Ideal for students who are thinking of long-term employability options within Ireland and beyond.
Not ideal for students looking for a school purely for leisure, many of the students are career-minded young professionals.
The good
- Great location very close to the centre of Dublin.
- Great facilities including communal kitchen/dining area, garden and library.
- Very employability-focused with the ability to complete an internship at the school and beyond.
The bad
- The 2 buildings have multiple floors and no lifts.
Date of my inspection visit at Twin English Centre (Twin Group) Dublin: May 8, 2024
My overall take
Twin English Centre Dublin (Twin School) is set in a fantastic location in the city centre of Dublin. The school comprises two buildings, only a 5-minute walk from each other. Immobility may be an issue at this school as neither building has a lift or wheelchair access. The main building is on a quiet road with many different schools and businesses, but it is off a main highway with several cafes, restaurants, and shops.
Regarding the facilities offered, although the school is not the most modern, there are several spaces where students can study and commune with one another, including a communal area with a ping pong table, board games, a reading corner and a mini kitchen (fitted with a microwave and hot drinks station). Additionally, there are two dedicated study areas, one found in the basement’s communal area and the other a library on the ground floor.
The teaching technique used at the school is the communicative style. Teachers generally supplement the lessons based on the students’ personalities and use project-based learning weekly to practice real-life speaking skills. The classes are structured to have 2 hours of general English and 1 hour of project-based learning every day.
Their social programme is very varied and has many options. 50% of them are suggestions of different museums and landmarks to visit, whilst the other 50% are excursions outside of Dublin, academic, acclimatisation workshops (i.e. the accommodation and job workshops) and general tourist activities. There is a sense that the school encourages students to be more independent compared to other schools, i.e. EF International.
It is important to note that there is an emphasis on the students being self-motivated and willing to put in time outside class. So, if you want a school where the teachers will hold your hand and baby you, this may not be the school for you. Many students here are career-minded and are looking for an opportunity to network and improve their career prospects beyond just learning English.
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Twin English Centre Dublin at a glance
| Rating of former students | 4.2 (293 reviews) |
| Class size | Lingo Traveller rating: Average Max. 15 students in General English course |
| Diversity of nationalities | Lingo Traveller rating: Excellent diversity No nationality more than 10% Top nationality: Mongolian and Brazilian |
| Learning intensity | 2-4 hours of compulsory or optional homework per week, but they also encourage self study |
| Number of students | 250-300 adults in July 100 adults in January |
| Minimum student age | 16 years |
| Accreditations | ALTO, ACELS, Eaquals, MEI |
| Course range | General English, Intensive English, Academic Year in Ireland, Hospitality Training Programme, IELTS Exam Preparation |
| Accommodation types | Homestay, Residence |
| Price | |
| Standard Group course 20 lessons/week: 45min/lesson | 1 week: €320 3 weeks: €960 |
| Additional fees | Inscription fee: €80 Course material fee: none |
| Price level – Standard Group course (based on 3 weeks incl. all fees) | €23.10 per 60 minute tuition |
My tour of the school & video review
Student voices
Unfiltered comments from random students I met at the school and asked about their experience.
“Any time I need any help with anything, whether it’s accommodation or even printing some documents the staff are always very helpful and friendly.“
Bruna
28 years from Brazil
“When I was looking for a school, I looked for schools with good cultural diversity; at this school, there are so many different cultures. I’ve come across Brazilians, Mexicans, Turkish, Italians, just so many different cultures.
Valentin
24 years from Argentina
Questions to school director
Excerpts below from my conversation with Adeleza Morales, Centre Manager of Twin English Centre Dublin.
Me: “What sets your school apart from others in the city?“
Adeleza Morales: “We have an employability programme, professional development courses in English, and teacher training courses. So we do have a really good range of professional and career-minded students who attend this school. So I think we stand out a lot as we emphasise a lot of professional courses in English and development“
Me: “Is there a particular type of student for whom your school is especially suitable?
Adeleza Morales: “Usually adult students, students who are independent and are looking to network with other professionals while they are learning English. Adventurous and wanting to know about the culture of Ireland“
School inspection report
Classrooms
The classrooms are large, with large windows, large tables and comfortable seats. The students do not feel suffocated because all the classrooms have ample space for the number of students per class.
Facilities
There are a few different communal areas and dedicated study areas. The main communal area in the first building is in the basement, while the second has a communal garden. Both places are open to all students. There is also a library in the main building and a study area in the basement where laptops are provided.
Surrounding area
The main building is on a quiet road with many other schools and businesses but off a prominent high street with several cafes, restaurants and shops. The second building is on a busier road, with direct access to the many shops in the surrounding area.
Social activities
Their social programme is very varied and has many options. The purple activities are the school-led activities, and the orange ones are the suggestions for activities that students could do independently.
Trusted student ratings of Twin English Centre Dublin on the web
| Total | 4.2 (293 reviews) |
|---|---|
| LanguageCourse.net | 4.2 (293 reviews) |
Ratings as of June 19, 2024
Why no Google or Facebook ratings? Schools may have requested Facebook, Google or Trustpilot reviews only from those students that previously gave positive after-course evaluations. I only trust ratings from independent booking platforms/agencies, that allow exclusively clients who booked via their platform to rate the schools. I have checked each of these sites above and they have no disproportional number of positive vs negative reviews.
