4 Motors for Europe & Wales
English Language Course
Llangollen, North Wales Sunday 20 August – Saturday 2 September 2006
Dates:
Host
organisation:
Arrival: on Sunday 20 August
Departure: on Saturday 2 September
N.B. Although Monday 28 August is a Bank Holiday, the language course will continue
as normal
ECTARC (The European Centre for Training and Regional Co-operation).
Established in 1988 to promote links between Wales and Europe, ECTARC is an
independent, non-profit making training organisation, a registered charity and accredited
by Trinity College, London.
Location:
Llangollen is an ancient market town situated in the beautiful Dee valley. The town is a
popular tourist destination renowned for its international music festival (or Eisteddfod)
and enjoys a lively atmosphere, with many pubs, cafés and restaurants. Thanks to its
position, it is an excellent base for outdoor activities, including walking and canoeing.
The town’s 3000 years of history are reflected in its many interesting historical sites.
Llangollen is also ideally situated for visiting the Snowdonia mountain range, the Roman
city of Chester and the maritime city, Liverpool.
Course:
The course will take place from Monday to Friday from 09.30 -16.00, with a mid-morning
coffee break and a 1 hour break for lunch each day. It will include over 20 hours English
learning weekly, an introduction to Welsh language and culture, and related learning
activities. The central aim of the course will be to improve the communication and
fluency of participants, with classes designed to encourage oral participation through
debate and discussion.
(For further details, please see ’Course Aims, Objectives and Levels’)
Levels:
There will be an additional cultural/social programme for the evenings and weekend.
Excursions will include day trips to either the university town of Aberystwyth or the
border city of Chester, and Snowdonia and will be included in the course cost.
(For further details, please see ‘Proposed Timetable’)
So we can place you in the most appropriate group, you complete an assessment
before the course. There is further assessment, including an oral element, on arrival.
We plan to offer classes at three levels, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and
Advanced, that is, Levels B1, B2 and C1 of the Common European Framework.
(For further details please see ‘Course Aims, Objectives and Levels’.)
Places:
Up to 8 students per region.
Cost:
The fee for the course and cultural programme will be paid by the Welsh Assembly
Government. Participants are required to pay for their own travel, accommodation and
subsistence costs.
Accommodation:
Bed & Breakfast accommodation will be offered at €37- €54 per night, in a range of
family-run guesthouses which are all just a few minutes’ walk from the town centre and
ECTARC. All guest houses are 3***, clean, comfortable and characterful. We use ‘B&B’
accommodation because we believe that you will enjoy the warm Welsh welcome and
the opportunity to practise your English with your hosts and when you go out for your
evening meal. A deposit of €150 must be paid to reserve accommodation, before arrival
in Llangollen. This will be returned to you before you leave at the end of the course.
Travel:
We recommend travel by air to Manchester airport. A taxi service can be arranged
through ECTARC (cost about €58, which could be divided between delegates travelling
together). Travel by coach and bus is not recommended as journeys can be very long
and coaches are less frequent on a Sunday. The train is a possibility, but Sunday travel
can be difficult beyond Chester/Shrewsbury stations. Llangollen is about 1½ hour by car
from Manchester airport and 1 hour fro Liverpool airport.
Food and drink – Here are some typical prices for food and drink: Sandwich - €3-4, Café lunch €5, Pub,
Guide prices:
main course - €6-10, Restaurant, starter - €4.50-6, main course - €10-20, dessert - €56, Fish and chips (take away) - €6, Cup of tea/coffee - €1.75, Pint of beer - €3, Glass of
wine - €3-4. We have a kitchen and dining area at ECTARC which you are welcome to
use at lunch time.
Further
More detailed information regarding travel to Llangollen, the course programme and
information:
accommodation will be available after registration.
Registration:
To apply for the English language course in Wales, please send your application form
before 31 May to the co-ordinator in your region. (see bottom of application form)
Course Aims, Objectives and Levels
Aims
We believe a happy and motivated learner learns best. The ECTARC team aim:
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to build rapport and group cohesion to create a favourable environment for learning
to respond to the expressed needs of individuals within the constraints of the group and the time and
resources available
to take into account feedback from other earlier similar groups
to respond to midcourse feedback from current participants
Course Content and Method
We believe that to learn to communicate more fluently and effectively you must practise genuine spontaneous
communication across an information gap.
We emphasise lively listening / speaking activities, but relevant reading / writing activities are also included.
Participants bring to the course a variety of professional and life experience. The tutor exploits your interest in
each other to generate spontaneous communication. As participants also bring to the course a variety of
language skills and language errors, you are helped to learn from each other as well as from the tutor. The
tutor uses a variety of resources, such as worksheets, audio CD, video etc.
From a survey of participants, we identified the topics they considered most useful to them (meetings,
presentations etc). In the morning programme, each topic provides a meaningful context in which to use
appropriate grammar, vocabulary, collocation, functions, register and pronunciation. The range of language we
use for a particular topic depends on the language level of the learners.
During our afternoon programme, learners who wish to focus on language needed for a specific purpose can
work with a group to design a project and produce a report, a presentation, an exhibition or a short film. This
may involve research activities outside the classroom and contact with the general public. Those who prefer to
focus on particular areas of general English can do so.
There are homework tasks for those who want extra practice. We encourage you to take full advantage of
opportunities to continue to learn outside the classroom during visits and receptions and in conversation with
the friendly hosts at your accommodation.
Levels of English
We offer classes at three levels, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced. We plan for these levels to
correspond to levels B1, B2 and C1 of the Common European Framework (see below).
Global Scale (extract)
Proficient User
C1
Independent
User
B2
B1
Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts, and
recognise implicit meaning. Can express him/herself fluently and
spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.
Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic
and professional purposes. Can produce clear, well-structured,
detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of
organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.
Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete
and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her own
field of specialisation. Can interact with a degree of fluency and
spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers
quite possible without strain for either party. Can produce clear,
detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint
on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of
various options.
Can understand the main points of clear standard input on
familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure etc.
Can deal with most situations likely to arise whilst travelling in an
area where the language is spoken. Can produce simple
connected texts on topics which are familiar or of personal
interest. Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes
and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for
opinions and plans.
However, we shall divide the participants into three groups and if the level of a group differs slightly from the
planned level we shall adjust the level of the class to suit the group.
Outcomes
You will:
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have shared your existing knowledge and experience of the topics and relevant language with other
participants
extend your knowledge of the topic and relevant language
be able to communicate more confidently and fluently on these topics
have had opportunities to learn to communicate more effectively on these topics as a result of input to
extend your command of relevant grammar, vocabulary, collocation. functions, register and
pronunciation
have had opportunities to record the language learnt
Proposed Timetable
9.30–11.00
Sun 20
August
Mon 21
August
Tues 22
August
Wed 23
August
Thurs
24
August
Fri 25
August
11.30–13.00
13.00–
14.00
14.00–16.00
EVENING
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES
18.00 meet at Llangollen
Museum.
Town Tour & Talk.
Free evening.
TRAVEL TO LLANGOLLEN
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES
LANGUAGE
CLASSES
BREAK
LANGUAGE
CLASSES
LUNCH
Ewe-Phoria!
Agri-theatre
and
sheepdog
centre.
Coach pick up in Market
Street car park, time t.b.a.
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES
Welsh language lesson
Jane Trudgill / English
language
activities
(2
groups)
All day visit to Aberystwyth/Chester. Coach pick up, time t.b.a. Market Street car park.
Guided tour/visit, time t.b.a. Shopping.
Meet and pick up to return to Llangollen.
Sat 26
August
Sun 27
August
Mon 28
August
Tues 29
August
Wed 30
August
Thurs
31
August
Fri
Sep
11.0011.30
1
17.00-19.00
Welcome
reception.
Meal at Ewe-Phoria!.
Social evening and meal,
hosted by the group from
Catalunya, at ECTARC.
Social evening and meal,
hosted by the group from
Rhône-Alpes,
at
ECTARC.
All day Tour of Snowdonia with tour guide. Coach pick up Market Street car park, 9.30 am. Arrive back at Llangollen
18.00-19.00.
Welsh language lesson Free evening
Jane Trudgill / English
language
activities
(2
groups)
LANGUAGE
BREAK
LANGUAGE
LUNCH
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES
Hogiau’r Gororau, Welsh
CLASSES
CLASSES
traditional
band
and
Welsh folk dancing, 20.00
Visit to Erddig, National Social evening and meal,
Trust Property, Wrexham. hosted by the group from
Coach pick up Market Street Lombardia, at ECTARC.
car park 14.00
Social evening and meal,
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES
hosted by the group from
Baden-Württemberg, at
ECTARC.
LANGUAGE ACTIVITIES
Goodbye drink (cash bar)
in Corn Mill after lessons
4 MOTORS FOR EUROPE & WALES
ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSE
Llangollen, 20 August - 2 September 2006
REGISTRATION FORM
Region of Origin:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Family Name:
First name:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------Position:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------Institution:
E-mail:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------Address for correspondence:
Tel: (inc all codes)
Fax: (inc all codes)
E-mail:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------Date of Birth:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Home Address:
Tel: (inc all codes)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------Education/Qualifications:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------How long have you studied English?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------If you remember, please provide the name of the English language text book you last used:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------English Language Ability – please tick:
Intermediate
Upper Intermediate
Advanced
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Reading
Writing
Speaking
Listening
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Proposed arrival and departure dates: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Arrival
by plane
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by train
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by car
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If arriving by plane or rail, arrival airport or station: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Have you attended a 4 Motors Language Course before?
No
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Yes
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Please return this registration form before 31 May 2006 TO THE CHER CO-ORDINATOR IN YOUR REGION.
Baden-Württemberg
Catalunya
Lombardia
Rhône-Alpes
++49 (0)7071 2974392
++34 93 552 6963
++39 (0)2 7234 5801
++33 (0)4 7259 4533
++49 (0)7071 23251
++34 93 552 6965
++39 (0)2 7234 5806
++33 (0)4 7259 4098
ursula.kimpel@uni-tuebingen.de
agallardoc@gencat.net
benedetta.montezemolo@unicatt.it
achapelier@cr-rhone-alpes.fr
Please also send: i) A letter of recommendation from your immediate superior ii) Written confirmation of leave of absence from your place of
work iii) A personal statement giving professional reasons for wishing to attend this course.