South Africa

The City

Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa and serves as the capital of the sunny Gauteng province. There is no doubt that Johannesburg offers the best educational, medical, sporting and cultural facilities in Africa. The city is not only famous for its theatres and art galleries, but also for its vast array of hotels, restaurants, night-clubs and shopping centres. The cost of living in South Africa is low by world standards. A few examples: movie tickets $4.50, Bottle of Wine $3 and a can of Coke 60 cents.
Although modern, Jo'burg has a rich history. Built upon the gold rush of the late nineteenth century its architecture boasts an exciting blend of the old and the new. The exciting blend of ethnic and cultural arts and activities is reflected in the many theatres and open air arenas throughout the city. Nearby there are gold and diamond mines to visit as well as caves which are fossil sites of earliest man.
The city is an ideal getaway to the country's numerous reserves and safari camps, many of which are within easy reach. The educational facilities in Johannesburg are diverse and include a number of schools, universities, technikons and business colleges offering a wide range of subjects and extramural activities.

The School

The school affiliated to IH in 1997 and is situated in the district of Braamfontein, near the city centre. It has 20 general classrooms, a students' lounge with a canteen, 2 computer rooms (with 34 computers and Internet access), a listening laboratory, reception area and four rooms, which are used for CELTA and executive courses. All rooms are well equipped with whiteboards, cassette players and TV/videos. The school has between 100 and 180 students, most of whom study on full-time, 4-week long courses, from beginner to advanced levels. The majority of these students come from other African countries, particularly Mozambique, Gabon and Angola. There is also a growing complement of students from other countries around the world, including China, Korea, Germany and France. The school also teaches in-company courses around South Africa.
The school runs a CELTA course every month and one DELTA course every year.

The Classes

General English for Adults (around 80% of total); ESP courses (e.g. academic, business writing skills) in small groups or 1-1 ESL for South Africans (usually with a strong Business English focus).
The school is a recognised centre for CELTA and DELTA training and runs a number of courses a year. Most students study full time for six-hours a day. Increasingly the students are staying for long periods of time to prepare for study at South African universities.
Most of the day consists of General English classes, but students also have timetabled self-access slots and a choice of special courses (Drama, Pronunciation, Grammar, Current Affairs, Computer Skills, IELTS etc.) where they can work on their specific weaknesses or interests.