Packed everything for survival in an English speaking world?

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Be conversation ready with Conversation Club!

An actual conversation refers to a meaningful exchange of thoughts and emotions between two adults. While we all yearn for this skill, communication these days has taken many different forms, thereby complicating the underlying rules.

We are being judged by the way we communicate!

Communication skills have always been an integral part of our personality. No wonder that in the current global era, which is largely driven by technology, communication skills go way beyond the basic ability to speak. The way we articulate our thoughts and deliver the message is of critical importance. Furthermore, English has been accepted by majority as the language driving the scenario. Be it on a personal or professional front, a speaker with a strong grasp of the English language and thus polished communication skills has an upper hand.

Be it initiating a dialogue with a gym instructor or a casual tête-à-tête with a possible matrimonial prospect or an online sales call, conversing in English language is a mandate. However, communication skills training is not just mastering the rules of the language, it entails specialization in the art of expression.

The art of articulation

Good communication skills go way beyond answering questions in small standard sentences or replying to an email in a couple of copied phrases. A skilled communicator is trained in the art of conversations. Instead of opting to text a few words and emojis, a trained English language speaker is confident enough to pick up the phone and connect over a call.

Communication skills training provides the needed practice and thus confidence to contribute meaningfully. Practical conversation skills help in every aspect of life. One who is able to assimilate the essence of a discussion is naturally able to participate better. Getting a hang of the language makes one a better listener and thus a better communicator. No wonder, in relevant managerial positions, requiring team management, a candidate adept at communication skills is universally preferred.

Even in a student’s life, communication skills play a fundamental role. Kids are currently facing a lot of competition in every arena; with expertise in English language skills, the journey to success is quite streamlined. In fact, psychologists are of the opinion that the ability to effectively communicate can also lead to positive mental health. By streamlining relationships and empowering young adults with tools of persuasion, conflict resolution and safe expression, communication skills enhance the overall quality of life. 

Travel the road with Conversation Club!!!

Why conversation club for communication skills training? Well, the answer is quite simple. This is a learning channel that focuses on the imperative practical application of the English language. While the basics are gradually worked upon, each session is designed around the functional aspects of communication. Everyday language requirements are a top priority. 

Furthermore, the sessions are customized by trained language experts to inculcate topics of interest. These discussion based sessions ensure assimilation of all relevant aspects of the communication skills training, without the mundane learning rules.

Writing as a profession – the varied options you can choose from!

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Reading is no longer an in thing and if nobody would read, why bother writing? Well, the question seems justified; is there any point in writing anymore?

Ralph Waldo Emerson said that the writer is an explorer. Every step is an advance into a new land.

Creative writing as a learning & personal growth tool –

Stated more than aptly answers the question. Creative writing, for professional or personal reasons, offers innumerable benefits. Be it journaling or article writing or preparing notes for a fiction book, each and every word helps the writer enter a creative, intellectual territory. Furthermore, creative writing is an immensely important communication tool. Expressing oneself through words opens doors to imagination and wisdom. The art of writing builds discipline. Being able to pen leads to self-control and tutors kids about routine.

In addition to the mentioned, writing all thoughts in an organized manner helps find solutions. A well-articulated plan in writing has a much better chance of success. Furthermore, creative writing engages the brain most exhaustively. Together the analytical and creative sides of the brain work and help form ideas that creative writers deploy.

Words have the power to stay; they form memories.

Writing as a profession – it opens avenues!!

In addition to writing for personal development and creative expression, kids can also opt for the art of writing as a profession. Professionally, one can make quite a buck by writing in various capacities and across different industries.

  • Script writer – if you enjoy telling stories and enjoy the fascinating world of movies, script writing is the profession for you.
  • Book author – let your imagination run wild and let every thought find its way to the pages of a novel. As a book author you can experiment with various writing styles and pen numerous genres.
  • Ghostwriting – you write for others and make an honest penny. By helping others put their thoughts and experience in an interesting format, a creative writing career as a ghostwriter pays you well.
  • Journalist / News producer / Editor – add your own stylized masala to the world events and let the audience see from your scanner. As the creative writer behind a news channel you create and vet content before it reaches the outside world.
  • Website writer / Blog writer – this is yet another enchanting avenue a professional writer can explore. This creative writing career option offers abundant scope for flexibility and variety; collaborate for a blog as interesting as Conversation Club and each minute of your time is well utilized.
  • Proposal writer / corporate communications / marketing copy specialist – as a professional writer this is yet another avenue that can help you earn quite well. It is a well-paying position and top MNCs are always looking for new talent.

Stated are just the top few options. Writing is a field that brings with it immense possibilities. To add to that, this is one professional field where owing to the option of flexible hours, work life balance can be well achieved.  

The growing silent generation!!! Why the kids no longer talk???

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In this era of DMs and snap chats, getting more than a ‘ya’ or ‘I don’t know’ or ‘whatever’ from a kid has become a gruesome task for parents. We’ve entered into a complicated schema of communication, where a child barely uses a legitimate structured sentence to express feelings or even answer a simple question like ‘why won’t you eat dinner with everybody at the dining table?’

Parents are simply getting frustrated over slangs and broken sentences. Children are no longer used to the idea of making a proper sentence, which answers the question. Try asking a 13 year old about her friends at school. One of the following responses is to be expected:

  • Complete silence coupled with a condescending look
  • Confused stare and few garbled vowels
  • Absolute ignorance
  • Intense look into the screen of the nearest available gadget
  • Exit from the interrogation room

What happened to the power of actual words?

Gone are the days when children used to go out and play with neighborhood friends. The times of endless discussions are a bygone era. In the current reality, hashtags and trending memes rule the communication pattern. In fact, friends and classmates are no longer a safe zone. Say something out of the ordinary and you are given a tag. From ‘nerdy’ to ‘weirdo’, all kinds of labels hover around and disrupt all communication channels.

Reasons why kids don’t interact:

  • The broken bond with words – Owing to the inability to communicate, kids are not able to express themselves. This inability to properly put their feelings into words leads to complete seclusion.
  • The growing competition & academic demands – Thanks to the ever increasing need to be better, we are nurturing book worms and cramming experts. The art of verbal communication and practical approach to living is dying in the process.
  • Defective communication channels – Children have been away from heartfelt discussions and easy conversations for so long that they no longer know how to express.
  • Veiled embarrassment & the fear of making mistakes – Children struggle, however they are too embarrassed to ask for help. It is fear of getting exposed as a loser that prompts isolation.
  • Scared of the reaction – Another communication challenge is the fear of possible response. It is anticipation of intense criticism that forces these young ones to go in their shells.

Provide a channel that promotes communication!

Communication cannot be forced. In fact, if we as parents / guardians / mentors ask too many questions, complete shutdown is the counter weapon. What is needed in this case is availability of a safe space to express and connect. Children are struggling with their inability to perform, to make friends, to overcome hurdles. If we in such cases force rules, that’ll only increase the gap. It is only through patience and persistence that we can encourage them to open up. At Conversation Club, we offer a warm and encouraging channel to learn and express. We welcome them to a space where they interact, open up and learn.   

Conversation partners – we elevate together!

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Learning with a friend, who understands … challenges … motivates … helps … shares, is the definite path to excellence. Especially when it comes to communication skills training, if we have someone to work with, the sharing of ideas and constant deliberations help excel.

Teamwork has proven to be a tool that leads to innovative ideas and effectively solve problems. When it comes to learning in the domain of communication skills, working with a study partner has similar benefits. Study partners ensure that the process of learning is stimulated in a happy zone. It lowers the risk of burnout and through the helpful clubbed sessions, students tend to observe from varied perspectives and thus learn effectively.

Furthermore, knowledge when shared with a study partner, significantly enhances in terms of value. Combined efforts act a fuel and provide the desired momentum. Academic excellence is guaranteed if there is the option of working with an ideal learning mate.

Why work with a study mate?

One cannot improve upon his / her ability to communicate in isolation. Communication skills training is a domain that relies heavily upon an environment to connect & express. In fact learning can only prosper in an environment, which provides ample opportunities to freely open up. It is only when we speak that we are able to identify our mistakes and thus correct them. Connecting with a suitable learning partner or a study group has numerous addition benefits; few of them are as below:

  • The content is better understood post discussions with other learners. Analyzing a content from various viewpoints enables better assimilation.
  • When clubbed with a study group / mate, one is motivated to keep up with the learning schedule and thus there’s less inclination to delay.
  • Learning partners motivate each other by identifying frequent mistakes and learning barriers. They help correct each other and thus achieve the desired goals.
  • Working with a conversation partner, as part of communication skills training, makes sure that the process does not become monotonous.
  • Peer review and the option to improve reduces anxiety and thus encourages learning.
  • Social interaction is an integral component of the communication skills training program. The conversation partner program encourages interactions and thus stimulates growth. 

Conversation partner @ conversation club!

Verbal expression is a pertinent ingredient of the communication skills course. While communication course mentors can impart the required tools and guidance to comprehend the language basics and associated formats, practicing in a challenging environment is of integral relevance. The notion behind encouraging 1:1 discussions and communicating with conversation partners is to duplicate the nuances of practical environment. A close to realistic communication driven scenario is encouraged at Conversation Club, which extensively promotes learning.

Conversation partners are carefully matched up to ensure optimum results. Age, background (education & profession) and language proficiency levels are considered critical influencers. Communication skills training at Conversation Club is not merely about brushing up the grammar concepts or learning new words. The sessions are designed around the objective of expression, sentence articulation and language usage & clarity. These communication skills objective are met through conversations.

Story threads to weave the mind and enable learning!

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Be it words or pictures, there lies a story, waiting to be told. Communication skills sessions and learning plan at Conversation Club revolves around the intuitive art of visualizing scenarios and weaving them into interesting narrations. Each of these narrations is an experience that the learner undergoes to explore possibilities, to ask questions, to absorb new words, to imagine distinct scenarios and to allow escape, thereby fostering creativity & learning.

If lessons were weaved as stories, they would never be forgotten.

How do stories aid learning in kids?

  1. Knitting together boosts imagination – Working with a story mate, building upon those abstract phrases and pictures together, fosters creativity and learning in kids. Young, unrestricted minds, when given the opportunity to engage and converse freely, open up towards new intellectual avenues and together explore the widened creative horizons. Learning becomes a collaborative mission and it is on this path that the adolescent mind blossoms.
  2. From theoretical to practical visualizations – Education shouldn’t have to revolve around tedious facts and formulas. True learning only happens when the mind and heart are intertwined and receptive to information. Stories help engage young audiences and build the apt communication skills training grounds. The flow of thoughts, linked narratives and the ability to venture in multiple directions, opens up new thinking avenues.
  3. Exploring the indefinite possibilities – Exploring abstract avenues and learning in an environment that fosters the idea of freely venturing into all avenues, nurtures creative minds. A close interaction with the fictional scenarios and mysterious characters prompts experimentation, which is turn educates kids and helps with personality development & enrichment.   
  4. Stories boost memory and cultivate retention – The exercise opens up new worlds and conversations. It stimulates thinking and enables comprehension of details, which would otherwise be difficult to retain. Through colorful depictions and word play, stories leave an imprint, thereby boosting the memory. Asking relevant questions, explaining new concepts through stories and engaging in rich discussions together stimulate retention.
  5. Nurtures social skills and empathy – The colorful world of pictures and braided words are an interesting way to introduce new emotions and social scenarios. Outside world is complex and while we dream to preserve and shield the young ones forever, it is only a matter of time that they’ll have to deal with the unknown intricacies. Stories act as windows to such alien scenarios. They help visualize situations and arouse feelings for characters, thereby promoting empathy in readers.
  6. Word play enhances vocabulary – There is a direct correlation between the world of stories and vocabulary. Learning new words through various story activities ensures understanding and retention. Story creators are able to effectively grasp the meanings of new words. The understanding helps them apply the learned knowledge. Enriched vocabulary play an imminent role in both professional and personal domains and the world of stories helps attain the objective.

Stories have a reach, they sink in. Articulate sentences and pictures get embedded in the mind. These captivating narrations are an effective learning tool and can be suitably harnessed to improve communication skills, educate kids and ensure personality development and overall learning.

Learning enablers @ Conversation Club!

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Words and our ability to verbally communicate is one of the most crucial tool available to humankind. While on personal front, we yearn to express and connect with like-minded people; on professional front, ability to get across a message, holds significant value. Be it seamless work execution or conflict resolution or performance measurement parameters, communication skills are a pertinent measurement criterion. We humans deploy words to enable, to heal and to emote.

However, it is not just any random combination of words that leads to communication. Effective communication skills rely upon the basic rule of coherent composition of the message and absolute transmission to the desired receiver, in a desired format. This is where the need for communication skills training arises. Communication is a skill which needs to be regularly sharpened and one where there’s always room for improvement. Communication skills training enables clarity of expression, imparts the eloquent style and lends a hand with empathetic articulation, which are all together critical at any given instance in life.

The relevance of communication skills training is underlined, but how can the objectives be achieved? Platforms like Conversation Club provide the solution.

Conversation Club is a platform that enables the opportunity to practice and improve. Communication skills learning & growth happens here through the loop of practice – feedback – correction – practice! 

Student teacher rapport

Trainers at Conversation Club are skilled at the art of communication and teaching. Backed by years of practical experience in communication domains, mentors and curriculum designers categorically focus upon establishing a rapport. Effective learning in communication skills or any domain can only happen if the trainer is equipped to understand and modulate the program as per learner’s intake. While one ought to be slow enough to ensure assimilation of information & interest, the momentum portion of the classes too needs to be cautiously managed. Trainers at Conversation Club encourage thinking and application, provide regular feedbacks, correct and thus ensure improvement in communication skills.

Assessment of the gaps and steps towards fulfillment lead towards improvement of communication skills!!!

Effective curriculum

We all have our own ecosystems. A student’s life has its own variables and these are quite different from the parameters of a working professional’s life. Depending upon our age, profession and interests, we all have different communication needs. If the needs are different, how can the solution possibly be generic?

At Conversation Club, the curriculum is designed to meet the specific requirements and is further customized to meet individual targets. Thus, there are individual sessions, where the trainer works with the student to fill in specific communication related gaps and clubbed sessions with other conversation partners, which provide the needed exposure.

Information Exchange or Communication??

There is a tricky difference between sharing information and actual communication. The former relies upon sending out the message to an individual or a group of people. Latter is about actually reaching out and getting through to the desired audience by way of effective communication. Communication skills training @ Conversation Club helps bridge this gap from information relay to actual communication.

Let the light of knowledge illuminate this Diwali

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Enter the world of learning with Conversation Club!

A Chinese proverb encapsulates the complexities of a curious mind in quite simple terms – A man who asks is a fool for five minutes. A man who never asks is a fool for life.

Knowledge in any format, if consumed and applied, paves way to a meaningful life. One who is not just willing to learn but is also receptive to the idea of unlearning, is on the path towards success. In fact any teacher, mentor or a guide can only help if the student’s mind is open to the process of accepting information and thus learning. The stated is true is any field, including the vast domain of communication skills.

To communicate … to share

Communication simply means exchange of ideas, transfer of information & sharing. It includes the phenomena of expressing emotions, transferring feelings and empathizing with the world where we exist. This could be online or offline. It also means to learn and grow on both personal and professional fronts. The widely accepted effective form of communication is one that essentially helps achieve this imperative objective of growth.

Especially in professional world, the art of communication is acquiring a seat of extreme importance. Relevance of proficiency in the domain of verbal skills and the ability of configure the message in a desired manner is elevating. Certainty of achieving one’s goals is directly proportional to the ability of expression.     

A path towards meaningful exchange

Communication is not just about learning the intricacies of a language. It is a much more complex schema of interlinked concepts, critically revolving around intelligent exchange. A decent conversation must have a reasonable message and intent to convey the message. Depending upon the participants in the dialogue, it could be informal in approach or set in a formal apparatus with a professional objective. Either ways, the intention of a well drafted communique is to reach out to the audience and enable successful transmission. Only through continuous meaningful conversations can one truly achieve the objective of effective communication. Communication skills can be honed by assuming the roles of sender and receiver and exchanging information.

Expanding the knowledge base

At Conversation Club, emphasis upon communication skills training is through knowledge based discussions. Subjects from various fields are discussed and the cumulative knowledge of conversation partners drives the learning process. Learners from diverse backgrounds express and learn on this platform. The connect is cautiously harnessed to enable communication skills training.  

This investment in communication skills training thus helps streamline the grasp of the language and further boosts the know how in multiple domains. Ability to express and connect fosters a culture of mutual respect and admiration. In professional terms, overall productivity escalates and both internal and external relationships witness a boost.

The potent mix of knowledge, information and communication skills training tools at Conversation Club helps synthesize pertinent ideas and diverse information.

Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today―Malcolm X

Mnemonics for English Vocabulary & Memory Enhancement!

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Don’t we all wish there was a simpler way to retain the information; be it new words or never ending historical facts. Learning English and improving communication skills would be much easier if a memory tool could aid with vocabulary. Well certainly it would be and there are many techniques out there, which have been tried by many including mnemonics.

What is Mnemonics??

The concept, especially in the words of Oxford Dictionary, sounds a bit intimidating. The definition goes like this – the study and development of systems for improving and assisting the memory.

As it seems, mnemonics is some kind of a technique, that needs to be studied and systems have to be developed and implemented … well if it is this complicated, might as well learn the concept as it is.

Let us not allow Oxford to haunt us and let the British be with their fancy nomenclature. How about a simpler version of the stated – mnemonics are simply strategies that help retain information.  There are multiple mnemonic techniques that enable the objective and can be effortlessly comprehended and implemented; for instance songs & music. Advertisers have long been relying on this mnemonic strategy for building a customer base and ensuring long term association. No wonder we are able to hum songs from old movies that we perhaps watched when we were kids.

Learning English with Mnemonics

Well if the technique is so popular and has been used in various other fields, why not try this memory tool to brush up your vocabulary.

Vocabulary or new words in English or for that matter in any language are essential to add depth to the overall communication skills. Being able to remember words and use them in day to day conversations is a skill that we all wish to possess. Amongst the various other exercises, mnemonics can certainly help retain the meaning of new words and thus improve listening. This is in fact the first step towards English vocabulary enhancement. A learner in his / her initial stages, is able to recognize new words and perhaps decipher their meanings. Once the meanings settle in, comes the stage when one is able to use these words. It is a task that demands patience and continual effort and mnemonics can certainly help build the base.

How???

Illustration 1

Wistful – regretful / nostalgic / longing

Mnemonic – full of wish (left unfulfilled)

Illustration 2

Abase – humiliate / degrade

Mnemonic – Push off the base (push somebody down)

In addition to the word associations, rhymes, pictures and more can be used. One can further relate words with their own experiences and circumstances to enable retention. The notion is to get used to a word, to add it to one’s system and let it grind. Once the technique is repeated often enough, the words begin to occupy their special places in your head. The next time you hear the word, it resonates and while you might not remember the exact meaning, you know that the word you just heard, isn’t an alien. The familiarity deepens every time you check the meaning and correlate it with the mnemonic key. Eventually comes the stage when you are able to not just understand the word, but are also able to proficiently use it in your English conversations.

#memory, ##memory, ##memory, ##memory, ##memory, ##memory, ##memory, #

What your kid watches & reads matters!

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We all crave to be part of society and to belong to social groups that adhere to certain standards. Like us, kids too have the impulse to attach themselves to various social groups and thus belong to a space that they feel is safe. But how do they do this?

Psychologists have conducted various studies over the years and research have led to the findings that point towards a child’s tendency to imitate. To feed the essential need of belonging to a system or in other words to coexist, children tend to copy. To this end, while parents play a critical role, peers, role models and quite importantly media acts as a major influencer.

The role of environment

Our brains tend to replicate behavior from an early age. As we grow, we mimic the people we interact with or are exposed to and thus from early childhood years, our personality tends to depend upon the factors that frame our environment.

It is thus of imperative value that from the very beginning we present a nurturing & learning environment. Our young ones rely upon us for their growth and as parents, it is our duty to ensure that the learning progresses in a holistic manner.

Expose them to the environment that harnesses growth

At Conversation Club, an important objective of the communication curriculum is working around a model that inculcates positive reinforcement by way of discussions. The discussions are based on topics that require research and reading. Furthermore, children are encouraged to watch and discuss. The discussions are targeted towards enhanced learning. Moreover, these activities boost creativity and impart them with an expanded vision about various relevant subjects.

Enriched knowledge gained during these sessions also helps them with the academic curriculum. Each session is circled around topics of interest. The involvement of conversation partners, coming from similar age backgrounds, acts as a positive encouragement. Kids when exposed to this healthy environment of learning & discussing, tend to positively imitate their peers and connect over subjects that illuminate.

The communication platform further inculcates the various aspects of learning English and thus acts as a strong education tool. Language experts guide them through the nitty-gritty of the language. Vocabulary, grammar, presentation techniques, sentence structuring and more are paid adequate attention. Alongside reading, watching & narrating, listening to these educated discussions further strengthens the progress. These positive cues encourage participation, which in turn yields the desired results.

Imitation is invariable! Irrespective of the positive or negative nature of influencers, kids will invariably imitate. Studies have proven that it is a human urge to be part of a group and in the case of kids, the groups they chose have a very strong impact on their personalities & thus growth. While you cannot possibly control or supervise your kid at every hour of the day, exposing the child to a positive influence through Conversation Club is certainly a start. Here the discussions are aimed at learning the language and participating in a rich scholarly environment.  

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A bridge to the Art of Reading

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Unlock your child’s imagination with reading based discussions

Reading stimulates learning, reduces stress, increases vocabulary and expands thinking and yet it is an art that seems to be getting extinct. Despite the well-known and extensively researched positives of reading, these days we hardly get to see anyone devoting enough time to imbibe the valuable treasures hidden in a book. Gone are the days when people spent their commuting time reading books and magazines. Smart phones have led to an era when reading more than 5-7 lines seems a cumbersome task and people simply move on to the next post. Scrolling through reels, digesting the quote of the day, skimming the headlines and perhaps listening to a podcast pretty much summarizes the content intake routine of any typical human being these days. While the trend is spreading like a virus, younger generations are the most severely impacted.

The purpose of reading

The goal of reading is to comprehend and assimilate the content. Be it for entertainment or educational purposes, unless the reader is able to take in the desired information, reading is a futile task. It is a psychological event, which is critical for a learner of any age and from any background.

When it comes to sharpening communication skills and thus the ability to interact and present oneself in a language of choice, reading text greatly promotes the objective. In fact, reading skills are critical for academic endeavors.

  • Reading can stimulate thinking abilities & mental functioning.
  • Mental stress can be largely relieved by indulging in this activity.
  • Vocabulary and grammar applications of the language can be well assimilated by reading.
  • Books enhance memory and promote insights into varied subjects. The overall knowledge pool expands by reading.
  • Concentration levels too are positively affected by reading.
  • Regular readers are better writers.
  • Books are windows to so many worlds; reading expands horizons.

Discussions @ Conversation Club

The above mentioned benefits of reading work best when the collated information is discussed in a stimulating environment. This is a learning platform where reading based discussions are an integral part of the curriculum. Learning the English language critically motivates learners to spend time with books and magazines. Interesting subject matter is identified and the learners are motivated to invest time and read relevant material. These materials form the basis of discussions in subsequent sessions. The exchange of knowledge, based upon the reading tasks, greatly enhances a learner’s capability to grasp the nuances of the English language and at the same time, enriches the knowledge pool.  

The benefits of these reading based discussions are universal to all age groups and profiles. Young kids develop a habit of spending time with books, which greatly helps their concentration levels and prepares them for academic pursuits. In addition to the stated, knowledge bank helps improve thinking skills and further creates a favorable mindset to gel in social settings.

Amongst adults, reading offers a self-managed pace of learning. The option of viewing and reviewing the information as many times allows a flexible intake pace.  Once the grasping skills are enhanced, reading helps retain and improve concentration skills.

Thus the learning English sessions and communication skill classes at Conversation Club strongly advocate the art of reading. In fact, mentors pick enthralling subjects and thus motivate English language enthusiasts to communicate effectively.

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