For Heyam, learning English online is a step closer to her marketing career

“The flexibility offered by EF English Live, and the resources, teaching methods and support have all helped improve my English to the level that it is now.”

Like many people wanting to succeed at university, Heyam realised she must work on her English skills first because one of the entry requirements was taking a TOEFL test (Test of English as a Foreign Language). She has always been keen to learn English, but this was just the motivation she needed to get started towards her goal of a marketing career.

That was two years ago, and in that time, Heyam has greatly improved her English language skills in reading, writing, listening and speaking. Starting as a beginner with EF English Live, she progressed rapidly, and when we spoke with her, she was on level 16, the school’s highest.

We called Heyam to talk about her learning experience and how her family and friends have noticed a real difference in her language ability.

Why did you decide to learn English ?

I was going to apply for a university place, and one of the requirements was taking a TOEFL test. I had no idea about the best way to prepare, so I searched Google for ‘learning English’ and found EF English Live. I wasn’t organised or dedicated at first, but my father urged me to keep going because studying online was a better option than going to an education center. It saved me time, effort and money, and meant I could study at my own pace.

Why did learning English online work for you?

Learning English has always been a dream and passion of mine. Before I started with you, I assumed my level was intermediate. But I took your placement test (designed to ascertain experience and tailor the courses) and found I was at level four, something of a beginner. I didn’t want to believe it, so I started at a higher level but soon found out it was too hard for me. The test was accurate!

Excited to learn for university, I subscribed initially for six months. At the end of this period, I noticed a very big difference in my English, and so did my parents and those around me. So, I decided to renew my subscription for another six months and found a remarkable development of my fluency. I’ve now been with you for almost two years, and I’m at level 16, in the last learning unit with only two lessons to finish!

When one of my relatives asked about English courses online, I advised her to join EF English Live.

How does your success in learning English feel?

I am very happy and proud to achieve my goal of improving my English, especially my writing skills. In the beginning, I was afraid of writing and annoyed when teachers gave me a low score because of my use of vocabulary or grammar in a writing exercise. But I began working hard on my writing with the EF English Live learning tools, which include grammar and a vocabulary dictionary. They helped me improve my writing dramatically.

The EF English live teachers noticed how well I was progressing and kept on encouraging me, and all of this has reflected on my university studies in a wonderfully positive way.

I also now like to use English in my daily life. It’s one of the most spoken languages in the world, whether you want to go to a restaurant, book a hotel or travel – all these things need the English language. It’s a good thing when a person learns a second language; they feel proud when they go to another country and speak the local language.

Why is EF English Live working for you?

The prices are affordable compared to other courses. If you’re willing to invest the time in learning a language, you will benefit. I took advantage of everything the school offers and have applied what I learn in my daily life. Even if I forget something, I can always go back and check my notes.

I found a big benefit was the flexibility. For example, if you are travelling, you can learn through the EF mobile app. The app is what I like most, whether it was for live classes or self-study.

EF teachers are very helpful and motivational. They explain things and communicate in a simple way to make sure students fully understand. I liked the private lessons and benefited from them and enjoyed the freedom of being able to choose a topic.

In addition to preparing me for the TOEFL and TOEIC (Test of English for International Communication), there are career-specific courses, which is very important as my specialty is digital marketing.

Any last piece of advice for others wanting to learn English?

Dedication is the key. Only you can decide to start learning and motivate yourself to improve and develop your English.

Do you want to learn English online with us as Heyam is doing? Do you want to accelerate your English language learning with the help of EF English Live?