Hi, we’re Debra Jones and Hazel Newton, the new pre-sessional coordinators at CELFS (more information relating to this summer’s pre-sessional can be found at the bottom of this post).

We’d like to introduce ourselves…

Hazel Newton

My teaching career started in 2002 when, eager to spend time in Spain after graduating, I completed the CELTA at International House Seville.  My first teaching positions were at an international summer school near Brighton and at a language school in Vigo, Galicia.  When I returned to England I taught literacy and numeracy, ESOL, General English, IELTS and Cambridge exam preparation in my home-town of Manchester before taking a couple of years away from the classroom to complete an MA in Translating (French and Spanish) and to work for a translation agency in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France. But I missed the classroom, so in 2008 I started dividing my time between teaching and translation back in Manchester.  I completed the DELTA and taught EAP on, and later managed, the International Foundation Year at Manchester International College. In 2014, I moved ‘down south’ to work at the University of the West of England Bristol’s International College; I was Course Leader for the EAP modules across the Foundation Certificate, International Year One and Pre-Masters programmes and for the year-round preparatory language and enhancement courses.

My professional interests include technology enhanced learning, learner motivation, accessibility to education, including supporting students with specific learning differences, and academic literacies.

I am currently teaching on the International Foundation Programme here at CELFS and am co-coordinating the Year-Round Pre-Sessional course with Debra.

 

Debra Jones

I became an EFL teacher in 2004, working in Japan at a language school for two years then at university level for a further six years. In 2012, I moved to China and worked at a joint-venture university in Suzhou, teaching general and subject-specific EAP classes as well as developing and teaching on integrated content/language modules jointly delivered with academic departments.

After twelve years living in East Asia (and traveling a lot!), I returned to the UK in 2016 and worked at the University of Bath as an in-sessional course leader, managing and teaching on EAP and academic literacy classes for home and international students at undergraduate and postgraduate level.  I’m originally from Wales so I haven’t quite returned to my roots but I really like living in the South West.

I have Masters Degrees in Applied Linguistics and in Librarianship (in a previous life I was a librarian!)  and am a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. I am currently studying part-time for a Doctorate in Education at the University of Bath. My research interests are in the experience of international students in the UK, particularly Chinese students, and in curriculum internationalisation. While working in Japan and China, I became interested in finding ways to improve the effectiveness of feedback and I did some research in this area.

We are currently preparing for the summer pre-sessional courses, having started interviewing for the pre-sessional EAP teacher posts (details below) last week.

We’re looking forward to seeing you in Bristol in the summer.

 

Job title: Pre-sessional EAP teacher

10 week course:  Friday 15 June until Friday 24 August (plus a compulsory induction period from Monday 11 June until Thursday 14 June) 

6 week course:  Friday 13 July until Friday 24 August (plus a compulsory induction period from Monday 9 July until Thursday 12 July) 

·         21 teaching hours plus preparation and marking per week divided between two groups of students – usually pre-Masters 

·         Delivering in-house materials and providing regular feedback on student work 

·         Attendance at meetings and CPD as required 

The total payment for the 10-week course plus induction: £9785.71 

The total payment for the 6-week course plus induction:   £6135.20 

 

Candidates for these posts are required to have a minimum of a first degree and a DELTA (or equivalent) and ideally previous experience of teaching on pre-sessional courses.  

 

The workload on such courses can be high and the aspirations of students a genuine challenge for the teacher. In return for your effort and commitment, we hope to provide an environment where you will learn from our experience and approach, and finish the summer with a great sense of satisfaction.  

The Centre is run on the principles of development, transparency, transferability, autonomy, reflexivity and collaboration at all levels within our community. For those who are interested in the BALEAP fellowship scheme, we do have a TEAP assessor in-house to carry out observations for your TEAP portfolio. CELFS is running a TEAP course from April 9-13^th 2018. Please check the website for details or contact celfs-teap@bristol.ac.uk to express interest and register. 

For full information on the pre-sessional courses please refer to:  http://www.bristol.ac.uk/english-language/study/pre-sessional-courses/ 

Application process:  Please send your CV and details of availability to celfs-tutors@bristol.ac.uk Interviews will be conducted via Skype at a mutually convenient time. There will be a pre-interview task. 

Accommodation: Summer accommodation has been made available and the cost will be met by CELFS except for the sum of £24 per week including VAT.  This is payable online and covers the cost of utilities and cleaning.  You will be sent relevant details once accommodation is confirmed. 

To book accommodation please follow the link to the Accommodation Office: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/accommodation/undergraduate/residences/colston-street/ 

Contact: If you have any questions or would like to know more please contact celfs-tutors@bristol.ac.uk