from all of us at Aim

Aim will be closed from 24th December.

We're open again on 2nd January.See you in 2008!




English language training in Jakarta, Indonesia

Aim is 1 year old today!

Announcement: Christmas & New Year Closure:
To all students: Aim will be closed from 23rd December until 2nd January 2008

From all of us, best wishes for Christmas, and have a very happy new year.

-Aim-

Limited number of places remaining for IELTS prep in November

We have only 3 spaces left in our next IELTS preparation class, which starts later this week. If you'd like to join, contact us to arrange your free placement test as soon as possible

Only Rp1,750,000 for 50 hours!!

Click for:
Information on IELTS prep courses from Aim
Aim's website

Aim Welcomes a new Teacher!

In November, Aim for English welcomes Sandhy to the teaching team. A long-time professional English teacher, Sandhy has extensive experience in high-level Academic and Business English education, and her fun-loving personality makes her a welcome addition to the Aim family. Visit Aim's website to learn more about Aim and all of the teachers, and to have a live chat with Sandhy via Yahoo! Mesenger


Latihan Bahasa Inggris Jakarta
Terjemahan Bahasa Inggris - English/Indonesian translation services

from everyone at Aim, we'd like to wish you:

selamat Hari Raya

mohon maaf lahir dan batin

See you soon at Aim



kursus Bahasa Inggris di Jakarta
English language training in Jakarta

Visit Aim's main website now!
There, you'll find all kinds of useful information.
There's a free forum for you to get good advice on learning English from the experts.
There's also plenty of fun activities and stuff for you to read.

Plus, of course, there's all the information you could wish for about courses, staff and facilities at Aim for English - Jakarta's pioneering new independent language school. Click on the links below to get started:

• Aim for business English
• Aim for academic English
• Aim for IELTS preparation
• Aim for general English
• Aim for conversational English
• Aim for quality corporate training solutions
• Aim for a private class
• Aim for courses designed exclusively for you

Aim for English. Now you're talking!




Belajar Bahasa Inggris lebih ceptat di Aim - Kursus Bahasa Inggris di Manggarai, Jakarta

New Teachers at Aim

Aim for English has been hunting the very best teachers for a few months now. We've met many teachers (some better than others), and are close to deciding on new additions to our professional teaching team. Standby for more news on this!

kursus bahasa inggris di Jakarta

Problems with learning English commonly experienced by Indonesian students.

After a great deal of time spent teaching in Indonesia and talking to other teachers, it is clear that it is possible to identify a number of challenges specific to Indonesian language learners. While this brief article is clearly generalising about a huge, diverse nation, there do seem to be common difficulties, mostly resulting from interference from their first language and from the education system which they have been through. This article will highlight some of these challenges in the hope that awareness among both teachers and students benefit students studying English in the future.

First, the Indonesian education system (or at least the system which today's teenage and adult language learners passed through) tends to produce students with preconceived notions of ways to be taught. Often this means passive learners expecting to absorb information from the teacher, who is the center of a class, an authority figure, and someone who must not be questioned. Language learning is most effective in an environment where active students feel free to participate, get involved and ask questions; an environment where students know that making mistakes is the best way to learn, and where making a mistake does not result in loss of face.

While this article is not intended to criticise the education system in Indonesia, it does seem that the content of a great deal of Indonesian schools' English language curriculum is based on the teaching of theoretical knowledge as opposed to developing functional, communicative language skills. Often this means that the Indonesian ESL student is able to produce complex grammatic forms, but has little awareness of the actual meaning of the language they are producing. Upon prompting, A student would be able to write a correct sentence using, for instance, the present perfect continuous tense, but when questioned as to the real usage and the meaning of the grammatical form, many high school graduates are stumped.

Then there are the problems resulting from L1 (first language) interference. In terms of pronunciation, many Indonesians have trouble pronouncing consonant clusters (3 or more consonants together is a word), as these clusters do not occur in Bahasa Indonesia. The rolling of the letter 'r' is another common issue, but not one which causes any kind of strain for the listener. In general, pronunciation is not a huge problem for Indonesians, especially when compared to learners from Asian countries with tonal languages such as China and Vietnam.

Bahasa Indonesia does not have tenses as such, and a simplified method of talking about different points in time is often attempted in English (for example, 'yesterday I go'). The concept of tenses, especially the more complex perfect tenses, is often difficult to grasp for Indonesian students. Similarly, Indonesian English students often have trouble creating sentences with correct word order, again caused by the word order patterns in their first language (for example, 'the tree big'). Finally, most Indonesian words are spelled phonetically, creating problems with learning the inconsistent, almost random way in which many English words are spelled.

While the few problems mentioned above do create barriers for Indonesians, they are relatively easy to overcome. Good teachers with an awareness of these difficulties can adjust the way they teach and the materials they use to suit Indonesians. Courses can be created which have Indonesian students in mind, rather than generic courses designed for European learners. Again generalising, it can also be said that, given the right environment and encouragement, Indonesians soon become active, communicative students. Indonesians are hard working, dedicated, enthusiastic and, in general, a pleasure to teach.

One school which recognises the importance of tailoring language education to suit Indonesians is 'Aim for English' www.aimjakarta.com, a pioneering Jakarta-based language centre. Their incredible facilities, custom-designed courses and experienced teachers all combine to provide the very best language education for Indonesians.

In Indonesian: kursus bahasa Inggris di Jakarta

Belajar bahasa Inggris untuk bisnis, general, conversation, studi akademik, IELTS preparation and much more!

New business English Solutions from Aim
Aim for English offers a comprehensive range of business English courses designed to meet your exact requirements.
Whatever your industry, whatever your department, whatever you level, Aim can custom-design an effective language program to train you and your staff more professionally than ever before.
Classes can be held at our hi-tech facilities in Manggarai, which features a fully operational business training room, designed to replicate a hi-tech meeting room environment.
Alternatively, for only a little extra cost, we can deliver the training courses at your office. This offers convenience for busy employees.
For more information, click the link below

Effective business English training courses in Jakarta
Kursus Bahasa Inggris untuk Bisnis di Jakarta

Aim for English now offers native and non-native teachers to your home or office in Jakarta.
Jakarta's pioneering, hi-tech language school now brings quality education to you.
Make your teacher sit in traffic rather than you!

Special offers continue in September at Aim for English.
Jakarta's most forward-thinking language school is now the most cost-effective way to learn English in Jakarta. The best teachers, and courses taught in the most most complete educational facility in Indonesia's capital.
For more, click here: kursus bahasa inggris di DKI Jakarta

The IELTS test and IELTS preparation

Background
Universities realised long ago that the market for International students is huge and ever-growing. As globalisation gathers pace, many students look outside their own country's borders for further education. Now, many universities (especially those in developed countries) rely heavily on enrollments from overseas students, and international marketing has become a major consideration. The language barrier is the most obvious problem associated with taking on overseas students, so the need for a standardised, international English test arose. There are several examination systems competing in this field, most notably the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) test and the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) test. Generally, TOEFL is more widely accepted by North American universities, while IELTS is widely accepted by European, Asian and Australasian Universities (although the situation is changing). Here, the IELTS test and IELTS preparation courses will be discussed.

The Test
The IELTS test is in four sections; listening, reading, writing and speaking, and lasts for approximately 3 hours. Candidates receive their scores within two weeks, giving them a band score of between 1 (no language ability) to 9 (native-speaker level language ability). Generally speaking, most universities require a score of 6 or 7 to enter their programs, depending on the university and the degree or postgraduate program the student is applying for.

Students wishing to enroll at universities take the academic module of the IELTS test, while there is also a 'General Training' module of the test (with simplified reading and writing sections) which is often taken by candidates wishing to join an overseas high school, or for migration purposes.

IELTS preparation
A spin-off of the rise in popularity of the IELTS test has been the emergence of IELTS preparation courses. These courses teach the specific skills and strategies necessary for success in the IELTS test. Usually longer than a standard English course, a good IELTS preparation course (and a motivated student) should have the ability to increase a student's score by one band.

Common misconceptions
The IELTS test is purely a test designed to indicate to universities that a student has the necessary level of English to have a chance of success in their degree programs. Reaching the required band score, however, does not necessarily mean that a student is equipped with the skills needed for university-level study. Similarly, IELTS preparation courses focus only on the test itself, and do not specifically teach all of the skills that an overseas student needs.

As an illustration, the IELTS writing test includes a 250-word essay, which must be written in 40 minutes. At universities, essays often require weeks of research and are often thousands of words in length. IELTS preparation courses generally show students how to write these short essays by introducing rigid 'formulas', formulas which are rarely applicable to the essays the students will write at universities. During IELTS preparation courses, students are rarely taught about citation, paraphrasing, thesis structure and other key skills for successful university-level writing. Similarly, in the IELTS listening tests, students listen and answer question. At universities, students need to be able to listen to lectures and write notes, which involves altogether different skills. Limitations in the reading and writing modules of the IELTS test are also evident.

Summary
While the value of the IELTS test and IELTS preparation courses are sometimes misinterpreted or overestimated, it is clear that an internationally recognised, standardised test of English is a necessity. While there are limitations, IELTS opens the doors to international study opportunities to students from all over the world. Students with the required score, however, should not be complacent. Often training in advanced Academic English (often known as EAP – English for Academic Purposes) is of great benefit for international students, and could be taken in conjunction with IELTS preparation. Aim for English in Jakarta, Indonesia is a pioneering new school with IELTS preparation courses which include EAP. Students are not only prepared for a 3-hour test, they are prepared for 4 years of life at an overseas further education institution. See www.aimjakarta.com for more details.

Special offers and promotions for September 2007 - click the picture to enlarge.
belajar bahasa Inggris lebih cepat di 'Aim for English'

Cari kursus bahasa Inggris di Jakarta? Belajar bahasa inggris lebih cepat di Aim for English
www.aimjakarta.com

Special offer in August: 15% discount on IELTS preparation in Jakarta. 60-hour course, qualified, experienced teachers and hi-tech support facilities.

Are you thinking about studying English?

It’s the international language. The language of business, and of the majority of the Internet. It’s the language you will need wherever you go in the world. But learning English is a real challenge, and you will need to commit time, money and determination to the task. If you do this, and are well taught by teachers who are as committed as you are, then there is no reason why you shouldn’t succeed.

A good teacher makes all the difference.

In the English-speaking world there are plenty of young men and women who speak the language well, and see an opportunity to use this asset to do some travelling, and to experience life abroad. They generally intend to return home after a while and start their “real” career. They are sometimes called “backpacker teachers”, and can be a menace,

You may think that, so long as your teachers are qualified to teach, they will be OK. You may be lucky. But good teachers don’t just know the language and how to teach it; they also know how to engage your interest in what they are teaching. They are prepared to put time and imagination into meeting your needs. They are committed to what they do. They should be as committed to teaching you as you are to learning.

Remember, motivation is the absolute key to successfully learning a foreign language. There is no trick or easy route to learning. Just hard work. And without real motivation you will not be able to keep up the hard work. It’s the same with teachers. If they are not truly motivated to help you learn, then you will not learn as well as you could.

Language schools in many countries have a problem. There are really not enough qualified, committed native English speakers to fill half the teaching positions open around the world. But there are lots of English-speaking men and women with teaching qualifications (some qualifications are better than others) travelling the world. So the schools use them. The schools also use lots of “local” teachers to supplement the scarce native English speakers. In fact these local teachers are often highly fluent, totally committed people who have actually gone through the process of learning English themselves are much more valuable than an uncommitted native speaker.

So how do you choose a school that will only use the best, committed people to teach you? Clearly their publicity and “image” are unreliable guides to how they will perform. This is the age of the Internet, and you are reading this on the Internet, so you probably rely on it as an aid to decision-making, but please don’t. There really is no other way to judge a school than by talking to one of its students. If you like the “look” of a school, ask around your friends for an opinion. If none of them know of it, then ask the school itself for a few names of students you can contact. Talk to the students about the enthusiasm, commitment and general empathy of their teachers. You’ll soon get a feel of how they operate. If the school won’t give you any contacts, then ask yourself why.

Here’s a link to a school that will always give you contacts to call, that gives you the chance of live on-line chat with their senior teachers, and that will only ever employ teachers with genuine commitment. www.aimjakarta.com

Penggunaan papan tulis interaktif dalam pendidikan: sekedar mainan atau
perbaikan nyata?

Sekolah yang saya pimpin mengadakan uji coba penggunaan papan tulis interaktif Smartboard. Kami sendiri merupakan sekolah bahasa yang berpikiran maju di Jakarta dan memiliki keinginan untuk menerapkan penggunaan teknologi di dalam kelas-kelas kami, namun hanya apabila teknologi tersebut benar-benar terbukti bermanfaat.

Dengan harga perangkat yang semakin turun dan fungsi yang semakin banyak jenisnya, banyak sekolah di berbagai belahan dunia yang kini menggunakan touch-screen interactive whiteboard dan teknologi pendidikan lain yang serupa. Karena tidak ingin “tertinggal” tetapi juga tidak ingin membuang-buang uang, maka sekolah kami memutuskan untuk mengadakan uji coba penggunaan Smartboard selama 4 bulan. Saat ini uji coba tersebut telah berakhir dan sebagai manajer dari sekolah tersebut, ada 3 hal yang saya pikirkan:

training, para guru tidak memiliki kesulitan untuk memanfaatkan salah satu fungsinya yang paling mendasar yaitu seperti papan tulis biasa. Selanjutnya dalam waktu beberapa jam, mereka sudah mampu memasukkan foto, suara, menggunakan Internet dan berbagai kegiatan interaktif lainnya ke dalam papan tulis tersebut.

Berhasil..

Ada satu keluhan dari guru yaitu bahwa 'Smartboard terlalu lamban dalam mengenali gerakan pena mereka, sehingga tulisan tangan mereka menjadi berantakan’. Ini bukanlah masalah Smartboard melainkan program komputer. Setelah dibersihkan, defragmentation dan sedikit upgrade hardware, komputer yang mengendalikan Smartboard dapat running dengan sangat cepat dan keluhan tersebut dapat diatasi.Sekarang saya yakin sepenuhnya bahwa para guru dapat belajar menggunakan perangkat semacam itu dengan cepat, meskipun ada beberapa guru yang pasti akan mampu melakukannya dengan lebih mudah dibanding yang lain.

2.Apakah interactive whiteboard meningkatkan kualitas dan efektifitas

pengajaran yang berlangsung di dalam kelas?

Jawabnya: Ya.

Keberadaan perangkat ini saja sudah membuat ruang kelas menjadi lebih menyenangkan. Perhatian siswa terpusat ke papan tulis bahkan sebelum papan tulis tersebut dinyalakan.Ketika Smartboard dinyalakan, baik siswa maupun guru dapat menikmati interaksi dengan papan tulis tersebut melalui berbagai cara yang tidak mungkin dilakukan dengan papan tulis biasa. Gambar, film, latihan interaktif dan teks dapat dihasilkan dan dimanipulasi oleh siapapun.

Smartboard telah mampu membuat kelas menjadi lebih kaya pengalaman belajar, dan akses Internet di papan tulis tersebut merupakan sesuatu yang tak ternilai. Saya tak ingat lagi bagaimana kami sebagai guru menghadapi vocabulary yang rumit sebelum kami dapat menggunakan 'Google Images' untuk mencari dan menampilkan gambar dalam waktu beberapa detik saja. Kami juga secara teratur menggunakan website berisi berita terbaru sebagai teks untuk digunakan di kelas-kelas kami.

Dalam hal meningkatkan kualitas pendidikan, penggunaan Smartboardmerupakan sebuah kesuksesan bagi kami.

3.Sebagai satu-satunya sekolah bahasa (sampai saat ini) yang menggunakan

Smartboard di Indonesia, apakah penggunaan Smartboard ini mengakibatkan lebih banyak promosi dari mulut ke mulut dan dengan demikian merupakan invetasi jangka panjang yang berguna?

Ini adalah hal yang sulit dibuktikan. Harga Smartboard tidak murah, dan masih harus ditambah lagi dengan sebuah komputer dan proyektor LCD, jadi pertanyaan ini akan selalu saya pantau setiap saat. Sejak awal dibukanya sekolah ini, kami telah memasang Smartboard di beberapa kelas dan papan tulis biasa di kelas lainnya. Hampir seluruh siswa (96%) menyatakan bahwa mereka lebih menyukai Smartboard dibandingkan papan tulis biasa. Akan tetapi, siswa-siswa ini juga menyatakan bahwa faktor yang paling penting yang mempengaruhi kepuasan belajar mereka adalah kualitas guru dan pengajaran itu sendiri. Yang menarik, tidak ada demografi tertentu (muda/tua/pria/wanita) yang lebih menyukai interactive white board dibandingkan dengan yang lainnya.

Para siswa kami menyatakan sangat puas dengan staf pengajar yang kami miliki, dan karenanya, tingkat registrasi ulang di sekolah ini juga tinggi. Selain itu, sekolah kami, Aim for English www.aimjakarta.com, sedang berkembang pesat dan promosi dari mulut ke mulut juga sangat kuat, tetapi adalah tidak mungkin untuk memastikan bahwa semua itu terjadi hanya karena adanya Smartboard. Bagi kami, uji coba yang kami lakukan sangat sukses dan kami berencana melakukan investasi lebih besar dengan

mendapatkan lebih banyak Smartboard agar seluruh kelas kami memilikinya pada tahun 2007/2008. Kalau anda berkeinginan untuk melakukan investasi yang sama, janganlah berpikiran bahwa hal itu akan menjadi jawaban untuk berbagai permasalahan di sekolah anda. Namun, apabila digunakan secara bersamaan dengan guru-guru yang berkualitas tinggi, maka touch-screen interactive whiteboard dapat menjadi alat marketing yang kuat dan, yang lebih penting lagi, dapat meningkatkan kualitas dan efektifitas pendidikan di sekolah anda.

Untuk melihat contoh penggunaan Smartboard, kunjungi www.aimjakarta.com

Untuk informasi lebih lanjut mengenai sekolah kami, hubungiinfo@aimjakarta.com

special offers

This is the last month you will be able to benefit from Aim's special offers. Until the end of July, you can enjoy 15% discounts on all products and services.

After that, the discounts will be gone forever!

Call to reserve your place on one of our high quality language courses now

kursus bahasa Inggris di Jakarta

kursus bahasa Inggris di Jakarta

belajar bahasa inggris di Jakarta

yahoo! messenger: aimjakarta

live chat with us now!

call Aim for English now to secure your place in our latest IELTS preparation course. This will be the last oportunity to receive 15% dicounts.

IELTS preparation courses now extended to 60 hours!

Technorati Profile

Corporate language training with Aim

Half of the money spent on English training in Indonesian business is wasted

English is a difficult language to learn. It really should not be the international language, but it is. Almost all companies invest in English language training, but very few owners and shareholders would believe how much of their money is wasted .......... click here to read more......

translation and proofreading for Jakarta

Translation & proof-reading services now available. Visit:
AIM FOR ENGLISH: TRANSLATION

for more information and prices.

Quite simply, the quickest, most accurate, most cost effective translation and proofreading service in Indonesia

Aim for:

• business English
• academic English
• IELTS preparation
• general English
• conversational English
• private classes
• customised solutions
• in-company training
• one day workshops
• translation & proofreading

www.aimjakarta.com innovate language solutions

CLICK HERE to visit the official Aim for English Website.


News, events, special offers, forums, tips and downloads from Jakarta's quality language education provider.

Corporate Language training solutions from Aim

Mengapa disayangkan bahwa pasar global memilih Bahasa Inggris sebagai bahasa pengantar.

Bahasa Inggris tidaklah mudah. Dengan begitu banyaknya kosa kata dan struktur serta akar sejarah yang berbeda, Bahasa Inggris dapat menjadi sesuatu yang sangat membingungkan untuk dipelajari.

Pada kenyataannya, perusahaan dan para staf di dalamnya akan dinilai berdasarkan kemampuan Bahasa Inggris mereka. Seseorang yang sangat kompeten dalam pekerjaannya,tetapi memiliki kemampuan berkomunikasi dalam Bahasa Inggris yang rendah akan mendapatkan penilaian yang rendah pula. Selain itu, citra anda dan perusahaan pun akan menurun apabila para perwakilan dan manajer anda tidak mampu berkomunikasi secara efektif menggunakan Bahasa Inggris.

Oleh karenanya, pelatihan Bahasa Inggris bagi staf perusahaan merupakan beban yang perlu ditanggung bagi organisasi manapun yang ingin meraih kesuksesan di luar pasar dalam negeri. Sayangnya, pelatihan membutuhkan uang, waktu kerja yang digunakan untuk belajar juga berarti hilangnya uang, dan masing-masing orang belajar dengan kecepatan yang berbeda. Inilah sebabnya mengapa terkadang investasi dalam bentuk pelatihan Bahasa Inggris kelihatan seperti membuang-buang uang ke lubang yang tak berdasar, tanpa adanya kepastian apakah uang tersebut memberikan hasil yang berharga sama sekali.

Akankah anda melakukan investasi bisnis dengan ketidakpastian seperti itu?

Mengapa harus Aim for English?

Siswa belajar lebih cepat di Aim

• Instruktur Bahasa Inggris yang berpengalaman untuk kelas bisnis

• Kelas yang komunikatif

• Teknologi pionir yang canggih dalam kelas

• Layanan pendukung yang tak ada duanya bagi siswa

• Kursus yang dirancang secara individu berarti anda tidak akan membuang-buang waktu mempelajari hal-hal yang tidak relevan dengan industri anda

• Fleksibilitas– Kelas dapat diadakan di tempat anda atau di gedung kami, dan waktu disesuaikan dengan jadwal anda yang padat.

Nantikan keuntungan yang lebih tinggi dari investasi pelatihan anda bersama 'Aim for English'

Profil.

Dengan sebuah konsep baru dalam pendidikan bahasa di Jakarta, para pendiri Aim menyadari bahwa setiap siswa adalah berbeda dan setiap perusahaan memiliki sasaran dan tujuan yang berbeda. Kami juga memahami bahwa setiap orang belajar melalui bermacam cara dan dengan kecepatan yang beragam. Oleh karena itu, tantangan bagi kami adalah bagaimana memuaskan kebutuhan dan tuntutan anda yang berbeda-beda.

Tantangan ini kami jawab dengan pertama-tama mendalami dan mengenali perusahaan anda dan apa yang ingin dicapainya. Selanjutnya, kami akan menemui anda dan menelaah para staf anda. Setelah itulah kami akan mulai menyusun sebuah program yang akan dapat membantu setiap staf anda dalam memenuhi kebutuhan anda. Lebih jauh lagi, kami menggunakan perangkat berteknologi tinggi dan materi serta metodologi terbaru untuk mendorong staf anda mencapai yang bahkan lebih tinggi dari yang mereka kira sebelumnya.

Instruktur yang berdedikasi dan berpengalaman, fasilitas yang tidak tertandingi dan program bahasa yang dirancang secara spesifik. Hanya di 'Aim for English'.

CLICK HERE to visit the official Aim for English Website.


News, events, special offers, forums, tips and downloads from Jakarta's quality language education provider.

Why choose Aim for Business Language training?

What a pity that the global market has chosen English as its common language.

English is not easy. With a huge range of vocabulary and structures and so many different historical roots, the language can be very confusing.

The fact is, companies and their staff are judged on how easily they can get by in English, and a highly competent person who communicates poorly in English will be undervalued. Furthermore, your image will be downgraded if your representatives and managers cannot communicate effectively in English.

So, training staff in English is a necessary burden for any organization that wants to succeed outside its home market. But training costs money, time off the job costs money, and different people learn at different paces. So sometimes it seems that investing in English training is like pouring money down a bottomless pit, with no idea of whether that money is achieving any worthwhile result.

Would you make business investment with this level of uncertainty?

Why' Aim for English

People learn faster at Aim

• Experienced corporate English instructors

• Communicative classes

• Pioneering classroom technology

• Unparalleled student support services

• Individually designed courses mean you won't waste time learning language which is irrelevant to your industry

• Flexibility – Classes at your place or ours, and at times to fit your busy schedule.

Expect higher returns for your investment in training with 'Aim for English'

Profile.

A new concept in language education in Jakarta, Aim's founders know that every student is different and each company has different goals. We also understand that people learn in a variety of ways and at varying speeds. The challenge, therefore, is satisfying your unique demands and requirements.

We meet this challenge by first getting to know your company and what it wants to achieve. Then, we meet and assess your staff. Only then do we start to assemble a program that helps each of your people meet your needs. Finally, we use the latest hi-tech equipment and the latest materials and methodology to stimulate your people to higher achievement than even they thought possible.

Dedicated, experienced instructors, unparalleled facilities and individually tailored language programs. Only at 'Aim for English'.

Siswa-siswa Aim akan menikmati lingkungan belajar yang modern dan nyaman. Area lobby yang luas dan santai menawarkan akses internet wireless berkecepatan tinggi secara gratis. Di dalamnya juga terdapat beberapa area duduk dan area baca di mana anda bisa bersantai sebelum atau sesudah kelas anda dimulai, sambil membaca buku atau majalah yang ada di perpustakaan kami. Nikmatilah makanan ringan dengan harga yang terjangkau atau secangkir kopi giling nikmat di Aim café. Atau anda juga bisa menikmati pertunjukan pada papan pengumuman kami yang unik dan tidak ada duanya.

Ruangan kelas pada Aim dirancang untuk meningkatkan pengalaman belajar anda. Sebagai yang pertama pada industri pendidikan bahasa di Indonesia, beberapa ruang kelas kami didukung oleh ‘Smart’ interactive whiteboards. Di sini siswa akan merasakan perbedaan besar dalam pengalaman belajar, di mana surfing Internet, video dan berbagai jenis media digital lain yang perlu disajikan langsung kepada siswa bisa dilakukan di dalam kelas kapan saja kebutuhan tersebut muncul, langsung di papan tulis! Seluruh ruang kelas dilengkapi dengan komputer dengan teknologi terkini, MP3 untuk listening dan digital surround sound system.

Anda punya laptop? Bawa saja ke kelas khusus laptop kami, anda akan mendapatkan dimensi baru dalam pengalaman belajar anda. Seluruh ruang kelas Aim dilengkapi dengan jaringan wireless – Anda tinggal menulis atau menggambar di laptop anda, dan sedetik kemudian anda dan teman-teman anda akan dapat melihatnya pada interactive whiteboard di depan kelas.

Tidak ada lagi kapur, kaset dan buku teks yang membosankan – Selamat Datang di Aim, Lingkungan Belajar Abad ke-21!

Here's a few links to great free sites. Browsing pages like these is a great way to improve your English.

The best part? They're all completely free.

Let me know if you know of any other great sites for English language students.

• Kamus.net Translate bahasa Indonesia to English and vice-versa
• dictionary.com An online dictionary, thesaurus and encyclopedia
• a dictionary of slang Slang, cockney rhyming slang, books, links and more...
• graphic dictionary An interesting way of looking up word meanings
  
• wiKimedia An encyclopedia, dictionary and much more
• stumble upon A great tool to find great websites
• sounds of english This one is helpful for pronunciation
• english-at-home.com Some helpful resources for learning english
• englishpage.com Free online English lessons and resources
• english-to-go.com For students and teachers of the world
• net grammar learn English grammar through interactive skills activities.
  
• esl center A website for learners and teachers of English
• esl-lounge.com Communicative ESL Lesson Materials.
• freestudyguides Interesting free guides from english4today.com
• smarttech.com Information on Aim's touch-screen white boards
• BBC 'Words in the News' Learn about the language used in today's news
• dmoz.org A useful directory for business searching
• ProWeb Indonesia's best web developers. Developers of Aim's website!
• eslgold.com A good collection of free resources for students and teachers
• marks esl.com Some more helpful resources for learning
• world-english.org The one-stop resource for the English language
• language-directory.com Useful directory
  
• Quentin's ESL Hundreds of great links to free materials English language students
• onestopenglish.com Great free materials for you to download
• usingenglish.com All the resources you'll ever need
  
• Interesting Things for ESL Students quizzes, games, puzzles, proverbs, slang expressions, vocabulary , pronunciation , listening
• BBC World Service - learning English a great site with hundreds of fun, informative activities
• speak-read-write.com
• Blog Flux Directory Blog directory. Learn English by reading blogs!
• Test Practice.net Practice for various different English tests
• Activities for ESL Students Includes loads of free Java quizes to test your English
• The English Language.org directory of websites about the English Language

Limited time only - IELTS special offer

Special Offer - Valid until 25 May 2007

50 hour IELTS preparation course only Rp 1,295,000

Call now to reserve your place.

Quite simply, the best IELTS preparation course in Jakarta taught by teachers with a proven track record of successfully preparing students for the IELTS test.

Need more information? Click here

laptop learning!

Don't forget to bring your laptop!

If you own a laptop, bring it to Aim any time. Hook up to our high-speed wireless internet anywhere in the building, any time.

Also, let us know if you're interested in 'laptop classes'. Students work on wirelessly connected laptops in class, for a virtually paper-free lesson!

Call, email, sms, messenger, skype or drop to see us for more information.

embracing educational technology @ Aim

The 21st Century Learning Environment

Students enjoy a modern, comfortable learning environment. The spacious, relaxing reception area offers free high-speed wireless internet access, and find several seating and reading areas where you can unwind before or after class. Enjoy a tasty snack or a freshly-brewed cup of coffee at the Aim café or alternatively, take a look at Aim’s one-of-a-kind electronic noticeboard and media projector.

Aim’s cutting-edge classrooms are designed to greatly enhance your learning experience. A first in the Indonesian language education industry, some Aim classrooms feature ‘Smart’ interactive whiteboards. Students will experience this remarkable leap forward in education, enabling on-demand internet surfing, video viewing and all kinds of other digital media to be presented directly onto the whiteboard! All classrooms implement state-of-the art computer, MP3-based listening and digital surround sound technology.

Do you own a laptop? Bring it to our special laptop classes and add an extra dimension to your learning experience. All Aim classrooms include wireless classroom networks - Write or draw on your laptop one minute, see it on the interactive whiteboard the next.

Gone are the days of chalk, cassettes and tedious textbooks – Welcome to the 21st Century learning environment at Aim.

Here's the Indonesian Translation of a recent article about Aim:-

Ketika Perbedaan menjadi Tujuan

Pemain baru berteknologi tinggi dalam sector pendidikan Bahasa Inggris di Jakarta.

Oleh David Keating.

Jakarta, 5 Mei 2007

Mempelajari dan menggunakan Bahasa Inggris kini telah menjadi bagian penting dalam kehidupan banyak orang di Indonesia. Sejak usia yang masih sangat muda, anak-anak mulai mempelajari Bahasa Inggris di sekolah mereka dan ini berarti mayoritas orang Indonesia yang telah menyelesaikan pendidikan formalnya setidaknya memiliki pengetahuan dasar mengenai prinsip-prinsip Bahasa Inggris.

Selain itu, orangtua juga semakin menyadari bahwa apabila anak-anak mereka mendapatkan pendidikan Bahasa Inggris selangkah lebih maju dari sekedar apa yang diajarkan di sekolah maka anak-anak ini akan memiliki ‘head start’ dibanding teman-teman sebaya mereka ketika mereka ingin memasuki pendidikan tinggi dan pasar kerja. Keluarga-keluarga modern (terutama yang tinggal di kota-kota besar) memasukkan Bahasa Inggris ke dalam kehidupan sehari-hari anak mereka sejak usia dini melalui percakapan dalam keluarga dan kursus-kursus Bahasa Inggris yang dilakukan sepulang sekolah. Sebagai akibat dari meningkatnya tuntutan akan pendidikan Bahasa Inggris ini, jumlah tempat kursus Bahasa Inggris pun meningkat, dan trend ini sangat jelas terlihat di ibukota Indonesia, Jakarta.

Beragam kursus Bahasa Inggris ditawarkan bagi kalangan muda di Jakarta, mulai dari kursus ‘privat’ dengan guru perorangan hingga berbagai jenis program yang ditawarkan oleh begitu banyak kursus Bahasa Inggris komersil di kota Jakarta. Sekarang ini terdapat bermacam kursus Bahasa Inggris yang ditujukan untuk orang-orang yang memiliki latar belakang yang berbeda dan tujuan-tujuan yang berbeda pula:

Academic English, Business English, IELTS preparation, General English, Conversation, TOEFL preparation, writing classes, business communication, ESP(English for Specific Purposes)… dan masih banyak lagi…

Ada dua pertanyaan yang akan dijawab di sini:

1. Apa yang dijadikan pertimbangan oleh para siswa ketika mencari tempat kursus Bahasa Inggris di Jakarta?

2. Di mana semua kebutuhan mereka dapat terpenuhi?

Apa yang dijadikan pertimbangan oleh para siswa ketika mereka mencari tempat kursus Bahasa Inggris di Jakarta?

Sebuah penelitian pasar yang dilakukan untuk www.aimjakarta.com, dan dikombinasikan dengan penyelidikan mendalam, menunjukkan bahwa ada 5 faktor yang menempati posisi teratas dalam memilih tempat kursus Bahasa Inggris di Jakarta, yaitu sebagai berikut (1=paling penting, 5=kurang penting):

1. Guru yang berpengalaman dan mengajar dengan cara yang menyenangkan.

2. Fasilitas dan layanan pendukung

3. Lingkungan belajar yang nyaman

4. Biaya yang terjangkau

5. Dekat dengan rumah/kantor

Di mana semua kebutuhan mereka dapat terpenuhi?

Dengan begitu banyaknya tempat kursus dan guru-guru Bahasa Inggris, Jakarta sebenarnya telah mampu memenuhi tiap-tiap faktor yang disebut di atas. Namun, hanya ada sedikit institusi yang mampu menawarkan keseluruhan faktor di atas secara bersamaan dan sekaligus memberikan lebih banyak lagi. Pemain baru dalam wacana kursus Bahasa Inggris di Jakarta adalah ‘Aim for English’, sebuah tempat kursus yang berlokasi di Manggarai, yang menawarkan ‘personal touch' pada kursus-kursus, fasilitas dan layanan yang saat ini belum ada duanya di Indonesia.

Solusi bahasa yang inovatif

1. Guru-guru yang berpengalaman dan mengajar dengan cara yang menyenangkan

Aim for English (Aim) memiliki guru-guru yang berasal dari Indonesia dan dari negara-negara yang menggunakan Bahasa Inggris sebagai bahasa asli. Kesemua guru tersebut memiliki kesamaan: - mereka memiliki kualifikasi yang diakui oleh dunia internasional, pengalaman bertahun-tahun dalam mengajarkan Bahasa Inggris kepada orang Indonesia, dan ketertarikan serta hasrat yang tulus dalam hal Bahasa Inggris dan mengajar. Tidak seperti beberapa tempat kursus yang kurang memiliki reputasi baik, para pengajar native-speaker di Aim adalah guru-guru yang profesional (bukan sekedar backpacker atau pengelana yang kebetulan mendapat pekerjaan mengajar).

Pelatihan dan pengembangan kemampuan bagi guru merupakan proses yang berkelanjutan di Aim, dan seluruh staf senantiasa berupaya mencapai kesempurnaan.

2. Fasilitas dan layanan pendukung

Fasilitas yang ada di Aim membuat tempat kursus ini berbeda dari tempat-tempat kursus yang lain. Pendekatan yang digunakan Aim yaitu penggunaan teknologi tinggi, dengan adanya papan tulis interaktif touch-screen whiteboard ‘Smart’ di ruang kelas dan kegiatan listening yang menggunakan MP3. Tak ada lagi hari-hari belajar yang masih menggunakan kaset dan papan tulis kapur; kegiatan listening kini dikendalikan dari papan tulis interaktif dan didengarkan melalui 5.1 digital surround-sound speakers.

Interior ruangan pada gedung Aim mewujudkan tempat yang modern, cerah dan memberikan stimulasi untuk belajar atau relax. Begitu anda melangkah melewati pintu gedung yang terletak di tepi jalan Padang ini, anda akan memasuki lounge-café yang sejuk, dikelilingi oleh sebuah area komputer, perpustakaan, dan tempat-tempat duduk yang nyaman untuk membaca koran dan menikmati secangkir kopi yang baru saja dibuat. Setelah mendaftar, siswa Aim akan mendapatkan akses untuk menggunakan wireless internet secara gratis, dengan broadband connection berkecepatan tinggi di setiap sudut ruang duduk dan kelas-kelas.

Yang juga menarik untuk dicatat adalah papan pengumuman Aim yang berbeda dan unik yaitu berupa ‘e-notice board’. Para pemilik Aim memutuskan untuk tidak lagi menggunakan papan tradisional dan sebagai gantinya digunakan sebuah display layar proyektor raksasa di dinding kafe. Display ini menjadi portal untuk berita-berita terbaru, acara khusus, penawaran promo, jadwal, dan pesan-pesan. Solusi inovatif ini merupakan bagian dari keinginan Aim untuk menghemat penggunaan kertas. Strategi lain yang digunakan yaitu mengirimkan PR kepada siswa lewat email, menggunakan dua sisi kertas, dan kemudian mendaur ulang kertas tersebut. Kebijakan yang ramah lingkungan ini membantu menjaga agar biaya kursus yang harus dibayar oleh siswa menjadi terjangkau.

3. Dekat dengan rumah/kantor

Secara geografis, Aim berada di jantung kota. Anda tinggal membuka ‘Google! Earth’ dan anda akan melihat bahwa Aim berada tepat di bawah penanda untuk kota ‘Jakarta’!

Akses yang mudah dapat dicapai dari berbagai wilayah tempat tinggal di Jakarta serta dari distrik utama perkantoran di Sudirman dan Kuningan.

Kelas-kelas Aim sangat kecil (biasanya berjumlah 6-8 siswa), sehingga dengan demikian siswa menerima lebih banyak perhatian dari guru. Di luar kelas, siswa dapat menghubungi guru mereka melalui email atau sms 7 hari dalam seminggu, dan siswa juga dapat bercakap-cakap dengan para guru di kafe sesering mungkin.

Aim juga menampilkan ‘Overseas Study Information Centre’ yang tidak memihak, yaitu sebuah pusat informasi mengenai pendidikan di luar negeri di mana siswa dapat mengetahui berbagai hal mengenai belajar di luar negeri, mendapatkan bantuan untuk mengurus aplikasi, dan saran mengenai proses penerimaan serta visa pelajar.

Sepertinya dapat disimpulkan bahwa mereka yang mencari tempat kursus Bahasa Inggris yang memberikan personal touch dapat menemukan apa yang mereka cari di jantung kota Jakarta. Pada website www.aimjakarta.com terdapat detail mengenai staf, kursus yang ditawarkan, fasilitas, dan penawaran promo yang sedang berlangsung.

Kunjungi forum Aim; di sini terdapat kesempatan bagi siapapun untuk mendapatkan saran gratis secara online dari para pakar Bahasa Inggris.

Hubungi: info@aimjakarta.com untuk informasi lebih lanjut.

Discover Aim's website.
More than just an online brochure...

• Live chat with teachers and staff
• Free advice at the forum
• photo gallery
• word of the day
• links for students: free sites
• downloads
• Online special offers
• & much, much more!
  

Aiming to be Different

The new hi-tech player in Jakarta’s English language education sector.

By David Keating.

Jakarta, May 5^th 2007

Both learning and using the English language have now become a major part of the lives of many Indonesians. From a young age, children begin learning English at schools, meaning the majority of Indonesians who complete formal school education have at least a basic grasp of the fundamentals of the language.

Increasingly, families are recognizing that children who take language education one step further are getting a ‘head start’ on their peers when it comes to higher education and the employment market. From a young age, some modern Indonesian families (especially those in the big cities) incorporate English into the daily lives of their children through family conversation and after-school language classes. The result of this upsurge in demand for language education has been an increasing number of language schools, and nowhere can this trend better be seen than in Indonesia’s capital city, Jakarta.

A bewildering variety of English language courses are on offer for Jakarta’s youth, from ‘private’ classes with individual teachers to the array of different types of programs offered by the multitude of commercial language schools in the city. There are now English courses aimed at people from all walks of life, and for an array of different purposes:

Academic English, Business English, IELTS preparation, General English, Conversation, TOEFL preparation, writing classes, business communication, ESP(English for specific purposes)… the list goes on…

2 questions will be addressed here:

1. What are students looking for in a Jakarta language school

2. Where can all of their needs be met?

What are students looking for in a Jakarta language school?

Market research conducted on behalf of www.aimjakarta.com , combined with extensive investigation, have shown that the 5 highest ranked factors when choosing a language school in Jakarta are as follows (1=most important, 5=least important):

1. Experienced, fun teachers.

2. Range of support services and facilities

3. Comfortable learning environment

4. Reasonable price

5. Close to home/office

Where can all of the students’ needs be met?

With so many schools and so many teachers, Jakarta already caters for each of the abovementioned factors. However, very few institutions are able to offer them all and more besides. The new player on the language school scene in Jakarta is ‘Aim for English’, a small Manggarai-based centre offering ‘the personal touch’, as well as courses, services and facilities currently unparalleled in Indonesia.

Innovative language solutions

1. Experienced, fun teachers.

Aim for English (Aim) has teachers from Indonesia and from English-speaking countries. They all have several things in common: - Internationally recognized qualifications, years of experience of teaching English to Indonesians, and genuine passion for the English language and teaching. Unlike some less reputable language schools, Aim’s native-speakers are ‘here to stay’ (they’re not glorified backpackers with a job).

Teacher training and development is a continual process at Aim, and all staff strive for perfection.

1. Range of support services and facilities & 3. Comfortable learning environment

Aim’s facilities really help it stand out from the crowd. Their approach is to go ‘hi-tech’, implementing ‘Smart’ touch-screen white boards in classrooms and MP3-based listening activities. Gone are the days of cassettes and chalk boards; listening activities are now controlled by the white board and piped out via 5.1 digital surround-sound speakers.

Aim’s custom-designed interior creates a modern, bright stimulating place to relax or study. Walk through the door off Jalan Padang into an air-conditioned lounge-café, featuring a computer section, a library, and plenty of places to sit in comfort and read a newspaper with a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Once enrolled, students have access to Aim’s free wireless internet service, providing a hi-speed broadband connection in all communal areas and class rooms.

Also worthy of note is Aim’s one-of-a-kind ‘e-notice board’. The owners of Aim have done away with the traditional cork pin-boards, and now have a giant projector-screen display on the café wall. This is a portal for all of the latest news, special events, offers, schedules and messages. This innovative solution is part of Aim’s drive to save paper. Other strategies are: emailing homework to students, reusing paper, and recycling used paper. This environmentally-friendly policy helps to keep students’ fees as reasonable as possible.

2. Close to home/office

Geographically, Aim really is at the heart of the city. You only have to look as far as ‘Google! Earth’ Aim is right under the marker for ‘Jakarta’!

There’s convenient access for the residential areas of Jakarta, as well as the main central office districts of Sudirman and Kuningan.

Aim’s classes are small (usually 6-8 students), so students receive plenty of personal attention. Out of class, students can contact teachers via email or sms 7 days per week, and teachers make themselves available for casual conversation in the café as often as possible.

Aim also features an impartial ‘Overseas Study Information Centre’, where students can find out about overseas study institutions, get help with applications, and receive advice on the complicated enrollment and student visa process

So finally it seems like people looking for a quality language course which delivers ‘the personal touch’ (while embracing the future) can find what they’re looking for in the heart of Jakarta. www.aimjakarta.com has details of staff, courses, facilities and current special offers.

Look for the forum too; it’s a chance for anyone to get free online advice from the English language experts.

Contact: info@aimjakarta.com for more information.

Need some free advice?
You can now ask questions at Aim's thread on kaskus.us

look in the 'English' sub-forum, then click: 'Ask a Bule!'

How to study English.

Dewi, a senior English Language Instructor at Aim for English, Manggarai, Jakarta is often asked by her students to give them tips on the best ways to study English. Dewi says, “ I always tell them that the keys to successful English language study are motivation and dedication. What I mean is that people have to WANT to study English in order to put 100% effort into their English learning endeavours”, she goes on to give some practical tips suggesting students should try to make time every day to do some sort of English study even on the days that they don't have classes. “ Read a few articles from the Jakarta Post – it doesn't matter if you don't understand every word”, she advises, adding that, “Listening to English language radio stations, watching BBC World or CNN and speaking English with friends and family are also great ways to improve your English”