Transcript for the video General English at the University of Leeds Language Centre embedded on the General English Course page.
[Music]
[The screen shows the Parkinson Building clock tower, then the Marjorie and Arnold Ziff building. A student is shown walking into the University’s Language Centre.
[Alex Holloway, the General English Course Leader, appears on the screen.]
[Alex Holloway says:] My name is Alex Holloway and I'm the Programme Leader for the General English Programme.
The aims of the course are to increase students’ ability to communicate in authentic situations.
We split that up into three ways: we talk about knowing English, we talk about using English, and finally, we encourage students to go outside the classroom and practice their English.
We don't use coursebooks, instead we use texts like YouTube videos and websites, and then that means we help students to be able to understand and make the most of real English.
We do things like vlogging, blogging, subtitling, we also listen to what the students want to do.
For students who don't feel confident there are lots of opportunities to speak just with other international students.
Most of that happens here in the Language Zone.
[The screen shows the Language Zone, a room with banks of computers, and bookshelves full of books. Students are working at some of the computers.]
There are things like Conversation Club or Presenting with Confidence.
[Fawaz Hamdi, a Language Centre student, appears on the screen.]
[Fawaz Hamdi says:] Leeds is a multicultural city. You can find a lot of nationalities in Leeds, which makes life feel much easier.
[Music]
[Alex Holloway appears on the screen.]
[Alex Holloway says:] The Leeds campus is very diverse, and there are places where students can go and relax, but also there are several different libraries.
We try and show and use all the different places around Leeds.
Go out into the countryside, we look at film locations, historical locations.
[Music]
[Fawaz Hamdi, appears on the screen.]
[Fawaz Hamdi says:] Of course, you get a lot of help step by step, they will be close to you.
Each one [student] has a personal tutor so they give you advice. They help you with your work.
[Alex Holloway appears on the screen.]
[Alex Holloway says:] some people come just for a short time, others prefer to come for the four terms.
Whatever amount of time they come, we make sure that they're clear about what they want to achieve and try and make sure that they are working towards that target.
We understand that everybody learns differently, and we treat everybody as an individual.
[Motoki Nagai, a Language Centre student, appears on the screen.]
[Motoki Nagai says:] I am in two societies in Leeds University Union, so this is a great opportunity to talk or share information with foreign country students, or British students.
[Alex Holloway appears on the screen.]
[Alex Holloway says:] Because of the brilliant teachers we've got, and also because of the programme, in all the feedback that we've received from students who have left, they say that they feel more confident speaking in authentic English situations.
[Music]
[The video ends with a screen containing the University of Leeds logo and a link to the Language Centre website: www.leeds.ac.uk/languages.]