Course description

Our General English Language and Skills course

This course is suitable for you if you want to improve your general English language skills for personal or professional reasons. 

You will learn through:

  • interactive, student-centred, tutor-led sessions;
  • guided study tasks which you complete by yourself outside class times;
  • tutorials where you can discuss your work with your tutor;
  • accessing University resources to develop your skills further.

Morning sessions cover core English language & skills. You will focus on listening, reading, writing, vocabulary and speaking, including pronunciation. You will use a General English course book appropriate for your level of English.

In the afternoons, you will participate in a range of modules to develop your communication and study skills and increase your vocabulary. You will use materials specially developed by our academic team.

Example modules

Themes

Explore a wide variety of everyday topics to:

  • broaden your vocabulary;
  • develop your speaking and listening skills;
  • develop your research and critical thinking skills;
  • increase your confidence in presenting your ideas.

Culture and Communication: Manchester People and Places

Develop your spoken and written communication and your study skills as you discover:

  • places of historic or cultural importance in Manchester;
  • Manchester people from the past and present in science, technology, entertainment and literature.

Culture and Communication: Manchester Ideas and Innovations

Develop your communication, research and group study skills as you discover:

  • important ideas, innovations and inventions linked to Manchester;
  • important historical events based in Manchester.

Pronunciation Skills

Increase your pronunciation confidence through interactive activities focusing on:

  • English sounds that you find challenging;
  • sound versus spelling in English;
  • syllables and word stress;
  • sentence stress and weak forms in fluent speech.

Sample timetable

Class time (UK time) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
9.30am – 11am

English Language & Skills 

English Language & Skills 

11am - 1pm

Independent Study 

  • Tutorials
  • Book Group
  • Discussion and Debate 

English Language & Skills 

English Language & Skills 
11.30am – 1pm

English Language & Skills 

English Language & Skills 

 

English Language & Skills 

English Language & Skills 
           
2pm – 3pm

GELS module

(e.g. themes) 

GELS module

(e.g. Culture and Communication) 

GELS module

(e.g. themes) 

GELS module

(e.g. Culture and Communication) 

 Independent study
Any time Independent study  Independent study  Independent study  Independent study   

*This is a sample timetable only and times may be subject to change.

Assessment

GELS assessments take place in weeks 5 and 10 of each term.

Upon completion of the course, you will receive a full report indicating your English language level according to UCAE bands. You will also receive a certificate of attendance.