English Outdoors is an original concept utilizing ‘Public Space’ for English classes.
Why choose English Outdoors?
Our English Outdoors concept is specifically designed to fully immerse students in New York life and culture, giving students the unique opportunity to practice their English in authentic NYC settings, and live like a local!
Why stick yourself in a room with 4 walls and a board when you can sit in a cool, fun space, outdoors or indoors, in the heart of the beating city.
Our morning English classes in New York take place in indoor and outdoor locations all over the city, allowing students to learn English in NYC, and make the most of New York and enjoying the best views in the city.
New York City is your classroom! Instead of sitting in the same classroom everyday, students will learn in places such as Bryant Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park, Industry City, Essex Market, Central Park and more. Locations have been carefully chosen based on comfort, space, ease of access, points of interest close by, proximity of public restrooms, etc. Our class sizes have an average of 5-6 students, so teachers will give students their undivided attention.
Our concept of indoor & outdoor classes ensures that students discover different locations every day, and have English classes in New York in an innovative way.
This interactive language tourism experience also includes twice-weekly Discovery Days throughout the city including sightseeing visits to museums, cultural centers, historic neighborhoods, historical landmarks, and more!
In addition to completing book assignments, regular homework, and participating in pair work and discussion, just like in a regular classroom setting, students get the added bonus of a hands-on approach to learning about NYC.
By choosing English Outdoors, students can also make a positive impact on the environment, taking advantage of natural sunlight and airflow rather than being inside and using artificial light and AC! This makes our English class in New York the most sustainable, eco-wise choice for students.
What’s an English Outdoors classroom?
So what is an EO classroom? Well, it can be a variety of places. A long bench-style table in a park, a circular table in a public Atrium or public garden, or high top seating in an indoor market.
It can also change with the seasons. Because our classrooms are essentially “pop-up classrooms”, we have lots of flexibility and have great locations for the Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.
We have a rolling mix of approximately 20 EO classrooms throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn, which ensures that all students get lots of variety. We are also constantly on the look-out for new, cool spaces, which also allows us to add in new classroom options for students whenever we wish.
And where could it be?
There are many great parks in New York City and we have classes in all of them. In famous large parks such as Central Park and Prospect Park, in famous city center parks such as Bryant Park, and Madison Square Park, and in smaller parks that are just off the beaten track, like Stuyvesant Square Park and Cobble Hill Park.
We also have English classes in new, more industrially chic parks, like Gansevoort Peininsula on the Hudson River Park and Domino Park, overlooking the East river. And there are classes that take place in cool urban locations. For example, by the waterfront in Dumbo. And of course we also have classes in iconic locations such as Washington Square Park, surely the best people-watching place in the city!
Our indoor classrooms are a real mix of places that again allow our students to get a real feel for the parts of the city.
Essex Market on the Lower East Side is a bustling famous old food market which has had a modern facelift. Brookfield Place is an ultra modern shopping mall in a great location in Battery Park in Lower Manhattan. Industry City in Brooklyn shows what you can do when you transform old industrial factories into shops, restaurants and galleries for the 21st century.
We have also scoured the city for the best public atriums, of which there are many in NYC. A public atrium is an indoor public open space that includes seating, landscaping and artwork. Our chosen few include Park Avenue Plaza located right off 5th avenue and close to St Patrick’s Cathedral, and 180 Maiden Lane in the financial district of Lower Manhattan and 550 Madison Avenue.
How does English Outdoors work?
Every Friday, all our students receive a weekly schedule (by email) of their EO classrooms for the coming week. This daily schedule takes into account where students have had classes before, upcoming weather patterns and any known outside events that might affect classes taking place in a particular location. The schedule is of course subject to change due to changing weather conditions. In this instance, students are notified by email and/or via WhatsApp.
On arrival at school on their first day, students join a WhatsApp group with their teacher, and each day the class meets ‘on location’.