English Language Summer School 2023

Who is the English and Communicative Skills course for?

The course is for anyone who wishes to improve their communicative ability in English. The course is suitable for learners with English levels from CEFR A2 to B2.

Open to individuals and groups.

Group bookings can be accepted at any level.

Age	You must be aged 17 or over to start the course
Level	You must have an English level of A2, B1, or B2

What will I study?

The main aim of the course is to help you become a more confident communicator in English. You will join other international students in small classes (maximum 16 students per class) and our skilled professional teachers will ensure that you have plentiful opportunities to use and develop your English both inside and beyond the classroom. You should expect to be an active participant in every class and to see a significant improvement in your communicative ability and confidence by the end of the course.

The focus of the course is on developing learners’ ability to communicate confidently in English in all areas of life. Speaking and listening are the major focus of the course, and you will be exposed to a wide range of language input, and take part in tasks and activities that require you to use the language you are learning in class in real situations.

Grammar and vocabulary are taught, but always in the context of communication. The focus is always on language use rather than language study.

You will also be encouraged to develop strategies that will help you continue improving your English once the course is over.

The classes build on your existing language skills and focus on:

• Developing speaking and listening skills
• Building vocabulary
• Improving pronunciation and intonation
• Increasing grammatical accuracy
• Enhancing fluency and confidence
• Improving reading and writing skills
• Enabling independent learning

In addition, you can choose from a range of special interest classes. In previous years these have included:

• IELTS preparation
• Out and About in Aberystwyth
• British culture
• Language through literature
• Pronunciation workshops
• Kitchen culture: Language through cooking
• Intercultural communication
• Dragon’s Den: English for Business
• English through photography

How is the course structured?

• 15 hours per week of English in the mornings
•  5 hours per week of special interest classes and related activities
•  A full social programme

Morning Classes

In the morning classes you will be placed with students with a similar English level to yours. 

Special Interest Classes

In the afternoons, you can choose from the range of special interest classes on offer in a given week. This gives you an opportunity to practice your English in specific contexts which you find most interesting, and to make friends with students from other classes. Afternoon groups may be mixed level, as groups are formed based on students’ interests rather than language level.

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
9-10.30 Weekend round-up, journal writing and sharing – phrasal verbs & idioms to talk about the weekend Speaking/listening/ writing focus	9-10.30 Course book or targeted language materials and activities Vocabulary and pronunciation focus	9-10.30 Course book or targeted language materials and activities Reading focus	9-10.30 Course book or targeted language materials and activities Speaking/listening focus	9-10.30 Discussing cross cultural issues Speaking & listening focus	8 - 7 Social Programme: Full day trip to Manchester, with options to visit: Old Trafford Football Stadium National Football Museum Museums and Galleries Or just to enjoy the great shopping and eating options!
Break
11-12.30 Language Laboratory activities –connected speech to sound more natural Pronunciation and speaking focus	11-12.30 Introduction to the weeks’ themed group video or presentation project Speaking & Listening focus	11-12.30 Grammar workshop & Integrated Skills Multi-skills focus	11.00-12.30 Presentation skills and group rehearsals Speaking & listening focus	11-12.30 Group project presentations and videos and feedback Speaking & listening focus
Break
2-4 Optional lecture Guest speaker lecture Listening focus	2-4 Special Interest Class choices Out & About in Aber IELTS preparation Business English Welsh Kitchen – cooking, eating &  the language of food	2-6 Social Programme	2-4 Special Interest Class choices Out & About in Aber IELTS preparation Business English Welsh Kitchen – cooking, eating & the language of food	Free
7-9 Movie night			7-9 Pizza on the pier

This sample timetable shows you what a typical week on the course looks like. It is not a definitive timetable for your course.

Course length

You can start on any of the enrolment dates, and take a course of 2, 4, 6, or 8 weeks. 

Dates and Fees 2022

Course	Dates	Fees	Accommodation Included	Group Bookings Only
CS3	15 August 2022 - 26 August 2022	£899	Yes	Yes
CS4*	30 August 2022 - 9 September 2022	£899	Yes	Yes
*Monday 29 August 2022 is a public holiday in the UK. There will be no classes on this day.

Summer 2022 accommodation costs in ourFferm Penglais Residence are to be confirmed

Wai Yuk Tang, Hong Kong

"I’ve had the most unforgettable experience in my life on the summer course at Aberystwyth. It changed me and the world in my eyes completely. Now let me tell you why.

The United Kingdom is a whole new world compared with Hong Kong. I like the stunning sky here. I enjoy the delicate houses and I especially love the relaxing life style. Nevertheless, I remember the feeling when I first got here. Every face was new and I was all alone. I was very frightened about communicating with the strangers. Now I understand----it is all about courage!

You need to have courage to talk with strangers so that they can help you, and you need to be fearless even though you are not very confident with your English. I learned a lot from this journey, and not only because I learned English,  What I really learned from was the experience in my life Aberystwyth. For instance, in making new friends. It is not easy for me to chat with a stranger confidently in English in Hong Kong, but if you live with foreigners, you have to use your English in daily life, right? Luckily, I met so many nice new friends in Aberystwyth. We just met each other for about two weeks, but we treat each other like family! Yes! We are an international family. I feel  like I have a lot of brothers and sisters. They take good care of me and are willing to give a helping hand when I need help. We talk about our own countries and stories and I ‘ve really learned a lot about other places in the world from our conversations. We go hiking, or out in the evenings, and we visit different places in the UK. We have parties every week. In order to understand more about each other,  we even learned how to cook the local food of different countries and we really, really have good time together.

In addition, I found out that the atmosphere of the English language classes in the UK is totally different from Hong Kong. The students here are more willing to interact with the teachers. It shows their hunger to learn and it also teaches me the right attitude to learning. I found out that we can learn English in a more interesting way, too. For instance, we learn practical English like how to order food in the pub. In addition, we played so many games in the classes and I gained a lot from them.

In a word, it is absolutely an amazing tour. I have learned a lot from it!"‌

Please use the following application form here

1. Complete the application form and return it to us by email or post, with a copy of your passport and any other documents specified on the application form.
2. If you would like to stay in the university accommodation, tick this box on your application form. If you have ticked the accommodation box, we will arrange your accommodation. You do not need to do anything more to reserve your place in University Halls of Residence.
3. We will assess your application to ensure that the course you have applied for is appropriate for your needs, and that you meet our entry requirements. If you have not met the entry requirements we will recommend a course for you (subject to availability).
4. When we accept your application, we will send you an offer letter and an invoice. You will be asked to pay a deposit for your course. You can choose to pay the full fee at this time, or just the deposit.
5. Once you have paid your deposit, your course application is complete. If you have not paid the full fee before, you must pay it on the first day of the course.

Course	English and Communicative Skills (ECS)
Course objective	The overall aim of this course is to help you become a more fluent and confident user of English, extending your vocabulary, activating your grammar, and unlocking your passive knowledge of the English language so that you are better able to use your English in the wider world.
Maximum class size	16
Levels	A2 - B2
Available to	Individuals and groups
Taught hours per week	20
Private study periods	Students should typically expect to study independently for an additional 5 hours per week.
Minimum age	17. Click here for information about our care of the under-18s.
Dates	2022 CS1 - July 18 2022 - July 29 2022 CS2 – August 1 2022 - August 12 2022 CS3 – August 15 2022 - August 26 2022 CS4 – August 29 2022 - September 9 2022
Non-teaching days	2021 There are no classes on Saturdays or Sundays, or on Monday August 30 2021 (UK Bank Holiday) 2022 There are no classes on Saturdays or Sundays, or on Monday August 29 2022 (UK Bank Holiday)
Tuition Fee	2022 CS1 2022 - £550 CS2 2022 - £550 CS3 2022 - £550 CS4 2022 - £550
Course material costs	None
Social life	The IEC Summer Social Programme runs from 12 July 2021 - 10 September 2021 and includes a full day trip every Saturday, a half day trip every Wednesday and two evening activities per week. Most activities are free and the cost will never exceed £25 per week.
Accommodation	If you request accommodation when you apply for your course, this will be reserved for you in our Fferm Penglais halls of residence. These are a 5-12 minute walk from your classrooms, and cost for Summer 2021 is to be determined. You will have a private study room with double bed, en-suite bathroom and Wi-Fi, in a 6-8 person apartment with shared kitchen facilities. Accommodation is provided on a self-catering basis. If you want to live in a single-sex apartment, please inform us when you apply and we will arrange this. Accommodation will be reserved for you from 3pm on the Saturday before the course starts until 10am on the Saturday after your course finishes. You will be provided with bedding and a towel, and these will be changed once a week. Laundry facilities are available on Fferm Penglais.
Insurance	You are responsible for making your own insurance arrangements. We strongly advise you to take out insurance to cover your journey and your time in the UK. There are many insurance policies designed especially for international students.