CEWL international recruitment
New courses
Language exchange events
Art and design
VoiceBox Vol 1 No 3 2013
The international magazine from the Centre for English and World Languages
Welcome Welcome to the third issue of Voicebox, the official newsletter for the Centre of English and World Languages (CEWL). 2012-13 has been an exciting year and we hope you enjoy reading about our latest activities, ventures and developments. Cover picture: International Foundation Programme Students with their Tutor.
Centre for English and World Languages
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CEWL international recruitment Exploring new and existing ventures Five representatives from the Centre for English and World Languages, the Centre which delivers the University’s Pathway Programmes visited China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam for recruitment purposes in March 2013.
and Japan are of strategic importance to the University of Kent, our colleagues are also actively seeking to provide courses including the Kent IFP in new locations with the help of a local education provider. These visits enabled staff to attend meetings to discuss new ventures. Staff also delivered short teaching sessions which help give students a flavour of the way in
which classes are delivered in the UK. It is also a chance for teachers to see different teaching techniques. Of course these trips also provide the opportunity to get to know other countries, try new foods and see famous landmarks. Chloe Courtenay EAP Tutor
New courses CELTA at CEWL In September 2012, CEWL welcomed a small cohort of trainee English language teachers to its first part-time Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA). As an initial teacher training course, CELTA combines the study of language teaching principles and language awareness with practical teaching skills. In fact, an essential part of CELTA is the teaching practice, when trainees get a chance to teach real language learners. So, in September, once we had found our trainees, we advertised for language learners. We held a testing day on the first Saturday of the course, and were delighted when over thirty potential learners showed up. These learner numbers have grown so much during the second part of the course that we’ve had to move to a larger classroom! This was all wonderful experience for our trainees.
Anthony Manning and Sebastien Cadinot visited China and Hong Kong. Carla Morris visited South Korea and Vietnam. Jane Short visited Hong Kong and Japan and Fumiyo Nemoto-Smith visited Japan. These visits had several purposes. One is to actively promote the University of Kent’s programmes including the International Foundation Programme (IFP), Graduate Diplomas (Pre-Master’s) and Pre-sessional Courses, specialist short courses, and the exchange programme known as the Junior Year Abroad (JYA). They also met with University of Kent representatives to further enhance the University’s relationship with colleagues in the region. Additionally they presented at education fairs where they were able to meet and assist some of our current and prospective applicants. These visits enabled staff to attend meetings to discuss new ventures.
If you’re thinking of travelling over the summer, or taking a gap year after university., CELTA is an excellent way of getting a basic qualification as a language teacher and increasing your chances of earning some cash while you’re away. You may even find you enjoy language teaching enough to do the DELTA (a diploma level qualification) and make teaching English your career.
Based on the successful delivery of the Kent courses such as the IFP elsewhere in the world, and because countries including Vietnam, China
Our part-time CELTA is taught two evenings a week and on two Saturdays, over 20 weeks, starting at the beginning of the Autumn term and finishing just before Easter. Our intensive, four week, CELTA is taking place in August 2013, after exams and before the summer vacation. If you’d like more information about the course, or would like to enrol, go to the CEWL website on: www.kent.ac.uk/cewl/courses/celta/index.html or email Katie Baldock on K.A.Baldock@kent.ac.uk. Jane Short Senior Lecturer in English Language Anthony Manning meeting students in China
Jane Short and Fumiyo Nemoto-Smith in Japan
Carla Morris with a class of students at Thai Nguen University in Vietnam
Testimonials Kirstn Tatar, Matthew Webb, Luke Patchett and Rachel Meir were CELTA trainees on our first part-time course. Rebecca Coleman (EAP Tutor), who is helping to set up the CELTA course, asked the trainees about their experience of the course. Kirstn says: “When comparing CELTA training courses, you have many options. What sets UKCCEWL’s program apart from the rest is its exemplary tutors and advantageous location. Our tutors were friendly, approachable, and helpful and they took a graded approach to assessing trainees, gradually raising their expectations over time in line with their progress. Moreover, they were competent, enthusiastic, and experienced. Although this was a mainly practical course, the theory-based metalanguage taught in the seminars was very useful, as being able to refer to pertinent Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) terminology will allow us to progress further into the profession. The fact that the tutors know and share this knowledge is an indication of their advanced theoretical background in the field. Their passion for the profession is evident and this helped to make it such a positive experience. Our classes took place in modern facilities and large, comfortable classrooms in the University of Kent’s, Keynes College, and the home of the CEWL. There was up-to-date technology (computers, data projectors, etc.), plenty of supplies and support from tutors and other CEWL staff. To fulfil CELTA’s observation requirements, we observed English support classes, giving us a valuable insight to English as a Foreign Language (EFL) lessons at a prestigious university. To anyone who is still undecided about whether or not to pursue a CELTA course, I encourage you to apply. The course is well-designed and
is a good investment for those interested in teaching EFL abroad. You will gain practical knowledge and develop a strong camaraderie among your fellow trainee teachers, owing to a supportive environment and close contact with peers who are going through the same learning process. Foremost, you will learn by doing, both in the seminars where the tutors demonstrate first-hand the teaching techniques that you will later implement yourselves and in the teaching practice (TP), which begins almost immediately. The four written assignments are given with ample time for completion, and the seminars feed in nicely to your TP. The tutors will equip you with all the tools you need to succeed both on this course and in the future”. Matthew says: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time on the CELTA and would recommend anyone to do it. The tutors were excellent and very helpful and I wouldn’t have got through it without them”. Luke says: “As well as introducing me to the methodology behind teaching EFL, and improving my confidence in the classroom immeasurably, the CELTA course at Kent fuelled a genuine passion to develop my teaching ability, which I will be able to continue to do using the tools it has provided me with”. Rachel says: “I have found doing the CELTA course to be an amazing experience. I never thought I would be able to stand up in front of a class and actually teach, but it’s incredible how natural that started to feel after a while. Although the course is very intense and the workload is fairly high, the tutors are supportive, and the qualification gained at the end is definitely worthwhile – being able to teach others throughout the course and watch their skills develop is wonderful!”
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New courses Psychology: this new subject module was launched on the IFP in 2012-13 great deal of mankind. In a sense, I understand myself and others so much better”. Also, Nathalie Ang who is looking at a career in Law said “I want to work in the Family Law sector in the future, especially working with children. I feel I know more about the behaviour of children and adults now. If you area ‘people person’ I recommend studying Psychology”.
Psychology tutor Nicola Abbott talks about her experience on the module so far. How do you think the module is going? I think the new Psychology module is going extremely well. Students have covered such a wide range of psychology topics, from biological and cognitive topics such as sensation and perception, to social and developmental topics including group processes and child psychology. Although the module encourages students to explore classical theories and studies in psychology, I have found that the topics often ‘come alive’ as the students frequently relate the content to their own experiences, or contemporary issues within modern society. My favourite topics I have taught so far have been those that focus on controversial issues in everyday society, for example, prejudice and gender and racial differences in IQ. What do you think the students get out of the module? To answer this question I asked the students themselves, probably as I am a Social Psychology researcher-so that is what I do! I think that what the students get out of the module depends on their previous experiences of studying Psychology. Some students who have already taken Psychology as a subject can often give their own definitions of topics we are studying, and they can help and support students that are new to the subject.
However, that is not to say that the course will be repetitive! For example, Caitlin Barrett studied Psychology before this foundation course and she said that the module has “opened my eyes up to many other areas of the subject that are available. It’s an extremely interesting course that would make anyone want to carry on in this subject. I would recommend it to anyone struggling with module choices as it is definitely a course worth taking”. I have also received some great feedback from students who are completely new to Psychology. Ying Mei Cheong (Jamie) did not select Psychology by choice, instead it was due to it being necessary for her chosen undergraduate degree. Nonetheless, she said: “for me it has been a personal journey of discovery rather than an academic subject, because the knowledge acquired through the module can relate to a
How you think the module might develop? The students have been great this year, and they have given me regular feedback throughout the course. I think that regular feedback is extremely important, especially as the module is in the first year! Although I have addressed this feedback asand-when, I am also keen to continue to develop the module ready for the next academic year. Firstly, I am going to include more ‘pop quizzes’ throughout the term. I think this will help to keep topics that were covered at the start of term fresh in the student’s minds. Also, we know from psychological research that our attention span is a maximum of 40 minutes–so I am going to have more regular ‘brain breaks’, and include more tasks to keep students actively engaged in Lectures. I am also looking forward to the end of module evaluations from students, I am sure they will have some great ideas for future improvements!
The 18 week pre-sessional Wittawat Noipanich, Jay Wilasinee and Simon Chen completed the 18 week presessional course in 2012. They talk about their experience and offer advice for new students starting the course in 2013. “My English skills developed significantly during the Pre-sessional Course at the University of Kent and I was able to pass on to my Masters in Law programme. My advice to new pre-sessional students would be to work hard, as the more effort you put in the more successful you are likely to be.” Wittawat Noipanich, Thailand “The Pre-sessional lecturers were kind and patient and the feedback they gave me during the Presessional course improved all of my English skills, especially writing and pointed me in the right direction for my subsequent Masters in Law. Studying hard is the only way to succeed and
pass with TARGET+. Time management is also a key element, as there are many assignments on the Pre-sessional. Therefore, I would advise new students to take a short break if they want to rest, but do not skip class.” Jay Wilasinee, Thailand “Choosing Kent University and taking the PreSessional course at CEWL was an important part of my studies. Although at the start I found learning English difficult, the teachers at CEWL helped me to overcome this during the 19 weeks and prepared me well for academic study and university life. I not only focused on the books and coursework, but also participated in many activities and excursions and communicated with classmates. I have fond memories of the friendships I made, as we worked together to achieve our Target +. I strongly recommend that those taking the Pre-Sessional this year to work hard, but still experience all that university life has to offer.” Simon Chen, China Rebecca Coleman EAP Tutor
Nicola Abbott Psychology Tutor
CEWL Outreach/ESP – English for trainee GPs Trainee General Practitioners (GPs) in the UK generally come from a wide range of international backgrounds and are required to undertake an examination called the Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA). The CSA is taken during their final year (ST3) and aims to test GPs’ consultation skills which include data gathering, interpersonal skills and forming a joint clinical management plan. The practical element of this test involves 18 10minute consultations with individual patients. It is understood that the outcome of the test is a pre-requisite for the issue of a Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) and full Membership of the RCGP. It also confirms that a
doctor has satisfactorily completed specialty training for general practice and is competent to enter independent practice in the United Kingdom without further supervision. The outcome of the test is particularly high stakes in nature as those who fail would be categorised as trainees in difficulty and would need to re-sit. Guidance for an Extension to ST3 Training: For Trainees & Trainers, written by the London Deanery, in March 2012 state that ‘54% of overseas graduates fail their first attempt in CSA (RCGP).’ Therefore, there is a strong case to suggest that a supplementary training resource, which focuses on specific language, cultural awareness and interpersonal skills, would be of key benefit for trainee GPs. With the needs of trainee GPs in mind, Charlene Earl and Jonathan Fitchett, EAP Tutors in the Centre of English and World Languages, have
designed a series of training courses focusing on topics such as cultural issues, sensitive issues, polite language, sharing information with patients and developing clinical listening and writing skills. Linguistic elements and interpersonal skills have also been woven into the training courses to further facilitate the interaction between GPs and their patients. 14 trainee GPs, associated with the Medway Vocational Training Scheme (VTS), attended a 4 week pilot course delivered by Charlene and Jonathan in November 2012, at Canterbury Christ Church in Medway. The outcome of the course proved to be a huge success and after communications with Kent, Surrey and Sussex (KSS) Deanery, CEWL will be delivering Saturday workshops for GP trainees throughout KSS. Charlene Earl EAP Tutor
Head Start Do you have difficulty writing academic e-mails, managing your time, avoiding plagiarism, making friends, revising for exams or simply adjusting to UK life? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then Head Start sessions could be for you. Head Start is a series of Personal Development Planning (PDP) sessions which have been specially designed to help you get the most out of
your learning experience. The tone is informal and it is hoped that sessions will be fun and interactive. Head Start is discussion-based and internationally focused, so it is all about talking through key issues which students are facing in their studies, with a view to finding practical solutions. For the 2012-2013 academic year, workshops were run on the following topics – culture shock, plagiarism, time management, revision and exam preparation, critical thinking and the transition to life as an undergraduate. The sessions were well attended by IFP students and the programme was a lively addition to the academic calendar. Amy Moses Student support officer
The new 34 week pre-sessional course Michele Spurdle is a Tutor on the 34 week Pre-sessional course. She says “The course is spread across the academic year which offers students the opportunity to build their English language skills to a level of competence which will allow them to progress comfortably on to their chosen courses of study. They acquire the ability to actively engage with the language with a newly found sense of confidence. Simultaneously, there will be plenty of time to adjust to life and facilities at the university, and in the UK in general, so that they will already feel familiar with the day to day routine and expectations, well before their degree course commences. The core focus of the course is on improving all basic English Language skills to the level required, and this is gradually combined with the introduction of essential academic skills. In the initial teaching blocks, students are allocated to small groups which aim to improve their general grammar competence, and significantly broaden the scope of their use of vocabulary. Improved levels of reading and writing skills are achieved through challenging assignments which the students often discuss and devise, taking into account their individual interests and future study routes. The size of the group offers plenty of opportunities to engage in interesting class discussions and plan and deliver informal presentations, and substantial progress in speaking and listening skills is made as a result. The size of the group also means that individual areas of concern in the use of language can be targeted and addressed. Specific text books are used during class to direct the learning, but the course material is flexible and is shaped essentially by the needs of the students themselves. The afternoon classes are increasingly geared towards the building of precise skills for academic purposes, and are firmly underpinned by the general language skills being acquired in the morning sessions”. Rebecca Coleman EAP Tutor
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New courses
CEWL’s short summer courses
World Languages Junior Year Abroad Studying a new language at Kent might (JYA) English Plus change your life Kent alumnus Daniel Cronin believes that studying Japanese has helped his dream come true.
What are CEWL’s short summer courses?
Daniel, who studied Japanese modules in 20092010 has been working in Japan. He says, “When I received my letter in the post, confirming that I’d gained a place working as an Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) on the JET Programme, I was over the moon at the prospect of living and teaching in Japan!”.
CEWL’s short summer courses are a stimulating combination of structured classes in English language and visits to places of historic and cultural interest across Britain. We also offer a unique programme in English with Volunteering, which gives students a chance to volunteer for a short time in a charity organisation in the UK, as well as study English.
The JYA English Plus is specially designed for students whose first language is not English and who wish to study for 8 months to one year. The programme starts with an intensive 18 weeks of English for Academic Purposes. The second part of the programme involves studying either International foundation or Undergraduate modules. The students can enjoy British university experience and gain confidence in academic English.
Who are the short summer courses for? Our summer courses are for university and high school students at Kent’s partner institutions abroad. During July and August 2012, nearly 100 students from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan attended CEWL’s courses.
Japanese exchange student, Yoko Masuda is one such student. She says: The JYA English plus programme at the University of Kent gave me wonderful and unforgettable experiences. During the pre-sessional course from May to August, I studied with Chinese, Taiwanese and Thai students who had the same goal of studying on undergraduate/postgraduate courses. All the necessary skills required to study at university – such as essay writing, presentation and discussion were covered in the course. My study on my undergraduate course would not be successful without the pre-sessional course. September was the start of my new life. I have studied English language and linguistics since the Autumn term. I am passionate about linguistics. Studying linguistics is an important step for my dream to become an English teacher in Japan. Every day has passed very quickly with many great friends. The days in England were the most brilliant and meaningful in my life. I will never forget what I have learned or the friends I have met here.
Where did we go in the summer of 2012? Leeds Castle
Some of the places our summer course students visited last year are: Oxford and Cambridge; the author Rudyard Kipling’s house in Sussex ; Leeds Castle, Dover Castle, Broadstairs and the White Cliffs of Dover on the South Kent Coast and in London, the Globe Theatre, the British Museum and the National Gallery.
What did we see in 2012? Every year we hold a photo competition. Here are some of the best!
And the future?
Rudyard Kipling’s House
We are very proud of the way we’ve enhanced our short courses over the years and each summer they are growing more and more popular. In the summer of 2013, we’re looking forward to breaking a record and welcoming over one hundred and fifty visiting students. Jane Short Senior Lecturer in English Language
Magic Canterbury
No prizes for guessing where this student went for the weekend!!!!????
Another JYA student, Yui, says: “I have been studying at Kent University on the Junior Year Abroad (JYA) programme for a year in order to further my knowledge of academic English. This is the third year of my Humanities degree in Nagoya, Japan. My experience on this programme has furthered my academic skills in many areas. For example, essay writing, speaking, presentations and seminar participation. I have really appreciated the support from the teachers and staff at Kent because I have gained confidence in myself. I hope that future JYA students enjoy this opportunity as well.” Fumiyo Nemoto-Smith World Languages Manager
“As an ALT my job is to teach English and assist in foreign language activities in the local community where I am placed. Contracts last for one year and you usually have the opportunity to continue for another two to three years if the contracting organisation is pleased with your contribution. Before I came out to Japan I made a point of familiarising myself with the language. At the University of Kent I decided to take the Post Beginner’s Japanese language module. The course has proved invaluable, providing me with a foundation for further study and has helped me in my quest to adapt to working life in Japan. I was placed in Kochi, one of the four prefectures that make up the island of Shikoku. It is rich in history and culture, and Kochi city, although small compared to the big cities such as Tokyo and Osaka, has a great atmosphere and vibrant nightlife.” Daniel Cronin University of Kent graduate (2008-2011)
Sakura Matsuri-Cherry Blossom festival
New World Language Modules – Russian and Danish From the academic year 2012-2013 students can study Russian and Danish for credits. Following the popularity of the Language Express Russian course CEWL created credit bearing Russian. Danish was introduced at the same time and on this course, you read Danish literature from Hans Christian Andersen to Ellen Holmboe, in translation as well as in Danish while you learn the language. Svenja Glass (a student on Danish module LA517) went on the trip to London with her Danish class in March. She says: In accordance with the principle of learning with all senses, our first stop was the Scandinavian Kitchen, where we tasted a variety of authentic Danish smørrebrød. After that we went to feed our minds at a University College London (UCL) Lunch Hour Lecture delivered by Dr Jakob StougaardNielsen. The lecture, entitled “Scandinavian
Crime Fiction and the End of the Welfare State”, combined the two topics we are currently discussing in our seminar. Member of teaching staff Jesper Hansen then gave us a tour through UCL’s Scandinavian Studies Department, happily answering our questions, which, naturally, we had to ask in Danish. At London’s Danish Church – St. Katharine’s – pastor Else Hviid informed us about the history and architecture of the building as well as about the UK capital’s Danish community. She, too, spoke in Danish, and we were surprised about how much we were able to understand after just one and a half terms of Danish lessons.” Fumiyo Nemoto-Smith World Languages Manager Anne Grydehoej Danish Tutor
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Sports and societies at Kent You’ve made it onto your chosen university programme but what should you do in your free time (apart from study, of course)? Sports and societies play an important role in student life. They provide a chance to learn a new hobby, socialise and learn about new cultures. There are over two hundred societies and over fifty sports clubs to choose from so there is something for everyone. You can do anything from learning about a new culture to trying something new, like mountaineering, yoga or chess! There are six categories of society: academic, cultural, political and campaigns, religious, and performing arts and special interest. For a full list see the website at http://www.kentunion.co.uk/. This has lists of all the societies and sports clubs that are available to join. If there is not a society that suits you then you can apply to get a new society set up as long as you have a group of people with the same interest and the society gets approval from the University Union.
Sports are an important part of university life whether you want to compete, keep fit or try something new. There are several levels of sports available. If you are particularly skilled at a sport then make sure you take part in trials to get a place representing the University. If you are not competitive and want a different approach then there are development squads in sports like netball or rugby which are aimed at getting people involved.
Cultural societies make it possible for you to meet up with people from the same nationality or background but you can also go along to find out more about other cultures. Kent Union ensures that societies and sports clubs are accessible to all students. For example, society meetings are held in English to make sure that society events are accessible and language is no barrier to learning about a country and its culture.
There are all kinds of sport available at Kent and it is not restricted to well-known sports like tennis or football. There are also martial arts, archery, surfing and mountaineering to name just a few. Sports clubs also play an important part of the Kent student social life. Wednesday night is sports night and you don’t have to actually play a sport to come along and join in with the socialising.
You can find out more in Welcome Week in September where societies will be running taster sessions so you can get more information and ideas about which society or club to join. If you’re looking for something to go on your CV look into the Student Led Volunteering Groups (SLVG) there are many voluntary activities to get involved in including raising money for charity and helping disadvantaged people. For more information see http://www.kentunion.co.uk/eandv/. Chloe Courtenay EAP Tutor
Student testimonials IFP students Osama Sabir (Pakistan), Sheen Ramdenee (Mauritius) and Charis Dimitriou (Cyprus) are students on the IFP Programme and all joined University sport teams. Osama represents the University in the cricket team. He says: “I am a big cricket fan and was even selected for the Pakistan under 16 team when I was younger. I found out about the University team when I arrived in September and spoke to a representative of the University Sports and Societies. I took part in trials where I had to demonstrate my batting and bowling skills. Fortunately I was selected and now I play regularly for the team and take part in practice sessions every weekend. I’m taking part in the British University College Sports (BUCS) Tournament which starts on April 25th. I believe that the team has a really good chance of doing well.
If you are good at a sport I really recommend joining one of the university teams. I have made many new friends. It’s a great chance to get good exposure to new experiences, its good teamwork, good exercise and it is great on my CV.”
Sheen represents the University in the Squash team. He says: “Squash is among the most important things in my life. I have been playing since I am 12 years old, and throughout the years, I have been dedicating more and more time to this sport. I have represented my country, Mauritius, during three international tournaments held in, Botswana, South Africa and, India. Since I arriving at the University of Kent in September 2012, I have joined the squash team. When I first joined the team, I was second in the squash team, and now since January 2013, I have been elected as the number one thanks to my progress. Best of all, I have been given the opportunity to play with various players from different backgrounds and from different universities since I am at the university and, this has really helped me improve my game, meet new friends and also, enhance my personal skills.
I think sport is really important, and any of you who has the chance to join one of the University teams, should do so. Meeting people from different cultures is great and, it gives an opportunity to make new friends”. Charis plays for the University basketball team. He feels that as a first year student it was not easy for him to fit in. He says: “University life is something that everyone has to experience in order to understand how difficult is to make a fresh start in a foreign country. I admit that I had difficulties dealing with this situation but joining the basketball team was the best choice I could have made. I’ve always loved playing basketball and taking part in the game was the only way I could escape from all my difficulties and worries that I was going through. Being part of the team encouraged me because I was able to share my passion with my teammates. I started making friends and felt more confident and comfortable about my studies. Not only did it help me to relax but I was also able to focus on my personal skills and my communication with the other members of the team. Therefore, I believe that every student should participate in a team as this will help them become more sociable and will make their life at university pleasanter. My personal belief is, if you develop the need for success in any kind of sport, then you will be in a better frame of mind and this helps in your studies. Sport also gives you the skills to succeed in life such as teamwork and the ability to achieve goals”.
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Language exchange events
Language Express
CEWL is particularly interested in helping its students practicing the languages they are learning outside of the classrooms. Here are some of the events that took place in the academic year of 2012-2013.
If you want the opportunity to learn a new language or brush up on existing language skills then the Language Express Programme at the University of Kent can help. The Language Express courses have earned warm praise from their students. Here are some of their testimonials:
The successful pioneer event
Studying alongside work Jena Dady who studied Arabic says: “I am a University of Kent staff member, working in HR, Learning and Development. I have always had a keen interest in learning languages – I am fluent in Polish studied French and German at school, and studied Russian at university.
Mandarin exchange event In order to help students to practice Mandarin with native speakers outside the classroom I liaised with ABACUS (Association of British And Chinese University Students) and pioneered the languages exchange event – Mandarin Exchange Evening in the Staff Common Room, Darwin College, 21st of November 2012.
Following the success of the first event, I organized the second Mandarin exchange event in the spring term which was also well-attended. I have also coorganized similar events for most of the world languages we are offering in March 2013. Ru Su Mandarin Tutor
Another successful event was the Language Exchange Evening in Japanese The language exchange event in Japanese was held on 12th March 2013 in CEWL reception. There are three different levels of Japanese modules and one non-credit bearing course called Language Express Japanese that students can study on at the University of Kent. Over 20 students from these modules and courses came to this event and enjoyed talking with Japanese native students who are studying in the university.
For some beginner students participating in a year abroad, this event was an especially good opportunity to gain information about about studying in Japan from the intermediate students who have studied in Japan for a year. We hope to see you at a similar event in the near future. Mano Suzuki Japanese Tutor
Practice makes perfect I am looking for... a language partner
Mandarin exchange event, 11th March 2013
In order to become fluent in a language it is necessary to practice. It is also best to practice with a native speaker. To help learners find someone to practice with CEWL has set up the Language Exchange on Moodle.
partner with just a touch of the key. This will not replace formal teaching, but having a language partner will certainly help students to improve their language skills and to make likeminded friends.
In the past year 600 students registered in order to find a language practice partner.
https://moodle.kent.ac.uk/moodle/enrol/index.p hp?id=3151
From English to Swahili whatever the language you want to practise you can now find the right
Fumiyo Nemoto-Smith World Languages Manager
Learning a language for future study Michal Gloznek who is studying for a degree in BA in International Relations and Politics and who plans to go on to do an MA in Latin American Politics says: “Language Express is among the very few language schools in Kent, if not the only one, which offered such a course. A personal approach and professional services are just some
Tutor and students, Language Express English
of the qualities you get when you study with the programme. The school secured a native speaker from Brazil, who used to be a Portuguese teacher there, to teach on the course. In my opinion this is one of the greatest advantages of the course. Moreover, all the hand-outs and supporting materials are always available online, so, if you miss a lesson it is incredibly easy to catch up. Language Express helped me to reach my goal of being able to speak Portuguese, and it can help you to speak Portuguese too.” Chloe Courtenay EAP Tutor
Significant year for the IFP An increasing range of nationalities helps maintain cultural diversity
IFP Students by natonality 2012-2013
IFP Students
16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0
Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Bermuda Brazil Cameroon Canada China Cyprus Egypt Ethiopia Gambia Ghana Greece Holland Hong Kong India Indonesia Iraq Israel Japan Jordan Kenya Malaysia Mauritus Nepal Nigeria Oman Pakistan Qatar Russia S Korea Saudi Arabia Singapore Spain Taiwan Thailand Trinidad & Turkey Turkmenistan UAE Uganda USA Uzbekistan Zambia
Over 30 Mandarin learners and Mandarin native speakers attended the event. Director of CEWL, Anthony Manning’s welcome speech in both English and Mandarin surprised and inspired everyone. Specially designed games and custom made fortune cookies added a lot of fun to this event. Students enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to talk to each other face to face. They developed their language skills further and had an enjoyable social event through attending the exchange evening.
Learning Arabic through Language Express seemed like a fantastic opportunity to continue to feed my passion for learning languages. Having had no prior knowledge of the Arabic language before starting this course, it has really exceeded all my expectations. In such a short space of time I have learnt a wealth of vocabulary, grammar and particularly feel comfortable with the complex alphabet! It is a beautiful language with a fascinating culture, and I look forward to putting all of what I have learnt into practice in the future.”
Learning practical language skills Joe Hilson took a Language Express French course and commented: “I took a extra-curricular French class at Medway. I found it very useful as I learnt many practical things including how to book a hotel, ask for food and how to ask for and follow directions. The class was very open and inviting; initially I thought it would be a bit embarrassing trying to speak in a foreign language however this was not the case. Overall I am very impressed and recommend the course.
2012-2013 saw 45 different nationalities of student enrolled on the International Foundation Programme. This was up from 42 in 2011-2012. It was the first time that a student from Turkmenistan had participated in the programme. Interestingly there were significant rises in the numbers of students from Bahrain, Hong Kong, Mauritius and Nigeria after visits to institutions in these countries by CEWL staff in the previous year. Sebastien Cadinot International Pathway Manager
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Art and design
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1 & 2 Jamie’s Trinket Trove, Natasha Leh 3 Capital Thing, Serwan Saleme
Cardboard chair project Students created and built chairs from cardboard. The challenge was to design and build a comfortable, full sized chair using only cardboard and glue or tape. Each chair was tested for comfort and strength by tutors Henry Sparks and Julie Mecoli. The chairs were on display in the Marlowe building.
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Container project challenge What might you want to organise and contain? Julie Mecoli is a subject tutor for the Art and Design Foundation Module. She says “During Term 2 Art and Design Foundation students answered that question by designing and making a container for some special object. Students used their imaginations to create interesting solutions to containment they could fabricate in the workshop. They designed containers for a wide range of objects: jewellery, medication, papers and architect’s tools, recycled plastic bags, nail varnish, wine, tea and personal stuff. The containers were made of acrylic, mdf and wood joined together with a range of joins, screws, adhesives and hinges. The final containers had to be fit for purpose and store ready. Presentation sheets explained their work and ideas through drawings and text”.
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Trifort, Serwan Saleme Chair, Loic Adam Oscillator Chair, Ivy Nabila Students use the chairs Loic Adam’s chair research
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CEWL’s new Placement Officer position CEWL Director, Anthony Manning explains the rationale behind the Placement Officer position In support of the University’s commitment to developing employability skills, (see www.kent.ac.uk/employability), CEWL has created a Placement Officer position in order to offer an opportunity to a University of Kent student to develop their work-related skills and to gain first-hand experience of a busy and dynamic professional environment. In creating this position we have taken efforts to incorporate a series of skill-building features which allow the appointee to gain experience of a wide range of work practices, which can be considered relevant and transferable to most contemporary office situations. The position is designed so that that the post-holder will be able to develop core skills for the workplace whilst also acquiring experience in certain niche skill areas of personal interest, so that the individual will have an advantage in the increasingly competitive job market. A placement at CEWL naturally offers a wide range of skill development opportunities which are relevant to the modern-day work place, this stems from our positioning as a commercially minded professional services unit with a key academic function.
In this first year of providing the placement position we have been delighted to welcome Oliver Ringrow who has quickly become a well-respected colleague and team member. This is also testimony of the high calibre of skills which one can expect from a future Kent graduate. Oliver has already been involved with a series of key projects in CEWL. In addition to Oliver’s personal benefit from his new working and learning environment, the team in CEWL have also greatly appreciated the insight which Oliver has brought from the student perspective. This is invaluable to us as Kent students are our main clients.
Oliver’s Ringrow – CEWL’s first Placement Officer explains what the post means for him I decided to add a placement year to my degree because my parents highly recommended it after my sisters successfully completed theirs and I saw how much it had benefited them and how it added to their job prospects once they had completed their degrees. With the job market the way it is at the moment I decided a placement year would be a great addition to my CV. As a programme support assistant at CEWL my job is split between admin and marketing. On the administration side I have helped with
Jessica Gilbert, Anthony Manning and Helen Winder with Oliver Ringrow
pre-sessional applications, monitoring student’s attendance and helping with the International Foundation Programme’s in-class assessments. I’ve also been working on Green Impact which focuses on making university departments more environmentally friendly. On the marketing side I have assisted the departmental International Officer, Maxwell Howells, in some of his jobs and at the moment I am working on a project that looks at the possibility of advertising our Language Express course to the general public. Recently I have assisted Maxwell in the advertising of CEWL’s Facebook page, representing the Department at a Language show and giving campus tours to prospective students. I will finish my placement at CEWL in August, after which I will complete the final year of my degree and then begin job hunting. Although at the moment I’m not certain what type of job to apply for, this post has helped me to refine my choice of career.
Senior Programme Support Officer, Helen Winder explains why having Oliver on placement has given the administrative team a new perspective Administrators can sometimes get “stuck in the mud” so the idea of having a student placement, in particular from Kent Business School, was an exciting prospect. We felt we would gain a fresh approach and a new pair of eyes to help us to review our current procedures, and in addition for us to understand a student’s perspective to the deliveries that we offer as a Centre. As we come to the end of the placement year it is clear that Oliver has not only gained new skills, but that as a team we have also adopted a new approach inspired by some of Oliver’s ideas. Oliver has challenged us by suggesting and implementing new and exciting approaches to student engagement and advertising, and taking us on a Green Impact journey! He has worked on our Social Media campaigns and regularly posted tweets on our Twitter account. He was very committed to the Green Impact project, which he spearheaded for CEWL in our first year of entry. This project was a tremendous success enabling us to be awarded the Silver category. This was by no means an easy project and he challenged us to think about our use of paper and electricity consumption, to name just a couple of areas he reviewed He has indeed made a positive contribution not only to our team, but to our Centre with his energy and enthusiasm; he will be missed. We wish Oliver all the very best of luck in his upcoming final year and examinations and we all expect to be there at his graduation! We know we have learnt from him and we hope that the lessons and skills he has learnt from us will bode him well in his future career. Chloe Courtenay EAP Tutor
New faces at CEWL
Several new members of staff joined the Centre in 2012-2013 Chloe Courtenay: EAP Tutor I am currently teaching on the IFP, EDLP and Language Express programmes and I am a course convenor and academic adviser. I am also working on designing materials and this year I am a co-editor for Voicebox. Before joining the University of Kent I worked at the Sino-British College in Shanghai Prior to that I taught at Thames Valley University in Reading and Qingdao University. I did my undergraduate and postgraduate studies at the University of Reading. I hold a degree in English with Classical Studies, and MA in English Language Teaching and a second MA in Texts in History. My teaching qualifications include the CELTA, CERT Ed and CPPD ESOL. In I am particularly interested in curriculum design and methods of feedback. In my free time I love to travel. For several years my New Year’s resolution was to visit two new countries every year. I’ve been to 21 countries in 3 continents so far and hope to visit many more. I lived in China for a total of 4 years. It’s fascinating living in another country and I loved the experience. When I’m not travelling abroad I like to travel within the UK. I love Wales, especially Snowdonia and I regularly go back to Wiltshire to visit family. I also enjoy going to the theatre, illumination and calligraphy, botanic art and reading of all kinds.
Rebecca Coleman: EAP Tutor I teach on the IFP, EDLP and Pre-sessional programmes. I am also an Academic adviser and a course Convenor on the In-sessional programme. I joined CEWL full-time in September 2012 having previously taught for the department on Pre-sessional and various In-sessional courses. I have also taught extensively on EAP, EFL, FCE, IELTS, ESP and teacher training courses in universities and language schools across Kent and in France. I hold a Diploma and Masters in TESOL, in which I specialised in Verbal Memory and its development with the use of popular song. I have continued to read and write avidly in this area. My interests include adapting and designing materials and being involved in the development of their CELTA courses. I enjoy travelling to many different countries and experiencing new languages and cultures. In December 2012 I visited Thailand where I saw and experienced the many things that the country has to offer and travelled to Bangkok, Kanchanaburi, Atthutya and Chaing Mai.
Nicola Abbott: Associate Lecturer Psychology I am the module convenor on the new Psychology module (LZ040: Psychology for
University study) I love to travel and have so far visited 14 countries, some countries more than once as I love city breaks. My favourite cities are Rome, Cairo and Luxor. My main hobby is swimming, and I also try to snorkel or scuba dive on my trips abroad. I have always been interested in popular Psychology, if you are new to the area a fun book I would recommend is called ‘Freakonomics’ as it covers some Psychology topics from an economist’s perspective. This is a good starting point as psychologists often use statistics to try and analyse, and understand, a social phenomenon. My favourite area of Psychology is Developmental Psychology; although this can cover development from birth to old age, my area of expertise is childhood and adolescence. This is my SEVENTH year here at the University of Kent! I studied for my undergraduate Psychology degree from 2006-2009. I am currently coming to the end of my PhD which is looking into when, and why, adolescents stand up to bullying they witness in school. My teaching background is also based here at the University of Kent, where I have been teaching undergraduate Psychology students for the past 4 years.
Ru Su: Mandarin Tutor I am currently teaching Mandarin credit bearing modules and Language Express programmes and I am a module convenor. Apart from teaching 4 different level Mandarin courses I am also liaising with the Manager and other tutors of the World Languages to synchronize the specifications, assessments and marking criteria for all the world languages modules we are currently offering in our centre. I have been a teacher since I obtained my first class Bachelor’s Degree of Pedagogy from Qufu Normal University which located in the hometown of Confucius in China, in 1990. I have been a teacher in China, Singapore and the UK. With the experience of teaching over 20 years in different countries for various levels, I feel more and more that teaching is not only my job, but it is also an important and indispensable part of my life. Before relocating here in 2008, I had also taught at the University of Leicester. Before taking up this post, I have taught at the University of Kent for the academic year of 2010-2011. Kent College Pembury, Barton Court Grammar School and Sevenoaks School. I was involved in designing Schemes of Work, course materials, conducting controlled assessments and providing extra curriculum activities. I have a lot of interests such as reading, watching movies and gardening etc. But in
recent years I have I have spent more time voluntarily on designing PPT lessons and varieties of games (digital and traditional versions) to help students have fun whilst learning Mandarin. Modern technology is a powerful tool in education. I love to learn and use them more in teaching and learning. In linguistics I am interested in teaching material design and methods development.
Mano Suzuki: Japanese Tutor I teach Japanese, mainly on the beginners and intermediate modules and also in short language courses and events. I was born in Kyoto, Japan, and lived there for 20 years. After studying Astronomy & Education in Osaka Educational University, I worked in the science museum run by Ehime prefecture as an education and research officer for 6 years. I first came to England in 2006 and spent around a year in total improving my English. In 2008, I started studying for a master’s in Conservation Biology at the University of Kent, and worked for Kent Wildlife Trust as a trainee warden for a year after graduation. Meanwhile, I took the Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching Japanese as a Foreign Language in the Institute of International Education in London, and started a career as a private Japanese tutor. I have been working part time at the University of Kent since 2011 while teaching learners of various levels and ages in private lessons. Outside of teaching my main interests are food, books and films, especially fantasy novels, detective stories and watching old Japanese films.
Georgia Miller: CEWL Receptionist As the receptionist I help make visitors feel welcome, answer questions, and direct them to places they need to go to. In addition to this, I have many other duties including assisting with course administration, monitoring attendance, co-ordinating AV equipment, making bookings, filing and general organisation. I graduated from the University of Kent in 2012, with a Joint Honours in French and Italian. I started working at CEWL as Receptionist and Admin Support Officer in February 2013, and have previously worked as a French Academic Peer Mentor and as an English Teaching Assistant during my year abroad in Parma, Italy. I particularly enjoy travelling and learning languages. I intend to begin learning Mandarin with Language Express soon. I am also interested in arts and crafts; particularly sewing and crochet.
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
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
CEWL is going Green Oliver Ringrow receives the Green Impact Award on behalf of CEWL
Thank you…
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.
The Green Impact project offers departments at the University of Kent a practical opportunity to embed good environmental and ethical practices in their everyday work. This year CEWL decided to take part in Green Impact with the aim of winning the Silver award.
We worked intensively and submitted our workbook documenting our Green Impact procedures. Two student volunteers assessed the changes we had implemented and we had a nail-biting time waiting to find the result. However we managed to sail through with flying colors and were delighted to be awarded with Silver. Oliver Ringrow received the award on behalf of CEWL on the 12th April. Oliver Ringrow – Placement Officer
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As part of the scheme we had to make a number of changes to the office to conform to the criteria imposed by Green Impact, one of these included setting up a Green Impact team made up of members of staff from CEWL. The Green Impact team included Oliver Ringrow, Jonathan Fitchett, Rebecca Coleman, Khanh Duc Kuttig, Helen Winder and Carla Morris. To tackle the criteria set by Green Impact the team had a meeting to discuss how they would go about achieving this. After a productive meeting the team went about achieving one criterion after another. Some of these included putting up environmentally friendly posters, labeling light switches and plug sockets, buying Fairtrade coffee/tea and documenting five of CEWL’s negative environmental impacts. Some of the more technical criteria set by Green Impact included conducting an energy audit which involved walking round the whole department looking for rooms that were being overheated, making sure computers are set to energy saving mode and looking for rooms without adequate heat insulation.