Irena Bitunjac participated in an English course organized by English Language Training School (ELT) in London. The course was in Advanced English and English for University Administration. It was a customized program designed by the English Language Professor Dr. Robert Howley at ELT.
The course lasted from 15 to 31 May 2019 and consisted of 20 hours in Quartet Courses and 5 hours Individual Tuition.
Her English level was determined by completing two tests before starting the course. She also filled out a short questionnaire which included a description of the responsibilities she has in the Faculty and the Project. The content of the course was based on this questionnaire and correspondence with the Teacher that covered six main areas:
1. Emails – standard phrases
2. Formal and informal register
3. Softeners / Intensifiers in written and spoken English
4. Social Responses and Questions
5. Phrasal Verbs / Conditional Structures
6. Vocabulary – storage and revision techniques
In addition to classical methods of learning like writing tasks and oral presentation, mobile applications Quizlet and Vocabulary were used. Working on and creating vocabulary study sets made learning English more interactive and interesting.
She also gave a short presentation to the other members of the group, explaining why she had come to London. She reported on the main activities of the Project, gave a short overview of Study Programs ‘Environmental Physics’ and ‘Astrophysics and Physics of Elemental Particles’ and explained how the Programs will be introduced from the next academic year. The presentation was audio recorded and the others had the opportunity to ask different questions. The final task was to write a Report on the Internationalisation Project.
In her spare time, she went sightseeing, after which she was asked to give a short report on the things she had seen or events she had been to.
The course included a discussion of the culture and history of London as well as the political constitution and history of Great Britain.
A way of teaching that included several new approaches to learning the English language made it an unforgettable and very useful experience for her.
