Eye Talk English
Homestay Language Courses for the Blind and Partially Sighted
141, St. Mary's Road, Tonbridge, Kent TN9 2NL, England
Telephone: +44 (0) 1732 359328
e-mail: eyetalkenglish@lineone.net
Eye Talk English aspires to provide a unique experience for visually impaired young people and adults
What Can Eye Talk English Offer You?
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Which Course is Right for You?
Eye Talk English offers three courses which run all year round.
The One to One course and the Two to One course are for those who would like intensive English. There are 15 one-hour lessons per week.
The Group course is for three to 12 persons. This course might appeal, for example, to a school group and their teachers. There are 10 one-hour lessons per week.
A Course to Suit You
Whether you are interested in visiting England as an individual, with a friend or in a group, Eye Talk English courses are designed to suit individual tastes and requirements.
Mary and Nick de Vere Moss at Eye Talk English are happy to help you with any questions you may have. Please click on Registration, Fees and How to Find Out More.
Examples
One to One Course - in your teacher's home
This 'total immersion' course gives you individual attention with your teacher throughout the day.
It is open to all blind and partially sighted people aged 16 or over.
Accommodation is in your teacher's home. This ensures maximum opportunity to improve your English.
Course fees include
Two to One Course - in a host family
On this course, two people take part. You are both with your teacher throughout the daytime, ensuring rapid progress.
The course is suitable to anyone aged 16 or more.
Accommodation is with a local host family in single study bedrooms, unless you prefer to share.
You are welcome to take part in the Two to One course with a sighted friend.
Course fees include
Group Course - in a host family
This is for groups of up to 12 persons, plus their helpers. The groups can be either young people of at least 16 years of age, or adults.
Accommodation is provided by local host families in single study bedrooms, unless you prefer to share.
Lessons take place in classes of no more than six so that each person receives plenty of the teacher's attention.
Adult Helpers Accompanying Groups of Young People
For groups of three or more course participants under the age of 18, Eye Talk English asks that there be one adult helper for every three visually impaired persons. The number of adult helpers may be reduced in particular circumstances, at the discretion of Eye Talk English.
Eye Talk English requests that helpers view their involvement as a working holiday, and that they be available on all excursions and activities, and during lessons where appropriate. At other times helpers may wish to explore the surrounding area.
Course fees include
Courses run throughout the year. Minimum length of stay for all courses is one week of seven nights, starting on Saturday. A two-week course is 14 nights, also starting on Saturday.
Lessons are from Monday to Friday. The duration of each lesson is one hour. There are three lessons each day on the One to One course and on the Two to One course. On the Group course there are two lessons each day.
You are encouraged to choose your own programme of learning. For example, you may wish to concentrate on a particular skill such as pronunciation or grammar. Whatever your visual impairment, Eye Talk English courses are designed to meet your individual requirements.
Teaching materials are prepared in a variety of formats (braille, large print, etc.).
For information about qualifications and experience, click on About Eye Talk English.
All families are chosen with great care and every home is inspected. When choosing host families, Eye Talk English particularly looks for a genuine desire to involve guests in everyday activities.
Host families provide a welcoming home during your stay in England. You have plenty of opportunity to join in family life and to practise English conversation.
You are collected in the mornings and taken back to your host family in the evenings.
On Sundays you spend the day with your host family, participating in typical English family life.
Programme of Excursions and Activities
Eye Talk English organises excursions and activities which take into account, as far as possible, any special interests (e.g. music, sport) stated on the Registration Form.
Eye Talk English reserves the right to select the programme content. All travel and entry charges on the programme are included in the course fees.
Please note that the cost of any extra excursion or activity not within the Eye Talk English programme is not included in the course fees.
The programme of excursions and activities runs every day from Monday to Friday on the one-week course, and from Monday to Saturday on the two-week course.
Examples
Eye Talk English is based in Tonbridge, in the county of Kent, the Garden of England. In Tonbridge (population: 31,600) there is a 13th century castle and a boating river. Many places of historic interest are within easy reach of the town, for example, Hever Castle, Knole House, Sissinghurst Gardens, Penshurst Place and Leeds Castle. The Georgian spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells (population: 98,000) is 7 km away.
There is a frequent train service from Tonbridge to London which takes 40 minutes. By road, Gatwick Airport is one hour away and Heathrow one and a half. For the seaports of Dover and Folkestone, expect a journey time of two hours by road and for Harwich, two and a half hours. All times are approximate.
Please aim to arrive at the airport/seaport/train station on a Saturday in the late afternoon or early evening, and depart on a Saturday morning.
An evening meal on the Saturday of your arrival and breakfast on the Saturday of your departure are provided.
Transfer from Airport, Seaport or Train Station
If you would like to be collected from an airport, seaport or train station, Eye Talk English can arrange for a representative to personally meet you on your arrival. This is an optional service for which there is a separate charge.
Eye Talk English is run by Mary and Nick de Vere Moss. Mary is a qualified teacher (B.Ed., Cert.Ed.) with over 20 years' teaching experience. For seven years she taught at Dorton House, a school for the blind and partially sighted. She holds the Birmingham University Diploma in Special Education for Visual Impairment (Dip.Ed.).
For five years she ran an English Language Summer School at Dorton. Blind and partially sighted people from all over Europe and from Japan took part in an integrated programme of English lessons and activities. In response to the many people who said that they would like to experience British family life and have greater opportunities to practise their English, she and Nick decided to set up homestay language courses specifically for the visually impaired.
Nick de Vere Moss is a lawyer. Through his considerable involvement in the Summer School, he has developed a keen interest in promoting the learning of English for blind and partially sighted people. Both Nick and Mary are qualified in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (RSA Cert.TEFL).
Registration, Fees and How to Find Out More
For a Registration Form and details of course fees, please contact Mary de Vere Moss:
Mary and Nick are always happy to provide further information about the courses offered, or to answer any questions you may have about learning English in this country.
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