Sydney Language Solutions

Courses

What's Special about our Language Programs?

Mandarin, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Korean, Thai, Cantonese, Burmese, Dutch, Spanish, French, Hindi, Persian and Arabic
Sydney’s specialised Asian language school.
Individual care and attention to each learner.
Small size class: maximum 4-8 students in each class.
Fun and interactive teaching method.
Qualified, experienced, enthusiastic native speaker teachers.
Extra-curricular activities to improve your language skills.
Monthly language exchange meet-up at our office
Free use of resources at our library.
One-to-one coaching available (additional cost) to support your weekly night time classes .
Please click the menu bar on the left for details and starting dates of each language course.
Please call our office 9283 9892 or email info@sydneylanguagesolutions.com.au if you have any enquiries.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE STRUCTURE OF OUR LESSON

Language Levels

Beginner (about 40-60 hours of training depending on self-study effort)

Can understand simple statements and requests within very familiar situations
Can respond in short, learned phrases or words.
Can recognize simple signs
Can write simple phrases or words generally related to basic personal information

Pre-intermediate 1 (about 40- 60 hours of training depending on self-study effort)

Can generally express and respond to immediate needs sufficient to be understood, where intentions are predictable, and communication is on familiar topics.
Can use learned phrases and say some simple sentences.
Can recognize the essentials of short and simple written texts on familiar topics
Can write some simple phrases and basic sentences about self and others

Pre-intermediate 2 (about 40- 60 hours of training depending on self-study effort)

Can communicate basic personal daily needs, despite inaccuracies
Can start and maintain a series of very simple conversational exchanges within very familiar contexts
Can understand and extract essential information from simple written texts on familiar topics
Can write short simple sentences sufficient to get meaning across in most situations

Intermediate (about 80-120 hours of training depending on self-study effort)

Sufficient competent satisfy most daily language needs and can hold simple face-to-face conversations on familiar topics.
Communication does not rely on the context and go beyond basic personal information and survival needs.
Can understand and write simple texts on familiar topics with sufficient accuracy to conduct social correspondence.

Upper-intermediate (about 80-120 hours of training depending on self-study effort)

Has control of the language sufficient for routine needs and participation in most basic social situations.
Can use a range of complex sentences
Can get the gist of a variety of written texts
Can convey meaning in writing with some precision and can use a range of writing styles
Can generally handle basic communication of a routine nature related to own vocational field.

Advanced (about 80-120 hours of training depending on self-study effort)

Can participate effectively in social situations and in vocational areas which are not too linguistically demanding
Can sustain lengthy conversations, especially on familiar topics, with a fair degree of complex language
Can read and understand authentic texts with some ability to see beyond the surface meaning
Can tailor writing sufficiently well to meet all social needs and most basic vocational needs

Course Details

Frequently Asked Questions

Courses >>

Payment >>

Teachers >>

Language-Related >>

Enrolment >>

Courses

Where is the school located? Where do the classes take place?
Our current office is Suite 402, 332 -336 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2000. Our building is called FORTUNA HOUSE and is in the corner of Liverpool St and Pitt St (2 minutes of walking from either Town Hall, Central or Museum Station)

We also have a second location in Ashfield (next to Ashfield train station). Most of classes are in CBD location and only some are in Ashfield (often for the weekend afternoon classes)

When do courses start?
All beginner courses have one set starting date. Some courses (often intermediate or advanced level) do not have a fixed starting date as they are continuous courses from previous month.

Can I join an existing class if I miss out the beginner date?
For beginner courses, you should join class to start from beginning.

For intermediate or advanced classes, you can join existent classes at various times if you want to start as soon as possible. Although you may start a course halfway through, you will be able to catch up to other classmates as topics may vary each month. If you are not confident that your level is the same with the rest of the class, you can also book 1 or 2 sessions of one-to-one tutoring (at your own expense) to catch up with the rest of the class.

As for the private lessons, you can start anytime as long as we have a teacher and a classroom available!

New course times vary and depend on class size and availability of students at the same level. We obviously do not want to lose students and will try our best to find the most suitable class for you.

When are classes?
Most of our classes (for 4-8 adult learners) are from 5:30pm on week nights. We also have class during Saturday and Sunday and workshop for travellers on Sunday afternoon.

You can simply find the general timetable here . If you want to have a one-to-one tutor, you can learn anytime during daytime but please book in advance and give us enough time so we can arrange one for you.

What is the maximum class size?
The maximum is 8 students in one group. However, the average number of students per class is 6. If there are more than 8 students in one group, you will hardly have chance to talk!

Can I change the class schedule?
If you are the private lesson student, yes. If you belong to a group, you need to talk with other classmates, the teacher and our staff. If everyone is ok with the change and the classroom is available, you can change the schedule.

I would like to join in a group lesson but I am often away from Australia on business or family trips. Is there any private tutor session that I can enrol in?
Yes, we can try to make the schedule work for you! You can take a night class and inform us the weeks you have to be away. If you only miss 2 or 3 classes, after you return from your trip, you can either take private lessons to catch up (at your own expense) and still attend your normal class. Alternative, you can change to another group that suits you schedule and learning goals to continue the rest of the course (if we have similar class of the same level).

The other option is you can take a 12 week course of only private tutoring at our school either in day or night time at your convenience.

What happens after I finish the beginner course?
You will have a short test at the end of your course to review all the lessons and test your level. The test will also ensure that you are satisfied with the outcome of the course. Students are also awarded a Certificate of Participation and are encouraged to continue to the next level with a 10% discount for the next course.

I am bilingual. Is there any course for me if I want to learn two languages at the same time? Our school has many programs starting at the same time. If you are a Vietnamese/Chinese person who wants to improve both languages, you can enrol to learn two languages on different days of the week.

Can I improve if the classes are only 2 hours long?
You'll need to dedicate approximately 2 to 3 hours per week outside of class time to your course, mostly to listen to the CD. We encourage you to do it everywhere you can: you can listen to the tape and review your lesson at our school before or after class or any time at your convenience.

Do I get a Certificate of Attendance?
You can get a Certificate of Attendance at the end of the course from Sydney Language Solutions if you attend at least 80% of all classes.

Can I give my feedback?

Your feedback is very important to us and can help us to improve our quality and training service. Please feel free to email or contact our Director to provide your feedback and opinion.

Payment

Is there a discount for couples, family members or colleagues?
Yes. Couples, groups of family members or work colleagues who enrol at the same time will receive a 10% discount on our group course price.

Can I have a refund if I change my mind after I enrol and submit the fee?
Please choose your course carefully. If you cancel the course at least seven days before the commencement of the course, we will refund the $25 administration fee.

If you cancel the course with less than seven days’ notice, no refunds will be available. However, we will arrange for you to study in the next available course (opening every fortnight) to suit your schedule.

You are able to change courses up to 48 hours before the commencement of the course you are booked into.

If you find yourself unable to complete a course, you may put your remaining classes on hold until a later date when you are able to complete it.

Can I transfer to another class?
You may transfer to another class provided that: 1) there are spaces available in the other class, 2) there are enough students (at least 5) in the class you leave for it to continue without you, and 3) it is within the same term as the original enrolment.

Teachers

Will I have same teacher for all of my classes?
For the group class, the same teacher will teach a class for an entire semester except unexpected circumstances (the teacher is sick). For private lessons, it is possible to have the same teacher or different teachers if you prefer. It is up to your request and your schedule.

Are the teachers qualified, or are they just native speakers?
Our teachers and tutors are highly qualified and have at least a Masters in Education and many years of teaching experience to adult learners.

What language do teachers use in the classroom?
It depends on your level. Our teachers try to speak the target language they are teaching as much as they can. But when needed, you can ask questions in English and teachers are able to explain vocabulary and concepts in English.

Language-related

I've done some Japanese/Vietnamese/Chinese in the past but I'm not sure of my level.

You can call us and arrange for one of our teachers to carry out an informal assessment over the phone so we can make sure you're in the right group.

What kind of Japanese do we learn at beginners’ level?
The text book used for Japanese Beginners is Japanese for Busy People (Romanised version). Students will learn the Romanised version of Japanese in beginners’ classes.

Do I have to know Japanese characters (Hiragana, Kana and Kanji)? What is the focus of the lesson?
The lesson focus is mainly on communication skills for beginner courses. We will start with the Romanised version of Japanese. There will be many oral-activities in the classroom, and reading and writing practice will be taught step by step.

For beginners/pre-intermediate students, we do recommend you learn Hiragana and Katakana. Intermediate students are also advised to learn some Kanji so that you can learn pronunciation and vocabulary efficiently. We are able to focus on other areas or special requests in private lessons.

Which Vietnamese accent do we learn?
The head teacher speaks with a southern accent but she will teach, speak and read in both the northern and southern Vietnamese accents whenever a new expression is introduced. This is for learners to speak in and understand both accents.

We also have a team of Vietnamese teachers and tutors who speak with both the northern and southern accents. Please let us know which accent you would prefer to learn if you would like one-to-one tutoring lessons.

Enrolment

How do I know my level?
You need to be evaluated to determine your level before joining a group class and commencing a private lesson. Please give us a call and book for your level test and visit us on time! We will try to find the best class for you!

I have found a cheaper course, why should I enrol with Sydney Language Solutions?
The price of a language course is usually based on the number of students in the class.

Most of our classes only have 5 to 8 students because with larger classes students rarely get a chance to practice their new language skills. The small-sized class means that students will have the most attention and care from the teachers.

If the class has more than 10 students, it is very difficult for students to have time to practice any language skill.

Can I enrol in and attend two of your courses at once?
If you are attending one class and are interested in learning another language in the next term, you are more than welcome to sit in another class in one session to see whether you are interested in the language. Please inform our school before you do so.

You are entitled to 10% discount if you enroll in 2 different courses at a time, 2 persons into the same course, or if you learn the second course in the following term at SLS.

What if I want to start the class but I have missed the first 1 or 2 classes?
You can still enrol to start with the class. The teacher will make every effort to teach you the first lesson again to make sure you can catch up to everyone.

What if I am busy and can’t attend 1 or 2 classes?
We can’t refund your fee for classes you miss but we will try our best to locate you in a similar class at the same level in the same week so you don’t miss the lesson.

Alternatively, after your trip, you can change to another group that suits you schedule and learning goals to finish the remaining lessons of the course (if we have similar class of the same level).


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Courses Intensive Courses (2012) Super Intensive Courses Travel Workshop Essay Marking HSC Courses IELTS & OET Tutor Language Tutor IELTS Courses OET Course NAATI Course JLPT Courses Arabic Courses Burmese Courses Cantonese Courses English Courses French Courses German Courses Hindi Courses Indonesian Courses Japanese Courses Korean Courses Mandarin Courses Persian Courses Spanish Courses Thai Courses Vietnamese Courses	Courses What's Special about our Language Programs? Mandarin, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Korean, Thai, Cantonese, Burmese, Dutch, Spanish, French, Hindi, Persian and Arabic Sydney’s specialised Asian language school. Individual care and attention to each learner. Small size class: maximum 4-8 students in each class. Fun and interactive teaching method. Qualified, experienced, enthusiastic native speaker teachers. Extra-curricular activities to improve your language skills. Monthly language exchange meet-up at our office Free use of resources at our library. One-to-one coaching available (additional cost) to support your weekly night time classes . Please click the menu bar on the left for details and starting dates of each language course. Please call our office 9283 9892 or email info@sydneylanguagesolutions.com.au if you have any enquiries. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE STRUCTURE OF OUR LESSON Language Levels Beginner (about 40-60 hours of training depending on self-study effort) Can understand simple statements and requests within very familiar situations Can respond in short, learned phrases or words. Can recognize simple signs Can write simple phrases or words generally related to basic personal information Pre-intermediate 1 (about 40- 60 hours of training depending on self-study effort) Can generally express and respond to immediate needs sufficient to be understood, where intentions are predictable, and communication is on familiar topics. Can use learned phrases and say some simple sentences. Can recognize the essentials of short and simple written texts on familiar topics Can write some simple phrases and basic sentences about self and others Pre-intermediate 2 (about 40- 60 hours of training depending on self-study effort) Can communicate basic personal daily needs, despite inaccuracies Can start and maintain a series of very simple conversational exchanges within very familiar contexts Can understand and extract essential information from simple written texts on familiar topics Can write short simple sentences sufficient to get meaning across in most situations Intermediate (about 80-120 hours of training depending on self-study effort) Sufficient competent satisfy most daily language needs and can hold simple face-to-face conversations on familiar topics. Communication does not rely on the context and go beyond basic personal information and survival needs. Can understand and write simple texts on familiar topics with sufficient accuracy to conduct social correspondence. Upper-intermediate (about 80-120 hours of training depending on self-study effort) Has control of the language sufficient for routine needs and participation in most basic social situations. Can use a range of complex sentences Can get the gist of a variety of written texts Can convey meaning in writing with some precision and can use a range of writing styles Can generally handle basic communication of a routine nature related to own vocational field. Advanced (about 80-120 hours of training depending on self-study effort) Can participate effectively in social situations and in vocational areas which are not too linguistically demanding Can sustain lengthy conversations, especially on familiar topics, with a fair degree of complex language Can read and understand authentic texts with some ability to see beyond the surface meaning Can tailor writing sufficiently well to meet all social needs and most basic vocational needs Course Details Frequently Asked Questions Courses >> Payment >> Teachers >> Language-Related >> Enrolment >> Courses Where is the school located? Where do the classes take place? Our current office is Suite 402, 332 -336 Pitt St, Sydney NSW 2000. Our building is called FORTUNA HOUSE and is in the corner of Liverpool St and Pitt St (2 minutes of walking from either Town Hall, Central or Museum Station) We also have a second location in Ashfield (next to Ashfield train station). Most of classes are in CBD location and only some are in Ashfield (often for the weekend afternoon classes) When do courses start? All beginner courses have one set starting date. Some courses (often intermediate or advanced level) do not have a fixed starting date as they are continuous courses from previous month. Can I join an existing class if I miss out the beginner date? For beginner courses, you should join class to start from beginning. For intermediate or advanced classes, you can join existent classes at various times if you want to start as soon as possible. Although you may start a course halfway through, you will be able to catch up to other classmates as topics may vary each month. If you are not confident that your level is the same with the rest of the class, you can also book 1 or 2 sessions of one-to-one tutoring (at your own expense) to catch up with the rest of the class. As for the private lessons, you can start anytime as long as we have a teacher and a classroom available! New course times vary and depend on class size and availability of students at the same level. We obviously do not want to lose students and will try our best to find the most suitable class for you. When are classes? Most of our classes (for 4-8 adult learners) are from 5:30pm on week nights. We also have class during Saturday and Sunday and workshop for travellers on Sunday afternoon. You can simply find the general timetable here . If you want to have a one-to-one tutor, you can learn anytime during daytime but please book in advance and give us enough time so we can arrange one for you. What is the maximum class size? The maximum is 8 students in one group. However, the average number of students per class is 6. If there are more than 8 students in one group, you will hardly have chance to talk! Can I change the class schedule? If you are the private lesson student, yes. If you belong to a group, you need to talk with other classmates, the teacher and our staff. If everyone is ok with the change and the classroom is available, you can change the schedule. I would like to join in a group lesson but I am often away from Australia on business or family trips. Is there any private tutor session that I can enrol in? Yes, we can try to make the schedule work for you! You can take a night class and inform us the weeks you have to be away. If you only miss 2 or 3 classes, after you return from your trip, you can either take private lessons to catch up (at your own expense) and still attend your normal class. Alternative, you can change to another group that suits you schedule and learning goals to continue the rest of the course (if we have similar class of the same level). The other option is you can take a 12 week course of only private tutoring at our school either in day or night time at your convenience. What happens after I finish the beginner course? You will have a short test at the end of your course to review all the lessons and test your level. The test will also ensure that you are satisfied with the outcome of the course. Students are also awarded a Certificate of Participation and are encouraged to continue to the next level with a 10% discount for the next course. I am bilingual. Is there any course for me if I want to learn two languages at the same time? Our school has many programs starting at the same time. If you are a Vietnamese/Chinese person who wants to improve both languages, you can enrol to learn two languages on different days of the week. Can I improve if the classes are only 2 hours long? You'll need to dedicate approximately 2 to 3 hours per week outside of class time to your course, mostly to listen to the CD. We encourage you to do it everywhere you can: you can listen to the tape and review your lesson at our school before or after class or any time at your convenience. Do I get a Certificate of Attendance? You can get a Certificate of Attendance at the end of the course from Sydney Language Solutions if you attend at least 80% of all classes. Can I give my feedback? Your feedback is very important to us and can help us to improve our quality and training service. Please feel free to email or contact our Director to provide your feedback and opinion. Payment Is there a discount for couples, family members or colleagues? Yes. Couples, groups of family members or work colleagues who enrol at the same time will receive a 10% discount on our group course price. Can I have a refund if I change my mind after I enrol and submit the fee? Please choose your course carefully. If you cancel the course at least seven days before the commencement of the course, we will refund the $25 administration fee. If you cancel the course with less than seven days’ notice, no refunds will be available. However, we will arrange for you to study in the next available course (opening every fortnight) to suit your schedule. You are able to change courses up to 48 hours before the commencement of the course you are booked into. If you find yourself unable to complete a course, you may put your remaining classes on hold until a later date when you are able to complete it. Can I transfer to another class? You may transfer to another class provided that: 1) there are spaces available in the other class, 2) there are enough students (at least 5) in the class you leave for it to continue without you, and 3) it is within the same term as the original enrolment. Teachers Will I have same teacher for all of my classes? For the group class, the same teacher will teach a class for an entire semester except unexpected circumstances (the teacher is sick). For private lessons, it is possible to have the same teacher or different teachers if you prefer. It is up to your request and your schedule. Are the teachers qualified, or are they just native speakers? Our teachers and tutors are highly qualified and have at least a Masters in Education and many years of teaching experience to adult learners. What language do teachers use in the classroom? It depends on your level. Our teachers try to speak the target language they are teaching as much as they can. But when needed, you can ask questions in English and teachers are able to explain vocabulary and concepts in English. Language-related I've done some Japanese/Vietnamese/Chinese in the past but I'm not sure of my level. You can call us and arrange for one of our teachers to carry out an informal assessment over the phone so we can make sure you're in the right group. What kind of Japanese do we learn at beginners’ level? The text book used for Japanese Beginners is Japanese for Busy People (Romanised version). Students will learn the Romanised version of Japanese in beginners’ classes. Do I have to know Japanese characters (Hiragana, Kana and Kanji)? What is the focus of the lesson? The lesson focus is mainly on communication skills for beginner courses. We will start with the Romanised version of Japanese. There will be many oral-activities in the classroom, and reading and writing practice will be taught step by step. For beginners/pre-intermediate students, we do recommend you learn Hiragana and Katakana. Intermediate students are also advised to learn some Kanji so that you can learn pronunciation and vocabulary efficiently. We are able to focus on other areas or special requests in private lessons. Which Vietnamese accent do we learn? The head teacher speaks with a southern accent but she will teach, speak and read in both the northern and southern Vietnamese accents whenever a new expression is introduced. This is for learners to speak in and understand both accents. We also have a team of Vietnamese teachers and tutors who speak with both the northern and southern accents. Please let us know which accent you would prefer to learn if you would like one-to-one tutoring lessons. Enrolment How do I know my level? You need to be evaluated to determine your level before joining a group class and commencing a private lesson. Please give us a call and book for your level test and visit us on time! We will try to find the best class for you! I have found a cheaper course, why should I enrol with Sydney Language Solutions? The price of a language course is usually based on the number of students in the class. Most of our classes only have 5 to 8 students because with larger classes students rarely get a chance to practice their new language skills. The small-sized class means that students will have the most attention and care from the teachers. If the class has more than 10 students, it is very difficult for students to have time to practice any language skill. Can I enrol in and attend two of your courses at once? If you are attending one class and are interested in learning another language in the next term, you are more than welcome to sit in another class in one session to see whether you are interested in the language. Please inform our school before you do so. You are entitled to 10% discount if you enroll in 2 different courses at a time, 2 persons into the same course, or if you learn the second course in the following term at SLS. What if I want to start the class but I have missed the first 1 or 2 classes? You can still enrol to start with the class. The teacher will make every effort to teach you the first lesson again to make sure you can catch up to everyone. What if I am busy and can’t attend 1 or 2 classes? We can’t refund your fee for classes you miss but we will try our best to locate you in a similar class at the same level in the same week so you don’t miss the lesson. I would like to join in a group lesson but I am often away from Australia on business or family trips. Is there any private tutor session that I can enrol in? Yes, we can try to make the schedule work for you! You can take a night class and inform us the weeks you have to be away. If you only miss 2 or 3 classes, after you return from your trip, you can either take private lessons to catch up (at your own expense) and still attend your normal class. We can’t refund your fee for classes you miss. Alternatively, after your trip, you can change to another group that suits you schedule and learning goals to finish the remaining lessons of the course (if we have similar class of the same level).

Courses

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE STRUCTURE OF OUR LESSON