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You would think that English language schools would be ubiquitous in the United States, but they are typically located only in the larger cities. Nearly all of them are branches of national chains, several of which are well-known global brands such as Berlitz. It is also common to find English language schools connected with major colleges and universities.

The easiest way to begin taking English classes is to enroll in a private ESL school. A major chain like Berlitz or Kaplan has locations in more than a dozen states and offers a range of different courses, from business-focused classes to conversational English. The length of the courses also ranges from a couple of weeks to several months. The tuition is comparable to other countries and most respected chains have qualified ESL teachers on staff.

There are also numerous smaller regional language schools with just one or two branches. These tend to cater to just one city, like Denver or Santa Barbara, but the quality is often just as good as the larger global chains. These independent ESL schools often offer unique short-term courses that incorporate cultural experiences or outdoor recreation into the package to give students a more rounded experience with the language.

Most of the language schools in America offer classes in the evenings to cater to working adults. The key to success with any attempt to learn English is to attend class regularly and as often as your schedule and budget allows. By living in an English-speaking country you have the chance to practice English every day, using the actual class time to reinforce your language skills and practice specific trouble spots.

For a more academic language program consider studying at a university. Most major universities have ESL programs that don’t require you to be enrolled at the college. They are separate programs often run in conjunction with the linguistics or English department. University courses have the advantage that the instructors are almost always graduate students enrolled full time at the college. It’s likely you will get a teacher who is seriously interested in developing their ESL teaching methods in these types of environments.

Private language tutors are also easy to find in most of the larger cities, but here you run the risk of getting involved with someone who is not fully qualified to teach English. There is no point is learning a language wrong, so be very careful when choosing the private tutor option.