The decision to study English is an exciting one.

Kazuhisa Yamashita

Having worked as a barista in Australia and Auckland for several years, Kazu Yamashita could speak a little bit of English. But not enough to confidently embark on a diploma or bachelor degree programme of study.

Now the 32 year-old, who is originally from Japan, is studying a Bachelor of Information Technology at AIS, having first completed a New Zealand Certificate in English Language over four months in late 2020.

The Level 4 programme is designed to equip students with the listening, speaking, reading and writing skills necessary in English to then successfully undertake a full-time tertiary programme in New Zealand.

“Once you pass NZCEL, the certificate from this course proves your English level,” Kazu explains. “So you can then enter university or other courses elsewhere, depending on which level of NZCEL you take.

Kazu first heard about AIS and their English Language Centre from a Japanese agent. “I was looking for schools so I could change my career and for my visa.

“Most of the students in my NZCEL course had a similar purpose to my own for studying, so it was so easy to make good relationships with them and help each other. It made my time in this course so enjoyable. My teacher was so nice. He was very helpful and kind whenever I went to see him to ask some questions.”

Kazu is now interested in becoming a software developer in future. “Because if you have a skill, you can get a job anywhere, not only in New Zealand. My goal is to become a software developer and make my life more stable.”

Kazu has no hesitation in recommending AIS to prospective students who want to improve their English language skills. “There are so many students you can be friends with who come from various countries. New Zealand is a country mixed with lots of cultures. When you get a job, you will get an opportunity to work with people from all over the world. So it is really good to study with many international students.

“This school is also very affordable as they offer many courses at a much lower cost than university. They have a dormitory on their campus as well, so you do not have to worry about your accommodation.”

Helen Tran

With a passion for marketing and a desire to complete an MBA, Helen Tran decided to enroll in AIS’ New Zealand Certificate in English Language (Level 5) to prepare for the academic journey ahead.

The 28 year-old is originally from Vietnam, and her husband was a previous AIS student. “I got the recommendation from him. There was very good service from the marketing team and the course fee was suitable for my budget,” Helen explains.

She began her NZCEL studies in February 2021 and just five months later was ready to tackle her MBA.

“Before I took the NZCEL course, I thought it would be boring. However, the NZCEL level 5 course was an interesting experience and very useful, especially for a student who plans to take an MBA course like me,” Helen says.

“What impressed me most about this course was the quality of the instructors’ teaching and the interesting learning materials. For example, I learned and practised writing assignments with an academic style and how to do references properly. I also enjoyed the speaking practise hours, group discussions, and presentations. My skimming skills to summarise an article, journal or listen to details have also improved significantly after this course.”

Thanks to the skills Helen learned in her NZCEL, she confidently completed all her MBA course assignments in her own words and correctly referenced. She also received positive feedback on the quality of her assignments and presentations from her lecturers.

“I apply almost all the skills I learned at the NZCEL level 5 course to my MBA and my work, such as the ability to skim, read, and grasp ideas quickly, professional writing skills, and efficient group discussions when working as a team.”

The qualification has also made her transition into the workforce much easier. She is now working for a furniture retailer and pursuing her marketing dream.

“Thanks to the skills I learned from AIS, I am more confident when writing my CV and cover letter and interviewing by phone, online, and face-to-face. In particular, the presentation skills I practised in this course helped me present my proposal and portfolio professionally and attractively.”

Maria Isabel Suarez Jaimes

Colombian teenager Maria Isabel Suarez Jaimes says the best way to learn English is to move to an English-speaking country and just get started. New Zealand was her first choice as it was a safe country and small compared to other options like Australia. After trying a few different language schools, she quickly settled at AIS and now speaks English fluently.

“AIS has different tools. They have a big library where you have access to computers, lots of space and time to study. They also provide Grammarly premium and the teachers are always available to help you if you need anything. You can visit them in their office before or after class. That's something that other courses in New Zealand don’t have.”

The multi-cultural campus was also an advantage as it forced Maria to use the skills she was learning in her level 4 New Zealand Certificate in English Language (NZCEL).

“If you meet someone at AIS you have to speak in English – that's something that doesn’t happen at other tertiary providers because they always have an Argentinian or Chilean or someone there who can speak Spanish.” Maria found the English-only environment really helped improve her language skill. She is now studying a Bachelor of Business and has big dreams for her future.

“I would like to join a big company one day in sales or management where I can learn and improve my skills to get my own business in the future.”

Faisal Aqeel

Originally from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Faisal came to New Zealand as a companion to his sister. The Saudi government awarded his sister a scholarship for higher education studies in New Zealand, and part of the funds covered Faisal’s English studies for one year. Having tried AIS General English for three months, Faisal extended to one year.

The decision to choose New Zealand was made simple:

“I was offered me the opportunity to go to New Zealand. If you want a good job, study in New Zealand because New Zealand universities are very, very good.”

Faisal chose AIS for himself and his sister after a recommendation from friends.

“All my friends told me – if you want good English language in New Zealand, go to AIS.

“There are not many Saudi students at AIS. In the city there are lots of Saudi students. They all speak Arabic, all the time. But students at AIS come from different countries – everyone speaks English everywhere.”

Faisal and his sister live with a homestay family close to AIS. Both are enjoying their stay in New Zealand.

“I have a best friend who is Kiwi. The New Zealand weather is nice, the people are friendly, nice shopping and … everywhere I go, everything is good. I like staying in New Zealand. The first three months I felt sad, but now I don’t want to go to any other country.”

Martin Blayney

Martin is a proud Kiwi who, after a couple of years teaching overseas, is happy to be home working in New Zealand. He is currently a full-time elementary-level teacher at the New Zealand Institute of Science and Technology. His students encompass a broad range of nationalities, ranging in age from their 20s to their 70s, so every day is varied and exciting.

This variety suits his high-energy, enthusiastic style of teaching that Martin developed teaching for two years in Japan. He had been fascinated by the Japanese language and culture since secondary school, and subsequently earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in English and Japanese at the University of Auckland.

Teaching for the first time overseas, Martin admits, “Teaching overseas was overwhelming. It was largely trial and error as it was my first teaching job. This was before I studied at AIS. I wish I had done my CertTESOL before I went to Japan.”

When he returned from teaching in Japan, Martin’s studies at AIS gave him a huge amount of experience teaching in the classroom before venturing out into the workforce. “In the CertTESOL programme at AIS, every week we were teaching anywhere from 10 to 30 students. We then got feedback and suggestions for improvement from our peers and from three tutors. So there was lots of opportunity to learn and improve.”

When he did start applying for work, it was AIS on his CV that got the attention of his current employer. “They saw that I had studied at AIS and knew straight away that I had enough practical experience.”

“AIS was a great place for me to further my studies as I could start right away. I also had a huge amount of teamwork and support from the other students and the teachers when things got busy and stressful. And the institute has a great reputation with employers. As a result I have been able to find teaching positions at a few different places. I highly recommend it!”

Laura Casadio

As you might expect from a teacher, when asked how she feels about her studies at AIS, Laura gives it a grade out of 10 – a perfect 10! Laura recently completed Upper Intermediate level English, and is looking forward to completing IELTS studies so she can become a fully registered New Zealand teacher.

She has a master’s degree in preschool teaching from a university in Italy, so is looking forward to further advancing her career here in New Zealand.

Laura chose AIS because it enabled her to study English with the visa she had, while looking for work. She is now a preschool teacher at an early childcare centre, and credits her English Language studies at AIS as the main reason she was able to find employment.

“My grammar and speaking really improved during my time at AIS. There is an individual focus for each student and I received a lot of support. The class sizes were small so this helped a lot in getting attention from the teacher. My English teacher even checked my CV before I applied for my job and acted as my referee. My dream when I was in Italy is now being realised.”

Nina Mercep

I chose to study with AIS for a number of reasons, the main one being that it is a very well-established language school in Auckland. My mother has taught here for some 10 years, which is a strong recommendation. The joy of being able to help others learn and build confidence, coupled with my interest in other cultures, particularly those that are East Asian, led me to enrolling in the AIS CertTESOL programme. I have recently become a new mother, so I wanted to create more opportunities for my future.

I had a great experience at AIS. The eight-week fulltime programme really suited me, as intensive study is what I like. My experience was very positive. I had very experienced and down-to-earth tutors whose insight and knowledge was of great use. The practical aspect of the CertTESOL programme forced us as new teachers to try and give it a go, and in doing so we progressed a lot faster. I now work for AIS as a relief teacher, as well as freelance English teaching to international students here in Auckland.

I recommend AIS. First and foremost the staff are all amazingly hospitable and approachable, as are the students. The array of cultures together in every class means the classes are interesting, with their own dynamic. There’s a lot of help readily available for newcomers, too. I absolutely recommend this school to anyone willing to learn.

Tomoko Otsuki

A local education agent in Japan recommended that Tomoko study English in New Zealand because it’s safe for women and young students. The agent also recommended AIS due to the variety of courses we offer.

“AIS has other courses and offers a choice. My friend went to another school and didn’t have many choices.”

At first Tomoko found that studying English at AIS was hard.

“At first I couldn’t listen, I didn’t understand. I was a bit shocked! Studying English in Japan was easy, but at AIS it was not easy …”

Luckily, having the support of her teachers and friends, coupled with the all-around English-speaking environment of AIS and of New Zealand, helped her settle in and feel comfortable. Tomoko advanced from intermediate to upper intermediate level in just under two months and took EAP Stage I shortly after that.

“When I stayed there I had full-on days. I learned a lot. I improved my writing skills, reading skills, vocabulary … there are lots of opportunities to speak all the time.”

Nearing the end of her studies, Tomoko enrolled in a 12-week IELTS preparation course. Her latest test, undertaken in Japan, showed a high score equivalent to IELTS 7.0 and TOEIC 860.

“If I can speak English, I can communicate – and there’s no problem. If you have confidence, you can go anywhere.”

Kay Redmayne-Porter

As New Zealand becomes more multicultural, there is no better place to witness this diversity than in the primary school environment. However, with many families coming to the country without English as a first language, it highlights the importance of ESOL departments - as AIS graduate Kay understands.

Kay works as the Head of ESOL at a North Shore primary school, a department which is funded for no less than 35 students from countries around the globe, including China, South Korea, Russia and Japan. 

Kay wanted to offer her international students a better learning environment, and completing an industry-level course was the perfect step. 

For Kay, the key part of her AIS programme was the quality education. Incorporating both a practical and theoretical base, the CertTESOL programme is highly detailed with a regularly updated curriculum. Kay also cited the smaller classes taught by industry leaders which allows for constant feedback and support.

“The programme allows you time to think about the particular languages and the differences with English. This in regards to pronunciation and fluency which are quite hard to work on in terms of teaching and how you incorporate them into your daily lesson planning.”

As Kay was already in a primary school, heading back to the classroom herself provided a unique insight into how English should be taught.

“You have a lot of specifically focussed language teachers around you all the time and you get to observe them. I’ve seen people whose jobs are especially around language - it’s good to watch really good teachers teaching.”

A lot of the CertTESOL programme stands out for Kay, but the structure has left the greatest impact - a spiral system.

“They will teach you something in week one and you think you are getting it. Then the next week, they will come back to it in a new way and add more elements to it. By the time you’re in week eight, you have an entirely new level of knowledge - it is very cleverly planned.”

Alvaro Sanchez Ruiz

Japan might seem like a world away from Mexico, but for Alvaro, the best way to get to his dream country is a stopover here in New Zealand.  Together with his partner, Alvaro has held firm to dreams about living and working in Japan.

However, with the easiest avenue to get there through teaching English, he knew that he had to make a shift to a predominantly English-speaking country to further his language skills.

Upon arrival in New Zealand, Alvaro completed a number of ELC classes, before completing his CertTESOL. To improve his English skills further, Alvaro began working at a Mission Bay restaurant as a bartender and part-time waiter.

“Since I came to New Zealand, everyone thinks I am a native English speaker, but that is because I was continually practising my speaking, listening and fluency at both AIS and the restaurant.”

While Alvaro’s English skills have improved dramatically as a result of his employment and communicating with the general public, he is quick to highlight the role that AIS has played. Citing its supportive environment and focus on the individual student, AIS may have provided the perfect stepping stone for Alvaro to get to Japan.

“At AIS, one of my teachers is by far my favourite since I began my studies. He was really well prepared and took the time to talk with students around their individual problems.”

Alvaro also credits the smaller class sizes at AIS as an element that has helped him reach his potential. 

“Every teacher is putting in a lot of effort to make the classes interactive and interesting for the students.”

Alvaro plans to stay in New Zealand for a time, completing another AIS programme alongside his work at the restaurant. Alvaro is also considering further educational opportunities before heading to Japan in the coming years. Of course, any successes that Alvaro and his partner have in Asia will have foundations born in New Zealand.

“AIS is well prepared for international students and is a really good place to study. I originally had doubts that I could become a teacher, but after my experience at AIS, I’m inspired.”