February '09 Newsletter (2)
 
Hello to everyone Out There and welcome to our new members and newsletter subscribers...
 
I hope your February is as frisky and filled with vigour as David Beckham still is.
 
This is what I have for you today:
 
Beginner exercise for those of you who are sick and ill this February
Seismic change imminent for UK English schools
The world's English learners crave the ability to speak
LOT book coming out soon, first draft has been seen...it rocks.
 
Here's a bit of fun with the language of illness, of course all of our lesson plans prepare you for something, this one is for speaking to the chemist when you are a beginner:
 

 
So, the day is approaching fast.  On 31st March 2009 if you own a UK English school and it is is not accredited you can't issue letters in support of student visa applications when someone wants to book a course with you.
 
One industry luminary I contacted seemed very jolly about it all but wouldn't reply in writing when I asked if it would create a seismic market shift; whether schools were closing as a result and if those that were accredited were putting up their course prices.
 
The changes won't affect our London course because we only sell short courses and student visas are normally only needed with long courses and enable students to do some part time work whilst they study. Our students come in on visitors visas or are EU citizens. However, it figures that there could be some students looking for cheaper courses and also some teachers looking for jobs. 
 
So Out There will be doing everything it can to help those in need of somewhere to study English at a reasonable price. We will also try to help teachers who want to teach and it will form part of our plans for the re-launch of the currently suspended London EOT course. If you know a student who wants a cheap and effective course or a teacher that wants to potentially earn more per hour than they have ever earned before, tell them to get in touch with us or to visit our Meetup groups, we've now got one for teachers too, first meeting this Saturday 14th Feb:
 
http://www.meetup.com/London-English-Out-There-EFL-ESL-teachers-group/
 
My blog got a rare but vicious posting yesterday. I sat down at my desk to do some normal stuff and then a wave of anger came over me and I just started tapping away on my keyboard.  I guess that's what a blog is, a splenetic explosion of pent up emotion in relation to something that bugs you. A sperb? Nah, blog sounds better. Anyway, have you ever wondered why so many people learn English for years but struggle to speak it as well as they'd like to? I have, frequently. This is the result of my unplanned outburst:
 
http://www.languagesoutthere.com/articles/english-speaking-and-listening-blog
 
STOP PRESS: There are currently 164 people waiting for someone to start a language exchange in Istanbul. Madrid (256) might be sorted soon because someone has contacted me and is interested in doing an EOT structured language exchange (structured 'cos you use the self-study lessons to do some study before you go and then ask people the questions in the plan to break the ice). There are businesses waiting to be started, Out There.
 
http://esl.meetup.com/cities/tr/istanbul/
 
Last week's newsletter was called 'fantastic' by one responder and another called it 'important' and urged me to carry on in the same way. Which I will, of course :-)
 
I have now seen a draft of the Languages Out There coffee table bookthat will be published soon and sold in bookshops and on our website (it is the world's first self-funding ad campaign, all profits go back into printing more books). Jaime Diskin, the creative genius behind it is a big fan of Steve Pinker (I didn't know until today and you can see from the language used in the book) so we have found perfect synergy and given each other big heartfelt thanks. Me to Jaime for the book and all of his work on our behalf, Jaime to me for letting the great Mr P see 'colourful' the poem/ad in last week's newsletter, and another one called 'funny', which he also loved. So, in a second celebration... and for a further taste of the delights to come in the book, here is 'funny':
 

 
The book will be available from bookshops in London and from our website.
 
So, Jaime, me, you (and your mates) are going to have a lot of fun with language Out There when we finally get it all together both online and in 'real space'.
 
That's other peoples' space, public space, for us to use as we like, when we like with whom we like. Used solely for the purpose of expanding our minds and linking places and faces, sounds and smells, smiles and frowns to the language that we really want to 'stick' and really want to speak. 
 
Until next time...
Cheers
Jason