The ultimate guide to our on-demand online advanced English courses

by Kerin

Find out everything you need to know about our online advanced English courses with our frequently asked questions guide

When you hear e-learning or digital courses you might imagine something cold and impersonal. Or even worse, you may imagine endless powerpoint presentations in video format and little or no opportunity for engagement. 

It’s true, many digital courses are like that. But the courses you’ll find here at English Digital Academy are most definitely not! Find out why …

“I have loved every minute of Road to Proficiency! I couldn’t wait to log on and see what Kerin had prepared next!”

Valentina

Why English Digital Academy is different

We are 100% digital, 100% human!

With our digital courses you have all the benefits of e-learning and flexibility of an on-demand course, but you are also followed closely by Kerin to guide you, correct mistakes and provide feedback. Therefore, you’ll feel like you have a personal teacher but at a fraction of the cost!

“How lucky I have discovered this English course! I really don’t feel like I am learning in some boring impersonal language app. EDA’s technique takes me out of my comfort zone, stimulates my intellect, and helps me to improve the knowledge and the use of the language. I’m totally impressed by Kerin’s way of teaching. She literally takes care of each student and constantly encourages them to improve.”

Wanda

Specialised in teaching advanced learners

With all of my experiences combined, I have a 360° vision of what my students need. I see an abundance of English material out there, but as we more towards upper intermediate and advanced learners, the choice of quality online courses becomes less and less. 

I understand that my students’ needs are very different to people who are just starting to learn. I’m also aware of the fact that by this point in your English journey, you might not feel like attending a traditional course in a school. That’s why I wanted to create something fresh and dynamic,  exclusively for learners who already have a high level of English and aimed at people who have a real passion for the English language.

“I have done loads of English courses during my life. This is the course where I learned the most and I really saw a deep improvement.”

Chiara

Why is feedback so important?

You use English often, perhaps even daily but does that mean you are improving?

Certainly, the more you use a language, the more fluent you become, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that your English gets better.

I have been speaking and pronouncing words wrongly in Italian for years – and no one told me (not even my husband!) This year,  I did an Italian course and my teacher corrected me (many, many times!)

The point is, unless someone tells you you are making a mistake, you can’t correct it.

This is what makes our course unique. It is a self-study course, but with a twist. You will have a teacher follow your work. You will receive individual corrections and tutoring on every activation task you complete. This can take the form of written or audio feedback depending on the task that month. 

You will also receive corrections and feedback throughout the entire course on the discussions on the forums and comments.

Have a look:

What’s in the lessons?​

You’ll find that the majority of the material we use is authentic. That means we use material produced in English that was not created for intentional use in the English language classroom. 

Using this kind of content to teach the English language makes the learning process more engaging, imaginative and motivating for you. It can also be useful to elicit genuine responses from you.

You’ll find a variety of resources such as:

• English Digital Academy tutorials 
• YouTube videos
• podcasts & audio
• newspapers/online articles
• TED talks, BBC, The Guardian & others
• interactive quizzes
• discussion forums
• downloadable guides & e-books
• progress checks

What methodology do you use?

With over 20 years teaching experience I’ve had the opportunity to try out different methods of teaching. My favourite is a mix of the communicative method, Dogme and graphic language coaching, and that’s what primarily drives the creation of my courses. I’ve had to adapt traditional teaching methods to work in a digital world and I’m happy with the outcome!

Let’s look at each of the individual elements and how they tie together to make the EDA method:

“Throughout the course I give you relevant feedback, corrections & study methods so that you can take your English from GOOD to GREAT“

Kerin

How do I practise?

You’ll do tasks throughout the course which focus on vocabulary building and strengthening your fluency:  comprehension, writing, speaking and reading. You’ll send audio recordings to Kerin for feedback.

Furthermore, you will use our forums as a place to practise what you are learning, chat, discuss topics, share ideas and learn from your peers all over the world: think of the forums as our online place to hold conversations. 

This is also where you will find guidance, detailed corrections and support from Kerin.

What is the Activation Project?

Activate what you learn!

At the end of each course, you’ll find the activation project. The activation project is one of things that makes EDA unique. Often in traditional courses this part is forgotten about. But we would argue it’s the most important stage!

It is your opportunity to put everything you learn into practice, in a context that is real, meaningful and relevant to you.

The tasks will differ from course to course depending on the topic. They will include speaking, writing, reading, listening and/or vocabulary development.

You can choose to do as many as you like and you’ll receive personalised feedback and corrections in written or audio form: the more effort you put into it, the more get out of it!

Can I track my progress?

Yes! Each course includes a progress test. This is a check-up step and it helps you verify your understanding and identify areas you need to review. 

When you pass the test, you get a certificate.

What are the course outcomes?

Click to read the programme outcomes:

Road to English Proficiency programme Go to Description

Effective Communication for Business Success Go to Description

Accelerate English Proficiency for business and general English Go to Description

Which course should I take?

Other frequently asked questions

Other common questions include:

• What level of English do I need?
• How long do I have access to the courses?
• What’s the refund policy?

To get the answers to these questions and more, please click here

I hope to have answered all your questions, but please feel free to contact us if you need further information.