Do you know about LLI future??
This interview is about the growth of London Language Institute (LLI)
and how during almost 15 years it has changed, and to know about the expansion
in other countries.
We were able to talk with one of the directors from this institute, Justin Wismer. This is how the conversation
went:
Mr. Wismer said that,
I have been working many years with the
university, and one of their responsibilities was to select students who came
from America and Asia. It wasn’t difficult to realize that the main obstacle to
a good performance of the students was they didn’t have good skills in the
English Language. Consequently, opening an English School wasn’t bad
idea.
When the school was opened, there was one
more school with a small program in English and with other
focus. This school was born with two branches; a
branch was created in order to provide the necessary training for language
skills to help students with getting a good job, return to their home country
after having increased their level of knowledge or settle in this country. The
other branch was to offer a pathway program for students who are going to start
in the university, college or high school.”
“In 2009 the government wanted to meet the
impulse of the international students coming to Canada and the opportunity was
great because of the test CAEL has become more recognize. LLI
is the only school with certification from the government to apply this
exam. Of natural manner the demand was there with
more students and it was necessary to use that
potential.
They could show the quality of its program through the world.
It was a good opportunity to begin to represent Canada in different parts of the world."
“The selection of countries was naturally
because of each country has been represented in LLI
with good number of students from them. Therefore opening an LLI in Korea last
year, China and Brazil this year has been done so
far.
The most important thing for us was to have a
strong presence, we wanted a real partner who wanted to beinvolve in our program
and not only obtain profit.”
“The first thing was to think that teachers
in our schools abroad are originally from Canada and only on particular
occasions of other countries, but not before taking our course that is called
TESOL. TESOL is our principal course for training our teachers, and it is our
responsibility to provide the same service regardless of the country in which we
are teaching.
As part of our work, we make routine visits
at different locations in each country and integrated at least two experienced
teachers in LLI program.”
“For the next 3 years our goals are
ambitious, we will spend the time in fortifying our ties with educational
institutes, we will create alliances as existing currently with Western
University.
We have established relations with 13
universities, 3 colleges in Canada and 2 U.S. universities. This implies that
our school will be in a position to provide the opportunity for our students to
access these universities, complying with the requirements of
LLI.
The quality of our program and our graduates gives us the
credibility to establish such programs, which benefit the universities, to us as
an institution and of course to our customers, I mean students.”
and how during almost 15 years it has changed, and to know about the expansion
in other countries.
We were able to talk with one of the directors from this institute, Justin Wismer. This is how the conversation
went:
- What was the vision when the English School was created?
Mr. Wismer said that,
I have been working many years with the
university, and one of their responsibilities was to select students who came
from America and Asia. It wasn’t difficult to realize that the main obstacle to
a good performance of the students was they didn’t have good skills in the
English Language. Consequently, opening an English School wasn’t bad
idea.
When the school was opened, there was one
more school with a small program in English and with other
focus. This school was born with two branches; a
branch was created in order to provide the necessary training for language
skills to help students with getting a good job, return to their home country
after having increased their level of knowledge or settle in this country. The
other branch was to offer a pathway program for students who are going to start
in the university, college or high school.”
- How did the school started to think in an expansion of LLI?
“In 2009 the government wanted to meet the
impulse of the international students coming to Canada and the opportunity was
great because of the test CAEL has become more recognize. LLI
is the only school with certification from the government to apply this
exam. Of natural manner the demand was there with
more students and it was necessary to use that
potential.
They could show the quality of its program through the world.
It was a good opportunity to begin to represent Canada in different parts of the world."
- Which countries and why did you do select them?
“The selection of countries was naturally
because of each country has been represented in LLI
with good number of students from them. Therefore opening an LLI in Korea last
year, China and Brazil this year has been done so
far.
The most important thing for us was to have a
strong presence, we wanted a real partner who wanted to beinvolve in our program
and not only obtain profit.”
- How does LLI ensure the quality in their programs is the same everywhere, in this part the teachers are essential.
“The first thing was to think that teachers
in our schools abroad are originally from Canada and only on particular
occasions of other countries, but not before taking our course that is called
TESOL. TESOL is our principal course for training our teachers, and it is our
responsibility to provide the same service regardless of the country in which we
are teaching.
As part of our work, we make routine visits
at different locations in each country and integrated at least two experienced
teachers in LLI program.”
- What do you think is the next step for LLI?
“For the next 3 years our goals are
ambitious, we will spend the time in fortifying our ties with educational
institutes, we will create alliances as existing currently with Western
University.
We have established relations with 13
universities, 3 colleges in Canada and 2 U.S. universities. This implies that
our school will be in a position to provide the opportunity for our students to
access these universities, complying with the requirements of
LLI.
The quality of our program and our graduates gives us the
credibility to establish such programs, which benefit the universities, to us as
an institution and of course to our customers, I mean students.”