Course Overview

The main aim of this course is to improve your overall English language ability. The aim is to increase your confidence in speaking and using English and to raise your overall proficiency in English.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course you should be able to:

• Use a range of vocabulary in speech and writing to describe family, sport, food and other topics;
• Confidently interact with others using more fluent spoken English;
• Transfer knowledge from one skill to another, e.g. listen and then write;
• Practise all four language skills in an integrated manner;
• Deliver a presentation on an aspect of British Culture;
• Take part in seminars and discussions on aspects such as the Royal Family or What is the United Kingdom?;
• Gain an overview of aspects of British Culture including history, geography, politics, literary achievements, food and eating habits and how these aspects impacted on the local area and the wider world, sharing insights into your own culture.

Structure

You will study all four language skills: Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. You will also study British Culture.

1. Integrated Language Skills (9 hours per week). You will be given a course book for this part of the course and you will study language skills in an integrated way e.g. reading a text and then writing about it or listening to a news article and then discussing it with a partner. The type of grammar you study will depend on your current language level and needs. We ask students to ‘actively’ participate in classes so you can expect to talk and to do a range of pair and group work. This will help to activate the language you know but have not used. You will also have one-to-one tutorials with the tutor who teaches the Integrated Skills classes.
2. Speaking and Listening (6 hours per week). These classes will involve various ways to get you to speak and use English. You will have debates (e.g. about the Monarchy) and discussions. You will be asked to do an oral presentation on your own and also in a small group.
3. British Culture (3 hours per week). These classes aim to help you understand and learn about life in Britain, our customs and traditions which include: Food and eating habits, The Monarchy, Geography of the British Isles, British inventions, Famous writers from Britain, Brexit, Traditions such as Bonfire Night, Halloween, Princes and Princesses