March 12th, 2024 english

Meet José, a 31-year-old IT tech support professional from Brazil, currently residing in the beautiful south of the country. Before settling in this picturesque region and pursuing a career in IT, José spent two years immersed in academic life at Dublin City University (DCU), focusing on improving his English language skills at DCU International Academy (DCUIA).

In this blog, we’ll explore the motivations that led José to choose DCU and delve into his experiences studying English.

At the start of his journey, José’s primary goal was to practise English beyond the confines of a predominantly Brazilian community. This aspiration guided him to select DCU, where he emphasised the importance of stepping out of his comfort zone, avoiding conversations in Portuguese, and immersing himself in a new culture surrounded by people from various nationalities in an English-speaking environment. This approach was crucial for him to truly advance his English language proficiency.

José discovered a supportive community at DCUIA, with special mention to a teacher with whom he maintains contact to this day. José started out with basic English greetings such as “hello” and “how are you.” José offered advice to fellow students beginning a similar journey, urging them not to be afraid of the challenges. He shares, “It will be challenging, but you’ll learn. I felt stuck at times, but the teachers are there to help—just keep going.”

Transitioning from Brazil to Ireland, José found the experience smooth and adaptable. Residing in the Finglas area and taking up a job working among other nationalities proved to be a valuable experience. While José acknowledges that communication barriers at times can be challenging, he views these instances as valuable learning experiences, as they provide opportunities to use English in real-life situations.

Reflecting on his linguistic journey, José highlights his proficiency in reading and listening, refined through watching movies with English subtitles. This skill proved invaluable beyond his time at DCU.

From arriving in Dublin with a limited level of English to gradually reading and speaking English at an advanced level while working within the IT field – José expresses deep gratitude for choosing DCU International Academy as his school of choice to study English.

DCU International Academy aims to ensure that every student learns in the most effective and efficient way possible. Above all, we want students to experience English beyond the classroom and carry it with them into their future careers. To learn more about our English courses, visit our course pages at: https://english.dcu.ie/adult-courses/

Look back and watch José’s previous interview with us, capturing his time studying English at DCU.

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