Find Our Schools

Tel: +44 (0)1223 803822


For Students

Learning with the Callan Method is probably a very different experience from English lessons you have had before. The teacher gets everyone speaking by asking questions and helping with the answers. Each question focuses on a particular word or a piece of grammar, and when you give your answer, the teacher helps you to say a complete sentence so that you yourself practise the word or piece of grammar. You are busy listening to English all the time, you speak a lot, and all your mistakes are corrected. You learn quickly because you are always surrounded by English. And it is fun – there is no silence and no time to get bored or lose your concentration.

Carefully designed, for all students

The Callan Method practises English in a carefully programmed way; during every lesson, you learn some new English, but you also revise language you learned earlier. In class, you are doing listening and speaking practice about 70% of the time, but there is also a little reading and writing to revise what you have learned.

The Callan Method has 12 levels (or “stages”). Stage 1 is for complete beginners, and Stage 12 is for advanced students. So the Callan Method can help you whatever your ability.

Natural speed

The teacher in a Callan Method lesson speaks quickly. This is because, in the real world, it is natural to speak quickly. If you want to understand normal English, you must practise listening to quick, natural speech and become able to understand English without first translating into your language. This idea of not translating is at the centre of the Callan Method; it helps you to start thinking in English.


With the Callan Method, the teacher helps you when you’re speaking, and corrects all your mistakes the moment you make them. The teacher corrects you by imitating (copying) your mistake and then saying the correct pronunciation/form of the word. For example, if you say “He come from Spain”, the teacher quickly says “not come – comes”. This correction by imitation helps you to hear the difference between your mistake and the proper English form. You should immediately repeat the correct word and continue with your sentence. You learn a lot from this correction of your mistakes, and constant correction results in fast progress.

Useful speaking practice – not just chatting

Although the Callan Method involves a lot of speaking practice, this does not mean chatting (free conversation). When people chat, they only use the words and grammar that they already know, so they do not learn much. In a Callan Method lesson, you are constantly using new words and structures when you speak, so you benefit more.  No time is wasted.

Practical English, delivered economically

The Callan Method helps you learn quickly, and the Callan Method books have been designed to give you the vocabulary you need, and grammar rules that really help you. And the language requirements of popular English exams have been carefully considered.

Finally, learning fast means the Callan Method is economical, and you need only one book for each level, which saves money too. In addition, if you are studying at an Accredited School, you can practise your English online using interactive exercises. (To find a school that can offer online practice, click here.)