Phonics is the first level for students learning English. This can be for students who have never spoken even a word of English before, or for students still getting comfortable with the alphabet and English sounds. There are some sounds in English that aren't present in many other languages, so it can take time for students to become comfortable pronouncing unfamiliar sounds and learning to physically manipulate their mouth to enunciate them.

Some of the main skills we focus on at the Phonics level are: alphabet, common vocabulary words (apple, banana, carrot, dog, mom, dad etc.), simple greetings (hello and goodbye), long and short vowel sounds, choosing an English name to use, and numbers.

Nearing the end of phonics, students should be able to express that they like something "I like pasta", they should be able to read simple sentences out loud, and they should be able to greet in English. Ideally, at this level, students will have begun building a small vocabulary that they can use in a variety of situations. The most important part of phonics is really just getting students familiar with how English sounds, particularly when spoken by a native speaker. 

Here is where students start putting together simple sentences and begin to learn how to express ideas and feelings in English. Students will be taught opposites (yes and no, do and don't, etc.) and vocabulary from various subjects (weather, school, time, animals, actions). Students at this point of acquisition can begin learning introductions and various common questions that they might face when meeting a native English speaker. At this stage, students won't really begin learning any grammar, since it is more important to focus on basic skills before introducing more grammar rules or linguistic properties that differentiate English from their language.

At this stage, students will begin to also have content introduced that is suitable for their age. With a younger student, more focus will be placed on learning vocabulary involved in expressing interests. It's important to get an idea of what students are interested in, so that lessons can be engaging and fun for them. For example, if students love dinosaurs, lessons will be adapted to reflect that. For older students, their interests may be more school oriented, or they may enjoy learning about specific subjects like geography or science.

The goal for students in the beginner level should be to develop the ability to use simple phrases to express simple ideas in English. As students encounter common expressions, their vocabulary will naturally expand. 

This third level should allow students to build on their existing abilities. A wider array of subjects can be introduced as students become more comfortable with a larger vocabulary. Intermediate can be a difficult level for students (and their parents) because it may seem like their learning has plateaued or slowed down in some sense. As anyone who has attempted to learn a second language knows, language acquisition at different stages is not uniform, no matter how much time is allotted for studying. This stage likely requires the most time and effort from students.

Students in the intermediate level will start to encounter some grammar rules, English tenses, and various daily expressions. Reading and writing will play a more significant part in student progress. It's important that students broaden their engagement with various subjects at this stage, so that they can become comfortable with more complex ideas as they advance. Students may become overwhelmed with the amount they don't know, but as long as they can stay focused on their learning objectives they will be able to succeed.

Students at an intermediate proficiency in English should aim for clear communication of simple ideas. They should be using full sentences and gradually be introducing discipline-specific terminology in their speaking. 

Advanced students will face many of the challenges that intermediate students do. They will be faced with listening or reading tasks that may be overwhelming, but their speaking and writing skills will help them to identify key phrases and common linguistic constructions. Additional grammar rules will be necessary so that students can properly use each of the 8 parts of speech together to express complex thoughts and ideas.

It's crucial for students looking to eventually master the language to begin thinking in English. It is not enough just to communicate in English by always translating first into a student's native language. As there are many stages within the advanced level, the ability to think fluently in English may not be present until later in the advanced stage of learning. Students will need to become comfortable assimilating new phrases and vocabulary quite quickly as they engage with challenging topics.

The goal for advanced students is to be able to communicate nearly anything they would want to in their native language. Of course, pronunciation, word choice, and lexical range will be limited, but as students progress to mastering English, they need to feel like they can hold a conversation or write a paragraph that accurately expresses how they feel and what they think. 

Students mastering English will be fully functional in conversation. It takes a long time to achieve, but it should be the goal for every student with a desire to someday use English in a professional or business setting. Syntax, morphology, and phonology are all important linguistic elements that build the foundation of mastery.

Students should be able to glean semantic differences between words and phrases as they enter this stage. Though it's a significant challenge to develop, students should be confident enough in their implicit understanding of English that they can sometimes parse out the meaning of a phrase even if unfamiliar vocabulary is present.

Mastering English is something that not all native speakers can even do, so it should be understood that this stage could take several years of dedicated study, depending on the desired level of mastery. Goals for students at this level are highly dependent on the individual. Some learners may desire to work in a career requiring regular use of English, or may simply want to live comfortably in an English-speaking country.