EF Press Releases
"EF Global Intern 2010" winner Anna Bulycheva
Anna Bulycheva from Russia, will start the first part of her international adventure this week in Zurich, Switzerland. Her EF internship will then take her across the globe to New York, USA followed by Tokyo, Japan.
Out of 17,000 contestants Anna managed to impress the jury of the "EF Global Intern 2010" contest with her resume and personal video. After much consideration she was selected as the individual who best encapsulates the ideals of today's youth: open mindedness, curiosity about the world and an adventurous spirit.
Anna, who is a student of journalism in Russia, says in her video; "I want to learn something new every day, every minute". Her positive attitude and ambition to develop into a global citizen will be an ideal stepping stone for Anna's global internship in different marketing areas at EF Education First, of which she will be reporting via the EF Global Intern website at www.ef.com/globalintern.
When Anna learned that she had been selected as the winner, she was absolutely thrilled saying "My emotions are very hard to describe in words". And as the winner of this year's contest, she will become a member of the jury of the upcoming "EF Global Intern 2011" contest, which will start with local selections in 60 countries in October 2010.
As Anna states; "I like the feeling of being part of the world" and now thanks to EF she's about to explore it.
World Expo Summer Camp attracts much attention from parents nationally
EF Research Unit at Cambridge University partners with QQ Education Channel in survey of Chinese students on the challenges of learning English
While the Chinese may genuinely love learning English, they must at the same time face numerous challenges. A recent exclusive online survey conducted by the EF Research Unit at the University of Cambridge and the education channel of QQ, China's most popular instant messaging provider revealed distinctions in the English language learning experience among varied age groups.
Sixty percent of the 2,870 survey participants said they have difficulty listening to and speaking English. In contrast, writing presents the biggest challenge for students who are younger than twenty years of age. Language experts from the EF Research Unit and from the University of Cambridge say Chinese learners don't have distinct disadvantages in language learning over their Western counterparts, but they must improve and increase their interactive communication and build up confidence.
By creating the EF Research Unit, EF has become the first education company to partner with the University of Cambridge with a goal of developing faster and more effective ways to learn English. The online survey collected data from 2870 participants, of which 63.21% were male and 36.69% female. In terms of age, 0.17% of survey respondents were below the age of ten, 24.46% between the ages of 11 and 20, 62.51% between the ages of 21 and 35 and 12.86% were over 36.
Dr. Christopher McCormick, Head of Academic Development and Director of the EF Research Unit at the University of Cambridge, Dr. Dora Alexopoulou, Senior Research Associate at the EF Research Unit at the University of Cambridge, and Dr. Henriette Hendriks, Director of the Research Centre for English and Applied Linguistics, University of Cambridge, were involved in the survey and answered questions from the respondents.
A summary of the survey results:
Comprehension most difficult part of learning English, with reading the easiest component
In the survey, 35.56% chose listening as the most difficult component of English language learning, while 34.55% chose speaking, 22.29% writing, and only 6.9% went with reading. There was no significant difference between male and females in terms of responses. Among students who were younger than twenty, 38.03% chose writing, followed by listening at 27.07% and speaking at 25.64%.
As students get older, English comprehension becomes more difficult
According to the survey results, 46.07% of students 36 years of age and older say listening was difficult, compared with 36.79% of those between 21 to 35 years old. However, in this age group, speaking was the biggest challenge with 38.18%, but the number of respondents over the age of 36 who picked speaking was less at 34.15%.
English is used moderately in daily life and at work
Fifteen percent of the respondents said they "often" use English, while 24.88% said "sometimes." Among students in the 21-35 age group 15.16% chose "often" and 26.09% chose "sometimes," both of which were the most popular answers.
The main reason for learning English? Work
Work was the most popular reason cited, with 35.89% of the respondents citing that incentive. In the 21- to 35-year-old age group, 40.13% also chose "work needs," which was the largest percentage of that group. This was followed by "personal interest" at 35.17%.
However, 27.53% of parents said "family education" was the main reason why they wanted to learn English, compared with 14.74% of non-parents.
A troubling trend for parents: a decrease in interest in learning English among children
Among respondents who are parents, 33.33% said that kids should start English learning between the ages of 4 to 6, the ages which were cited most often. Sixty percent of parents overall think that children should start before the age of 6. Among parents of children between the ages of 3 and 6, it is widely accepted that kids should learn English at an early age.
Parents cited "lack of language environment" (70.68%) and "lack of interest" (21.58%) as the two biggest problems for children in learning English. Among those who responded "lack of interest," more were mothers (23.97%) than fathers (20.23%).
However, parents with older children had different views on the same issue. For example, the number of parents of 7-year-olds who said "lack of interest" was the biggest challenge was 15 percentage points higher than those with older children, but conversely, the number of those who cited "lack of language environment" decreased.
The language experts say a child's peer group has a huge influence on motivation. Children do not want to stand out in a crowd, or be different from their friends. An encouraging school environment and an interested peer group both contribute to a child's motivation in learning English.
EF is to culture future leaders in 2010 summer camp, students have chance to tour Shanghai World Expo
EF Summer Camp centered around the theme of World Expo
EF Englishtown, the world's largest online English language school, wins prestigious education award
EF Englishtown, the online English language school with over 15 million users around the world, has received a Comenius-EduMedia-Award recognizing excellence in educational multimedia services. The awards are given out by Germany's Society of Pedagogy and Information and recognized throughout Europe for spotlighting outstanding products in the field of high tech educational media.
"Our mission has consistently been to deliver an effective and efficient learning experience to our students," said Bill Fisher, President of EF Englishtown. "Receiving this prestigious award only confirms to us the importance of remaining focused on that goal, and on our strategy to lead the market in terms of research and technology."
EF Englishtown won in the category of Learning Management Systems. The Society for Pedagogy and Information, a scientific society for multimedia and educational technology, has been giving out Comenius-EduMedia-Awards in Germany since 1995, with other European countries included in the competition in 1997. The awards generally acknowledge educational institutions and publishing houses.
In April, EF Englishtown received an Interactive Media Award (IMA) for outstanding achievement in the field of education. The IMAs are awarded by the Interactive Media Council, Inc., a non-profit U.S.-based organization that focuses on design standards and friendly user-interfaces for the Internet.
Originally conceived in collaboration with Apple, EF Englishtown is the world's largest online English school. A division of EF Education First, EF Englishtown is trusted by over 1,200 leading global companies and has served as the Official Language Training Supplier to the Beijing 2008 Olympics. It is currently training 60,000 volunteers ahead of the Asian Games 2010, and will similarly help Brazil prepare for the 2014 World Cup.
For more information about Englishtown, please visit www.englishtown.com
For media inquiries, please email: press@ef.com
EF English First to choose two torch bearers for the 16th Asian Games
Before anyone can say, "let the games begin!" EF English First will get the home fires burning. EF, the Official Language Training Supplier of the 16th Asian Games, has announced it will choose two torch bearers from among students attending EF schools in China, with selection based on strong English skills, passion for the Games, and an international outlook that embodies EF's mission to "break down the barriers of language, culture, and geography." The selection process has started at all 130 EF schools on the mainland, with finalists to be announced next month.
"The Asian Games are not only an important sports event in Asia, but also a great demonstration of cultural exchange and friendship," said Bill Fisher, CEO of EF China. "The torch relay among different locations will help more people to understand, to support, and to get to know the Asian Games. As the Official Language Training Supplier of the 16th Asian Games, EF is proud to select the best ambassadors to promote the Asian Games."
EF plans to select a student who is older than eighteen years of age, and one who is younger, as the representative torch bearers. More than 60,000 volunteers, officers, and Guangzhou citizens are studying English via customized EF online training in preparation for the Asian Games, which will begin November of this year.
EF language travel is getting more popular in parents
Harry Hui joins EF English First in China as EF National Advisor
EF English First, the global leader in language education, is excited to announce the appointment of Harry Hui, Chief Marketing Officer of PepsiCo. China and former president of Universal Music, as EF China's National Advisor.
While EF was making inroads in the education industry in China, establishing its first school in China in 1993, Mr. Hui was changing the face of the music industry in China, as Executive Vice President and Managing Director of MTV Networks Asia, and then as President of Universal Music, before assuming his current position with PepsiCo. China in 2007.
Mr. Hui is a logical choice for EF English First as he not only embodies the successful, well-rounded, bilingual business person that EF students aspire to become. Indeed, Hui attributes much of his career success to his fluency in both English and Mandarin and his resulting understanding and appreciation for the cultural nuances of the West and the East. In a recent interview, Hui stated, "Although fluency in English and Mandarin is certainly not the sole reason for my career success, I can say unequivocally that I would not have achieved the level of success that I enjoy today without a command of both English and Mandarin. I am deeply impressed by EF's exceptionally innovative and highly successful teaching methodology and am honored to support EF¡¯s mission to break down barriers in languages, culture and geography."
In the role of EF National Advisor, Hui will serve as an ambassador for EF's CSR projects in China. Hui will also serve as an informal advisor, sharing his insights on career and life with EF students during "EF CEO Speaker Series" seminars.
Upon the announcement of Harry's appointment as EF National Advisor, EF CEO Bill Fisher stated, "Harry is remarkably gifted in marketing and business. We are thrilled to collaborate closely with him and believe that he will be an invaluable resource and advisor for EF in China. He's an incredibly savvy and creative professional whose career and personal experiences appeal directly to our customers in China."
EF Education First launches educational research partnership at the University of Cambridge to study English language learning
EF Education First, the world leader in international education, has unveiled the EF Research Unit at the University of Cambridge's Research Centre for English and Applied Linguistics. With this research unit, EF has become the first education company in the world to partner with the University of Cambridge to examine the factors that lead to faster and more effective ways to learn English. The establishment of this unit is part of EF's multi-million dollar investment in research and development.
"EF has been focused on promoting innovation in teaching and learning English for decades. Through our newest research initiatives, we are spearheading studies on personalized, accelerated language learning,"said Dr. Christopher McCormick, EF's Head of Academics. "Research is at the heart of our advanced learning system, available at our EF schools abroad (http://www.ef.com/) or online at EF Englishtown (http://www.englishtown.com/)."
Appointed as the Senior Research Associate, Dr. Dora Alexopoulou will lead the research team. EF will gather data from its vast network of English schools to create a rich database for language research studies.
EF's goals are aligned with the English Profile Programme, a collaboration initiated by the British Council, Cambridge ESOL, Cambridge University Press, EnglishUK, and other academic institutions.
EF joins the awarding ceremony for awarding volunteers who provide good serivce in social community work
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EF Education First unveils new language training system which accelerates English learning by up to 50 percent
EF Education First, the world leader in international education, has launched the latest version of its Efekta TM language learning system. The system, developed over the last three years, uses advanced speech recognition technology, online teachers, and sleek video content to speed learning by up to 50 percent over traditional methods. It is only available at EF's 400 language schools around the world or online at EF Englishtown.com
"People learn faster when they are engaged and can control their own pace. With this in mind we designed a system that makes learning more personalized and flexible," says Dr. Enio Ohmaye, EF's Chief Technology Officer and former senior scientist at Apple. "By combining our experience in English teaching with state-of-the-art technology, we can ensure that people learn exactly what they need- no more and no less. This is a complete breakthrough in learning a language."
EF's proprietary method is the result of over USD 55 million in investment and extensive work conducted at EF's research units in Shanghai, Zurich, and the University of Cambridge. Features include:
Cutting-edge speech recognition technology
24-hour access to online English teachers
500 Hollywood-style videos and 1,500 hours of customized interactive lessons
Mobile applications including pod-English videos and study tools
The world's largest online social learning community EF Englishtown Friends
The EFCELT (EF Cambridge English Level Test)- an exclusive proficiency test developed by EF and University of Cambridge ESOL
EF launched the first "Global Intern 2010" contest
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Get Expo Tickets For Free and Continue To Learn English Without Extra Charge
EF has launched a new online system for Guangzhou Asian Games
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