SGI Language Courses
FAQs
1. What languages do you teach?
SGI offers a very wide range of language courses. As you might expect, French, German, Spanish and Italian are our most popular languages, but more and more clients are requesting other major languages such as Chinese, Russian, Arabic and Japanese, and rarer languages, from Albanian to Finnish, are also possible. In fact, at SGI we are confident in finding you the right language tutor in the right location whatever language you wish to learn.
2. Where can I have my lessons?
Although our language school is located in Central London, we also work with language tutors all over the UK. Use the language course search above to find a private teacher near you. If your location doesn’t appear on our list, just give our Language Course Hotline a call and we’ll see what we can do.
If you can make it to our language school in London, then you have a whole range of courses to choose from, from intensive one-to-one courses to group Evening Language Courses.
If you’re interested in attending a Language Schools Abroad, we also offer courses through our partners in France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
3. What kind of teacher will I have?
Your teacher will be a native speaker of your target language, a degree holder, and a qualified language teacher. All our teachers have experience in teaching languages for business, academic or general purposes.
4. I am a complete beginner – can I still study with you?
Yes, we offer private lessons at all levels in any language, and beginner level Group Evening Language Courses if you want to learn French, Arabic, Czech, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish.
5. How regularly will I have lessons?
If you wish to book private language classes for Business, Academic or General purposes, or an in-company programme, you will negotiate the regularity of you lessons with your Course Manager. Learners with a particularly tight schedule can choose to study every day for one or more weeks and choose an Intensive or Semi-Intensive Course (3 or 6 hours per day) whereas learners requiring long-term regular language lessons may opt for a flexible one-to-one course which may entail no more than one session per week (although we would recommend no less than 90 minutes per lesson.) If you are interested in arranging an in-company programme of group language lessons, speak to your Course Manager at SGI to discuss your most effective schedule.
If you wish to attend an Evening Language Course at SGI Training Centre in London, you will need to commit to one evening per week – more details here.
6. Will I get homework?
Yes, you will. Self study is recommended as a complement to your language classes. However, if you have private lessons, you can negotiate with your tutor the amount and regularity of homework you receive.
7. Will I get a coursebook?
At the end of the first lesson, your teacher will suggest the most appropriate materials for your course. The price of a course book is not include in your language course fees.
8. How much progress will I make?
The amount of progress that you make will depend on a range of factors: the frequency and number of your language lessons, your commitment, the amount of self study you can manage, your aptitude for language learning and whether you know any other languages. However, there is extensive research available on this topic and we have drawn heavily on this is the section " SGI Framework"
9. Can you prepare me for an examination?
Yes, we can. Have a look at the chart of standardised examinations. If you need preparation for an examination, an SGI Academic Language Courses teacher may be just what you need.
10. What happens if I cancel a course or lesson?
Our cancellation policy is as follows:
One-to-one Flexible Programmes: 24 hours notice (working days) is required to cancel or re-schedule a lesson. If less than 24 hours notice is given, the lesson will be forfeited. For example if your lesson is on Monday at 10.00am it needs to be cancelled before 10.00am of the previous Friday.
One-to-One Intensive and semi-intensive Programmes: One week’s notice is required to cancel either an Intensive or semi-intensive. Once started an Intensive or Crash Programme cannot be rescheduled.
In-Company Group Courses: One week’s notice is required to reschedule any In-Company group lesson. Once started, an In-Company group programme cannot be cancelled.
Cancellation received:
- More than 7 days before course start date: full refund or postponement to a later start date.
- Less than 7 days before course start date: You can transfer your booking to the next course at no extra charge OR you may have a refund of the course fee minus a £50 administration fee.
- After the first or second lesson: You can transfer your booking to the next course at no extra charge and receive the full course duration OR you may have a refund of the course fee minus a £50 administration fee.
- After the third lesson: You will not be entitled to any refund and you will NOT be able to transfer your booking to the next course.
11. If I take lots of lessons can I have a discount?
Please contact us to discuss volume based discounts. Phone our Languages Hotline (020 72991710) or email languages@stgeorges.co.uk
12. What happens if I don’t like my teacher?
Our pre-course preparation should prevent this from happening, but in the rare cases where teacher and learner just don’t get on, we’ll be happy to appoint a new teacher for you.
13. Do I need to pay up front for the whole language course?
If you have booked private language lessons, we would ask you to pay in blocks of at least 12 lessons. If you have booked an Evening Course, full course fees will be due two weeks prior to the start of your course.
14. Do you issue any kind of Certificate at the end of the course?
Yes, you will receive an SGI Certificate of Studies and progress report.
15. How do I book a language course?
If you would like to book language lessons, please contact SGI on languages@stgeorges.co.uk or on our Languages Hotline, 020 72991710 to discuss your needs. We will then make a course proposal for you to accept.
16. How do I / you work out my level?
Following the SGI pre-course Framework will give you and us an accurate assessment of your level. To start the process, take an online level test now.
17. Do your teachers speak English?
Yes, when necessary, our teachers can speak English but this should be avoided as much as possible.
18. Can you recommend a course overseas?
We have a wide range of overseas partner schools where you can study a foreign language on location. Click Language Schools Abroad for full details.
