Pre-Master's Course - Advanced Diploma in British and European Studies 2015 -2016

English Language Teachers' Summer Seminar

Welcome to the University of Oxford English Language Teachers' Summer Seminar which offers you a first class professional development experience in one of the University's oldest colleges (pictured above). The Seminar is uniquely structured to give you a learning and study experience like no other as you discover for yourself what it is like to study and live in an Oxford college. From your welcome reception in the Master's Garden to the final gala dinner in the splendid surroundings of Exeter College dining hall, the memories of your course will remain with you for many years to come.

Participant numbers are strictly limited to a total of 65 so early application is advisable.

Summer Seminar Structure and Workshops

Your day begins with a stimulating and informative plenary lecture and is followed by two highly practical workshops. We offer five different workshops each week. When you enrol for the course, you will be asked to choose two workshops from our Week 1 options and another two from our Week 2 options. This means that you will attend one morning and one afternoon workshop each week. This gives you a chance to discover and explore new areas in ELT which you have perhaps not had the chance to focus on before. Each workshop is made up of five 90-minute sessions. Workshop topics for 2016 are:

Week 1

• Creating and Writing Classroom Materials
• Exploring Grammar: Words, Clauses, Sentences and Beyond
• Integrating Pronunciation: The Cinderella of Language Skills
• Motivating the Unmotivated
• The Creative Classroom

Week 2

• Blending Technology into your Classroom
• Contemporary English: Teaching a Changing Language
• Demand High: Access the Full Learning Potential of your Students
• English as a Medium of Instruction
• Promoting Speaking Skills

Full details of all of the above workshops are available on our website.

ELT Guest Lectures

Each morning begins with a plenary lecture delivered by a prominent figure or by authors working in ELT. Some lectures will be directly relevant to classroom practice, whilst others are intended to be more theoretical and thought-provoking.

Our speakers are:

• Adrian Underhill - The Story of your Development as a Teacher: Introduction to ELTSS
• Tim Herdon - Growth Mindset, Self-Efficacy and Habit Building: Lessons in Student Motivation from Modern Psychology
• Russell Stannard - Key Technologies that can Revolutionise our Teaching and Learning
• Edmund Dudley - Using Literature in the EFL Classroom
• Hanna Kryszewska - Visual Literacy for Teachers
• Jon Hird - Reaching Every Student in the Classroom: Dyslexia and Learning English
• John Hughes - Critical Thinking in Language Teaching

Is the Summer Seminar for me?

The Summer Seminar is for English Language Teachers who have significant experience of teaching English as a foreign or second language to secondary school pupils, college or university students or adult learners who:

• are in search of ways of improving their English proficiency who want to keep up to date with developments in the English language and in ELT
• want to think about developing materials for use alongside their current course books
• want to update their knowledge and their resources for teaching about Britain
• are interested or involved in training ELT teachers
• want to reflect on and develop their practice

Your Tutors

The University of Oxford has carefully selected an outstanding academic team by bringing together some of the top trainers and tutors in the field of ELT today.

• Adrian Underhill
• Edmund Dudley
• Jon Hird
• Hanna Kryszewska
• John Hughes

Daily Schedule

Monday to Friday:

9.15-10.45 … Lecture (Except Wednesdays)
10.45-11.15 … Tea and coffee break
11.15-12.45 … Workshops
12.45-13.45 … Lunch
14.00-15.30 … Workshops

The programme provides 42 hours of tuition, comprising:

• 12 hours of lectures (8 sessions lasting approximately 1.5 hours each)
• 30 hours of workshop meetings (7.5 per course)

Social Programme

Pre-Master's Course - Advanced Diploma in British and European Studies 2015-2016

Our highly successful Undergraduate Advanced Diploma in British and European Studies course offers you a unique opportunity to study at one of the world’s leading universities and would be perfect for you if…

• you are a graduate student
• you need to rapidly improve your academic English skills
• you would like to learn more about British & European civilisation
• you would relish a challenging and stimulating academic experience
• you are looking to follow a rigorous pre-Masters course

Course Content

• A two-week pre-sessional orientation course
• Academic module
• English language module

Pre-sessional Course

Your introduction to the Advanced Diploma in British and European Studies, and to your year at Oxford University, takes the form of an intensive two-week course of language practice, academic study skills and cultural orientation.

Academic Module

You will experience a rigorous and intellectually stimulating academic programme in British & European civilisation and culture taught through a wide range of academic subjects (approx 6 contact hours per week) over 3 terms. In your second term, you will also choose a topic of special interest to you for an extended essay which you submit at the end of the third term. You will also benefit from the support of an academic tutor who will advise you and supervise your work in weekly one-to-one tutorials.

• English Literature
• The Face of the Nation? British Politics Today
• British Society Today
• Religion in Britain Today
• British Cinema
• Project Europe? A History of Unity (& Division) 1792-1992
• European Integration
• European Politics 2000-2015
• History of Art

English Language Module

A team of highly experienced and well-qualified expert language tutors will help you rapidly improve your language skills by teaching you in small seminar groups for maximum progress. Additionally, you will also benefit from a weekly one-to-one language tutorial.

You take the following English classes (approx. 10 contact hours per week):

• Academic Literacy
• Contemporary Britain in Focus: reading
• Critical Thinking
• English Grammar
• Listening & Speaking skills
• Weekly Academic Writing Tutorial
• IELTS practice

British Heritage & Culture

During your year at Oxford University, to help you discover the real Britain, we include the following study visits at no extra cost:

• St Paul's Cathedral
• Houses of Parliament
• Ashmolean Museum
• National Gallery
• A Shakespeare play in Stratford-upon-Avon

(Please note that places visited change from year to year).

Course Dates 2015 - 2015

The Advanced Diploma in British and European Studies requires a full academic year of study.

A typical teaching day starts at 9.15 a.m. and ends at 3.30 p.m. during which you take up to three 90-minute classes. You also benefit from small study groups and individual weekly tutorials.

Each day, during your daily morning break, we invite you to relax in our Common Room and enjoy complimentary tea/coffee and biscuits.

Course dates for 2015-2016 are:

• Orientation Week (28 September – 2 October 2015)
• Term 1: Michaelmas (5 October – 11 December 2015)
• Term 2: Hilary (11 January – 11 March 2016)
• Term 3: Trinity (18 April – 17 June 2015)

Course aims

The Advanced Diploma in British and European Studies course aims to...

• improve your academic English writing and study skills
• enhance your critical thinking skills
• deepen your knowledge of British and European culture and civilisation
• boost your English language communication skills
• prepare you for Master's level studies at leading British universities

Assessment methods

Assessment for the Advanced Diploma in British and European Studies consists of continuous assessment in the form of coursework assignments and seminar presentations for both English and academic subjects, as well as an extended academic essay on a specialist subject of your choice.

Teaching Resources, Methods & Study Support

Our teaching and learning facilities are first class with modern tutorial and seminar rooms, libraries and reading rooms, and dedicated student IT facilities.

You will have access to the University’s Language Centre and to the unrivalled resources of the world famous Bodleian Library.

Your tutors will adopt a range of teaching methods that will include lectures, group discussion, critical thinking and problem-solving tasks, and role play in order to encourage independent learning and to develop your intellectual and analytical skills.

• You will receive a minimum of 15 contact teaching hours each week
• You will study in small seminar groups for academic subjects
• You will follow academic lectures
• You will actively participate in communicative English language classes
• You will receive one-to-one English language tutorials throughout your year
• You will receive one-to-one specialist academic tutorials in Terms 2 and 3
• You will be expected to record your progress in an individual language portfolio and discuss this with your language tutor

Accommodation & College Facilities

As an associate student of Oxford University you will be ‘attached’ to one of the University of Oxford’s 38 colleges. This means that you can enjoy the social life of your college and meet many British and international students with whom you can practise and improve your English.

Accommodation type varies from college to college and can either be in the college itself or elsewhere in Oxford. Alternatively, you may rent private accommodation in the city.

Our students have enjoyed attachments to: Keble College, Lady Margaret Hall, Linacre College, Mansfield College, Merton College, St. Anne’s College, St Cross College, St Hilda's College, St. Hugh’s College, The Queen’s College and Wolfson College.

Please note that college accommodation fills up very fast. We would, therefore, advise you to apply as early as possible as it becomes increasingly difficult to secure accommodation from late sping onwards.

Normally, colleges will reserve single-study bedroom accommodation for you (mostly en suite) with shared kitchen facilities and which costs approximately £120 a week. This entitles you to use a wide range of facilities which naturally vary from college to college, but will usually include:

• Common Room
• Dining Hall
• Library (some offer 24-hour access)
• IT facilities
• Café/Coffee shop
• Gym & sporting facilities
• TV room
• Bar
• Laundry

(Please note that your course and college fees do not include accommodation for which you should budget an additional £120 per week.)

Entry Requirements

This nine-month programme is intended for international students…

• who are graduates
• with an IELTS score of at least 6.5

(Applicants with an IELTS score of 6.0 will be considered for the non award-bearing track of the programme.)

How to apply

Visit our website and download an application and reference form. http://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/Y000-4

Then send both your application and reference forms together with the following:

• an official copy of your university transcript(s)
• a copy of your IELTS test results. (Please note that you must have taken an IELTS or equivalent officially-recognised English language proficiency test BEFORE submitting your course application.)
• Two passport-sized photographs

Do you have any questions? Contact us today.

Social activities will be organised for the late afternoons and/or evenings, Monday to Friday. These may include: a walking tour of Oxford, a cultural exchange evening, a quiz, a pub tour, an evening of Scottish country dancing (where you do the dancing!), and much more.

ELT Publishers Book Display

During the Seminar, representatives from Oxford University Press will be present to showcase current and forthcoming ELT publications. All teachers will be offered a discount of 20% on ELT publications purchased during the Seminar.

Certification

All participants will receive a University of Oxford certificate of attendance on successful completion of the seminar.

Accommodation

Participants who choose to be resident on the programme will have a single study bedroom in Exeter College and they will take meals in the college dining hall. All meals during the programme will be provided for college residents, except for lunch on the weekends.

There are a limited number of rooms in Exeter College with private bathroom facilities for participants subject to availability and a supplementary fee. Early application to secure these rooms is essential.

Participants cannot be accommodated at Exeter College either prior to or beyond their programme dates. Family members and/or friends who are not enrolled on this programme cannot be accommodated in college.

Participants who choose to be non-resident on the summer school are responsible for finding their own accommodation