Soros International House (SIH) started in 1993 as EL teaching centre and soon became one of the largest and most highly rated language schools in Vilnius, at the moment teaching 13 languages, including less widely taught and used languages. All courses of languages for adult and young learners are provided by the professionals using innovative language teaching methodologies and programmes, implementing ICT equipments and tools in the teaching-learning process.
From 1993 SIH is an affiliated member of the International House World Organisation (IHWO) – one of the largest and oldest networks of over 150 affiliated private language schools in 50 countries. In 1998 SIH became a member of Lithuanian Association of Adult Education and Centre of Foreign Language Teachers Training, recognized by the Ministry of Education and Science of Lithuania.
In 2003 the institution was approved by IHWO Affiliate Network as one of IH Teacher Training Centres in 2005 – as Instituto Cervantes Examination centre for Spanish language and in 2008 – as Pearson authorized tests centre LTE for English language.
The main SIH activities are:
- language teaching to adults and younger learners, preparation for Cambridge Exams and US Admission tests, local and international language summer camps for YL;
- implementation of LLP and Nordplus Programme projects in adult education, language teaching and promotion, creation of innovative methodologies, intercultural learning, teacher training, migrant integration, active citizenship, and IH Consulting;
- local and international teacher-training programs;
- educational programs, seminars, conferences, orientated towards civil servants and business people, language teaching and vocational training professionals, who seek to improve their professional and personal competences.
SIH focuses on:
- improving foreign language skills of adult and young learners, professional and personal skills of civil servants and business people;
- promoting linguistic diversity and opportunities for language learning among different target groups, such as young and adult learners, and senior citizens;
- cooperating with adult educators and language and vocational training experts all over the world in running projects, which promote intercultural education, multicultural awareness, linguistic diversity, active citizenship, migrant integration into new societies, assessment strategies of vocational competences and active social life of senior citizens;
- setting standards of high quality aspiration, ambitious goals, work of great impact;
- stimulating the involvement of adult educators into the activities related on personal growth and enrichment.
Since 2000 SIH has been actively involved in a number of international projects and has explicit experience in coordinating projects in language teaching methodology and tools, adult education and vocational training, intercultural learning, active citizenship, and migrant integration. SIH coordinates and participates in projects which are based on intercultural and intergenerational learning and values education, including different kinds of trainings for young, adult and senior learners using various innovative teaching methods to improve the quality of teaching and learning. The projects coordinated by SIH were awarded European Labels or diplomas as the best projects of the year, were nominated for Star projects and were selected among the best adult education and language teaching projects by the European Commission, were presented during the international Conferences and Fairs and included into different Compendiums of Best Practices. In 2012 at the ‘Multilingualism in Europe’ conference organized by the EC the exclusive ‘European Language Label’ award was presented to SIH.
