Cleverlearn Introduces Movielearn: English Learning + Entertainment

	Can anyone learn English by watching movies? Certainly. Because something fun and entertaining can still have an educational purpose. Movielearn, the latest breakthrough product from your leading English learning solutions provider, Cleverlearn Ltd., infuses the luxury of entertainment into the English learning process.
Movielearn, which comes in DVD format, does away with the structured language instruction program by introducing a more interactive approach to help students improve their English skills while watching their favorite Hollywood movie. Movielearn is currently being patented.

“This is what Movielearn is all about: enjoyable as it is instructive,” says Joe Mercado, Cleverlearn's Chief Executive Officer. “Movielearn is built on the idea that watching a film, like reading a novel, exposes the student to language, and in this case, English. However, it is the language in a real life situation, language that is spoken in everyday life.”

He further explains, “In a movie, you can see the expressions on the actors' faces as they speak. You can hear how words are spoken to convey their emotions or feelings. And Movielearn certainly does more than that.”

Movielearn uses the English subtitles of movies and enables the English learner to either watch the movie or use it as a learning tool. Using a DVD player or a home computer (equipped with a DVD player), the student may pause at any word or phrase they do not understand and ask for a definition, pronunciation, explanation, or translation into their native language.

Movielearn explains colloqualisms, idioms, slang, and technical jargon in the movie dialogue. Thus, the student is immersed in conversational English in a manner that provides rich context and high retention.

Movielearn can be used as a teaching aid, a vocabulary builder, and a pronunciation guide, with its easy-to-use features. And because it is so versatile, you can use it in a classroom setting, a multimedia lab, an institution's computer network, or play it on your home computer equipped with a DVD player.

Order your Movielearn DVD now and get the first 2 movies for a special price. For inquiries, email us at info@movielearn.com.

To know more about this product, visit www.movielearn.com.

Cleverlearn China hosted a Breakfast Press Conference with the members of the Shenzhen press on March 3, 2005. The meeting, held at Cleverlearn's Futian English Language Center, was attended by local newspaper reporters.

At the conference, Cleverlearn China Director Rolland Long announced to the local press the English learning provider's newest campaigns and projects lined up for the Chinese market.

Learn English for Free Campaign

Cleverlearn China recently launched its “Learn English for Free” campaign, as its way to incent loyal customers at its English centers in Futian and Shekuo. “We think this is a great gift we're giving our customers, after they come back from their Chinese New Year holiday,” says Mr. Long.

He further explains that in this campaign, existing and potential customers or students will be given either a free tuition or a reimbursement of their paid fees if they are able to introduce or bring in at least two full-fee paying students.

New Pricing Package

“Along this line,” he continues, “we also launched a new pricing package for the China market. This is our way of keeping our loyal customers and at the same time, attracting more potential customers to the centers.”

In this new pricing package, a student can save up to a 15% discount on a 12-month enrollment in a course at any of the centers. For the details of this new pricing scheme, please call Cleverlearn China at (86) 755 – 26866123 in Shekou or at +86 135 2885 9772 in Futian , or visit www.cleverlearn.com.

New Partnerships

To further promote the Cleverlearn prepaid cards and make them readily available to the market, Cleverlearn China is acquiring new partners for prepaid card resellerships.

“We are eyeing on bookstores, internet cafes, computer hardware and software vendors, agents and other verticals,” says Mr. Long. “Attractive commission packages, based on sales, will be offered to our would-be partners/resellers.”

He continues, “Hopefully, these new partnerships will give us better coverage in terms of visibility in the market, and position ourselves strategically in terms of point of sales all over Shenzhen.”

Industry Recognition

Cleverlearn China has been named by Sina Web as one of the ten major foreign language education brands. The Nanshan District Education Bureau has also appointed Cleverlearn as primary and middle school English teachers' base primarily because of its experience in training work and high quality learning tools.

“These new tools will be very useful to students in preparing for their TOEIC exams with the aim of raising their scores. These programs will complement the intensive TOEIC exam preparation courses given at our centers,” says Chadston Tran, Cleverlearn VN country manager.

“And learning becomes more fun and convenient,” Mr. Tran continues, “when you can continue learning anytime you want it when you use the Cleverlearn online prepaid card.” These prepaid cards are available for only 150.000 VND at www.cleverlearn.com.

For further details, please contact Cleverlearn VN at +848 930 2861 in HCMC or +844 7261698 in Hanoi. Email us at info@cleverlearn.com or visit the centers located at:

Building 3, 2C Diplomatic Compound Van Phuc, Van Bao, Ba Dinh, Hanoi; or 186 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 3 in Ho Chi Minh City.

Cleverlearn Named Official TOEIC Test Center - TOEIC Bridge in Vietnam

Cleverlearn (Vietnam) English Language Center has been tapped by the TOEIC® Vietnam as the official English TOEIC Test Center – TOEIC Bridge. The cooperation contract between Cleverlearn and TOEIC Vietnam was signed in a grand ceremony on December 17, 2004, at Daewoo Hotel in Hanoi.

TOEIC, which stands for Test of English for International Communication, is the leading English test program being used by 70% of the global market today. In Vietnam, over the past years, TOEIC has grown in popularity as many local enterprises are using it to periodically test their employee's English skills.

“The appointment of Cleverlearn as Vietnam's the TOEIC test center creates a breakthrough in achieving our goal of meeting the increasing demand of the Vietnam market in general and the enterprises in particular. This also sets up a new address for those who want to take TOEIC exams,” says Mr. Phung Van Trung, Cleverlearn Vietnam representative.

Cleverlearn Vietnam, with its two world-class centers in 186 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, Ward 6, Dist 3, HCM City, and the Building 3/2C, Diplomatic Compound, Van Phuc, Hanoi, has established itself as the leading English learning institution and service provider in the Vietnamese market. In December 2004, Cleverlearn officially launched its own simulated TOEIC exam on mobile phone to help learners sharpen their English skills and prepare for the real TOEIC tests.

Cleverlearn Vietnam also offers these courses: CleverClass (general English), CleverKids (English for children), CleverTeens (English for teenagers), CleverBusiness (business English); CleverTests (Exams for international diplomats) and special courses designed to meet the specific demand of both local and foreign companies.

In the future, Cleverlearn Vietnam will expand and establish branches in big cities and provinces in Vietnam like Hai Phong, Hue, Da Nang, Can Tho, in its desire to bring its advanced and unique tools and methods of English learning technologies to the Vietnamese market.

On Comparative Adjectives

Question: Sir, my English teacher returned a report which I had written. She gave me a poor grade on the report. One of the things, which she said is not correct, is this statement, “He was the tallest of the two brothers.”

Can you explain why this is not correct, please?

Thank you,

Anne

Answer: Thank you for asking me, Anne. The statement, “He was the tallest of the two brothers,” is not correct, just as your teacher told you.

When we compare or contrast two of anything, we must use what is called the “comparative” form of the adjective. If we compare or contrast more than two, we must use what is called the “superlative” form of the adjective.

Your statement tells us that there are only two brothers. Therefore, we must use a comparative adjective, not the superlative form.

To make an adjective comparative, we usually add “-er” to the end of the word. So, “tall” becomes “taller” in its comparative form. If the adjective is a very long word (with more than two syllables), we place “more” before the adjective and do not add “-er”. An example is the adjective “beautiful”. The comparative form of beautiful is “more beautiful”.

In your statement, you added “-est” to the adjective. The “-est” ending is the superlative form. As I mentioned above, the superlative form is used only for comparing more than two of something.

I trust this will help you understand the concept of comparative adjectives.

Some Tips to Prepare for the TOEIC Test

* Hi, Prof. Clever,

I read your article in the February issue of CleverNews that talked about TOEIC and Cleverlearn's latest online program called Cleverlearn TOEIC® Preparation.

I am very interested in what TOEIC is about as I am currently applying for a job in a multinational company here in Korea. What advice can you give me to help me get the (TOEIC) score I need to qualify for the job?

Thank you.

Hansung
(email address withheld)

* Note: This letter was originally written in Korean.

According to Educational Testing Service, the “Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) measures the everyday English skills of people working in an international environment. With over three million test-takers per year, the TOEIC Test is the world's leading test of English language proficiency in a workplace setting.

“The TOEIC test is highly reliable and accurate, available on demand, features rapid test scoring and reporting, and provides a quantifiable standard of performance recognized around the world. For millions of people, those who take it and those who rely upon its scores, the TOEIC test is a critical benchmark of English language skills.”

At present, more than 6000 firms all over the world are applying this TOEIC exam. Particularly in 2003, over 4,3 million people in the world took this test.

Cleverlearn recently launched its own online TOEIC prep course called Cleverlearn TOEIC® Preparation. This online course is designed to help its users improve their TOEIC scores by making them practice for the real TOEIC test through the course's exercises and test simulation.

And incidentally, we're currently running a promo where you can avail yourself of a FREE one-month subscription to Cleverlearn TOEIC Preparation if you enroll now in CleverCourse. Go to www.cleverlearn.com to enroll in CleverCourse.

Now, here are some tips to getting the most out of your review with Cleverlearn TOEIC® Preparation:

1. Set a goal.

What do you want to achieve by taking the TOEIC exam? Different types of jobs require certain scores. Most entry level positions require a score of 600. Also, when setting a goal, make sure it is attainable. Setting too high a goal will disappoint you.

2. Get to know the test.

By familiarizing yourself with the structure of the test and the type of questions found in it, you will get a good picture of what the test requires and your strengths and weaknesses.

One way of doing this is to practice on simulated tests and review with similar structured questions and exercises. This allows you to become familiar and more confident when taking the actual test.

3. Practice. Practice. Practice.

It does not matter if you enroll in the best review program for the TOEIC exam if you do not set aside time to review. The more you practice for the exam the better your chances are. Even if you have a busy schedule, you must make a commitment to set aside time, preferably every day.

If you cannot review for long periods of time, then break up your review schedule. 10-20 minute review sessions, several times during your day, every day can make the difference on how well you perform on the TOEIC test.

We wish you the best of luck.

Prof. Clever

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