Dr Rafael Parra has been a student at NELC for two years. He is one of the students who chose the Language Coaching course. English is very important in his profession and this format allows him to tailor his classes to his needs and focus on those aspects that are most important for him.
NELC: How long have you been studying English?
Rafael Parra: I started studying English at university when I was doing medicine, but I could not keep it up regularly. I would begin a course and then drop out the following year, and did so several times. However, because of the need to attend and contribute to international meetings, this time I have resumed English classes on a regular basis.
N: How important is mastery of English for your professional career?
R: English is the lingua franca of medicine around the world, the language in which international meetings and congresses are held. Fluency in this language is vital if I am to communicate effectively and successfully pursue my career.
N: Have you studied at other language centres?
R: Previously I studied at the ESADE language school. The methods are similar because the teachers who founded NELC were previously teachers at ESADE.
N: Why did you choose NELC?
R: Because of the confidence I have in John Power and Claire Balch as English teachers. Both had previously been my teachers and I had no doubts about their excellent English-teaching skills.
N: What would you highlight about NELC?
R: As regards the methodology I would highlight the personalised attention that seeks to identify the needs of each student and adapt the content to them.
As regards the teachers I would underscore their experience and expertise and also their vision of English teaching. At NELC it is treated as a learning experience that goes beyond mere grammar and vocabulary.
N: How many students were there in your class?
R: The classes I attended were individual.
N: Do you think you cope better in English now?
R: I have improved in all the skills related to knowledge of English, though in some (vocabulary, oral fluency) more than in others (pronunciation).
N: What did you miss?
R: More time outside the classroom to practice and develop the various topics we dealt with.
NELC BIO
Name: Rafael Parra
Age: 56
Job: Doctor
Company: BST-Hospital Vall d’Hebron, Barcelona
NELC student since: 2014
Course studied: Language Coaching
Length of course: several months
Language Coaches: John Power and Claire Balch
