language Archives - The Languedge

You DON’T need a language certificate, but having one can help !

May 15, 2017 by Harish Kumar Comment Closed

When it comes to learning a language simply memorizing grammar or conjugation rules won’t be enough. What matters is assessing your ability to communicate. Speaking is by far the hardest part. It will definitely be required if you want to be able to prove not only your knowledge of a language, but your ability to use it to communicate with other people. Certificates are just pieces of paper. Being able to communicate is all that matters. During a job interview, or while sharpening your interactions with clients or friends - it becomes apparent just how skilled you are in a language. When I interviewed for companies here in Germany, they appreciated the fact that I had passed a higher level of the German Language Proficiency Test. All my friends who want to work in Germany also have this certificate. So, it can definitely get your foot in the door. Beyond that point though, it's pretty useless. A certificate cannot prove that you speak...

No German In Germany – Ist Das Okay?

January 3, 2017January 5, 2017 by Mathangi Jeypal Comment Closed

This is a question that might arise in your mind, if you are considering the Land of Ideas as your next home for awhile – be it for studies or employment. And as you research, you might find that for a student – the visa requirements state that you require a language competency certificate ONLY if your course is taught in German. Well , my course is entirely in English. And almost everyone at my University/Workplace can understand English. So, we hear you think? Why learn German? Let us analyse this three word question in detail. TOP REASONS NOT TO LEARN GERMAN 1.There are enough English speaking Germans – True. Of late, many Germans pick up English from a young age and are considerably fluent in the same. You will meet them at Universities, Airports, and sightseeing spots or maybe even at your office. If you are a tourist, or are on-site for a short duration, learning German might not be a must. You can...

B1 Or Not A B1 – Go Soft On Your Candidate

January 2, 2017January 5, 2017 by Mathangi JeypalNo Comments

With a number of students wanting to learn a foreign language, and an equal number of institutes mushrooming at every corner – it becomes a difficult choice to weed out the unsuitables from the rest of the crowd. Taking the specific scenario of German, and survival in Germany – it goes without saying that a minimum of a B1 (3 levels) is a must for anyone who intends to make Germany their base for a few years – be it for work or study. Despite many Universities offering courses entirely in English, I would still emphasise the importance of learning the language up to B1 – just so you will have more confidence and for easy transition when you actually get there. What should you be able to do after 3 levels of German? According to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) – a B1 student has : “The ability to express oneself in a limited way in familiar situations...

8 Factors to choose a Language School

January 1, 2017January 1, 2017 by Mathangi JeypalNo Comments

There could be a million reasons for wanting to learn a language – hobby, work, study, relationships, art and culture appreciation, travel and tourism, breaking barriers, etc. Most important is the fact that you “want to”. Keeping that in mind, what are the factors one must consider while choosing a language school or course that suits you? Here are the top 8 things you could keep in mind while researching for the same. 1.HOURS OR UNITS? Most language schools tend to talk about units in their brochures. It would make sense for you to ask their representative to explain – exactly how many hours of work go into each level. A unit is about 45 minutes of work / activity. So if a school promises you 100 units of class, they are actually talking about 100 x 45 minutes and NOT 100 x 60 minutes.Another common problem you might encounter is - language schools tend to break up a level into many...