In recent years I have been involved in Cavan in providing a programme to help groups of (mainly) Lithuanian, Latvian and Polish students – all adults who have been resident in and around the town of Cavan for a number of years – for the Cambridge Business English Certificate.
Some are looking for work or are at home with small children; but many are employed, mainly in the retail, hospitality or manufacturing companies locally. Some, but not all, have been educated to Masters level in their own language and education systems.
All have reasonable English before being accepted onto the programme, though there are often issues of ingrained bad habits in the range, accuracy and fluency with which they use English.
Some are looking for work or are at home with small children; but many are employed, mainly in the retail, hospitality or manufacturing companies locally. Some, but not all, have been educated to Masters level in their own language and education systems.
All have reasonable English before being accepted onto the programme, though there are often issues of ingrained bad habits in the range, accuracy and fluency with which they use English.
There is evidence of how a number of them have been able to get a job, or get a better job, as a result of participation in the programme.
There is also evidence of some of them enrolling for the Certificate in Management Practice offered by the University of Ulster; and some have now progressed to the Advanced Diploma in Management Practice.
This enables them to demonstrate qualifications and aptitude for learning that will enhance their employability as they make a commitment to living in Ireland.
There is also evidence of some of them enrolling for the Certificate in Management Practice offered by the University of Ulster; and some have now progressed to the Advanced Diploma in Management Practice.
This enables them to demonstrate qualifications and aptitude for learning that will enhance their employability as they make a commitment to living in Ireland.
We are aware of considerable numbers of potential participants in such a programme who are geographically closer to the University. We want to develop a MOOC which could address their needs in improving the English language skills they already have, so that they can get more involved in further and higher education, either at the University of Ulster or with other institutions.
Further work has still to be done to quantify more precisely the numbers, especially in the Lithuanian, Latvian and Polish communities where we have already established some credibility and a track record. Such communities can be found, in particular, in Belfast, Craigavon, Dungannon and Newry.
Further work has still to be done to quantify more precisely the numbers, especially in the Lithuanian, Latvian and Polish communities where we have already established some credibility and a track record. Such communities can be found, in particular, in Belfast, Craigavon, Dungannon and Newry.
The proposed MOOC, which we have piloted with a group of 17 participants in Cavan, is based round two highly regarded books that have been designed for self-study:
- Raymond Murphy, 2007 Essential Grammar in Use, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
- Michael McCarthy and Felicity O'Dell, 2012 English Vocabulary in Use - Elementary, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
We are of course aware of other significant sources of English language support at may be used by those who wish to improve their English. Examples include:
- The British Council
- Major publishers in English language teaching
- Broadcasters such as the BBC
- Private language schools.
MOOEC is an Australian project with a range of English courses based on the MOOC model; I have not yet had an opportunity to explore it fully..
Such a project may provide an opportunity to explore, in a practical manner, the use of badges to provide evidence of skills, qualifications and expertise in both English language and in other career enhancing areas.
I first became aware of these during a presentation made by Kyle Peck of Pennsylvania State University in Cork in May 2013. He described how Mozilla badges are being adopted by his University.
More recently I have become aware of Accredible as another approach to recognising achievement and proficiency.
I first became aware of these during a presentation made by Kyle Peck of Pennsylvania State University in Cork in May 2013. He described how Mozilla badges are being adopted by his University.
More recently I have become aware of Accredible as another approach to recognising achievement and proficiency.
More has yet to be done to prepare some assets that can be used in developing a business case which will pitch for some endorsement and support from the University of Ulster for the further development of this project.
Find out more at this prototype website I have prepared to profile and promote the programme.
Further work in progress is going online using Eliademy.
Find out more at this prototype website I have prepared to profile and promote the programme.
Further work in progress is going online using Eliademy.