English as Foreign Language Monday

Course Name: English as Foreign Language

Course Overview

This language course is aimed at further improving students’ spoken language skills, while building their vocabulary and improving their pronunciation. Students must already have a basic knowledge of English. (Not advised for beginners)

Course Content:

Conversations for fluency-building

Formal speaking activities (job interviews)

Public speaking tasks (presentations)

‘Natural English’ vocabulary for everyday speaking

Functional vocabulary for interruption & emphasising

Raising awareness of formal vs. informal vocabulary

Other topical words for general vocabulary building

Tutor Biography 

Lenka is originally from the Czech Republic and started learning English when she was 10 years old. In 2003 she received the Advanced level of State Exam Certificate in English Language Studies. After she moved to Ireland, she acquired a Certificate in English Language Teaching and completed a Tutor Training in Adult Literacy with the Galway Adult Basic Education Service (VEC) where she then volunteered as an ESOL tutor.

Lenka then did a degree course in Irish Heritage Studies and graduated in 2015 with First Class Honours. Between 2016 and 2018, she delivered English classes called ‘NALA Blended Learning’ in the Croi na Gaillimhe Resource Centre, where the students practised their reading, writing, speaking and numeracy skills through the use of digital and online media.

Lenka aims at delivering classes for adults living and working in Ireland, for whom English is not their first language and who already have a basic knowledge of English (not advised for complete beginners).

Throughout the course, students practise the following:

• Speaking – Learning and practising useful phrases for speaking situations
• Writing – Practising writing tasks that are relevant to them
• Listening – Improving their listening skills and strategies
• Reading – Improving their reading skills and strategies
• Grammar – Raising their awareness of grammar and using grammar more accurately
• Vocabulary – Learning new words and phrases to aid their understanding and use of English
• Pronunciation – Improving their pronunciation mainly through speaking and listening practice.