Study English in Ireland
It is a great pleasure, and honour, to be able to engage with potential Brazilian students for whom Ireland is the ideal destination. Though we are in different hemispheres the Atlantic Ocean laps both our shores, thereby connecting us physically. There is plenty of emotional and cultural connectivity too, which Brazilian students who have come to Ireland to study English have happily discovered.
For enthusiastic Brazilian students of English there are many reasons why Ireland is the ideal destination for their study programmes: Ireland is English speaking and it is in Europe; Ireland is modern and sophisticated, but also open and friendly; the ambience and the scale in Ireland are always personal and human; there is a vibrant community of international students in Ireland; the number of Portuguese speakers in Ireland is miniscule; education is central to public policy in Ireland and there is a well educated, young workforce there.
To thoroughly learn a new language context is everything. To live in a society where English is the spoken and working language is central to the student being able to progress in the language and to refine usage of the language. Cities in Ireland are small and manageable; host families are kind and welcoming; social interaction is natural to Irish people and they are inclusive and supporting; music and sport are central to the Irish tradition of enjoyment and leisure; the ambience is ideal for language learning.
Brazilian students should ensure that the courses they attend and the schools/colleges they plan to study in are quality schools. It is essential that all international language students attend schools that are regulated by the Irish Government Ministry of Education. Within the Ministry of Education the section that oversees the regulation and quality control of English language schools is QQI (Quality & Qualifications Ireland). Brazilian, and all international language students, should make sure that the courses they are attending are all regulated by QQI.
The association of QQI-regulated ENGLISH language schools is called Marketing English in Ireland (MEI). This is an association of 57 English language schools throughout Ireland and all member schools are dedicated to offering the international student quality programmes throughout the year. It is very important to advise international students that looking for the cheapest course is not the best way to guarantee success in language learning. Cheap courses, and schools that offer cheap courses, cannot provide the services necessary for a beneficial and successful English language learning experience. Ireland prides itself in the quality of the learning experience of the international student. Therefore, it is essential that the high quality of such an experience is not compromised by students opting for the short-term benefits of inferior courses at rock-bottom prices.
The full range of English language programmes is on offer in MEI schools. From students who are complete beginners in English to students who have mastered the language but now need tuition in specific specialisations in preparation for university programmes, in Ireland or elsewhere.
Whatever your needs are in relation to improving your English language skills be assured that Ireland, and MEI schools, will serve those needs perfectly.
David O’Grady
CEO, Marketing English in Ireland
www.mei.ie
Images – Tourism Ireland