Voice of Students

• Name: Taro Nakagawa
  
• Period: March 2005 - September 2005
  
• Course: ESL
  

My name is Taro Nakagawa. It has been nine months now since I arrived to Toronto in March 2005. For the first six months, I studied in the ESL course at one of the universities in Toronto.

The course was sort of a preparation course to enroll in the university mainly focusing on writing essays and reading. Although the course gave me a confidence in my English grammar and writing skills, conversation skills didn’t improve. Because my important objective to study in Canada was to make my communication skills better, I decided to change the school and started looking for an ideal school suitable for my purpose. After having visited many schools, I finally found CCBE which is a small and new school located in downtown.

Teachers at CCBE were very energetic and keen to teach English, and the class was very intense because of the teachers’ enthusiasm and its small size. Compare to other schools, CCBE was an ideal place to learn English communication skills. The full-time ESL course I took covers all aspects of English and between each class has ten minutes breaks so that I could effectively study keeping my concentration. Besides, the school offers a wide variety of courses such as ESL course, TOEFL and TOIEC courses, Business English course and TESOL course. Students can change the course flexibly depending on their objectives even in the middle of the session. For example, right now I am learning how to teach English at TESOL course after having learned in ESL course for two months. I like the flexibility very much because I can keep learning English with fresh.

Compare to the past when I had difficulty of saying even “Yes” or “No” in English, my English communication skills have improved so much and now I can communicate with teachers and class mates only in English. I can definitely say that CCBE has helped me improving my English communication skills to the level that I myself am surprised with.

• Name: Serhat Dogan
• Period: November 21 ~ Present
• Course: TOEFL

I’ve been in Toronto for seven months. I’ve also been studying at CCBE for almost three months. After taking an ESL course for two month, I’m now taking a TOEFL course, which is very useful for me.

This is my second school in Toronto. I registered here in order to pay more attention to grammar points and I got it.

Classes are small and the teachers are very friendly. At CCBE, you can watch the popular TV series like Friends or Everybody Loves Raymonds etc at any time in the TV room. Besides, you can join the movie club and watch movies on Fridays.

Basically, I recommend this school to ESL students who want to make good process in a short time.

• Name: In Hwan Nam
  
• Period: October 4 ~ December 23, 2005
• Course: ESL
  

• Name: Maria da Glória de Andrade Lobo
• Course: ESL

My name is Glória and I am a Judge in Brazil. I decided to take this exchange program to brush up my English skills. My Travel Agency, ORCAL, located in Manaus (AM) recommended that I go to CCBE, a Canadian college that receives young and adult learners from all over the world who wish to improve their language skills. At my arrival, I was escorted by a member of the Administration, Mr. Kim, whom, since my airport pick-up, has given me all the support I needed to make my experience here into the best one so far. I lived in a homestay located in one of the best neighborhoods in Toronto, provided by my college. Jane Dobbie was my homestay provider and we had a wonderful relationship. My first impression was that I was among friends! 

      On my first day of school I was escorted by the Director of Studies, Mr. Geoff Robinson, and taught me the route I needed to take everyday from my homestay to my college. CCBE is located in one of the most important commercial and business areas in Toronto, close to King subway station, allowing me to walk around the area and visit its nice shopping centres. I took a part-time course with emphasis on grammar, but also focusing on speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. English is the only language allowed within the school premises; it is prohibited to speak any other language. This rule was valuable to me because it matched my wish to improve my language skills. 

      My teachers, Kim, Felipe and Matt, made me feel part of the family and gave me valuable lessons. I was received with kindness and my mistakes were transformed into life lessons. I would like to give a special thanks to Mrs. Vanice Lopes, CCBE’s Brazilian Counsellor, who acted like a guardian angel, showing me the Canadian way of life in Toronto, never forgetting to assist me inside and outside school.