Language School

The Language School of the Catholic University of Bukavu (UCB) organizes for NGOs, institutions and individuals a three-month level-based training and an adequate preparation for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). This program helps the learner acquire speaking and writing skills as well as oral and written comprehension by giving them linguistic skills allowing them to pass the TOEFL.

The school offers two types of training: A Module-based training and a preparation for a TOEFL.

1. Module-based training

The module-based training is based on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). The module-based training is offered in four different levels. At each level, language skills are developed through interactive exercises, multimedia entertainment, sound and video recording. Each lesson is organized around a topic to be discussed, which makes it possible to revise grammar and linguistic specificities. We offer the following levels:

Level one: This level is for beginners but also for those who wish to review the grammatical and lexical basics of English. The level one course ends with a general knowledge test which to assess the learner’s progress. The educational content corresponds to the A2 level of CEFR. Understanding sentences and expressions used frequently in everyday situations, communicating in a simple and direct way on daily-life activities and conditions (know how to describe one’s personal and professional situation, one’s environment, talk about business…) are the main objectives of this level.

Level two: This level is aimed at learners who have validated skills required for beginners or those who want to review their knowledge. It focusses on simple conversations about work, school and understand radio and TV programs on familiar subjects. They can understand films played by Africans or by people who speak slowly. The second level corresponds to A2-B1 level of CEFR. It ends with a general test on the knowledge acquired.

Level three: it is aimed at learners who have validated skills required to join the level and an excellent source of information and review for those with a higher level. Its objective is  to enable learners hold a simple conversation on subjects related to work, school, leisure…; express oneself orally and in writing in a simple way about one’s experiences, events and ambitions. The educational content of the third level module corresponds to B1 level of CEFR.

Level four: This level is destined to learners wishing to improve their English. The objective is to understand the main ideas of a complex text relating to concrete or abstract subjects including a technical or specialized vocabulary; communicate with a degree of spontaneity and fluency that makes normal conversation with a native speaker possible; write clear and detailed texts on many subjects, give his point of view by arguing, highlight the advantages and disadvantages. It corresponds to the B2 level of CEFR.

2. Preparation for a TOEFL

The second type of training is designed for learners who have successfully acquired knowledge from the module-based training and wish to continue their studies in an English-speaking University so that they are not confronted with problems of language barrier. This preparation allows learners to pass the TOEFL test. The accreditation of our Language School by the Embassy of the United States gives us the latitude to organize TOEFL tests.