The University of Sheffield Staff - English Language Development

What is it?

The English Language Teaching Centre (ELTC) offers a series of short online workshops for international staff to help them develop their English language and communication skills. Please see below for more details.

Who is it for?

These online workshops would benefit non-native English speaking staff (e.g. visiting scholars, post docs, researchers, lecturers) who want to improve their communication skills and knowledge of English in a Higher Education context.

Numbers are limited to 12 attendees for each workshop, so it is important to register and attend as planned (the sessions will not be recorded). Please note: These workshops are based on the ones that were run last year.

Dates and times

Wednesday 13th May, 2.30pm - 3.30pm - The Language of Lectures

Friday 15th May, 2.30pm - 3.30pm -  The Language of Tutorials

Wednesday 20th May, 2.30pm - 3.30pm - The Language of Seminars

Friday 22nd May, 2.30pm - 3.30pm - The Language of Technical Demonstrations

Location

All workshops will be held online using Blackboard Collaborate. The link to the sessions will be sent once you have registered.

To register for workshops, please click on the title.

Registration is open.  If you have any further queries please email: eltc.support@sheffield.ac.uk

Workshop Programme 

English Language for Teaching

Workshop 1: The Language of Lectures

The workshop will cover some of the following topics depending on the needs of the participants.
  • Speaking to give key points and important information
  • Speaking to engage people's interest in a topic
  • Signposting language
  • Intonation and emphasis in UK English
  • Pronunciation challenges and strategies for managing these

The session will be a combination of a webinar and break out groups. Participants will need to use a webcam and microphone.
Date and time: Wednesday 13th May 2020, 14:30-15:30 

Workshop 2: The Language of Tutorials

The workshop will cover some of the following topics depending on the needs of the participants.

  • Speaking to communicate difficult information (eg low grades, resits plagiarism issues)
  • Speaking to respond to upsetting or challenging situations (eg when there is bereavement, illness, financial problems or not coping with academic study)
  • Useful language for tutorials (academic and pastoral)
  • Questions forms with conditionals
  • Questions to promote reflection
  • Eliciting responses from reticent students

The session will be a combination of a webinar and break out groups.  Participants will need to use a webcam and microphone.
Date and time: Friday 15th May 2020, 14:30-15:30 

Workshop 3: The Language of Seminars

The workshop will cover some of the following topics depending on the needs of the participants.

  • Language to facilitate / guide student discussions (including idioms / phrasal verbs)
  • Nuances of intonation and connotation
  • Differences between lecture and seminar language
  • Language to encourage contributions from students and to keep discussions focussed

The session will be a combination of a webinar and break out groups. Participants will need to use a webcam and microphone.

Date and time: Wednesday 20th May 2020, 14:30-15:30

Workshop 4: The Language of Technical Demonstrations

The workshop will cover some of the following topics depending on the needs of the participants.

  • Sequencing language
  • Modal verbs - degrees of certainty
  • Conditionals for hypotheses
  • Vocabulary, intonation and pronunciation

The session will be a combination of a webinar and break out groups.  Participants will need to use a webcam and microphone.

Date and time: Friday 22nd May 2020, 14:30-15:30

Staff Dyslexia/SpLD tutorials and assessments

The specialist SpLD (specific learning difficulties) team can now offer tutorials to staff members who have been given the label of dyslexia or specific learning difficulties (or if they self-identify with such labels). The team are also able to provide specialist assessments for dyslexia and/or specific learning difficulties. Please click on the link to find out more about this service: Staff tutorials and assessments