COUNTRY COUSINS' SUMMER SYLLABUS
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY
We provide a special learning environment for our students. We make every effort to improve their communication skills and boost their confidence to become more independent language learners. We teach our students how to use online resources and mobile apps to continue learning autonomously when they return home.
The blended learning course is completely action oriented. It offers a wide range of everyday topics focusing on communication, listening strategies, cultural and intercultural awareness as well as life skills in general.
We appreciate that learning English is a complex process and involves a variety of elements that need to be put together to communicate with ease, which is why we developed a syllabus based on five learning blocks: Using Online Resources, Learning Strategies, Intercultural Communication, and Continuous Learning.
All these elements are blended to develop students' presentation skills, which are essential in the modern world.
LEARNING BLOCKS
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
We take great care in class to make sure that students have ample opportunities to communicate, share ideas and opinions in multicultural pairs and groups. We have also designed afternoon workshops to motivate learners to socialise with their classmates as well as students from other groups. All this is done under careful teachers' supervision to ensure that there is an atmosphere of tolerance and friendly support.
CONTINUOUS LEARNING
A combination of online resources and mobile apps is aimed at motivating students to use digital material more actively and independently. Summer school courses are short and it would be unrealistic to expect great progress so we have decided to put more emphasis on equipping students with instruments that will help them continue learning English on their own when they return home.
USING ONLINE RESOURCES
We pride ourselves in delivering language courses that are dynamic, up to date and engaging. We achieve this by using a plethora of online resources in our classrooms fully equipped with IT facilities.
We are especially proud of our online syllabus that is constantly updated with ideas from teachers to cater for students' needs. Most of our students are teenagers and it is crucial to keep abreast of latest developments to make sure that they are involved in lessons.
Many of the materials are authentic to show students that they can cope with real English and hopefully continue using the internet to improve their language skills when they return home.
LEARNING STRATEGIES
We would like to prepare our students for future life by encouraging them to use a variety of authentic materials to enhance their learning process as well as life skills in general. Hopefully, this will stimulate learners to explore online resources further or look for similar ones and adopt a more active approach to the use of digital resources.
The Student Zone allows students to find materials and tips to help them become more autonomous learners.
Students are made aware of the lesson objectives and they are encouraged to carry out self-assessment at the end of each day to become more aware of the learning process as reflective language learners.
PRESENTATION SKILLS
Testomonials:
Dear Anna,
This is Susanne Buschmann writing, the mother of Jonathan, Clara and Sophie.
Back home we all want to thank you so much for the incredible stay you created for the kids. In all aspects they had an excellent time. Great teachers, great activities and a lovely team. You made them feel at home. Thank you for all your flexibility with taking our youngest daughter. All three kids and especially Jonathan improved their English a lot. And the most important: they lost any fear to speak even if it’s wrong. So the stay with you was a full success for us. Please say hello to April who cared so lovely about us and to Carl, the best driver ever. Special thanks also to you for all your patience and care.
All the best for all of you.
Yours
Susanne and family
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Ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you very much for Jan and Tomaš Vanek. Staying in England and teaching in your school was very beneficial for them.
I wish them every success in their professional and personal lives and good health.
Yours sincerely
Dr. Richard Vanek, father
Prague, 20 August 2022
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