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Test Preparation Language Courses

Course Introduction

ICC provides high-quality Test Preparation Language Courses in all major languages for students who require a language certification to enhance their CV for educational or professional purposes. Our courses are designed to help you prepare for tests such as TOEIC, TOEFL or any other test, by developing the necessary language skills. These courses are conducted by highly-experienced and dedicated native instructors, and upon request by non-native instructors. The course curriculum covers speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills. It concentrates on relevant language content and on improving specific exam techniques. Taking one of the proficiency tests is a great way of improving all your language skills..

Our one-to-one lesson system offers you total flexibility and guarantees you make maximum progress in the time you have. Semi-Private lessons and Group lessons are also available for students who wish to study with family members, work colleagues or friends. You can start a course at any time, and schedule your lessons how and when you like. Lessons can be held anytime, from 8:00am to 11:00pm, 7 days a week, all year long. Instruction can take place at our schools, at your home or on your organization’s premises.

Since its inception in 1986, ICC has also been offering excellent language programs and services to Japanese and foreign corporations, governmental institutions as well as various other organizations. Our impressive client list includes the Japanese Ministry Of Foreign Affairs, the Japanese Ministry Of Defense, the Japanese National Police Agency, the Pentagon, the U.S. Armed Forces in Japan, the U.S. Embassy, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Sony, Panasonic, Shiseido, Shell, Siemens and Chanel, to name just a few. Upon request, a trial lesson can be arranged at your convenience.

⇒Corporate Programs

List of the Major Language Proficiency Tests

The following is a list of the major language proficiency tests available in Japan:

Japanese

JLPT
Japanese-Language Proficiency Test
BJT
Business Japanese Proficiency Test
EJU
Examination for Japanese university admission
J-Test
A relatively new test of Japanese ability
Kanji kentei
Japanese Kanji aptitude test

English

TOEIC®
Test of English for International Communication
TOEFL®
Test of English as a Foreign Language
STEP Eiken Tests
Eiken Tests preparation courses
IELTS
International English Language Testing System
Cambridge ESOL
English for Speakers of Other Languages.

Chinese

HSK
Chinese Proficiency Test
TECC
Test of Communicative Chinese

Korean

KLPT
Korean Language Proficiency Test

German

Goethe-Pruefungen
Goethe-Institute’s German proficiency tests
Diplom Deutsch in Japan
German Diploma in Japan

Russian

TORFL (ТРКИ)
Test of Russian as a foreign language

French

TCF
Test de Connaissance du Francais. French proficiency test
DALF
Diplome Approfondi de Langue Francaise. French proficiency test
DAPF
Diplome d'Aptitude Pratique au Francais. French proficiency test

Spanish

DELE
Diplomas de Espanol como Lengua Extranjera. Spanish proficiency test
Evaluacion Oficial del Conocimiento de La Lengua Espanola.
Spanish proficiency test

Italian

CILS
Italian Certificazione di Italiano come Lingua Straniera. Italian proficiency test
Prova di Abilita Linguistica.
Italian proficiency test

Portuguese

APLE
Portugues Avaliacao de Portugues Lingua Estrangeira. Portuguese proficiency test

Other tests

Test Preparation Courses for other languages available. Please contact our school office for further details!

Languages Taught at ICC

In addition to English, Japanese, and the other most popular languages studied in Japan, such as French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Chinese and Korean, more than 50 other languages and dialects are taught at ICC: If the desired language is not included in the above list, please let us know. We are confident we can help.


Learning Objectives for Basic to Intermediate Level Courses

Higher level courses will be adapted to the exact level and specific needs of every student.
The main goal of our Test Preparation Language Courses is to help you use, improve and expand all their language skills (speaking, listening, reading, writing and grammar), and reach a higher level of proficiency in your chosen exams. In addition to improving your conversational skills, equal focus is given to listening and reading comprehension as well as grammar and exam techniques.

These courses will help you develop the necessary language skills to:
• Understand and use a wide range of language structures and functions.
• Understand the main points of standard speech on familiar matters you might encounter in your daily life.
• Understand non-standard variations of the language even if it is spoken at a fast speed.
• Communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple exchange of information on familiar topics
• Express opinions and communicate hopes and desires properly. 
•  Deal with all kinds of situations that might arise while working, studying or travelling abroad.
• Produce correct sentences to describe your work, family, and living conditions.
• Write letters, e-mails, notes and messages.

• Read and understand newspapers, magazines and other texts
• Listen to and understand the news and other programs on TV and the radio.
• Develop cultural awareness
• Master exam techniques


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Sample Course Outline and Content

The course outline and content below are designed to provide you with a general idea of what you might cover in a typical basic to intermediate level course. Upon enrollment, the course curriculum will be adapted to your exact level, specific needs and interests.

Course Outline
Speaking, listening and reading will be emphasized. Improving proficiency in speaking and reading
will also re-enforce listening skills. Knowledge of vocabulary will be gradually increased. Structured
activities will be utilized to integrate speaking, listening, reading, and any new vocabulary. Writing will

also be taught but with less weight than the other skills.

Speaking
Listening to a wide variety of materials in Japanese and discussing the content and context to check for meaning. Through presentations on current news as well as active discussions, you will develop both formal and informal oral communication skills.

Listening
You will listen to dialogues, speeches, and news clips, selected for use of vocabulary, idioms, accents and representation of Japanese life and culture, and will engage in discussions relating to both content and context. This will also improve your understanding of different voices and accents.

Reading
The textbooks and other reading materials will be used primarily to demonstrate grammar points and show how they reflect meaning. Our instructors will lead focused reviews of vocabulary, grammatical structures and discourse features.

Writing
Writing exercises will be mainly a part of homework assignments. You will compose sentences or short essays using new vocabulary and grammatical structures introduced during the lessons.

Assignments
Depending on your home study time, you will be assigned about one hour of homework after every class to review the previous lessons and preview material that will be covered in the next class.

Assessment
In addition to regular short tests, the instructors will give you a final test at the end of the course, assess your progress, and make recommendations for continued study.

Books and Materials
In addition to the main textbooks, other authentic materials will be used for reading and listening practice. For example, you will read and listen to news and discuss its content and context. Most news materials will be current and come from online news reports, commentaries and interviews. All classrooms are equipped with computers which allow both instructor and student to access authentic materials via the Internet.

Course Content
Depending on your exact level and specific needs, the course content might include the following:

1.Communicative content may include:
• Exam techniques
• Introducing yourself properly
• Talking about daily routines and common activities
• Expressing opinions
• Discussing current affairs
• Talking about yourself and your family
• Talking about people and relationships
• Describing your school or company
• Expressing feelings, hopes and ambitions
• Asking and giving directions
• Entertainment and social life
• Media , TV, newspapers
• Work and business
• Education
• The environment
• Tourism and travel
• Health and Fitness
• Other subjects related to your specific needs

2. Pronunciation and intonation
• Key sounds and phonemes
• Word and sentence stress
• Intonation
• Linked sounds
• Dealing with other common pronunciation and intonation problems

3. Grammar content
• Present, past, future and other tenses
• Modal verb structures
• Imperatives
• The affirmative, negative and interrogative forms
• Word order and word classes
• Adjectives, adverbs and prepositions
• Linking words
• Word families
• Common idioms and common collocations
• Compounds and narratives
• Other important grammar points

4. Cultural content
• Greetings and introductions
• Traditions and customs
• Business culture
• Social and family life
• Common directional signs
• Multiculturalism and intercultural communication
• Religion and beliefs
• Education
• Regional differences
• Gestures

• Other important cultural subjects

Exam Techniques

Speaking
Practicing different types of interaction, including questions and answers, describing pictures and discussing different kinds of topics.

Listening
Listening for gist and listening for detail. Working with a wide range of materials, such as news, speeches and short stories.

Reading
Practicing skimming and scanning. Reading and understanding information in books, journals, newspapers and magazines.

Writing
Writing short stories, letters, articles, reports, reviews and essays, using appropriate writing style.

Grammar and vocabulary
Improving and expanding grammar and vocabulary knowledge.

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Types of Lessons

One-to-one Lessons
Our One-to-one Lesson system, designed to fit your level, schedule and needs, offers total flexibility and guarantees that you make maximum progress in the time you have. Following a thorough needs analysis and level testing, instruction plans and teaching materials are tailor-made to suit your needs.

Semi-Private Lessons　（Small classes of  two  to five students）
Semi-Private Lessons are available for corporate clients and for students who wish to study with family members, work colleagues or friends. Each student undergoes a rigorous needs analysis and a level testing process to ensure the language instruction plan will be effective. The emphasis will usually be on developing communicative skills. However, the course curriculum can be adapted to different professional or private needs.

Group Lessons (Classes of more than five students)
As with Semi-Private Lessons, Group Lessons are available for corporate clients and for students who wish to study with family members, work colleagues or friends. Each student undergoes a rigorous needs analysis and a level testing process to ensure the language instruction plan will be effective. The emphasis will usually be on developing communicative skills. However, the course curriculum can be adapted to different professional or private needs.

On-site Lessons
Upon request, ICC can dispatch excellent instructors to your organization’s premises or home. Our tailor-made language programs are flexible and adjustable. We will listen to and analyse your needs, create a suitable program, and modify it where and when necessary. When preparing the course curriculum, your schedule, level, specific needs and budget will all be taken into account.

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Instructors

Our courses are conducted by professional native instructors. Upon request, non-native instructors can also be provided. As we are convinced that the success of our schools ultimately depends on the quality and efforts of our personnel, we hire only instructors that are well-experienced, friendly and dedicated to their work. Many of our instructors, with an average of over three years teaching experience, have studied, worked, and taught in other countries, and are therefore able to respond to any individual student’s or organization’s particular needs. Depending on your objectives, typical classroom activities might include role-plays, discussions, and other enjoyable language practice.

Our instructors are trained and instructed to:

  • • Use the target language whenever possible when teaching.
  • • Ask their students to create realistic and meaningful language.
  • • Put new language and ideas into practice as soon as possible.
  • • Use techniques to motivate their students into using Japanese as much as possible.
  • • Incorporate lots of listening practice.
  • • Systematically teach the grammatical structures, vocabulary, and functional language, necessary to achieve the students’ learning aims.
  • • Work on pronunciation techniques, intonation, and stress patterns to ensure their students can be understood by others.
  • • Make sure that all learning is relevant to the stated objectives.
  • • Keep motivation, challenge and interest levels high at all times.
  • • Systematically review and repeat new language to make sure it remains active.

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Approach and Methodology

Our lessons will generally follow an integrated skills approach. Classes will focus on functional and notional areas, and then work on the language skills required to achieve competence in those areas. These will consist of a mix of structural, lexical and cultural items, including work on question forms, polite phrases, and appropriate intonation. The instructors will always follow an active learning approach, engaging their students in the target language.

Testimonials

Many of our students have decided to study at ICC by being introduced to us by one of their friends, colleagues or family members. Many of them continue to study at our schools for years or come back to learn a different language.

Please listen to the voices of some of our current students and graduates:

“The results could be proven by my high TOEIC score”
I have been taking private English lessons at ICC, and because of the flexible system, the course is perfect for me. I can choose the teachers, the method, the teaching materials and the lessons’ schedule. It has become a great enjoyment for me to attend the lessons every week, because I can study at my own pace. Although it is still only a year since I started learning, I can tell that all my language skills have greatly improved. This can be proven by the high score I have gotten in my last TOEIC test. Motivation, enjoyment and speed of studying a foreign language increase if you see the positive outcome. There are many teachers at ICC who can speak two, three or even more languages. I have noticed something important speaking with these teachers. "There is no need for special talents to learn foreign languages. Languages can be mastered by anyone if you choose the right school, study the right way and invest some time and effort in studying" To those who are serious about studying a foreign language, I sincerely recommend to you to visit ICC once and check it for yourself.

Takao Nakagawa, businessma

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Course Enrollment Procedure

1.The Initial Conversation

In the first conversation, you will be asked about your aims in order to find out as much as possible about key issues, such as why you want learn, how you want to learn, what you wish to achieve, how much language you already have, how much time you would like to commit, and other important issues.

2. The Proposal

After discussing the details, we will create a proposal which will reflect our understanding of your needs. It will include instruction format, course content, course duration and price. The proposal is a framework which you are able to refine to meet your schedule and specific learning circumstances.

3.The Trial Lesson and Level Test

Once the proposal is agreed upon, you will be contacted to discuss the course location, time, duration and other important details. Suitable instructors will then be selected and fully briefed prior to your first lesson. Upon request, a trial lesson and a level test can be arranged before the start of the course, at your convenience.

4. At the Beginning of the Course

In the trial lesson or in the first lesson, the instructors will get a clearer idea of your linguistic strengths and weaknesses, learning style, and what your priorities are. Together with the instructors, you will draw up a course plan which will focus on what you want to be able to do with the language and what you will need to cover during the course in order to achieve your goal.

5. During the Course

During the course, the instructors will keep assessing your strengths, weaknesses and learning style on a regular basis, and adapt the teaching method and materials accordingly. You will also have the full support of our dedicated staff throughout your course. We will also collect feedback from you regularly, responding where necessary.

6.At the End of the Course

The end of the course will include a full review of what you have learnt, a final assessment test to find out how far you have progressed, and some suggestions on what you can do to maintain and improve all the acquired Japanese language skills.