Voicebox v2

Centre for English and World Languages CEWL photo competition

Capital Knowledge

National Japanese Speaking Contest

Language Express

Vol 1 No 2 2012

VoiceBox

The international magazine from the Centre for English and World Languages

Welcome Welcome to the second issue of VoiceBox, the official newsletter for the Centre of English and World Languages (CEWL). 2011-12 has been a busy year and we hope you enjoy reading about our latest activities and new developments Cover picture: “Enjoying great company� by Chung Yee Wong, CEWL photo competition winner

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Graduate Diplomas

CEWL photo competition

CEWL launches a new suite of Graduate Diplomas; Premasters’ programmes for international students

This year, CEWL opened up its photography competition to all students taking courses at the Centre. The theme was ‘Campus Culture’. Thanks to all students who participated!

The Graduate Diplomas are a one-year Pre-Masters programme which focus on preparing students for the academic challenges of postgraduate study within their chosen field.

The Graduate Diplomas are jointly delivered by the University of Kent’s academic schools and our Centre for English and World Languages Students are given the opportunity to develop their independent study and research skills through a combination of subject-specific modules within their chosen academic school.

In addition, students will have the opportunity to improve their English language proficiency and skills competence with our English and Academic Skills modules.

Second Prize: “Finding your way around the world” by Tommaso Paletta

First prize was awarded to Chung Yee Wong, whose photography “Enjoying great company” is this issue’s front cover photograph.

Second prize was awarded to Tommaso Paletta for ‘Finding your way around the World’, and third prize went to the photographer of ‘Green Lane’ . Unfortunately, we do not know the identity of the student who took this great photo so if it was you, please let us know!

The new Graduate Diplomas are in the fields of Biosciences, Politics and International Relations; Humanities (notably the subjects in our School of European Culture and Languages) Law and Psychology. CEWL already contributes to the University’s Graduate Diplomas in International Management with International English and the Graduate Diploma in Computing and Computer Science.

To find out more about our Graduate Diplomas visit www.kent.ac.uk/cewl or email us at premasters@kent.ac.uk

“The extensive and relevant Management English modules equipped me with the skills and tools to develop my research and study proficiency. This course has been a fundamental step for me to identify my weaknesses and has offered me the help and assistance to overcome them, in addition to the opportunities to improve on my existing strengths.”

Fahad Al Nasser

First Prize and cover image: “Enjoying great company” by Chung Yee Wong

Third Prize: “The green lane” Artist Unknown

How learning Danish may help you with Scandinavian crime and knitting!

It’s cold, dark and raining. A group of policemen are following a woman detective through a muddy field. She is walking towards a shape under a tree. As the camera focuses on it we see that the shape is a horribly mutilated body... This is the opening scene from the popular Danish detective programme The Killing, translated for British television from the Danish original Forbrydelsen, which means, literally, Crime.

In recent years, Danish detective series, with their combination of intrigue, plain speaking and gruesome detail, have become increasingly popular on British television; Sarah Lund’s Faroe Isle jumper has reached iconic status and sparked renewed interest in knitting across the country!

Series 2 of The Killing is to be broadcast in Britain in the Autumn of 2012.

Jane Short Director of Learning and Teaching

If you’d like to follow it in the original, why not take one of the Centre for English and World Languages’ new modules in Danish?

For details, visit www.kent.ac.uk/courses/ modulescatalogue/

University of Kent 3

Student tracking British Association of Lecturers of English for Academic Purposes Professional Issues Meeting (BALEAP PIM) Literally hundreds of students take courses every year at CEWL, yet our interest in their respective journeys does not end once their course has finished. However, finding the most efficient way to track their progress and achievements can be challenging. Exchanging ideas on this topic was the aim of the PIM conference held at CEWL in February 2012.

On 25th February, the Centre for English and World Languages hosted a one day conference at Keynes College for nearly one hundred lecturers in English for Academic Purposes from all over Britain. They met to discuss how and why they track the progress of their students, most of whom are speakers of English as a second language.

There were fourteen presentations during the day, including a joint workshop from Kent, Heriot Watt and Exeter Universities on Tracking Foundation and Pre-sessional Students. Speakers from the Universities of York and Essex gave papers on the development of programmes of English for Academic Purposes for post-graduate students, and lecturers from Southampton and Warwick focussed on the language learning of Chinese post-graduates.

Speakers from Birmingham and Reading evaluated the effectiveness of pre-sessional programmes. A small group of student volunteers from the International Foundation Programme and the Language and Literature degree programme at Kent made an invaluable contribution, registering all the delegates on their arrival and guiding and informing them during the day. Conference feedback was extremely positive, and CEWL can be proud of its contribution to the professional development of everyone who attended.

January start IFP launched in 2012 CEWL is pleased to welcome its first cohort of students onto the January start International Foundation Programme (IFP). This year’s students joined the course at the beginning of the spring term; they will stay later into the summer than their colleagues, taking their exams in the August exam session and hopefully progressing onto the Business Administration degree programme at the Kent Business School in September 2012.

The January start IFP is designed for students who, for whatever reason, cannot begin the course with their colleagues in September but who still want to join their chosen degree course in the following academic year. The current course is currently only available for students studying on the Business pathway of the IFP, but CEWL hopes there will be sufficient demand to open it up to other subjects in 2013

Views from the other side Former International Foundation Programme (IFP) students, Laura Peltomaki from Finland and Laith Zurikat from Jordan, talk about their experience of progressing on to undergraduate study. Both completed the 2010 – 2011 Foundation programme

Laura Peltomäki I am a European student so the decision to apply for the International Foundation Course didn’t take long because I wanted to experience another kind of international environment. Essentially, I was keen on taking a course which would thoroughly prepare me for a real academic life and I must say now, as a first year undergraduate student, I can feel the positive effects from what I’ve learnt from IFP. I would like to emphasize the importance of making the most of the foundation course. I want to specifically emphasize the importance of academic skills. Many students may feel that the purpose of the module is to teach how to speak and write in English but by the end of last year, I realised that the purpose of the module was much more than that. I’m now studying Psychology, which is a very academic discipline; knowing how to write, think and research academically has given me so much advantage in Psychology that I strongly advise keeping in mind what academic skills teaches because no matter what course follows, the information and advice applies to everything.

I would like to wish the best of luck to all prospective IFP candidates and remember, always look for support when needed!

Laith Zureikat My name is Laith Zureikat. I am an international student from Jordan.

I came to Kent last September, with the hope of learning as much as I could about architecture from the foundation year so I could be ready for the tougher challenges of first year. My learning curve started slowly as everything was new to me; the subjects, lectures, seminars, studio work and tutorials. By the end of the first term I was averaging just about 50. The requirement for me was only to pass but I had higher ambitions. As I got used to the usual weekly schedule and the self-study routine, I started to write better essays and my designs and project work improved. I ended the year with a Merit overall – something I’m proud of.

The foundation year made me a well-rounded student. I could sit and take notes in lectures, participate in seminars, come up with excellent essay titles and most importantly for me, I had a taste of what architecture would be like.

Now in first year, things are different. We interact with more people, we have tutorials more often and the expectations are raised with each and every project or report. If I were to compare first year’s learning curve to last year’s, it’s a lot steeper, but most importantly for me, I am enjoying what I’m studying. The staff are very helpful and look out for us academically and outside the territory of the Marlowe building.

To sum up the foundation year and two thirds of first year, all I can say is that I’m learning something new each day and I’m having a good time.

Credit to my teachers last year!

If you would like more information on this or any of our foundation programmes, please contact IFPinfo@kent.ac.uk

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CEWL’s new Pre-Sessional tutor in Brussels Julie George Garkov is an ESL/ESP professional from the United States who has been living in Brussels, Belgium for two and a half years.

I moved here with my husband, Vladimir, and our two teenage children when my husband accepted a position with the European Commission in 2008. Before relocating here, I taught academic writing to international students, and Spanish to American students at a private American college in Virginia, USA. Last August, I taught the first Pre-sessional English program offered at the Brussels School of International Studies (BSIS), a branch campus of the University of Kent.

When I arrived in Brussels, I was at first confused and then fascinated by the multilingual environment of the city. Officially, Brussels is a bilingual capital where both French and Flemish are spoken, and all street signs, advertisements, and public information are printed in both languages.

Unofficially, English is used as a common language of communication among people from diverse cultures hailing from all over the globe who come to live, work and study in Brussels. In addition to being the de facto capital of the European Union, hosting the European Commission, Council of the European Union, European Council, and the second seat of the European Parliament, Brussels is also headquarters to myriad international organizations, as well as numerous NGO’S, federations, consultancies, press associations and private companies who maintain international offices in Brussels. As a result, approximately 30% of Brussels inhabitants are expatriates, so it is quite easy for foreigners to feel at home in this very diverse city.

I enjoy the multicultural vibrancy of this city where discussions are bound to be engaging with such a mix of participants contributing their perspectives to any given topic of conversation. I am never bored! BSIS and the Pre-sessional English course in Brussels is a microcosm of the city’s international atmosphere, as students come from around the world to pursue graduate degrees in a variety of global-minded fields. What I found most rewarding about working with the students in the Pre-sessional program here last summer was the degree to which I could individualise my teaching to match their needs. It is an intimate and friendly campus where students can quickly and easily get help and advice from fellow students and staff about anything – academic or social. I look forward to working with pre-sessional students again this summer, helping them to settle and study in Brussels as they prepare for their chosen graduate program at BSIS. It’s a challenging and always interesting adventure that we embark on together.

Julie George Garkov Pre-sessional tutor

University of Kent 5

Capital Knowledge, Bahrain continues to draw ambitious students to study on CEWL’s Business Foundation Course

Bowling for success Having started bowling from the age of 13, I quickly got interested in the game and could not stop playing.

I practised quite often trying to fix my mistakes and improve my technique so that I could become a better bowler. I caught the attention of the head coach of the national team and joined a few months later.

Now that I am at university, I manage my time as best I can between my practice sessions and my study time so that I can make the most of it. Practice sessions are usually 3-4 times a week for 2 hours so I try to manage my studies around those times.

Attending practice sessions helps to release stress and clears my mind.

The Bahraini students who entered the Business Foundation Programme at Capital Knowledge are taking these courses in order to develop and enhance their knowledge about business and economics, as well as their academic skills, with the aim of pursuing a degree course in the area of business or finance at the University of Kent.

However, since they entered the program they have become even more ambitious and more focused on what they want to accomplish in life.

Our fellow students all stated that being part of this program has helped them realize what they aspire to be in the future. The tutors and staff at Capital Knowledge have been very helpful with

informing us about career choices, guiding us and supporting us toward reaching our goals.

We feel motivated to work hard while at Capital Knowledge because of the positive environment and the great support system.

Most of us aspire to become CEOs or entrepreneurs who are willing to open global franchises in the Middle East, and Capital Knowledge definitely support their students’ aspirations and greatly encourage us to pursue our goals.

Noor Waleed Ahmadi and Mohammed Janahi Foundation year students at Capital Knowledge

However, sometimes it is difficult to cope between my studies and my bowling activities, since I have to travel abroad to participate in international bowling championships. I have to submit my assignments beforehand and make sure that I will have enough time to catch up with the classes that I will miss during the period when I am abroad.

Will I be able to continue bowling while I am at Kent University? I definitely hope so!

Hussain Al-Shehabi Member of Bahrain’s Youth National Bowling Team

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Discover Japan and China... from as little as £85!

In 2011, CEWL piloted a short course in the language and culture of Japan. This year, CEWL is offering to take you to China also!

Emma Marku, Support Officer for Japan in International Development attended the course last year and agreed to speak to VoiceBox about the experience.

As the support officer for Japan in International Development, I wanted to find out more about the country and its culture. Dealing with Japanese students on a regular basis, I wanted to understand the culture shock they may experience and how I can better prepare them for living and studying in the UK and especially Kent.

In addition to this, being able to learn a little Japanese would help improve my own communication and develop my own learning.

I was surprised at how easy it was to start learning the language. The small group helped to allow each person the chance to answer and

practise the language and the teaching was focused on speaking Japanese as opposed to getting to know the written characters.

The sessions were broken up with language training in the morning and learning about the cultural aspects in the afternoon. This was aided by the delicious Japanese lunch that was brought in on a couple of occasions. I even became better at using chopsticks!

It is a good course for people who may be thinking about wanting to learn the language and want a taster first. It is also good preparation for a first visit to Japan. I am looking forward to visiting Japan one day and discovering the contrasts of the country for myself.

Emma Marku International Support and Placement Officer

If you want to find out more about the Discover Japan and Discover China courses, visit the web page below for more details: www.kent.ac.uk/cewl/courses/discovercourses/

On the 12th October 2011, over 50 students on the Business Management course departed from the Canterbury campus on a luxury coach to attend the Chartered Institute of Marketing Annual Marketing Lecture at the MidKent College campus in Medway. After a scenic ride through the autumnal countryside they arrived for a gourmet meal at the venue to be followed by a presentation from Heath Harvey, the Marketing Director of the new Wembley Stadium.

The students were welcomed by Neil Lakeland – Chair of the CIM Kent Branch, Heath Harvey and other members of the Kent Branch.

Using the title above, the talk – subtitled Inspiring Memories – outlined the role of the new stadium in providing world class eating, football and music experiences, particularly focussing on corporate customers. The CEWL students, as future business leaders, were able to pick up useful business knowledge for their studies as well as enjoying a splendid evening out.

Eats, shoots and scores A marketing trip for the Business Management Students.

The eats were popular, the photographic shoot by accompanying lecturer Carla Morris was splendid and the whole evening scored a big success.

Terry Bevis IFP Business Tutor

University of Kent 7

CEWL student wins National Japanese Speaking Contest I was very excited when I knew there would be a Japanese speech contest for university students. It would be a great chance to test my Japanese proficiency. I am a fan of Japanese idol group AKB48, and the group has become a trend in Japan. The popularity of AKB48 in Japan is well-known, but they are also popular overseas. I think it would be interesting to talk about their success in the speech.

Yee Man Wong, who is studying Japanese modules LA506 and LA507 at CEWL, entered and won Speech category 2 of the BATJ (British Association for Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language) Japanese Speech Contest.

However, I did not have enough time to prepare because I was busy with my coursework. I always enjoy studying Japanese, but I was stressed during the preparation period. I was so nervous when I practiced, and I could not speak fluently. I was so depressed that I even cried.

Luckily, my Japanese teacher and friends encouraged me and even practiced with me.

Finally my speech was better.

It was like a dream that I won this contest. I really appreciate the help that my teacher and Japanese friends offered. I would not have won without their help. Moreover, I would like to thank the organisers and sponsors who gave me such a treasurable chance. I hope more students from the University of Kent will learn Japanese and participate in the contest in the future.

Yee Man Wong Japanese module student

From Japan to Kent Haruka Yahiro, Japanese Year Abroad (JYA) Student tells VoiceBox about her experience at Kent.

Going to Kent was one of the best decisions I have ever made, and taking the Pre-Sessional course at CEWL was a fantastic start to begin my exchange student life there. Although I’d had experience living in the US for a few years, doing academic studies in English was a big, new challenge for me. The teachers at CEWL taught me various kinds of basic and essential academic skills such as writing essays and

doing presentations throughout the 19 weeks, and that experience helped me very much after I started a new term in September 2011. Not just the daily classes, but also planning and leading the welcome party for 12 week students, which I did, which was very meaningful to me. Also, the wonderful days I spent with my Pre-Sessional friends remains clearly in my memory even since I have come back to Tokyo. I strongly hope all the international students who are taking the PreSessional this year will enjoy their course and their stay in Kent.

Haruka Yahiro

Personal Development Programme ‘Headstart’ introduced for CEWL Foundation Students Learning how to deal with university life is as important to the success of a student’s experience as their academic development. Consequently, this year CEWL launched a series of ‘Headstart’ development workshops for its Foundation Programme students In the Autumn term 2011, we ran our Personal Development Programme (PDP) for the first time. Targeting primarily students on the International Foundation Programme, the PDP is a suite of workshops covering a range of both academic and non-academic topics. In the Autumn term, students were able to attend sessions on culture shock, academic culture, effective communication and study skills. In the Spring term, workshops were more closely related to academic progress and a number of workshops on specific study skills such as effective revision and exam writing were offered. These workshops were led by CEWL as well as other external staff and took place on Wednesday afternoons. The workshops were advertised weekly through flyers and emails. Feedback from students has been positive and those who attended the workshops found the topics covered both relevant and helpful.

Khanh Duc Kuttig EAP Tutor

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Top tips for learning English As we all know, there are many ways to learn English as a foreign language. More than ever we, as non-native English speakers, have access to a large range of modern “tools” to learn the language. This applies to me too. On the other hand, I have often received guidance such as suggestions and advice on how to achieve the best results as fast as possible. I am grateful for all the help received along the way to reach a good command of English Tips like using audiobooks, CDs, the internet, listening to the radio or watching TV are more than welcome at every stage of the learning process. However, human interaction and a good, talented and dedicated teacher are and will always be a must and an invaluable part of the learning process and perhaps will never be replaced by the progress of modern learning materials and new techniques. I remember that I left the last English class with these kinds of thoughts.

I did not miss a single class and I attended every class with great pleasure, interest and determination to start at once “to think in English” and “conquer” the colloquial language and the phrasal verbs, which are just a few of the “traps” of the English, language from my point of view.

The weekly English classes were more than just language lessons. In an enjoyable international environment (where no two students were of the same nationality) we learnt grammar, expanded our vocabulary, improved our conversation abilities, pronunciation and intonation. Beyond the linquistic aspects of the lessons, we enriched our knowledge of British culture and “Britishness”.

How could I forget the December lesson centred around Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, the lesson about English etiquette and the debates about “Canterbury and its place in British history and British culture “ ? Thanks to our teacher, the “nato phonetic alphabet” is in my daily usage and the Nancy Mitford’s list of “U and non-U” had a sensational effect among my friends. These are just a few memories that are still vivid in my mind.

My thanks go to the Centre for English and World Languages at the University of Kent for the opportunity given to us to immerse ourselves in the beauty of Shakespeare’s language and the richness of British culture.

Steluta Podoleanu August 2011

“I’ve enjoyed attending the class. I liked the English grammar lessons especially.

I’ve been able to understand clearly and I’ve spoken a lot with classmates and it’s so nice to spend time with them.

Thank you for the chance to attend the class!”

Saori Oda Language Express Student 2010-2011

“I really enjoyed the class. The teacher and classmates were brilliant. I found an atmosphere where I could learn about English and England, and where to exchange knowledge about each student’s culture as well. My English has improved a lot since then.”

Dian Purwandini Language Express Student 2010-2011

Language Express Language Express English Courses encourage crosscultural flavouring!

One of the great advantages of CEWL is its multicultural aspect. Students are always keen to cook national dishes and to try out the food from other places. In 2011, The Language Express students of English cooked up a storm of exotic flavours for their class mates...

Class of 2011/2012. From left: Chuande Zhou; Xinli Li; Marta Helena De Freitas; Ebru Dogan; Elisa Puvia and Chuanlong Xu

University of Kent 9

...Carrying on the tradition from last year’s English class, this year’s students went one step further.

Not only did they write and produce their own cook book, they tasted and reviewed the recipe

Elisa’s Tuscan Soup – Ribolita Lucia’s Spanish Omelette The dish that I have chosen is called ‘Ribollita’ and it is a traditional Tuscan soup. It is a vegetarian dish.

Ingredients • Lacinato kale (also called black kale), center stalks removed, leaves chopped (about 4 firmly packed cups) • 2 to 4 thick slices of sturdy country-style bread, preferably Elisa’s Tuscan Soup – Ribolita sourdough • 500g tin of cannellini beans rinsed and drained • 100gr Savoy cabbage, washed • 100gr of Swiss Chard, washed • 3 potatoes • 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped • 150 gr courgettes • 1 medium celery stalk, chopped (3/4 cup) • 2 tbs tomato paste • 1 leek and 1 onion finely chopped • Extra virgin olive oil • Vegetable stock • Salt and black pepper to taste

The potato omelette is a popular and famous dish in Spain. These ingredients are made with eggs, potatoes, olive oil and salt. If you want you can cook with onion.

It is a nice and easy dish, I recommend you, TRY IT! Serves 3 people

Ingredients • 3 Potatoes • 4 eggs • ½ onion • Olive oil • Salt

Lucia’s Spanish Omelette

Directions If you want to cook for more or less people, you only need more or less eggs and potatoes.

Directions Mill half of the cannellini beans through a vegetable mouli. Heat the oil in a 4-to5-quart pot over a medium heat. Add the onion and leek, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, for about 6 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook until fragrant, for about 45 seconds. Add the Lacinato kale, potatoes, celery, carrots, savoy cabbage, swiss chard, and courgettes roughly chopped. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently until the vegetables are tender, for about 1 hour, adding occasionally vegetable stock. Add the cannellini beans, both the mashed and the whole ones. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Set a slice or two of bread on each plate and put the soup on top. Enjoy your meal!!!!

Ways to cook it 1 Peel and cut the potatoes. You can cut slices or cubes.

2 Fry the potatoes in a skillet with very hot oil. Do not over fry the potatoes.

You have to stop before they start to turn brown (or soft or doughy).

3 If you want cook it with onion (cut in thin and small cubes), you have to throw in the cook the onion before the potatoes start to turn brown.

Only for 4 or 3 minutes.

4 While the potatoes and onion are in the skillet, beat (or whisk) the eggs in a bowl.

5 When the potatoes (and the onion) are cooked, take out the ingredients, pour in the eggs and stir it all in the bowl.

6 Take out the oil from the skillet and leave a little. Heat up the oil and put all ingredients in the skillet. Do not stir the dough and when the base is cooked, turn the omelette. This is the most difficult step. To help you use a plate, but careful, do not spill it and burn yourself.

7 GOOD LUCK!

Elisa Puvia

Lucia Martinez

Language Express Student 2011-2012

Language Express Student 2011-2012

Review

Review

The recipe for the Tuscany soup (Ribollita) was really simple to follow and tasted delicious. The most time consuming element to the recipe was the preparation; It took about 30-40 minutes to chop and wash all the ingredients. I could not find all the ingredients in the market, such as Lacinato kale/black kale, but added curly kale instead. I also added some garlic to the recipe as I love garlic! What I also liked about this recipe was once the ingredients were prepared you could leave the soup cooking slowly for an hour while you did other things (stirring occasionally of course).

It is easy to cook a potato omelette. The potato can be fried, roasted or boiled, and I chose to boil it. Firstly, I fried two eggs. Secondly I fried the eggs and potato cubes together with some salt. After about one minute, I added sesame oil and a small amount of cilantro to the dish. It can be served cold, warm or hot, both as a side dish or main course. I adapted this recipe slightly and made it a Chinese potato omelette. You can also make some other changes to this recipe so it can become your favourite potato omelette!

To serve, I grated some parmesan on top of the soup and added fresh watercress as a garnish. It truly was superb; a tasty, hearty and healthy recipe. I will definitely be making this recipe again soon. Thank you Elisa!

Language Express Student 2011-2012

Charlene Earl Language Express Teacher 2011-2012

Xinli Li

If you would like to try any of the other recipes our students submitted, please see the full online recipe book at: http://tinyurl.com/CEWLrecipes

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CEWL becomes centre for Cambridge exams in English Recently CEWL became an exam centre for Cambridge and Pamela Vickers, Cambridge Course Tutor, discusses the first course which was taught to a group of enthusiastic ERASMUS students.

This term I taught the new ten week Cambridge exam preparation course for the Erasmus students – and what a pleasure it was! All the students were highly motivated and keen to put in extra work outside the class (which was only one evening a week) in order to maximise their progress.

The classes focussed on all aspects of language and in particular, the skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking, which are tested in the exam. An emphasis was placed on extending vocabulary, range of language and accuracy, so this included some revision of grammar.

I aimed to include a wide range of activities to stretch and challenge the students, with tasks at slightly different levels to meet different needs, choosing topics that would interest this particular group and making sure there was always an opportunity for fun as well as hard work! Towards the end of the ten weeks there was more practice in the exam format as familiarity with this is a great advantage in Cambridge exams.

In addition to teaching the whole class there were three hours (one every three weeks) for each student in a small group where we worked specifically on speaking skills in preparation for the oral exam. This included detailed correction of grammar, learning about the importance of the right word or phrase to express meaning accurately and effectively, and improving pronunciation. Most commented on how helpful they found this extra practice not only with other parts of the exam but also in how they communicate in English generally.

Most have decided to sit the Cambridge Advanced exam (CAE) although some have opted for First Certificate (FCE) and a few will be taking Proficiency (CPE).

Pamela Vickers Cambridge Suite Tutor The First Certificate in English (FCE); the Certificate in Advanced English (CAE), and the Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) are all part of the world renowned University of Cambridge English for Students of Other Languages (ESOL) Examinations suite. Students who wish to pursue academic studies or a professional career through English can take the relevant exam as a recognised benchmark of their ability.

CEWL supports Porchlight CEWL has recently been in contact with Porchlight, a Kent-based Charity that works to change people’s lives for the better.

Porchlight helps the most vulnerable and isolated people in our communities to access housing and related support services. The organization also works with individuals, organisations and the government to prevent the breakdown of our communities and reduce poverty.

Although CEWL always tries to cater appropriately and carefully for student events, in order to avoid wastage, after a recent student induction meeting an amount of food remained available and it was decided to donate this to Porchlight.

Kate Lumley, fundraising Support Officer from Porchlight said ‘Thank you very much for your donation of sandwiches and rolls that was made by the Centre for English and World Languages at the University of Kent…it is fantastic to know that you thought of benefitting our supported accommodation projects in Canterbury…. I guarantee that your donation will have been much appreciated.’

CEWL’s new testing suite.

However, this is not the first time CEWL has been involved with Porchlight. A couple of years ago, the English with Volunteering students held a ‘Picnic for Porchlight’ and raised £75 for the charity. Now that CEWL has re-established this link, it has been agreed that we will attempt to support Porchlight in a similar manner should a similar situation arise in the future.

University of Kent 11

New faces at CEWL 2011 saw the joining of five new members of staff to The Centre Hannah McNorton Hannah McNorton is Assistant Director of the Centre for English and World Languages (CEWL) with key responsibility for the Centre’s pastoral provision and management through her role as Senior Tutor. Hannah supports the Director of CEWL in achieving the Centre's objectives, in particular in association with Academic and Quality Assurance Management, Student Liaison, Marketing and External Relations, Student Recruitment, Communications and Admissions.

With a background in Social Anthropology and Applied Linguistics, Hannah’s particular interests involve enhancing the student experience through a strong pastoral support framework, together with a developing a deeper understanding of inter-cultural communications both within and outside of the classroom.

Before joining CEWL, Hannah worked for more than 7 years as Senior International Officer at the University of Kent. This has contributed to her expertise in understanding international student needs and the challenges posed by transitions into UK Higher Education. Hannah has also developed a thorough understanding of the processes involved in international student recruitment within a wide range of countries including Brunei, China, India, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka.

Max Howells Max Howells joined the team in September as CEWL’s International Officer. Max comes to us from Thanet College where he worked for two years in a similar role and before that from the Foreign and Commonwealth Officer where he worked for UK visas and the Far Eastern Group.

His role is to promote CEWL’s academic provision as well as to assist with The Centre’s marketing and international activities.

Hannah McNorton

Max Howells

Max’s role is split between two departments, working as the International Officer for CEWL during the first half of the week and for the International Development Office during the second half, where he is responsible for the UK’s International School project and recruitment of international students from within the UK. He can be contacted on mbh@kent.ac.uk

Dr Leonie Wells-Furby Dr Leonie Wells-Furby joined CEWL in November 2011 as Student Support Officer, having worked in a number of roles across the University since 2001. Leonie is very familiar with Kent, not only through working here, but also because she did her undergraduate degree, masters and PhD here.

As part of her role, Leonie offers pastoral advice, guidance and support to all students on CEWL programmes and modules, including IFP, World Languages, In-Sessional, Pre-Sessional and Graduate Diplomas, working closely with Hannah McNorton, the Senior Tutor. Leonie sees her role as particularly important in enhancing the experience of international students here in CEWL and will be working further on this in the future.

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursday mornings, Leonie can be found in Keynes C1.9.

Email: l.wells-furby@kent.ac.uk; telephone 01227 827486

Charlene Earl

worked at the University of Glamorgan in Wales where she helped co-ordinate the Pre-sessional course and taught on the IFP and various Insessional English language classes. Charlene has travelled extensively and has taught EFL in New Zealand and at an orphanage in Bolivia.

Charlene graduated with a Masters in TEFL from the University of Wales, Swansea and specialised in vocabulary acquisition and retention supervised by Paul Meara. Charlene is also an examiner for IELTS and an external editor for the University of East London Global Examinations Board. More recently, she has written and published EFL materials for Impact Solutions in Exeter.

Helen Winder Helen Winder is Senior Programme Support Officer at Centre for English and World Languages. She has been at the University since September 2006 working for the same School, Engineering and Digital Arts (previously Electronic Engineering). Her background experience includes admissions/ recruitment & Marketing (pg & ug); Schools liaison officer working with local Schools under the STEM project; Organiser of UCAS open days and university general open days, and Schools Scholarship Administrator. Helen joined the University of Kent on leaving the Foreign and Commonwealth office where she worked as an ECO (immigration) and Consular Officer in various Embassys overseas. She travelled extensively while working for the Foreign Office; her last posting was in Seoul, South Korea.

Charlene Earl is an EAP tutor in the Centre for English and World Languages and teaches on a wide range of CEWL's programmes and courses. In addition to teaching EAP, Charlene is also a Personal Tutor for IFP students. Charlene joined CEWL in October 2011 having previously

Dr Leonie Well-Furby

Charlene Earl

Helen Winder

This newsletter has been produced by:

The Centre for English and World Languages Keynes College University of Kent Canterbury Kent CT2 7NP United Kingdom Tel: 01227 824401 General enquiries E: cewl@kent.ac.uk CEWL, Testing Laboratory

CEWL, Reception area

Pre-sessional enquiries E: presessional@kent.ac.uk International Foundation Programme enquiries E: ifpinfo@kent.ac.uk Language Express enquiries E: languageexpress@kent.ac.uk For details of all the courses mentioned in this newsletter, please visit our website at: www.kent.ac.uk/cewl/index.html Thank you…

CEWL, Reception

Students relaxing in The Reading Room

We would like to thank staff and students and all who contributed to the newsletter and especially to the Design and Print Centre for an excellent job.

Spotlight on…

CEWL’s new ventures!

Testing Experiences for CEWL – Cambridge ESOL and Pearson Test of English CEWL is excited to announce that, from Summer 2012, the Centre will be approved to deliver both Cambridge ESOL examinations and the Pearson Test of English (Academic). This development will provide a very useful service to both the staff and students of the University of Kent, as well as members of the wider community who wish to benefit from the opportunity to obtain an internationally recognised language qualification.

Examinations in the Cambridge ESOL suite are globally renowned and have particular currency in many European countries. CEWL has already started running evening classes for students wishing to gain an additional qualification alongside their main programme of study (see page 8). The PTE test will perform a different function for international students in the region who are looking to take an approved Secure English Language Test for study and visa purposes. The new laboratory facility in CEWL has been designed to comply with the high-security testing requirements of UKBA and it is planned that CEWL will be providing testing services of this nature to prospective students from summer 2012.

“The University of Kent and the Centre for English and World Languages is committed to the provision of high-quality language training and assessment and with that regard we are delighted to be able to administer Cambridge ESOL examinations and PTE Academic. Being able to offer these new testing services will assist international students both in the local region and beyond in gaining further evidence of their language proficiency and following the visa application procedures required by UKBA. We look forward to welcoming students to our Centre and the University in this new capacity.”

Design & Print Centre 113274 06/12

Anthony Manning, Director of CEWL commented that