Prerequisites for the KPG C2 Course

Before starting the course,it is assumed that you already have a good command of the English language.This should be at least up to B2 level on the scale of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. This is the same as Cambridge Level 3 (Lower)or the equivalent qualification.

The level of difficulty andknowledge of English you will encounter in the early part of the course shouldtherefore be similar to your current ability. In the next 12 months this coursewill take you from B2 level, through C1 (Advanced) and onto C2 (Proficiency).The whole course is taught entirely in English.

We strongly recommend that before starting the course, you review and revise the English you alreadyknow. Find your old text books, exercise books, notes etc... and read them again. You should already be familiar with their contents, but having another look at them will help you a great deal.It will reinforce what you already know, and refresh your memory for things you may have forgotten. This will serve as both a solid foundation, and a bridge between your current knowledge and the rest of the C2 programme.

Study Time

Self-discipline is by farthe most important criterion for the successful completion of any course. Thisis especially true of this programme. You must be very rigorous with your study plans, and find the time to work on the course every week.

You must complete theweekly programme which we give you as an absolute minimum requirement. Inaddition, we expect you to read books, newspapers, magazines, and view internetsites in English. You should also watch TV programmes and DVDs both with and without subtitles. The more you do this the better you will get atunderstanding, speaking and writing English. You should spend at least 5hours per week dedicated to learning English using a combination of these methods. Please read the section called "Specific work for C2 papers" which explains this in more detail.

Student Forum

As an aid to encouraging student participation and integration, an online forum is provided throughwhich both students and tutors may interact. This may be used for general discussion, guided debates, general chat or simply as a means of making friendswith other students on the course.

Course Monitoring.

Your progress will be constantly monitored all the way through the course by the tutors, who are all native English speakers. The platform on which the course is designed permits the tutors to see which exercises you have completed, and the grades you have achieved.It also allows them to give you written feedback in the form of corrected essays and useful comments. In order for you to gain practice and experience with your spoken English, additional face - to - face aural tutorials are also regularly scheduled.

Many of the exercises areautomatically marked by the platform, giving you instant results. If you have difficulty answering a question, hints are provided, and of course the correct answers may also be viewed. When calculating the grades for the exercises however, the system will take into account the number of correct answers,mistakes, requested hints and attempts, and will calculate your score accordingly. Your score then represents a true reflection of your current ability in performing the particular task.

The Course Format.

The 12 month course starts with a full-length B2 exam, which designed to check your current level of English. If you have already previously achieved B2 level, or equivalent, you will find this exam fairly straightforward.

The main course itself then begins and is split intoin two main parts.

Part 1 consists of 28 weeks of theory and exercises.These increase in difficulty as the course progresses, leading up to C2 level.Included in the exercises each week is a sample of one of the papers in the KPG exam format. These are only half- length papers to start with, but build up to full-length later in the course. At regular intervals in the course we will also give you full-length C1 exams for you to complete. This gives both us and you the opportunity to further measure your progress at the level between B2 and C2.

In part 2 of the course you will complete a full-length C2 exam every week for 20 weeks. These will all be done under exam conditions. This will prepare you very well for the actual C2 exam which you should take shortly after completing the course. If you do everything we recommend, you should be able to not only pass the C2 exam, but also get a good grade too!

There will naturally be short breaks from the course for Easter, Christmas and a longer break for the summer holidays.