CANADA Education Report

Having won the Consumer Choice Award for Best Language School in Halifax, the East Coast School of Languages (ECSL) is deepening its 17-year history with new initiatives.

 

Showcasing the highest standards of quality and stability, ECSL is now a certified location for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). These standards translate to ECSL staff and students alike. ECSL President and CEO Sheila Nunn explained, “We set very high standards for our students in terms of academic success, but we set the same standards for our teachers. We expect our teachers to be aware of what it is like to learn another language and to live in another country.”

 

As an independent, boutique school, ECSL has created an environment that uniquely supports its students with dynamic program offerings, further distinguishing it from more traditional schools. Even the school building has a home-like setting that “makes students feel very relaxed and comfortable so they are encouraged to speak English and feel safe enough to make mistakes,” shared Ms. Nunn.

 

ECSL’s English for Communication class offers an approach to English speaking that is wholly creative and dynamic. For example, students in the English for Media program have hosted live radio shows, while students in the English for Food program have created and sold recipe booklets, later donating the money raised to a local organization for families in need. Similarly, the school’s Teaching English to Young Learners program provides students with a unique English education immersion opportunity through its partnerships with Nova Scotia schools.

 

The University College Pathway (UCP) program readies students interested in attending one of ECSL’s partner universities or colleges with essential study skills to succeed in university and college level work groups, presentations, research, and other areas. After completing UCP, students can move to partner institutions without needing to complete the TOEFL or IELTS tests.

 

One UCP partner university is the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design University. ECSL also works closely with students seeking a unique study opportunity in Canada through Brazil’s Science without Borders program.

 

“If you want a real Canadian experience and a total English immersion situation and environment, then Halifax is the ideal place to come,” confirmed Ms. Nunn.  “With a location on the Atlantic coast, the winters are milder than in other Canadian cities, but Brazilian students still enjoy some snowy fun while calling ECSL home.”