exploring, active learning and creating and thinking critically. In all of our lessons, the students are encouraged to express themselves through play, drama and hands-on activities; all ideas and views are accepted and discussed. Our curriculum is age appropriate and literature based, with lots of stories, songs and physical activities. When students are having fun, they are learning.”
What makes the primary courses stand out at ESF Language & Learning?
“Not only do we have a structured curriculum using textbooks that are aligned to international requirements, we also encourage our students to practice the language authentically through more open-ended activities. Our lessons are planned to incorporate lots of fun and engaging activities to make this an after-school activity that children want to attend.
Also, we cover a multitude of topics and themes across the different levels, some of which are not addressed in their regular school curriculum. Allowing our students to explore a variety of topics instills a love of learning”
What can I do as a parent / Guardian to help my child improve their English?
“In Hong Kong, we are very lucky to have English all around us. Encourage your child to read everything and anything - from road signs to menus to instructions for a new game! Use English as naturally as possible in the home environment so that it's not forced and becomes another "exercise" for them to do well in their school exams.”
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