Oxford English Language Teachers' Academy Masterclass

Programme details

A Welcome from Dr Charles Boyle,
Programme Director

A very warm welcome to our 2018 OTA Masterclass for English language teachers. We invite you to join ELT colleagues from across the globe in what is a truly international learning community in the stunning and historic setting of Worcester College.

Our team of friendly expert ELT tutors will guide you through a series of lively and practical morning workshops. Each afternoon we invite you to enjoy engaging lectures delivered by Oxford University academic staff, international ELT teacher trainers and well-known ELT writers.

After class you can relax in over 24 acres of tranquil gardens and wooded grounds, sit by the college’s own lake far from the bustle of the busy city streets beyond Worcester’s high walls or explore one of Britain’s most beautiful cities. Each evening, a rich and varied social programme will help you to make the most of your time in Oxford.

Masterclass Workshops

Each morning you will participate in two 90-minute workshop sessions of your choice. The workshop options for 2018 are:

Week 1: July 9-13

• Tips and Techniques for Creative Teaching in the Primary Classroom
• From Technophobe to Technocomfy: how to integrate technology into your teaching
• No More Boring Grammar Lessons! How to enliven your grammar and vocabulary teaching
• 21st Century Skills: teaching learners how to think

Week 2: July 16-20

• Once Upon a Time: the magic of storytelling
• Project-based Learning
• Dynamic Classroom Management: building high quality relationships with your students
• The Reflective Teacher: exploring our own classroom practice

Expert Tutors

We have handpicked an outstanding professional team of the top trainers and tutors in the field of ELT today.

Afternoon Lecture Series

Our 2018 lecture series includes presentations on a wide variety of topics: 

• Personalization in an impersonal world (John Hughes)

• Six questions you should ask yourself when correcting learners (Mark Bartram)

• Extended speaking in the classroom (and the importance of planning) (Jon Hird)

• How to find new sounds that are not in one’s mother tongue (Adrian Underhill)

• The Future of English (Prof. Simon Horobin)

• Oxford and its university (Chris Day)

• Shakespeare and 'Love's Labour's Lost' (Dr Lynn Robson)

Schedule

Monday - Friday

09.15 - 10.45  Workshop 1
10.45 - 11.15  Tea break
11.15  - 12.45  Workshop 2
12.45 - 13.45  Lunch
14.15 - 15.30  Lecture*

The programme provides 39 hours of tuition, comprising:

• 30 hours of workshop meetings
• 8 lectures* (4 per week)

Social Programme

We have carefully tailored your social programme to allow you plenty of free time to explore and enjoy Oxford. You will also benefit from the services of two programme assistants who will be on hand to offer information as to what’s on and what to see in Oxford and also to help with advice on any weekend trips you may be planning to make. We have arranged a number of optional social activities (all at no extra cost) during your course which are likely to include the following:

• Drinks Reception & Welcome Dinner
• Walking Tour of Oxford
• International Night
• Quiz Night
• Full-day Trip to Bath
• Scottish Country Dancing (where you do the dancing!)
• Games Night
• 'Chord in the Act' Concert
• Shakespeare's 'Love's Labour's Lost' at Wadham College
• Drinks Reception & Farewell Gala Dinner

OUP Book Display

During the programme, representatives from Oxford University Press will be present to showcase current and forthcoming ELT publications. All teachers will be offered a discount of 20% on OUP's ELT publications purchased during the programme.

Certification

On successful completion of the Masterclass, all participants will receive a University of Oxford Certificate of Attendance.

The attendance certificate will state the course title and location, the course dates, and hours of tuition involved. It will be signed by the programme director and the principal tutor.

Please note that this course does not offer any form of official credit to participants.

Participants who successfully complete the OTA Evidence of Learning forms for each training session will also receive an OTA Masterclass Certificate.

Accommodation

Resident in College

For that real University of Oxford experience, you’ll have the opportunity to live in student accommodation in Worcester College. The college is situated in the centre of Oxford only a few streets away from the bustling shopping area of Cornmarket and High Street and is also close to the Ashmolean Museum and Oxford Railway and Coach Stations. You will be provided with a single study bedroom with private bathroom and toilet.

We regret that participants cannot be accommodated at Worcester College either prior to or beyond their programme dates. Family members and/or friends who are not enrolled on this programme cannot be accommodated in college.

Disabled Participants (including those with mobility difficulties)

The aim of Oxford University Department for Continuing Education (OUDCE) is to treat all participants equally and welcomes applications from people with disabilities. Individuals` needs are taken into account as far as possible, providing reasonable adaptations and assistance within the resources available. We ask that people let us know of any disability or special need (confidentially if required) so that we can help them participate as fully as possible.

When applying for OUDCE`s college-based summer programmes, prospective participants with mobility difficulties or visual or hearing impairments may want to make preliminary enquiries to the Programme Administrator, as the age and layout of these colleges often makes them user-unfriendly (although adaptations are often possible). Oxford, as an ancient city, tends to be difficult to navigate for people with disabilities. The number of very old buildings, designed in an age less sensitive to issues of disability, makes access to much of the city centre difficult. However, OUDCE will do as much as it is able to make study with the department possible.

Participants should contact us if they will have problems gaining access to a bedroom or a teaching room that is located on upper or basement floors.

IT requirements

We recommend that you bing a mobile device (phone or tablet) to get the most out of the course options on teaching with technology and project-based learning.

Fees

Programme Fee: £2540.00

Payment

Programme Fees - £2,540

Fees include:

• Tuition
• Course materials
• Full social programme 
• Accommodation in a single room with private shower and toilet for the nights of Sunday 8 July to Friday 20 July 2018 inclusive;
• Meals in College from dinner on Sunday 8 July to breakfast on Saturday 21 July 2018 (with the exception of weekend lunches and dinner on Saturday).
• Opening and Closing Drinks Receptions
• Weekday morning tea/coffee and biscuits
• Services of resident summer school assistants

Cancellations

Please note that refunds are only offered in exceptional circumstances. Please consult our terms and conditions for more details.

Applicants are strongly recommended to take out vacation cancellation insurance, and should consult their travel agent and/or insurer for information and advice. Please note that OUDCE does not offer any insurance cover.

Alteration or Cancellation of a Course by OUDCE

OUDCE reserves the right to alter details of any course should illness or any other emergency prevent a tutor from teaching, and to cancel a course or seminar if exceptionally low enrolment would make it educationally unviable.

The status of the course will be reviewed on 1 May 2018. If it is likely that the course may be cancelled, all participants enrolled on the course will be notified in writing within seven days, and possible options clearly explained.

If participants have not heard from OUDCE by 9 May 2018, they should assume that the course will be running; there is no need to contact us to confirm. Participants may wish to delay finalising their travel arrangements until after this date.

Teaching methods

The OTA course options are highly practical and require daily, active participation and discussion. All participants will be expected to work in pairs and small groups and, for some options, to give short individual presentations.

Assessment methods

There is no assessment for this course.

Application

Please download the application form.

• All sections should be completed fully, clearly, and in BLOCK CAPITALS.
• Applications should be posted or emailed to the Programme Administrator at the following address:
  • By email: ipota@conted.ox.ac.uk
  • By post: Oxford Teachers' Academy Masterclass, OUDCE, 1 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JA, UK
• Applications must be accompanied by a digital photo of yourself or, if posting, five passport-sized photographs.

Application deadline

Subject to the availability of places, the closing date for applications is Friday, 15 June 2018.

Notification of the admission panel's decision

Applicants will normally be notified of the panel's decision by email within 14 days of their application being received.

Applicants who are offered a place on the summer school must respond within 14 days to accept or decline the offer. In accepting our offer of a place applicants are committing to paying their programme fees in full by the due date.

Enrolling, invoicing, and further course information

Successful applicants will be formally enrolled on the summer school once they have accepted our offer of a place. The enrolment process includes the issuing of invoices, which will be posted to applicants together with full instructions for payment.

Applicants will be required to pay the full fee within 28 days of their invoice date. Late applicants may be required to pay the full fee within 7 days of their invoice date. Places will not be held for students whose fees are not paid in full by the due date. Under no circumstance will applicants be admitted to the summer school unless all fees have been paid in full.

Once fees have been paid in full, applicants will be sent a formal letter confirming their place on the course and receipt of their payment.

Detailed course information notes will be emailed to participants in Spring 2018. These notes will contain a wealth of practical information to assist students preparing to travel to Oxford.

Any Queries?

Please contact the Programme Administrator by email at ipota@conted.ox.ac.uk

Important information regarding visa requirements

If you require a visa to study abroad, then we strongly recommend that you apply for this course as early as possible in order to allow yourself sufficient time to make a successful visa application.

This may include a letter from the course administrator confirming your place on the course; this confirmation letter will not be issued until all course fees have been paid in full.

In the case of a visa application being unsuccessful the Department for Continuing Education will not offer a refund.

Please note that, for legal reasons, the Programme Administrator is not permitted to provide any visa advice to applicants. All such enquiries should be submitted to Oxford University’s student visa and immigration advisers via email at student.immigration@admin.ox.ac.uk

Selection criteria

It is anticipated that applicants will have at least two years' experience of teaching English to primary or teenage/young adult learners.

All participants must speak English to a minimum of a high B2 CEFR level of proficiency.