English Course

Monday 20th February to Friday 16th March 2012

This four-week intensive course is designed to help develop the English of users of the language at Elementary level. It includes General English and English for Christian purposes. Although all four language skills will be covered, there is more emphasis in this course on speaking and listening than on reading and writing. Relevant grammar and vocabulary will also be studied.

The language level of successful applicants is A2 on the Common European Framework (CEF), as typically measured by the online placement test of Oxford University Press. Possible applicants who have already reached a significantly higher level of English, at level B1 or above, are encouraged to consider applying for the next ‘Preparation for Ministry: Leadership Track’ course starting in September 2012, in which a substantial amount of English language study is included.

Schedule and coursebook: The daily timetable of the course will include 8 sessions of study, each lasting 40 minutes, between 9.00am and 5.00pm. However, there is a flexible social programme on Wednesday afternoons, besides whole-day local excursion arrangements on the three Saturdays of the course. A General English coursebook will be provided, taken from the Headway series published by Oxford University Press.

Costs to be met by applicants or their sponsors are: any visa application needed, air fares, out of pocket expenses during the course (non-essential items estimated at £25 per week) and a return journey by coach or rail to a London airport. They will also need to pay, shortly after arrival, a course tuition fee of £100, to be paid in British pounds and calculated at £25 per week for the four weeks of study. The College will be responsible for other expected in-country costs. These specifically include: collection from the airport on arrival, the balance of course fees (including a General English coursebook and other learning materials), a coursebook, excursion travel, accommodation and food/board.

Accommodation allocated will be either in the church property Glenbourne (self-catering) or in a homestay with someone connected with the church. The course is offered in response to specific overseas requests. Its size is limited to one class of maximum size 14. An early, complete application is, therefore, recommended in order to avoid disappointment. Referees should include the applicant’s church pastor , whose evident support for the application is a requirement. The final date for receipt of a full application, including all the documentation listed at the end of the application form, is Friday 16th December 2011.

Level A2 on the CEF has been described widely in the following kind of words. A user can: understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment); communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters; describe in simple terms aspects of his/her background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

Application: Applicants should apply as soon as possible, using the College application form, following its requirements for additional documents and stating 'English Course' as the course title in the 'Courses applied for' section.