- This beautiful building on the Fontanka is home to the British Council English Language Centre and its 350 students who come here every week to study English. The Centre is just one of 127 British Council teaching centres, where you will receive a warm welcome and excellent tuition.

- Welcome to the English Language Centre in St Petersburg, the British Council's first in Russia. We opened our Centre in January 1997 and since that time have delivered courses in general English, Business English and exam preparation.

- The uniqueness of the British Council is characterised by its fully qualified native speaker teachers of English, all of whom use only English in their classes. Communication is exclusively in English to ensure maximum exposure to the language.

- Come and immerse yourself in one of the range of courses on offer, from General English to Business English or exam preparation classes.

- Hello, British Council. Can I help you?

- The entry procedure is simple and effective. To enter you first need to take a placement test. The written task and an interview in English will help determine your level of English and the best group will be recommended. Various class times are available and you may choose the most convenient one for you. Classes composed of no more than 12 people commence the week after testing.

- Upon finishing levels 1, 3, 6, 8 and 10, you will be awarded the British Council Certificate verifying your level. At every level students receive a report with advice and recommendations for their future advancement and study at the British Council.

- There is a lot of additional material, including learner training methodology, which our teacher prepares and gives me. And there is a lot of home work. I liked it very much.

- Every year the English Language Centre throws open its doors to welcome interested parties who are given a chance to view demonstration lessons and exhibitions, meet the administrative and teaching staff, ask questions, and generally learn more about the work we are doing here.

- Here in the British Council Examinations Unit you can test your English against international standards by registering for one of the Cambridge international examinations.

- Another important aspect of the Centre's work involves providing English training for many of the Russian and foreign businesses in the city. If you work or are planning to work for such companies, English, the language of international communication, is essential for you and your company. We are always happy to accommodate new corporate clients, and we carry out detailed needs analyses to ensure that the company receives the best possible tuition for its personnel.

- In St Petersburg Philharmonia I am in charge of links with foreign partners. The reason is that there are two symphonic orchestras in the St Petersburg Philharmonia, and they go on tours very often. And links with foreign partners are very important for us. Besides that the English company IMG is the general manager of the honoured Russian company of the philharmonic orchestra of St Petersburg. That is why the daily communications with this company make the English language a must.

- But English is not only important for the business community and the world of arts.

- The British Council is now into its third year of running English language courses for retired and retiring military officers. These courses are funded by the UK Ministry of Defence as part of its Russian Resettlement Project. Officers are invited to participate in an intensive programme of English language tuition. The main aim is to equip the officers with English in order to enhance their career prospects in an ever-competitive job market.

- I was on the reduction plan and I had the papers ready. I took the course here. Well, I was not lucky with retirement, but I work with the English language in the Institute and rather successfully.

- The English Language Centre has made firm friends with such students, many of whom drop in to see us after their courses have finished. They also have the possibility to continue studying in our Resource Centre.

- The main feature of these courses is that after graduation you can come here and study in the Self-access centre, that is any time when you are free. Other courses do not offer this service. And there are many officers who have completed the course but regularly come here to study and to keep contact with their teachers. This is really great.

- The Ministry of Defence courses culminate in a Cambridge examination followed by a lively graduation party with visiting dignitaries presenting the participants with their certificates.

- We aim to give them the language that can help them function in life in whatever sector of employment they find themselves in. And we feel that our course, as we have designed it, it offers the very best that we can to meet those goals. And we try to follow where our students have gone afterwards to find out what kind of jobs they have taken.

- The Self-access centre has all the latest multimedia study aids and a helpful assistant who will advise you on material. You can study here in the afternoons and evenings, supplementing your coursework and further improving your skills. There is a social area where you can chat with other students or teachers, and watch the BBC news on satellite TV.

- Another unique feature of the English Language Centre is that students now have access to the British Council Resource Centre and its huge range of books, not only on language but also on literature, culture and history, supported by an impressive video library. Every attempt is made to support you in your English language studies. The Centre aims to please and provide success for all its students.

- Finally, the English Language Centre supports not only students of English but teachers of English too. One of the many projects of which we are proud is the training programme for Russian teachers of English in St Petersburg and the North-West region.

- The courses here are special because they are taught by fully-qualified native speaking teachers with the latest methodology and the latest materials. They are also supported by an on-going teacher development programme to ensure the teachers' further advancement. Courses are fun, motivating and meaningful. Come to the British Council and learn English.

- In 1999 more than 100 secondary school teachers from different educational institutions will take a course aimed at better equipping them to prepare their students for the Cambridge First Certificate in English. This programme was set up by the British Council in association with the Education Committee of St Petersburg. The project has been a resounding success and demand for such courses has been enormous, ensuring that it will go from strength to strength.

- If you would like to join us in our Centre then you are very welcome. Please come to Fontanka 46 where you will find a happy learning environment and we will help you to improve your English.