SCEP for Learners

Do you know English quite well but feel a bit lost on the flow of conversation? Is it often difficult to catch what native speakers say? Do you worry about not being understood when you speak? If this sounds familiar, you are certainly not alone. This happens even to advanced learners and professional users of English as a foreign language. This is probably because you may not have had much pronunciation training when studying English.

If so, then SCEP is for you. We will give you a grounding in English Phonetics which helps you understand what is going on in English speech. This knowledge helps you follow natural conversation and catch those words you could not catch before.

The course has a descriptive and a practical component. In the lectures you learn about the sounds of English, as well as English intonation, especially how the melody of speech helps us communicate, and how wrong intonational tunes may lead to misunderstanding.

There are plenty of opportunity to work on what you have learnt in small-group classes, practising the sounds you may find difficult, using 'mirror work' and other techniques. If your goal is to speak English more authentically, your tutors will help you to correct your pronunciation.

We also have ear-training classes, which give you a chance to develop listening skills crucial for understanding natural speech.

At SCEP our reference point is the contemporary British accent known variously as Standard Southern British, General British or BBC English.

SCEP is a very sociable course! On VSCEP there are online rooms where you can swap ideas with other participants and make new friends.