STUDENT HANDBOOK PART C COURSES & EXAMINATIONS JANUARY 2017
STUDENT HANDBOOK PART C COURSES & EXAMINATIONS CONTENT General English Course Descriptions Beginner to Pre- Intermediate Course Descriptions Intermediate Advanced Course Descriptions Upper Advanced Course Description/Intensive/Tailor Made Groups p3 Testing & Progress Approach Exam Preparation Courses Descriptions F.C.E First Certificate in English C.A.E Cambridge Advanced English I.E.L.T.S International English Language Testing Other Course Descriptions Business English Support Websites Educational Exams Higher Education Language Requirements to study at U.K Universities p5 p6 p7 p8 Helpful Books: Grammar Books & Vocabulary Books Pronunciation Books Dictionaries p10 2
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS Beginner Level Course Description (A1) Subject topics covered on the Beginner level course include countries, cities, jobs, family, friends, sport, food, drink, languages, nationalities, times, houses, restaurants, colours, clothes and travel. By the end of the course you should be able to: Ask and answer simple questions about yourself, your family and what you do every day. Understand basic information in conversation repeated slowly and clearly. Read simple messages, notices & texts. Understand everyday words and very simple sentences in short texts. Write short, simple postcards and personal details on forms. Understand basic English grammar (the past, the present & the future). Elementary Level Course Description (A2) Subject topics include shopping, prices, meals, families, routines, personality, appearance, clothes, work, holidays, weather and transport. By the end of the course you should be able to: Explain likes/dislikes, where and how you live, past events and future plans, describe objects, people, your family, work and education. Practise English in everyday situations (asking for & giving personal details, exchanging information, social English). Understand very basic information about familiar subjects e.g. shopping, town, jobs and also understand the main idea in short, simple messages and conversations. Read very short simple texts e.g. personal letters; find specific information in adverts, menus, timetables etc. Write short, simple notes and messages and also write a simple personal letter. Know your strengths & weaknesses as a learner. Pre- Intermediate Level Course Description (A2- B1) Subject topics covered on the Pre- Intermediate level course include people, careers, leisure, health, travel, tourism, physical appearance and money. By the end of the course you should be able to: Talk about travel, hobbies and possessions, make simple polite requests, discuss personal opinions and future plans. Comparisons, describe people s appearance & personality. Get a broad understanding of English grammar. Increase your fluency & your ability to explain your ideas. Understand the main points of more difficult conversations and clearly spoken speeches about work, school, leisure and the news. Read longer texts in common language about work- related subjects and understand feelings and wishes described in personal letters. Write short, simple letters and stories about personal experiences. Know your strengths & weaknesses as a learner. 3
Intermediate Level Course Description (B1) Subject topics covered on the Intermediate course include relationships, character, books, films, festivals, childhood, sports, fashion and the weather. By the end of the course you should be able to: Discuss holidays, news and relationships, offer advice and opinions, express obligations, make predictions and explain intentions. Communicate more accurately & appropriately. Write letters and essays. Understand how English can be used formally & informally. Understand English tenses better, speak using present, past & future tenses. Understand most instructions, follow complex arguments, understand the main points of longer speeches and lectures and watch mainstream films. Read and understand routine information and articles and the meaning of information in a familiar area. Know your strengths & weaknesses as a learner. Upper- Intermediate Level Course Description (B2) Subject topics covered on the Upper Intermediate level course include money, the body, travel, fame and fortune, attraction, architecture, education and the media. By the end of the course you should be able to: Express your opinion and hold discussions with native speakers on a fairly wide variety of topics with a level of fluency and spontaneity that makes easy communication possible. Improve your knowledge of English grammar & the tense system. Increase your vocabulary & improve your understanding of word formation. Understand people speaking English on radio and television, and understand the main points of complex pieces of writing. Read longer, more complex newspaper articles and reports. Be aware of how different styles of English may be used in different situations. Speak fairly fluently and communicate effectively in social and professional situations. Write formal letters, essays and reports. Pre - Advanced Level Course Description (B2- C1) Many students find the transition from Upper Intermediate to Advanced too great. We provide a transition course which reviews parts of the Upper intermediate course and introduces parts of the Advanced course. Advanced Level Course Description (C1) Subject topics covered on the Advanced level course include the family, education, technology, the media, fashion, tourism, lifestyles and the environment. By the end of the course you should be able to: Speak confidently and extensively, expressing ideas and opinions in discussion and debate about complex subjects. Understand complex monologues and dialogues and watch most films. Understand complex factual and literary texts in different styles. Write opinion essays and factual reports about complex subjects. Write letters in different styles and be able to write texts in a range of styles. With suitable appropriacy. Increase vocabulary at an advanced level. (synonyms, collocations etc.) 4
Upper- Advanced Level Course Description This course is designed for high- level students who have been at advanced level for some time and it offers more challenging, proficiency- style materials. By the end of the course students will be expected to be able to: Deal comfortably with authentic reading texts, both academic and literary. Produce accurate written and spoken discourse using a wide range of grammatical structures and vocabulary in appropriate contexts of use, including idiomatic and colloquial English, and more formal language. Comfortably understand spoken dialogues; including radio and film, and recognise various different accents, both native and non- native. Be fully responsible for their learning both in and outside the classroom and be aware of what areas of their English need improving and the ways in which they can go about addressing these. Intensive Course Description Intensive English Language Courses consist of 30 hours of lessons per week, Monday to Friday. You are given the opportunity to study at more than one level to achieve maximum progress and the choice of afternoon or morning classes. Tailor Made Mini Groups We can design courses around your specific needs and requirements. With tailor made training, you can choose the course that s right for you. You choose the objectives, topics, course length and the number of participants. Our consultants can work with you to explore your training needs. Options include the choice of;- Mixed nationalities or closed groups. The type of accommodation. The types of activities you can enjoy while visiting London. Whether your needs are business, social or academic, we will be able to organise the right training for you. TESTING & PROGRESS Student assessment & Progress Marks 0 1 2 3 4 5 Performance Poor Weak Ok Satisfactory Good Move up Weekly classroom assessment & testing is carried out. Assessment is carried out on course- work, homework, informal class tests, student performance in lessons, listening and speaking activities & contribution to classes. There is a formal end of term level test which includes Reading, Writing, Listening, Vocabulary and Grammar sections. Students will have tutorials with their teachers to discuss their progress and any concerns they may have twice during the term. General English courses 5
FCE First Certificate F.C.E Exam Preparation The FCE(Cambridge First Certificate in English) is internationally recognised as an English language qualification by employers and universities and is permanently valid. Subject topics covered on the FCE course include lifestyles, travel, sport, fashion, family, technology, education, media and the environment. By the end of the course you should be able to: Listening: follow longer recordings of familiar topics, where people speak clearly. Listening: understand the important points of many documentaries, live interviews, talk shows, plays and films in standard dialect. Speaking: take an active part in informal discussion in familiar contexts, putting your point of view clearly and responding to different ideas. Reading: read quickly through long texts, finding relevant details. Reading: quickly identify if a text is useful and interesting (e.g. articles on the internet). Writing: produce reviews, articles, letters, emails and structured texts about topics you are familiar with expressing relevant ideas using an appropriate register. Writing: produce an essay or report which develops an argument, giving reasons in support of or against a particular point of view and explaining the advantages and disadvantages of various options. CAE Cambridge Advanced English - CAE Exam Preparation CAE is internationally recognised as an English language qualification by employers and universities and is permanently valid. Subject topics covered on the CAE course include work, transport, geography, science, technology, family, society, fashion, education, culture and communications. By the end of the course you will be able to: Speaking: Expressing yourself fluently and accurately, understanding phrases used in London and very small differences of meaning even in complex or sensitive situations. Reading: Understanding documents and reports, including the finer points of complex texts. Writing: Being able to summarise information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts into a flowing presentation with good expression and accuracy. Listening: Understanding a range of accents, both native and non- native. Understanding informational language in a range of text types, including announcements, radio broadcasts, lectures. 6
IELTS IELTS Exam Preparation IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is an exam which qualifies students to enter higher education courses in English- language universities. It can also be taken to certify students level of English at the end of their language course if they need to confirm their linguistic progress. The course covers a range of academic subject areas including health, education, the environment, science and technology,the arts and media. Students practise a variety of different exam question formats testing the four language skills: Listening: Monologues and dialogues concerning social and educational situations. Reading: General articles taken from journals andmagazines; question types include;- multiple- choice, short answers, paragraph headings, labelling diagrams, sentence, summary and true/false/not given. Writing: Factual report describing graphs, tables or diagrams; opinion essay responding to a viewpoint, argument or problem. Speaking: Personal information about home, family, studies, job, interests etc; individual response to verbal prompt card; related discussion of abstract issues. BUSINESS ENGLISH Business English Evening Part Time This course is for people who are planning a business career, need English forwork or are studying business. The course focuses on language skills needed to communicate successfully at work, including telephoning, negotiating, attending meetings, giving presentations and writing emails. This course is aimed at students at an upper intermediate level (CEFR B2) or higher. 7
SUPPORT WEBSITES Educational www.longman.com/cuttingedge/students/index.html - A very useful site that provides lots of useful exercises and quizzes for every module of every Cutting Edge book from Starter to Advanced. You will need to register to be able to access all the available information. https://elt.oup.com/student/headway/?cc=gb&sellanguage=en A very useful and well designed site that provides lots of useful grammar and vocabulary exercises for students for every unit of every New Headway book from Beginner to Advanced. Also provides a test builder for the Beginner to Intermediate books that allows students to test their problem grammar areas. https://elt.oup.com/?cc=gb&sellanguage=en - Provides links to student sites for all the main books published by Oxford University Press, e.g. New Headway, Natural English etc. www.eslcafe.com - If you having a problem with grammar, vocabulary, writing etc. this site provides a very useful help centre where you can receive help from teachers from around the world 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish - The main BBC site for learning English which provides useful reading, listening, grammar and vocabulary sections. https://www.britishcouncil.org/study- work- create/practicalities/funding- studies - This British Council site gives links to information on the main scholarship schemes offered by the UK government, colleges and universities. It also has an excellent downloadable document that gives sources of funding for international students. Exams http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/test- your- english/ - The main site to find out anything you need to know about any of the Cambridge English exams. www.londonexams.co.uk/ - All you need to know about any of Cambridge English Examinations in the London area. www.ielts.org - Provides all the information you need to know about the IELTS exam. www.flo- joe.co.uk/ - An excellent site for any student who is preparing for any of the main Cambridge exams. It has separate student sites for the FCE, CAE and CPE exams and all have useful practice exercises and excellent writing classes that provide lots of useful advice on preparing for the writing paper. 9. Higher Education www.educationuk.org - If you are thinking of studying at university in the UK this is the place to start. British Council website to help international students interested in studying for a UK course or qualification. You will need to register to be able to access all the available information. www.hotcourses.com - Another good site for searching for further education courses in the UK. This site provides information on degree courses, postgraduate courses, non- degree courses and funding. You will need to register to be able to access all the available information. www.dfes.gov.uk - Provides information on university courses, student life and finance. 8
http://aimhigherlondonsouth.org.uk/ - Provides information on university courses, student life and finance. http://www.theguardian.com/education/2013/jun/03/top- tips- for- choosing- university - Lots of useful information on applying for university courses, tables ranking universities and courses, and profiles of the universities. U.K. will except if you want to do an undergraduate or postgraduate degree http://bandscore.ielts.org/ - Provides you with information on all the universities and colleges accepting the IELTS exam and the entry requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Converting your qualifications to their UK equivalent www.naric.org.uk - This website explains who you can contact in order to convert your qualifications to equivalent UK qualifications. HELPFUL BOOKS Grammar Books Essential Grammar in Use Raymond Murphy (CUP) - Very popular self study grammar book that has exercises for most of the grammar which students will need from Beginner to Pre- Intermediate levels, and Intermediate to Upper- Intermediate. Advanced Grammar in Use Martin Hewings (CUP) - Contains 120 units of grammar explanation and exercises covering those areas that are particularly useful for Advanced level students. First Certificate Organiser J. Flower (Thomson) - Contains lots of useful grammar and vocabulary exercises for the First Certificate exam. Also has a helpful writing section. Advanced Language Practice - M.Vince & P.Sunderland (Macmillan ELT) - Similar in style to the First Certificate Language Practice and just as useful but designed for students preparing for the CAE & CPE exams. Recycling Advanced English - Clare West (Georgian Press) - Self study book with grammar, vocabulary and writing sections. Has some useful writing exercises for students preparing for the CAE. English Phrasal Verbs in Use M. McCarthy & F. O Dell (CUP) - Contains 70 units 2 page units featuring around 1000 phrasal verbs. Suitable for Intermediate and Upper Intermediate learners. How English Works M.Swan & C.Walter (OUP) - Full- colour grammar practice book suitable for Intermediate level students. Contains lots of humorous illustrations. Test It, Fix It Verbs and Tenses - K.Bourke (OUP), Test It, Fix It English GrammarGood little books that help students with the common problems they have with verb patterns, tenses, and grammar. Each unit contains a test, answers with grammar notes and a second test on the same topic. Books available at Pre- Intermediate and Intermediate levels. Vocabulary Books English Vocabulary in Use M. McCarthy & F. O Dell (CUP) - Self study series of vocabulary books available at four different levels: Elementary, Pre- Intermediate & Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced. Some are available with CD- ROM. 9
English Vocabulary Organiser G. Gough (Thomson) - Vocabulary practice book with over 5,000 new words, collocations and expressions. It is organised into 100 topic areas and is written for students studying at Intermediate level and above. English Idioms in Use M. McCarthy & F. O Dell (CUP) - Contains practise exercises for over 1000 of the most useful and frequent idioms that Intermediate and Upper Intermediate learners are likely to encounter. HELPFUL BOOKS English Language Requirements to study at UK Universities www.cambridgeesol.org/recognition/search.php - You can use this website to see which Cambridge exams colleges and universities in the UK. Pronunciation Books English Pronunciation in Use M. Hancock (CUP) - A self- study reference and exercise book that contains 60 units dealing with all the common problems that students at Intermediate level and above would encounter. Try to buy the packs which include both the book and either the CDs or cassettes because these are cheaper. Headway Pronunciation S. Cunningham, P. Moor, B. Bowler, S. Parminter (OUP). Complete pronunciation books available at four different levels: Elementary, Pre- Intermediate, Intermediate and Upper Intermediate. Can be used with New Headway course books or by themselves. Try to buy the packs with audio CD because they are cheaper. Dictionaries Oxford Elementary Learner s Dictionary (OUP) - Suitable for Elementary and Pre- Intermediate learners. Longman Active Study Dictionary (Longman) - Suitable for Intermediate and Upper Intermediate learners. 10