English Projects, formazione e progetti linguistici per PME e privati
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english projects with kirsten elmes

Stage One
RESEARCH AND PLANNING​

English Projects is a remote English language learning experience.  We decide what to do together. I assess, support, instruct and  guide you in your learning, according to your evolving language proficiency acquisition needs and goals.   And you?  You use English Projects  to create  a snug fit between a) this inspired process of proficiency acquisition and b) your inclinations and lifestyle.  
​

Note that I will make sure that you have a  correct linguistic approach (see FAQ 'What is Proficiency?' for more details) for a learning curve that is as effective and efficient as can be.

English Projects is for self-reliant, creative and entrepreneurial people who already have at least some experience (even at an  elementary level) of the English language.   

Stage Two
​COMPETENCY PERFORMANCE

A Competency Performance is a demonstration* of the key linguistic competencies  you are acquiring.  

You will make Mp4 audio recordings of your best spoken English for a total duration of 10-15 minutes.  You will also produce up to 700 words of your best, written English.  What about?  You decide.   Just make it didactically relevant and meaningful (my guidance will assist you).

NB.  Read my 24/07/15 Blog entry "Improving oral proficiency by raising metacognitive awareness with recordings." 


*Demonstrate:  to express or show clearly and deliberately that you have a particular ability, quality or feeling​​, ​to present by experiments, example or practical application, to explain and illustrate. Synonyms for demonstrate​: flaunt, evidence. Antonyms for demonstrate:  hide, confuse.

Stage Three
EXPERT ANALYSIS AND FEEDBACK

​English Projects means hiring me to work exclusively on your behalf in order to empower you by helping you understand a) what proficiency is and b) how to quickly enhance your existing level of proficiency and maintain it for life.

I dedicate my time and talents to carefully analysing your Competency Performance and to crafting personalised audio and written feedback for you.  All within 2 working days.   

My feedback will enable you understand where you are in English and what to focus on next and why.  


At this Stage and as you begin Stage One of your next English Project, our ideas interact and we  innovate solutions together. This replicates how I engage with students I train in person.  And, believe me, nothing could be better.

 But without a schedule of sessions, how will I or my employees commit to learning?
You can offer the very best training to a personalized calendar of Skype or in-house appointments and still some learners will not attend or arrive late, or attend and be unreceptive and express open resistance to change.  

Why?  Because commitment to learning requires a motivational  environment.  And there are two kinds.  One physical and the other mental.  

The Three Stages of English Projects originate from the process I use when training in person - but English Projects REMOVE barriers to learning.  And a classroom is a barrier to learning these days, because the physical motivational environment is all around us.  We live in an English-language-saturated world.  

English Projects are the best option for learning because they embed the process of proficiency acquisition into the physical motivational environment, which is your life and work.  Companies that can understand this and see the potential myriad extra benefits available to them as a consequence of  using  English Projects have good reason to feel seriously excited about it.  


Regarding the mental motivational environment, English Projects feed an individual's intrinsic motivation with clearly defined responsibility for learning (over a maximum period of 3 or 12 months), results, acknowledgements of progress and evidence of growth.  

How will you help me in my learning?
By making you aware of and experience the essential elements of the proficiency acquisition process: shared, deliberate and creative problem solving, high value information exchange, didactic simplicity,  enhanced self-awareness and behavioural change.   Also, with English Projects, the learner's mind is encouraged to dwell 24/7, consciously or unconsciously, on the prospect of gathering content and inspiration for each Competency Performance. 

What about materials?
When you purchase English Projects you will receive a free "How to do English Projects.pdf" guide.  You will receive my didactic analysis of your Competency Performance in mp4 and .pdf formats within two working days of upload.

We need to share some basic, good quality (usually didactic) reference materials.  And so, with every purchase of 10 English Projects, a good grammar reference book is included.  Your first Competency Performance will serve as a demonstration of your entry level and to clarify objectives.  For this reason, we will decide on  materials for you after I have analysed it.  Examples of texts I often use include: Grammar Spectrum for Italian Students, published by Oxford University Press, appropriate for all levels and Business Grammar Builder, by Paul Emerson, published by Macmillan for Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate learners. 

NB.  If your entry level is quite low (for example, you have some knowledge of the Present Simple and limited vocabulary) I will send you a copy of Headway Elementary Digital, 4th Edition with your free "How to do English Projects.pdf" guide, so that you can use it even when preparing your first Competency Performance. 


But I need conversation!   
A correct linguistic approach and a certain linguistic awareness are pre-requisites for effective and didactically beneficial conversation.

​ With English Projects, you will soon acquire these skills and consequently be able to engage with awareness in interactions (even with native speakers) of English  in real life.  


By the way, research conducted by J.S. Miller at the University o Wisconsin-Eat Claire, USA, in 2013, describes the benefits to learners wishing to increase their spoken English proficiency by creating audio performances in English.   See my Blog entry of the 24th of July 2015 for a link to this research. ​
"If I had asked people
what they needed,
they would have said
​ faster horses!"  

​Henry Ford
Which levels and age-groups are English Projects right for?
The miminum age for English Projects is 13.

English Projects are not for people with zero experience of the English language.  

​English Projects are for people who already have at least an elementary knowledge of the English language.  

English Projects are for people who have the following key attitudes:
Curiosity - seeking out new experiences, ideas, knowledge, feedback - in order to change.  
Insightfulness - proactive about gathering and making sense of information from a range of sources
Engagement - intent on inspiring genuine emotional and intellectual connection with others
Determination - can sustain effort despite obstacles and distractions, adapting how things are done as necessary. 

English Projects sound interesting.  But aren't language schools best? 
No.  Language schools are in the business of publishing and product sales - revolving around 'learning English'.   A culture of teacher dependency  is promoted.    

What is proficiency?   
When you learn a sport (think of swimming or tennis), or even to dance,  posture, attitude, focus and technique constitute ability.  You learn what is essential to enable you to perform, asap.  All learning processes require commitment, work on your part and faith in your abilities and in the learning experience itself.  Progress is made every step of the way, and a certain momentum achieved.  This is my approach to setting students on the past of English language proficiency.  You acquire the necessary understanding to function, to be operational and to perform.  It's like learning to drive.  No fuss.  No drama.  So it can be with learning English.  This approach to proficiency explains why my training interventions are relatively brief. 

How many English Projects do I need?
As Peter Drucker once said, "The best way to predict the future is to create it".   How many English Projects you need depends entirely on you.  However, 10 is generally a good number.   Projects you do not use, you can transfer to a third party, such as a colleague or a spouse (see details below).

I'd like to work for you.   
There are lots of English teachers around.  But where are the top dog English language trainers?  If you are one,  I'd love to hear from you. 

English Projects engages the creative drive 
​​at the core of human and business experience


  • English Projects mean zero business hours need be scheduled for training in classrooms or offices.
  • English Projects is non-invasive and transformational  and the minimal organisational effort required allow HR and Management to get on with other work.
  • The English Projects process and results are totally measurable.
  • You can request consultation and periodic reports from me as necessary.  We can agree terms and conditions of engagement according to how much work you wish me to do for you. 
  • Intervention takes place where and when it is needed with only engaged and recipient participants using the training. 100% efficiency.  0% waste.
  • English Projects are transferable.  All English Projects purchased but not used can be offered any employees you choose across your organisation, worldwide, prior to expiry dates.  English Projects meet the ever-changing landscape of needs within your business.  ​(Any employee intending or wishing to do more than 3 English Projects must be in possession of the relevant didactic materials.) 
  • Savvy corporations will of course understand that English Projects will enable them to identify and leverage skills among participants (uptake rates are monitorable).  Such skills are:  Novel and adaptive thinking skills (the creation of solutions and responses beyond what is automatic or rule-based); a 'design mindset' (the ability to develop processes and conduct specific tasks for desired outcomes); cognitive load management skills (the ability to discriminate and filter information for importance, and to understand how to maximise cognitive functioning); the ability to work productively in a process which drives engagement  as partners in a virtual team.  
  • Participants are engaged and accountable and so experience a rewarding process of change and measurable progress which prioritises and totally meets their  needs.  This will positively impact your company, in terms of enhanced day-to-day English language business operations and corporate culture.
  • Use English Projects to test the English language proficiency of potential new recruits or existing employees prior to making any investment in new personnel and before taking decisions regarding transfers or promotions to roles requiring English language proficiency for business.
'An empowered organisation is one in which individuals have the knowledge, skill, desire and opportunity to personally succeed in a way that leads to collective organisational success.'  
​Stephen Covey



Buy English Projects today
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If you believe we can work together, schedule a consultation with Inglesefreelance
Kindly contact Inglesefreelance first by e-mail.  After this, I or my business partner (for corporate clients) will contact you in order to establish how to organize English Projects in a way that corresponds with your needs and budget. 
'I was enthusiastic about doing in English Projects and happy to be one of the first students to use this didactic approach. The method struck me as effective and innovative from the very outset.  It was just right for me.  My English language fundamentals being good, but my spoken English was lacking in fluency.  Kirsten immediately recognised my weaknesses in speaking and helped me to put these right. After just a few exchanges, I was able to recognise my mistakes and self-correct whilst speaking, as well as  vary my use of the tenses - something I had long needed to get better at. I really appreciated the fact that there were no time constraints and that I could prepare and record my Mp4 Competency Performances when I wanted to. Moreover, the Mp4 recordings I received from Kirsten proved very useful instruments for improving my listening comprehension skills.'  Silvia Donatiello, Language Specialist Coordinator, Ricoh Italia Srl

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© 2015-2016 Kirsten Elmes All Rights Reserved

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  • Come imparare l'inglese
  • Referenze
  • Didattica online dalla 5 elem in poi
    • Cartoons