It is a fact that English is the lingua franca of the expatriate community here in Beijing. This can be a challenge for the non-English speakers in the international community, some of whom do not speak it easily and so feel unconfident and “blocked” about using English in social occasions. This lack of confidence can also seriously hamper their ability to enjoy the opportunities available to foreigners in Beijing because these are mostly offered and/or carried out in English.

To fill this gap, a course on Social English for Expatriates is being offered. The basic aim of the course is to help participants gain confidence in their use of English in everyday situations of interaction during their private activities or public engagements. Rather than scholastic language training, with test-based learning and grammar drills, the focus is on active communication, with participants exercising in conversation and the use of idioms, and developing their listening skills as well as their more general comprehension skills.

The course is structured around different topics which crop up in the social situations in which the participants find themselves and are asked to play active roles; these topics include the discussion of current affairs, inter-cultural exchanges, and various social activities.

Traditional English training programmes often provide language, and work with situations, that do not match the real needs of the participants. In contrast to this, Social English for the Expatriates aims to have participants practice English in an as authentic a context as possible. This will naturally be helped by the diverse backgrounds and nationalities of the participants.

The course entails one session per week lasting one and a half hours each, for ten consecutive weeks. However, if participants so wish, the class could meet twice a week.