DCE’s General English Course with TIE Preparation is designed to enhance your English communication skills, empowering you to work or study effectively in English-speaking countries and environments. The course curriculum is carefully aligned with the CEFR objectives, ensuring that learners master the skills required for their proficiency level.
For those planning to live in Europe
For new students in Dublin
For fast English progress
For future professionals
For students who need support
Who’s insecure about exams
In the General English Course, you learn English in a practical way that is applicable to everyday life.
The classes work on all essential skills with a focus on real-life situations.
You will gain confidence in speaking, understanding different accents, writing simple texts, expanding
your vocabulary, and feeling more and more comfortable using English in real life.
Our English programmes follow the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels from A1 to C1. Each level has clearly defined learning and progression objectives.
Students develop basic communication skills.
By the end of this level, students will be able to:
• introduce themselves and others
• use everyday expressions and simple phrases
• ask and answer basic questions
• understand simple instructions
• communicate in very familiar situations.
Students develop confidence in everyday
communication.
By the end of this level, students will be able to:
• communicate in routine everyday situations
• understand frequently used expressions
• describe their personal background and
environment
• handle simple transactions and interactions
• understand short spoken and written texts.
Students become independent users of English.
By the end of this level, students will be able to:
• cope with most situations when travelling
• express opinions and preferences
• describe experiences and plans
• produce simple, coherent texts
• understand the main points of clear, standard
speech
Students develop fluent and effective
communication skills.
By the end of this level, students will be able to:
• interact fluently and spontaneously
• understand complex texts and discussions
• present arguments clearly
• participate actively in discussions
• use the language in academic and professional
contexts.
Students achieve advanced fluency and
accuracy.
By the end of this level, students will be able to:
• communicate effectively in academic and
professional settings
• express ideas fluently and spontaneously
• understand complex texts and implicit
meanings
• produce detailed and well-structured
communications
• use English flexibly for social, academic and
professional purposes
I arrived here with English A1 and went to
A2 in 3 months.
Murilo.
I can already go to the market by myself
and place an order at a café.
Thalia.
I arrived here without knowing any English,
communicating with my hands, and today
my level is B2.
Pablo.
The course runs for 25 weeks, with classes scheduled from Monday to Thursday or Monday to Friday.
Students can choose between morning and afternoon sessions.
The programme includes 15 hours of tuition per week, excluding scheduled break times.
Courses start every Monday. Please refer to the Academic Calendar for public holidays and key dates.
The course is designed to support continuous and natural language development. Before starting, students complete a free placement test to determine the most suitable level (A1 to C1).
Classes with a maximum of 15 students
Choose from our 2 conveniently located campuses in Dublin
Teaching materials included
25-week course duration
8 weeks of holidays
Free placement test
Mock TIE Exam
Course for students age 18+
City tours, to practice English in the real world
Games and dynamic activities that make learning light and fun
Student support for housing, work and adaptation
Communicative learning method
Multicultural environment, with students from aorund the world
We assess your level to place you in the ideal class.
Before starting the course, all new students complete a simple placement process.
You begin with an online test to identify your current level, followed by a short oral assessment with a member of our Academic Team to give us a full picture of your English skills.
With these results, we place you in the class that best matches your level and learning pace.
After you start the course, level changes can be made based on your classroom progress and teacher recommendations. If you wish, you can also submit a level-change request through the online form in your DCE student login.
For any questions, our Academic Team is here to help: info@dcedu.ie
The Academic Committee selected the following (per level/course offered);
A1 – “English File (Fourth Edition) – Elementary” Oxford University Press
A2 – “English File (Fourth Edition) – Pre-Intermediate” Oxford University Press
B1 – “English File (Fourth Edition)– Intermediate” Oxford University Press
B2 – “English File (Third Edition) – Upper-Intermediate” Oxford University Press
C1 – “English File (Third Edition) – Advanced” Oxford University Press
Learners at DCE are assessed on an ongoing basis in order to continuously evaluate and record their progress throughout the duration of their time at the college. DCE English Language School operates a continuous assessment system to support the learning needs of the students completing long term courses (25 weeks).
Your results in these tests will contribute to your progression to the next level. At the end of your course, you will receive a Certificate of Completion, showing your overall progress score and final grade.
TIE Exam Preparation
DCE prepares students for the TIE (Test of Interactive English) exam.
During the course, students receive:
Students usually take the TIE exam after completing six months of study.
The TIE certificate is issued by the official exam body, not the school.
Recognition of Exams
DCE English School prepares students for the TIE (Test of Interactive English), an English proficiency assessment recognized in Ireland.
The TIE exam assesses students’ ability to communicate effectively in real-life situations through practical, task-based assessments. It is widely used by English language learners in Ireland and is aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).
The exam is externally assessed and certified by the official body responsible for the TIE exam.
While other international English proficiency exams exist, DCE specializes in TIE preparation because it is a flexible, student-centered assessment suitable for students who wish to develop practical communication skills.
Students are advised to check the specific requirements if they intend to use the English certification for academic or immigration purposes.
Leaners will need to bring the following to the examination:
(i) A pen,
(ii) Photo ID (passport/driver’s license),
(iii) The completed TIE application form.
Before your examination, ask yourself:
Do I have a printed copy of my Investigation?
Do I have a printed copy of the original news article/s?
Do I have my own notes on the news articles/s?
Do I have the hard copy of the book? If not, do I have a printed copy of the front & back cover?
Do I have my own notes on the book?
All your material must be in English.
The TIE includes an oral and a written exam.
THE WRITTEN EXAMINATION:
Part 1: Prepared task – the learner must answer a question about either their chosen book or news story. The learner must answer one of two questions.
Part 2: Unprepared task – the learner must answer a question which they have not prepared for. The learner must answer one of two questions.
THE ORAL EXAMINATION (30-40 minutes): Usually 2 (sometimes 3) candidates
Part 1: Candidates introduce themselves.
Part 2: Candidates take turns presenting their investigation. The examiner asks questions and encourages the other candidate to also ask questions.
Part 3: Candidate A presents their news story. The examiner asks questions and encourages candidate B to do the same. Candidate B then presents their book, followed by questions from the examiner and Candidate A.
Part 4: Decision Making Task (DMT): Candidates are given 6 pictures and asked to discuss a question using the images to help them answer. The candidates interact with each other; the examiner does not participate in this part of the exam.
TIE Preparation Workshops
We offer dedicated TIE Prep Workshops, including a full Mock TIE Exam, to help learners feel confident and ready. Check the DCE academic calendar for upcoming workshop dates.
Certificate of Completion
A Certificate of Completion can be issued upon request to all learners who finish the course and sit the final exam. (Please note: certificates are not issued to learners who leave the programme early or who have been expelled.)
Final Exam Requirement
All learners are required to sit the final TIE (Test of Interactive English) examination at the end of their course, in line with Irish immigration requirements.
The exam is externally assessed and certified by the official TIE awarding body.
Examination Schedule
Regular exam sessions are organised for all learners throughout the academic cycle.
Contact
If you have any questions, feel free to contact our Academic Team at info@dcedu.ie.
