In-sessional English courses

Improving your skills

Derby English Language Centre (DELC) provides free, in-session, language classes to help you perform better in your studies. You can take them at any point during your time at Derby, whether you are studying on an undergraduate degree or a postgraduate degree.

These sessions will boost your academic English skills and build your confidence, as well as helping you navigate the expectations of UK study. We can support you to give better presentations, improve your academic writing skills, help you to produce reports, essays and literature reviews or provide help with communication skills.

Sessions are delivered every week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. The courses are made up of blocks of one to four sessions. Courses run throughout the year to help you fully develop your skills.

Certificates are available on completion of each course. These courses are available for international students and/or any student whose first language is not English. Free drop-in sessions for help with assignments and coursework can be booked in on Friday afternoons.

Book your place on our in-sessional English courses

Communication skills and writing courses

Communication skills

The content of our communication skills classes includes a general overview of good communication skills for study and employment, conversation and discussion to improve spontaneity and fluency of spoken interactions, seminar skills and presentation skills.

Academic writing

We offer courses at two levels: Introductory Academic Writing and Advanced Academic Writing.

Introductory Academic Writing

The content of these courses includes referencing, citation, paraphrasing skills, improving academic vocabulary, and writing style, writing structure, common grammar errors and developing a critical voice.

Advanced Academic Writing and Independent Study Support

Content will include further development of referencing and citation, paraphrasing, academic vocabulary, and style, as well as further developing a critical voice and style, and writing abstracts and sections of your research report.

Class timetable

On campus, face to face at our Kedleston Road campus, starting week commencing 5 February 2024:

Communication skills

Course	What you'll learn	When and where
Conversation and discussion in the classroom	A chance to refresh your spoken skills or to get started and meet people. An opportunity for all students to practise and improve the spontaneity and fluency of spoken interactions in English through conversational English and discussion topics such as AI in the world of work and study, career opportunities and studying abroad	3 week course Tuesdays 1-2pm in E620 Kedleston Road Campus 6 February, 13 February, 20 February
Communication skills at University	Improve and develop your discussion, presentation and overall communication skills	4 week course Tuesdays 1-2pm in E620 Kedleston Road Campus 7 February, 5 March, 12 March, 19 March
Continuing communication round sustainability	Following on from Term 1 this is a further opportunity to improve and develop your discussion skills through the topic of sustainability	4 week course Tuesdays 1-2pm in E620 Kedleston Road Campus 9 April, 16 April, 23 April, 30 April
Drop in for individual questions	Come along to ask questions about your assignments!	Tuesday 7 May 1-2pm in E620 Kedleston Road Campus

An introduction to academic writing

Course	What you'll learn	When
Basics of writing	Expectations of UK study and key terms to get started	Wednesday 7 February 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
An introduction to academic writing	Referencing, citing and paraphrasing Structuring arguments and ideas (sentences and paragraphs) Academic style Critical evaluation vs description	4 week course Wednesdays 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus 14 February, 21 February, 28 February, 6 March
How to listen better to improve assignment grades	How to make better notes, identify key points from lectures and respond successfully in spoken and written form	Wednesday 13 March 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
Paraphrasing review	Paraphrase practice and a review of the skills to do it successfully	Wednesday 20 March 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
Academic style review	A review of how to make your writing more academic in style	Wednesday 10 April 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
Developing vocabulary	Ways to extend and use academic vocabulary in reading and writing	Wednesday 17 April 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
Ironing out the grammar errors	A review of tenses, prepositions and articles usage	Wednesday 24 April 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
Proofreading and editing skills	Tips on how and what to check in your work	Wednesday 1 May 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
Drop in for individual support	An opportunity to ask questions and get individual support with assignments	Wednesday 8 May 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus

Advanced academic writing

Course	What you'll learn	When and where
Accessing higher grades - taking the basics further to see improvements	A review of the key features of successful writing	Thursday 8 February 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
Developing structure in academic writing	Review typical report / essay structure Writing introductions and conclusions Writing the 'main body' and an abstract	3 week course Thursdays 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus 15 February, 22 February, 29 February
Becoming a more efficient reader - making better use of research from reading	Reading strategies to read quickly and efficiently, making notes and putting your notes into your work	Thursday 7 March 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
Becoming a more critical reader, thinker and writer	Each session will review critical thinking skills and practise writing in an evaluative way	3 week course Thursdays 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus 14 March, 21 March, 11 April
Improving cohesion and coherence	Writing better sentences Writing better paragraphs and developing logical arguments	2 week course Thursdays 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus 18 April, 25 April
Proofreading and editing skills	Tips on how and what to check in your work	Thursday 2 May 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
Drop in for individual questions	Come along to ask questions about your assignments!	Thursday 9 May 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus

Online Fridays

Course	What you'll learn	When and where
Writing tips and advice	A weekly online webinar to discuss the topics from the on-campus classes: Reviewing expectations, key terms and tips for success Referencing, citing and paraphrasing Structuring arguments and ideas (sentences and paragraphs) Academic style Academic voice and critical evaluation Typical structure of essays and reports Introductions and conclusions Writing the ‘main body’ and abstract Reading in the research process Paraphrasing workshop Academic style workshop Proofreading and editing skills	Fridays 10 am - 12 pm On our Microsoft Teams site Friday 9 February, Friday 16 February, Friday 23 February, Friday 1 March, Friday 8 March, Friday 15 March, Friday 22 March, Friday 12 April, Friday 19 April, Friday 26 April, Friday 3 May, Friday 10 May
Drop in	Online drop in for assignment help or individual support	Fridays 1-2 pm On our Microsoft Teams site

For more information, email englishsupport@derby.ac.uk

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