EAQUALS

IALC

World Youth Student & Educational Travel Confederation


<h3>What inspired you to join the team at Good Hope Studies?</h3><p>After returning to Cape Town from my first TEFL experience in Thailand, I knew what rewards a career in teaching English to foreigners might hold. I just needed to find a good school that was hiring &ndash; the fates brought me to GHS, and now it&rsquo;s more than a decade later!</p><p>GHS is committed to staff development &ndash; it is here that I have been given the opportunities to acquire the academic knowledge and classroom skills that have equipped me to undertake the role I have today.</p><p>GHS also fits my own beliefs about what a great school should offer to clients &ndash; most educators are idealists at heart and are motivated by a desire to help. GHS has small classes, dedicated teachers, and excellent resources &ndash; the ideal setup for language learning.</p><figure class="awesome-image right-aligned" style="width: 300px;"><img style="display: inline;" src="http://www5.goabroad.com/images/interviews/desiree-mccall4-1548319379.jpg" alt=""><figcaption class="caption"><p></p></figcaption></figure><h3>Can you tell us about your role as the Academic Development Manager?</h3><p>My current role in academic development has two main areas of focus.</p><p>First is the development of our teaching staff &ndash; we encourage our teachers to never stop learning.&nbsp; We run in-house development workshops and courses (like our Delta Module 1 preparation course), as well as offering recognized online courses to our staff.&nbsp; Of equal importance is classroom observations where teachers can get feedback from both peers and teacher trainers on the practical application of ideas explored in workshops. Teaching, after all, is a craft to be honed through reflective practice.</p><p>The other main development area concerns product: courses and materials for learning that are relevant to our learners, our context, and our times.&nbsp; As technology and globalism change the way we interact and teach, so too must our materials and the courses we offer our students.</p><h3>What are important qualities that you make sure to include in the new courses you develop?</h3><p>To us it&rsquo;s important to move with the times while keeping best teaching practice at our core.&nbsp; We have most recently introduced a digital writing course, <i>Write On</i>, that takes into account the fact that most written interactions happen digitally in modern times. We incorporate technology where relevant in our courses.&nbsp;</p><p>Even more fundamental is the communicative approach that underpins all our courses &ndash; our students always get an opportunity to produce language, even if it&rsquo;s in our course, <i>Listen Up</i>, which focuses on listening and pronunciation. Practice is absolutely key to language acquisition.</p><figure class="awesome-image left-aligned" style="width: 300px;"><img style="display: inline;" src="http://www5.goabroad.com/images/interviews/desiree-mccall1-1548319545.jpg" alt=""><figcaption class="caption"><p></p></figcaption></figure><h3>What can students expect from these courses?</h3><p>Our students can expect lessons with lots of pair and group work to offer them as many opportunities to produce language as possible, where they are guided and supported by teacher feedback, and lessons that adapt to the unique interests and skills of the individuals in the group. There is often a South African flavor in the content of our courses &ndash; our unique history, our wildlife, and our city make for excellent contexts from which to explore language.</p><h3>Why should students choose Good Hope Studies?</h3><p>From your first email of enquiry to our registrar, the airport pick-up, your accommodation, the lessons and the social club activities &ndash; you are supported by the GHS team, each of whom is dedicated to ensuring the best experience possible.&nbsp;</p><p>Quality is the driving concept behind the products we offer &ndash; from the facilities at our schools to the staff we hire. Good Hope Studies is accredited by Eaquals &ndash; a European organization that fosters excellence in language education. When you choose Good Hope Studies, you are guaranteed an international level of excellence.</p><figure class="awesome-image right-aligned" style="width: 300px;"><img style="" src="http://www5.goabroad.com/images/interviews/desiree-mccall3-1548319600.jpg" alt=""><figcaption class="caption"><p></p></figcaption></figure><h3>How do you integrate international learning techniques and materials into the work Good Hope does?</h3><p>Cape Town is geographically quite isolated from the major academic centres like Europe and North America. Being a member of Eaquals and IALC helps us to keep up with trends in the industry which we then apply in our courses. Every year, we fly north for the Eaquals conference. The new ideas we get exposed to are shared with our teachers in our input sessions and, where relevant, we adapt our courses &ndash; it&rsquo;s very organic, nothing is imposed.&nbsp;</p><h3>Why is Cape Town an ideal location for students?</h3><p>I&rsquo;ve lived in Cape Town for almost 20 years and I&rsquo;m still in awe by the natural beauty of this city.&nbsp; Pristine beaches, mountain hikes, wild life, adventure sports, vineyards and craft breweries, live music venues and theatre, food trucks and markets, clubs and pubs, cultural diversity, historical poignancy &ndash; Cape Town has it all in ways that few other cities can claim.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><h3>What are the biggest lessons you hope students take away from Good Hope courses?</h3><p>Attending a course at Good Hope Studies is like being at a mini UN meeting &ndash; we have students from around the globe. So while they acquire for themselves a new, valuable skill (English) that will help them with their studies and/or careers, they also learn about other people and cultures - despite perceived differences, a class of diverse language learners can work together towards a common goal and celebrate each other&rsquo;s successes.</p><figure class="awesome-image left-aligned" style="width: 300px;"><img style="" src="http://www5.goabroad.com/images/interviews/desiree-mccall2-1548319423.jpg" alt=""><figcaption class="caption"><p></p></figcaption></figure><h3>Why do you think it is important for individuals to travel and experience new cultures?</h3><p>Travel has the power to transform. It can reboot your battery that&rsquo;s been depleted by the stress of study or work; it can open your eyes and heart to the reality of other people's lives; it can connect you to historical events in ways that a history book can&rsquo;t; it can challenge you to make personal changes, and also remind you why home and family are important. It teaches that experiences are more important than things.&nbsp;</p><h3>What does meaningful travel mean to you?</h3><p>Meaningful travel, as I mentioned before, is transformative. While the impact on the individual is important, the impact on the place being visited is also vital to consider. Our sister company, Good Hope Volunteers, offers our students the opportunity to give back by doing volunteer work in impoverished communities, rural areas, and nature conservation.&nbsp;</p><h3>&nbsp;Are there any new developments or courses at Good Hope Studies that we can expect to see in the near future?</h3><p>We are currently reworking our intensive course syllabus for 2019 to offer more variety over the duration of a course. We will also continue to incorporate what&rsquo;s current in terms of technology to keep our classrooms a relevant and motivating environment in which to learn English.</p>


Desirée McCall

Get to know the people behind Good Hope Studies! Check out this GoAbroad Staff Interview with Desirée McCall.

Desirée McCall | Good Hope Studies Staff Interview

Desirée McCall - Academic Development Manager

Established in 1995, Good Hope Studies is a privately owned English language school in one of the world's most beautiful cities—Cape Town, South Africa. Join us on the 14th floor in an upmarket office building with 360° views and only a short distance from public transport and many of Cape Town's tourist highlights. 

Here you can feel the hustle and bustle of city life and enjoy the multicultural blend Cape Town is so well known for. 
Everything at the City Centre school is newly designed, very modern and guarantees full comfort for our students. We offer large classrooms, full of natural light, beautifully decorated and fully equipped with the latest technology. 
We provide a self-study room, 2 kitchens and cosy break-time areas including a cafeteria.

Several residences are just a short walk from the city campus but of course there is also the option to stay with a host family. 

As a member of the Evaluation and Accreditation of Quality in Language Services (EAQUALS) and the award-winning association of leading independent language schools worldwide (IALC), Good Hope Studies undergoes strict and regular on-site inspections to maintain service quality.

Study English in Cape Town (City Center), South Africa

Cape Town is the perfect place to set up a base for your volunteering adventure in South Africa. 
The city is known to be one of the most beautiful ones in the world; the challenges the communities in and outside of Cape Town face, are huge. 

Those who are less fortunate, namely women, children, the elderly and homeless people, are the ones who are in great need. We dedicate ourselves to better their lives through help, love and skills they would otherwise not receive. Some of the projects involve sports such as rugby and surfing, others horse therapy for disabled children and others again involve volunteers in community projects and youth development. Helping at local schools or kindergartens is also popular. There is a lot of valuable projects to choose from. We help you find the right one.

Volunteers in Cape Town and Hout Bay will be able to participate in the exciting social programme offered through our language school. Spend your weekends hiking Table Mountain, shark diving, or enjoying the world famous night life in the city. The city is a melting pot for young people from all over the world, and you are bound to find yourself in the company of life long friends.

English Plus Volunteering programmes in Cape Town

Improve your conversational skills at our English language school in Newlands, Cape Town, located in an upmarket residential area. Here, students can study in a quiet and relaxed atmosphere, giving comfort for optimum learning. The school building has a break room for enjoying free tea and coffee, free internet access for e-mailing, and Wifi. Students can also hang out by the swimming pool and in the beautiful garden, where teachers regularly deliver classes.

Established in 1995, Good Hope Studies is a privately owned English language school in one of the world's most beautiful cities—Cape Town, South Africa. We provide on-site accommodation so students can study and live on the same property. Alternatively, they can choose other residences in the area, or a  Homestay Family close to the school.

As a member of the Evaluation and Accreditation of Quality in Language Services (EAQUALS) and the award-winning association of leading independent language schools worldwide (IALC), Good Hope Studies undergoes strict and regular on-site inspections to maintain service quality at high standards.

Study English in Cape Town (Newlands), South Africa

Good Hope Studies runs the Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) Course, the most popular training course for English language teachers worldwide. We offer face-to-face and online options to suit varying needs. 

CELTA is approved and moderated by Cambridge English Language Assessment, part of the University of Cambridge. In contrast to other TEFL / TESOL courses, what we deliver is recognized worldwide and is often a requirement when teaching abroad at an English language school.

Experienced trainers, great facilities, and a convenient location are key advantages when completing a teacher training course in Cape Town at Good Hope Studies.

You don't need a teaching qualification or experience to take the course. However, you should:
- be 18 or older at the start of the course
- have a Matric pass (or equivalent schooling-leaving certificate), which would enable entrance into tertiary-level education
- have a good level of awareness of and proficiency in the English language
- be willing and able to cope with the intensity of the course

Feel free to contact us for further details about admission to our CELTA course.

CELTA in Cape Town, South Africa

Good Hope Studies participants in South Africa

Good Hope Studies

Sales Wolves

Established in 1995, Good Hope Studies is an internationally accredited private English language school with two centers in great locations in South Africa. Students may choose between the vibrant and energetic city center campus, which is at the heart of all the best that Cape Town has to offer, or the upmarket residential area of Newlands, close to the University of Cape Town. We are a member of IALC and EAQUALS and a CELTA teacher training center. We teach English as a foreign language and we run our own extensive volunteer program. We offer a unique learning experience that is highly efficient, fun, and affordable. Our students can expect stylish premises in safe and convenient locations where they can study in a welcoming and quiet environment.

Established in 1995, Good Hope Studies is an internationally accredited private English language school with two centers in great locations in South Africa. Students may choose between the vibrant and energetic city center campus, which is at the heart of all the best that Cape Town has to offer, or the upmarket residential area of Newlands, close to the University of Cape Town. We are a member of...

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