TEACHING ENGLISH TO YOUNG LEARNERS

Course Factfile

The course is aimed specifically at the needs of teachers who teach English to primary children aged 8-11.

Participants must:

• be qualified teachers with at least one year's experience of teaching English to young learners (aged 8-11)
• have at least an intermediate level of English.

Please note: The course is not suitable for native speakers of English, for teacher trainees, or for very experienced teachers of primary aged children.

Course Aim

The course aims to develop participants' confidence and competence in using English for teaching purposes, to raise awareness of teaching activities and materials appropriate for the teaching of young learners and to improve participants' own language proficiency.

Content

Course topics include

• activities for the teaching of oral/aural skills and reading and writing
• using songs, rhymes and games in the classroom
• teaching pronunciation
• story-telling
• using drama
• using technology
• dealing with vocabulary and grammar
• assessing young learners
• classroom management

There are several workshops on topics such as making books and wall-displays, story-telling, and project work. The course also includes a session and workshop on classroom language, and there are other language activities to help develop participants' own language proficiency.

The afternoon sessions focus specifically on improving participants' own language proficiency.

Approach

The approach is task-based and interactive with an emphasis on collaborative group work. Participants are expected to take part in activities, reflect on both their own classroom practice and the activities they have experienced, and discuss and work on adaptations and projects appropriate for their own teaching context.

This is one of the largest university centres for language teaching in the UK, offering a wide range of English courses for overseas students, all of them written and designed by specialists, ensuring a high quality learning experience.

The centre also conducts research into the learning and teaching of languages.The summer courses for language teachers attract professionals at all stages of their careers.  Other summer courses are available for specialists in law, medicine and business studies.

General English courses, as well as some of the specialist courses, are available all year round.

September to June

Private Households

Students who choose this accommodation option are placed in local households. Some of the hosts are families with children but many are young or retired people, single or couples. They all have one thing in common: they enjoy sharing their home with paying guests and make students feel welcome.  All households are inspected regularly by school staff and selected to suit individual needs. Accommodation is in single bedrooms unless otherwise requested.  Students may elect to have a room plus use of the family kitchen, or a room plus four evening meals each week, in which case they have no access to cooking facilities.

Prices:

There is a £100 accommodation booking deposit.

University Flat
The Centre has the use of a purpose-built University flat which can accommodate 12 students. It is within walking distance of the Centre and close to the city centre. Male and female students share the same flat. Residents of the flats are all English language students at the Centre.

Features of the flat include:

• Single bedroom accommodation
• Shared toilets and shower rooms
• Communal living-room/kitchen
• Bedlinen provided
• Laundry facilities on site
• Heating, lighting, cooking facilities & hot water are included in the price
• Towels are NOT provided

Only students registering for a full term on Intensive General English (20 hours) are eligible for this flat. Payment must be made in advance for the full period of booking for this type of accommodation. A key deposit of £150 will be required and kept by the Centre. This deposit will be returned to students at the end of their stay, provided there is no requirement to cover breakages, cleaning or any damage to fabric, fittings or equipment. This is in addition to the £100 accommodation booking deposit.

Summer Accommodation

Private Households - as above

Single room plus cooking facilities:  £124 per week

Single room plus four evening meals per week and no cooking facilities:  £142 per week

This type of accommodation is extremely popular and there is more limited availability in the summer.  Students are advised to select a second and third choice from the University Flat options below.

There is an accommodation booking deposit of £100.

Flats are available from the afternoon before the start of a course until the morning of the day after the course ends. The price for university accommodation includes computer access for use with own laptop and network cable.

Standard University Flat

These 4 - 5 person flats offer single bedroom accommodation on a fully self-catered basis. Students receive fresh bed linen at the start of their stay and are responsible for keeping the flat clean. Flats are serviced at the end of each course. The kitchen in each flat is equipped with crockery, cutlery, cooker, cooking utensils and a refrigerator.

Price:  Single room  £124 per week

Serviced University Flat

These 5 - 10 person flats offer both single and twin bedroom accommodation with the option of en-suite or shared bathroom facilities.  Breakfast is included in the price and self-catering facilities are available in each flat.  In the en-suite flats students can obtain lunch and dinner at an additional cost (half and full board supplements apply).  Bedlinen is changed regularly and the flats are cleaned weekly. The kitchen in each flat is equipped with crockery, cutlery, cooker, cooking utensils and a refrigerator.

Prices:

There is an accommodation booking deposit of £100.