NEWSON'S PLACE

WELCOME TO THIS UNIQUE

CPE ONLINE COURSE
INTERNATIONAL ONLINE LANGUAGE SCHOOL

WRITTEN BY THE FOUNDER OF NEWSON'S PLACE

• PAUL NEWSON

Welcome one, welcome all. You have been brave enough to

take on the mighty CPE course which means you have joined
an exclusive club of elite English learners as there are very
few around the world who can only dream of matching your
level. For this fact alone, you should already pat yourselves
on the back. But there’s a lot of work ahead.

I can boast about the uniqueness of this CPE online course as

there is nothing like it anywhere. Rather than a simple ‘Prep
Course’ of mastering exam format or a cheap Marathon where
you are given material you could otherwise find yourself, here
you are provided with twice the amount of info needed to
score a top mark, just like our 17 year old Dasha can attest
with her A; and Galina who informed me yesterday of her A
like so many others. So the course isn’t just unique, it also
works. But a lot has to be done by YOU, the student.

LET’S GET STRAIGHT TO THE NITTY-GRITTY!

newsonsplace.com
Navigating around
Olga the administrator is your guide throughout this course. Any problems with connection, technical
issues, access, you should inform her and she will respond pretty much immediately. You will be in a
private VK group where you can access posts where the speaking classes are mentioned, links to
resources etc.

It’s all there. It’s confusing to start off with but then it becomes second nature. Never be afraid to ask.
And don’t worry if it’s about the simplest thing; I can promise you won’t have been the first.

The Videos
You should set yourself a schedule where you can watch a
video all the way through without being disturbed. Even if a
video is 20 minutes or 30, the likelihood is that you’ll have to
watch twice. Maybe 3 times because there is a lot of info. The
videos explain the tactics required for each part of the exam;
tactics which have been tried and tested over many years. In
addition, there is sometimes a huge amount of natural native
lexis I provide to accompany particular themes. The idea of the
videos is to try and recreate a classroom; for you to feel as if I
were standing right in front of you.

Some points to note about the videos:

The videos focus on a particular page of the book Expert

Proficiency; just like a teacher doing a page from the book
in the classroom.
The time required to complete a whole unit is up to you
but the suggested minimum is 2 weeks. That allows you to
watch, make notes, watch again if necessary and to do the
accompanying online practice. If you want to take one
month for one unit, that’s up to you.
There is no priority to which video you should watch.
However, the videos do appear in the same order as the
material in the chosen book: Expert Proficiency.
You have access to the videos permanently.

Access remains even after the end of the course!

newsonsplace.com
 TestPad
This is an online platform where we have
uploaded hundreds of tests for you to
complete from additional textbooks and
practice tests. It is suggested that if you, for
example, watch a video on the Listening
Part 4, you immediately do the supporting
test to have more practice for that part 4.

Some points to note about TestPad:

Just like the videos, you have permanent access to Testpad so you can practice again and again
if you wish.
With the videos, all the Testpad exercises can be completed in a suggested 2 weeks.
So essentially, 2 weeks is the minimum to complete all material for unit 1 and so on.
If there are any technical issues with Testpad, please contact Olga.
If you are doing an exercise, especially where there are open-ended answers and yours isn’t
accepted but you believe it to be right, contact Paul. We are always adding alternatives to the
list. It’s getting pretty long…

Our Authentic Sources

This was added to the course based on previous teaching experience. To get an A at CPE, you need
to regularly watch TV programs in English and read articles. I’ll repeat: REGULARLY! The reading
and listening themes are not based on Friends or Harry Potter. Rather themes you would never
normally select yourself. So yes, they’re boring. They were specifically chosen to be boring so
when you do the exam, you can concentrate more effectively on material that doesn’t appeal to
you – because you’re used to it. The authentic sources also provide you with topical vocabulary;
something which most students lack. That means if you’re going to talk about work, will I hear
things like: To be accepted as an apprentice, to work on a shift pattern, to walk out in protest over
pay and conditions, to land a lucrative job, to be dismissed for professional misconduct, to work on
a freelance basis…

newsonsplace.com
Speaking
You will be put into class of 8 (maximum). The lesson is once every 2 weeks. You might be thinking
that isn’t enough but believe me; every student within these lessons has mastered the format.

While you will be given language support, the chief aim of the speaking sessions is to master the
format in order to satisfy Cambridge criteria. After all, it can be confusing.

Points to take into account:

Although all speaking sessions are recorded, it is strongly recommended you attend to get in
as much practice as possible.
Always try to be on time.
There is no need to be shy or concerned what people may think about you and your English.
Ironically, everybody else is probably just as worried but we will become one close family
where we will all flourish.
You should watch the videos concerning speaking in advance. They will at least give you the
lowdown on what’s required.
It’s strongly suggested that you form up with your classmates and become speaking buddies.
As mentioned, speaking sessions are every 2 weeks. That means after 24 weeks, the speaking
sessions end.

Writing
It’s tough, it’s boring, it’s time-consuming but writing has to be done. You will follow my advice
and suggestions in the videos and supply me with something to write home about. The truth of the
matter is: no matter if learning online or face to face in a real classroom setting, many students
simply do not do enough writing. We accept 2 essays per week if you’re up to the challenge. We
accept essays up to 24 weeks so that means you can write 48 essays which is way more than
enough practice.

Remember the following:

When you start writing essays, it’s normal that one can take a couple of hours: you research
the vocab, you plan and structure it, you read and edit it yourself several times over.
Practice makes perfect and you’ll get quicker.
Towards the end of the course you’ll write under timed conditions. You’ll get advice on what
to do in units 11 and 12.
When you get your essays back sent directly from me, PRINT THEM OFF!!! Keep your essays in
a neat pile somewhere and read them again and again to absorb that language! Essentially,
you need a database of structures stored in your head to utilize on the day of the exam. So
write your essays and re-read them a hundred times.

newsonsplace.com
Course Structure
This online CPE course has been put together with special focus on getting you materially ready
and well as mentally prepared. The supplement practice in the first 4 units is taken from another
textbook. Units 5-8, the online practice becomes much harder as the exercises are taken from
challenging sources. Units 9 and 10 are from real past papers so you get used to the difficulty once
you have mastered all the tactics and doubled your English. Units 11 and 12 are only practice tests.
These are VITAL! In my classes, I finish every course, usually the last month, doing nothing other
than practice tests in order to get students ready for the intensity of the day of the exam.

And if there are any issues to iron out, we can do that all in good time. Hence this course works in
the same way: you receive instructions on how to time yourself and complete all parts of the test
appropriately. But we have many units to do until then.

Remember the following points and you’ll sail through CPE:

Nothing happens overnight. Mastering the course and format takes time and practice
You MUST have PMA (a positive mental attitude) Being defeatist, negative, wallowing in self-
pity will only lead to disaster.
You’ll have moments where you get good marks, bad days where you feel everything just seems
to go wrong. That’s called LIFE! Always keep your chin up.
The tactics I teach work. They have been tried and tested. Again, they take time to master. There
is no magic pill. Only diligence! If you end up finding your own methods for successfully
completing the tasks, congratulations.
Never see the course as a punishment. You are here because you love English. CPE is your
hobby, your passion. That is how you must see it.
Live CPE. Engross yourself in English daily. Watch, read, listen. All in English. You’ll destroy the
exam in no time.
And lastly, enjoy the course!

Wishing you every ounce of success!

Paul Newson

newsonsplace.com