WHY ALCHEMY? 

WHAT DO YOU KNOW?

 ALCHEMY… 

During our research on the prevalent methods of teaching English, we found that the methodology used is the age-old technique of teaching by the rules. We do agree that basic grammar inputs help students to have a firm grasp of the language but, on the other hand we felt most comfortable using a broadly communicative methodology in our course content and teaching. 

Research has led us to a disappointing find that most of the course books provide very few ideas for interesting, meaningful and contextualized language focus. There are usually grammatical exercises that are for the most part based on uninteresting manipulation of exercises rather than communicative activities designed to develop general fluency. 

That is why we saw the need for courses that suggest a comprehensive, systematically categorized collection of activities that could be used to supplement a monotonous course book.  What we need is a book that will assimilate the most useful of the game-like or communicative language-practice techniques. 

The function of our course is in simple words to activate the minds of the learners in such a way so as to get them to engage themselves with the English to be practiced. Stimulating the learners involves active language usage and practice which usually means actual production of instances and situations on the part of the learners themselves. 

The two essential characteristics of a good language practice task are:- 

A clear objective accompanied by the necessity for active language usage. 

Our objective is language based and clearly defined at getting the language right. We have attempted to ensure that we phase out the rather boring, meaningless language-manipulation tasks of tedious grammar. It is important to get some non-grammatical tasks such as activity-based learning which is certainly more interesting and has more learning value and result. 

This objective may be, for example to solve a problem, to get someone to do something, to create some kind of pleasing composition, to explore a situation, to get to know each other. 

A well defined programme will have the students clear in their minds at all stages where they are going and what the point is of what they are doing; thus helping them to attain the objective of proper and natural learning without extensive exertion on futile grammar rules. 

Our well designed courses are based on various interactive tasks that have clear learning objectives and entails active use of masked grammar rules. Our meticulous choice of topics is bound to maintain and motivate any learners’ interest. 

KEY FEATURES OF OUR COURSES: 

1.         Topic

            The (non-grammatical) content of the activities present in our course material is obviously a major factor in arousing learner interest. The topic must be one that holds the learners attention such as a game-like activity where the emphasis is on spoken practice and the task itself is what provides the interest. 

2.         Visual Focus

            It is easier to concentrate of something if you can see that something or at least see some depicted or symbolic representation of it. Visualistic learners who are asked to discuss or listen to something without any visual focus often find their attention wandering. This is because sight is an extremely powerful and demanding sense. 

Visual Learners will definitely enjoy

• The PowerPoint Presentations
• Picture activities
• Video clips of various spoken language situations
• Video lessons and explanations
• Video stories
• Short video clips (narrating what you saw) 

3.         Unrestricted Tasks

            A task that is unrestricted generates a lot of different learner responses during its performance. Ex: Suppose you want to practice adverbs of frequency: one technique is to supply a sentence such as “she has noodles for lunch,” and then ask students to insert the adverb usually. The result is boring because it is predictable and uninteresting. But if students are asked to suggest all sorts of things they (always, usually, sometimes or regularly) do, they have freedom of expression and the activity immediately becomes more interesting for all participants. 

4.         Communicative Language

            Practicing language by taking an answer and reconstructing the question

            Interrogating each other to get necessary information to fill out a form 

5          Personalization

            Personal relation is the use of interaction based on learners personal experiences, opinions, ideas and feelings. 

6          Pleasurable Practice

            Games are interesting because they provide pleasurable practice and contribute to language learning. A game-like language practice procedure is performed for the sake of its contribution to learning but it also offers fun and recreation. 

7.         Entertainment through Audio Learning

            A guaranteed source of interest is entertainment in the form of pleasing or amusing audio lessons. 

Auditory learners will certainly enjoy the audio sessions which include

• Songs with gap-filling activity
• Audio stories (Listen and answer questions, retelling activity)
• Audio lessons and explanations
• Listening Comprehension activities (Listen and choose the right answers)
• Pronunciation practice using audios
• Listen and repeat (repetitive practice) 

8.         Engaging through Activity

            Learners often enjoy being someone else or being themselves in an imaginary situation. A temporary departure from reality, incidentally, is not only a means of motivating learners to participate; it is also a very effective way of widening the range of language available for use. If the learners are acting roles they will be able to use language for a variety of situations. 

            Role-play where each student takes on a particular personality or simulation where the entire group is talking through an imaginary situation. 

Kinesthetic Learners will appreciate being engaged with the learning activity

They acquire information fastest when participating, interacting, feeling and experiencing the learning process. They would undoubtedly enjoy 

• Games (learning games)
• Dialogue practice
• Role play
• Story telling – retelling
• Debate
• Speech making and presentation
• Group discussion
• Skits
• Reading aloud practice 

THE BENEFIT OF ALCHEMY ENGLISH

English learners need to get a grasp of effective spoken language to help them handle everyday situations with confidence. Alchemy constructs a knowledge of vocabulary and spoken language by taking learners through various common situations.   It not only instills confidence in the learners but supplies them with an excellent command over the language 

THE ALCHEMY ADVANTAGE 

·        Easy to follow course structure 

·        Class activity book with additional extension workbook to offer extra practice away from class 

·        Comprehensive coverage of spoken language where topics include 

                                                               i.      Everyday phrases

                                                             ii.      How to ask for help/information

                                                            iii.      How to book tickets

                                                           iv.      Visiting the doctor/hospital

                                                             v.      Going to the bank

                                                           vi.      How to speak about yourself

                                                          vii.      Social English: Using the right words

                                                        viii.      Getting around/shopping

                                                           ix.      Job interviews

                                                             x.      Telephone language 

·        30 pre-defined progressive sessions at each level designed to meet the requirements of learners at all levels namely: absolute beginners, intermediate and advanced learners