PEAK English — Frequently Asked Questions
PEAK English  FAQ

General Questions

  • What are the PEAK English courses?
  • How long are the courses?
  • Which Internet browser do I need for the online English courses?
  • What hardware do I need for the courses?
  • What software do I need for the courses?
  • How will I receive my lessons, quizzes and assignments?
  • What extra educational features does a course offer?
  • What should I do if I have a question?
  • How is taking an Internet course different from classroom instruction?
  • Problem Solving

  • If I crash or leave the lesson, how do I start again?
  • What should I do if I cannot hear sound?
  • General Questions


    What are the PEAK English courses?

    PEAK English offers both General English and Business English courses.

    General English courses come in two semester 30-unit lessons, or one semester 20 unit lessons. The course can be studied alone, or with a teacher in an online classroom. The Courses have a final exam and a Certification of Completion.

    Executive English is a 20-unit course. Each unit should take about an hour. Additionally, there are over 250 hours of General English lessons available to you.

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    How long are these courses?

    Unless otherwise specified, all courses run from four to eight months.

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    Which Internet browser do I need for these online English courses?

    You need Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer, version 4.0 or higher, to use this online course. If you are an AOL customer, you should have the latest version of their browser. You can download any one of these browsers for free.

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    What hardware do I need for these courses?

    Minimum system requirements:
    • 200 Mhz Pentium (or equivalent) or PowerPC (Macintosh) processor
    • 64 MB of RAM
    • Sound Card
    • A 56 Kbps modem
    • A Microphone (for speech practice)

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    What software do I need for the courses?

    All software needed to take these courses is free of charge.

    You need Flash.

    If you can't see the dancing colors above, download the Flash Player.

    The ActiveGrammar lessons require a RealPlayer from RealAudio. You will need version 5 or later of RealPlayer. You can get the most recent version from http://www.real.com.

    Avoid "beta" versions because they might have problems that have not been fixed yet. And you don't have to pay for a deluxe version of RealPlayer -- the basic free version is all you need.

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    How will I receive my lessons, quizzes and assignments?

    Your lessons, tutorials, demonstrations, reference materials, quizzes, and assignments are available on your Student Home Page. You will be directed to your Home Page upon purchase of a course.

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    What extra educational features does a course offer?

    PEAK English Students enjoy the additional benefits of the PEAK English World of English. The World of English consists of a long selection of multimedia games, fun academic exercises, educational tools, chat, forums, and much more.

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    What should I do if I have a question?

    Each of your lessons is accompanied by an interactive discussion area. Post your question or inquiry in the appropriate course discussion area. An instructor or one of your fellow students will respond. Also, you may email your instructor, or where needed, the faculty at PEAK English.

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    How is taking an Internet course different from classroom instruction?

    Online learning provides both with flexibility in today's fast-paced world. You can study and learn in the comfort and convenience of your own home and office. Just login to your online classroom when you are ready to read your lessons, complete your quizzes and assignments, or communicate with the learning community. Our Internet courses fit into your schedule: you can take them before breakfast, during lunch, late at night, or at any other time you find convenient — the choice is yours!

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    Problem Solving


    If I crash or leave the lesson, how do I start again?

    If you crash or you leave the lesson, go back to your Student Home Page and select "start my lesson". Your work will be bookmarked.

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    What should I do if I cannot hear sound?

    First, clean your ears.

    Then make sure that your computer is able to play sounds. To do so:

    • Ensure that your speakers are properly plugged in.
    • Ensure that your computer has a sound card and that it is properly installed.

    For Microsoft PCs:

    You should be able to hear sounds by going to Start... Settings... Control Panel... Sounds.

    Choose an event that has a speaker icon next to it and click the play button under Preview. If you still cannot hear sounds:

    Check the User's Guide that came with your computer, or go to Start... Settings... Control Panel... System and choose the "Device Manager" tab.

    Look under "Sound, video and game controllers" and make sure that there is some brand of sound card there that does not have a yellow "!" next to it which would indicate that it is not working.

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