English Language Training Services (ELTS)

English Language Training Services (ELTS)

Student Handbook

2014/2015

Contents

Equal Opportunities

DISCLAIMER

Dates of Terms

Swansea University Mission Statement

Department of Student Support Services Mission Statement

English Language Training Services Mission Statement

English Language Training Services Aims and Objectives

Membership and Structure of ELTS

ELTS Organisational Structure

Staff contact information

Emergency Procedures

Student absence

Notification of change of contact information

Enrolment

When do we enrol?

What payments terms do you offer?

What should I do if I am sponsored?

What if my sponsor fails to pay?

What would happen if I had difficulty paying my fees?

General Conduct and behaviour

Student Responsibilities

Programmes of study

English for University Studies

Academic Skills for Business Pre-sessional (ASBP)

Pre-sessional Programmes

LLM/ Law Pre-sessional Programme

Human and Health Science Pre-sessional

Summer Introduction to Academic Skills (IAS)

General English Summer Programme (GESP)

Cambridge Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA)

Academic Regulations for English Language Training Services (ELTS) students

Student Support Services

Disability Office

Assessment and Training Centre for Students with Disabilities (ATC)

Recording for the Blind Centre

International Student Advisory Service (ISAS)

International Student Handbook

Money Advice and Support Office

Student Wellbeing Service

Study Support

Data Protection

Complaints

Equal Opportunities

The Department operates under the Equal Opportunities Code of Practice for the University to ensure that:

No client will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, sex (including transsexuals), marital status, trades union membership, age or disability.

The University Equal Opportunities Code of Practice can be found on the Personnel pages of the University website.

Swansea University Mission Statement

SwanseaUniversity will provide an environment of research excellence, with research being undertaken that is internationally recognized and that informs all other activities at the University. SwanseaUniversity will deliver an outstanding student experience, with teaching of the highest quality, which produces graduates equipped for distinguished personal and professional achievement.

The University community will be a powerhouse for growth in the regional economy, and will greatly enrich the community and cultural life of Wales. It will contribute to the health, leisure and well-being of citizens in South West Wales and beyond.

Department of Student Support Services Mission Statement

We aim to provide integrated, professional, student-centred services which offer information, advice and support to enable every student to develop and achieve their full potential.

English Language Training Services Mission Statement

ELTS will provide professional, high quality English language training services to enable every student to develop and achieve their full potential. ELTS will support international student recruitment through the provision of preparatory English language subject related programmes of study. ELTS will advise the University on appropriate English language levels, tests and programmes of study.

English Language Training Services Aims and Objectives

The Aims and Objectives of English Language Training Services are to develop and maintain a reputation as a leading exponent of English language provision to non-native speakers of English within the UK HE sector and beyond, by:

recruiting students with a language ability sufficient for them to improve their linguistic skills to a level whereby they will successfully progress to, and complete, further programmes of study, and go on to be well-educated graduates and postgraduates, capable of achieving their career aspirations.
playing a major role in the recruitment and retention of overseas students by working closely with Schools and Departments.
developing and delivering a valid and reliable language test – the Swansea English Language Test overseas(SWELT).

Membership and Structure of ELTS

English Language Training Services sits within the Department of Student Services, enabling close professional links with the International Student Advisory Service and many others (see below).

ELTS offers a range of general & academic English language support and training, bridging programmes for overseas students wishing to proceed onto undergraduate and post graduate studies in the UK, and a teacher training programme.

ELTS is also responsible for the development and delivery of the Swansea English Language Test (SWELT), a tool used for the assessment of an individual’s ability to meet the English language entry requirements to UK FE / HE academic programmes.

The postal addresses and location of ELTS’ offices, as well as telephone and fax numbers and the opening hours of the general enquiry desk, are shown below.

English Language Training Services (ELTS)
Emily Phipps Building
Hendrefoilan Student Village
Hendrefoilan
Swansea
SA2 7NB
Telephone: 0044 1792 295391
Email:
Web:
General enquiries should be directed to the Receptionist at reception during the following office hours:
Monday – Friday 9.00am – 1.00pm and 2.00 – 5.00pm

General documentation, such as copies of forms that you may need to complete are available in Reception.

ELTS Organisational Structure

Staff contact information

Name / Role / Programme / Email
Rob Anderson / Tutor / ASBP
Pre-sessional / ..uk
Syrie Banner / Tutor / ICWS /
Stephen Beale / Tutor / EUS
Pre-sessional /
Stuart Beale / Tutor / EUS
Pre-sessional /
Lisa Bowen / Administration manager /
Jerome Bradnick / Tutor / ICWS /
Geraint Brown / Tutor / EUS
Pre-sessional /
Joanna Chapman / Deputy Coordinator
Coordinator / EUS
12 week Pre-sessional /
Sarah Collier / Tutor / EUS
Pre-sessional /
Alison Davies / Coordinator
Tutor / 10 week Pre-sessional & ICWS
ASBP /
Lucy Davies / Tutor / EUS
Pre-sessional /
Lara Duke / Tutor / EUS
Pre-sessional /
Michelle Evans / Clerical assistant /
Neal Evans / Tutor
Trainer / EUS
Pre-sessional
CELTA /
Lydia Fasham / Tutor / EUS
Pre-sessional /
Ranya Faux / Tutor / EUS
Pre-sessional /
Ali Fuge / Tutor / EUS
Pre-sessional /
Fiona Hardy / Trainer
Lecturer / CELTA
COAH /
Neil Harris / Tutor
Deputy Coordinator
Trainer
VLE Coordinator / ASBP
Pre-sessional
CELTA /
Nettie Harry / Receptionist /
Tracy Jones / Tutor / ICWS /
Lisa Langley / Coordinator
Trainer / EUS
CELTA /
Jon Lishman / Tutor / EUS
Pre-sessional /
Viv Lethbridge / Clerical assistant /
Lucy Lewis / Tutor / EUS
Pre-sessional /
Emma Main / Coordinator
Coordinator
Trainer / ASBP
6 week Pre-sessional
CELTA /
Dan Minshall / Tutor / ICWS
Pre-sessional /
Peter Neville / Coordinator / CELTA /
Jo Parfitt / Head of Department /
Eleri Sullivan / Clerical Assistant /
Steve Tanner / Coordinator / Assessment /
Lisa Walters / Tutor / EUS
Pre-sessional /
Jennifer Welti / Coordinator
Tutor / General English Summer
EUS /
James Wheeler / Tutor / EUS
Pre-sessional /

Emergency Procedures

In the event of a medical (or other) emergency call 333 immediately on a University landline or ask a member of staff to do so. If you are unsure if 333 has been called, call 333 again.

For all emergency calls on University property dial 333 on a University phone.This helps the University to speed the arrival of the Emergency Services.

IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE

Raise the alarm at once by breaking the glass of the nearest fire alarm call point.
Send the first available person to telephone 333 and give the location of the fire.
If appropriate, call for assistance and attack the fire with the correct extinguisher.
If the fire should get out of control, or your escape is threatened, leave the building at once, closing doors and windows as you go.

IF YOU HEAR THE FIRE ALARM

Leave the building immediately, closing all doors behind you.
When clear of the building proceed at once to the assembly area for that building. For Emily Phipps building it is the bottom car park(as indicated on the green Fire Action signs around the building).

USE NEAREST AVAILABLE EXIT

DO NOT STOP TO COLLECT PERSONAL BELONGINGS

DO NOT USE LIFTS

DO NOT RE-ENTER THE BUILDING

For 24 Hour Emergency Services - Ambulance / Fire / Police

Tel: 333on campus, Hendrefoelan & Beck Hall Single Rooms

Tel: 999 outside of the University

Student absence

Student attendance is compulsory and any absence from class with be marked as unauthorised. Students are expected to have 90% attendance per week.

Attendance policy (Students aged 18 and over)

2 days continuous absence / / Student phoned by tutor
Weekly absence below 90% / / Attendance letter issued to student.
Student to meet with Programme Coordinator
Student to sign disclaimer
10 days absence / / Student will be withdrawn from course.
Any sickness must be verified by a doctor’s letter.

Attendance policy (Students aged under 18)

1st day of absence / / Tutor will attempt to contact student immediately.
If student cannot be contacted, Programme Coordinators will contact the named guardian.
If unsuccessful, case meeting involving Head of ELTS and ISAS to be arranged.

If you are unwell, or just unable to come to class for whatever reason, you must inform us of any absence as early as possible, so please phone us to let us know. The ELTS telephone number is 01792 295391.

You should note that the University is under a legal obligation to report prolonged absence to the Local Education Authorities/ Sponsors & UK Border Agency.

Notification of change of contact information

If, during the course of your studies, you change your address or mobile phone number, you must inform the ELTS administration team immediately.

Telephone: 01792 295391

E-mail:

You are under obligation to inform the Accommodation Office of any change of address, whether term-time or home address. It is not sufficient to inform just your personal tutor or the school.

Telephone: 01792 295101

E-mail:

Website:

Enrolment

When do we enrol?

Enrolment takes place on the first day of the course for all of the English courses with ELTS.

In order to Enrol onto your course, you must bring with you the following:-

Current Passport
Current UK address including post code
To enrol you must pay the outstanding course fee in full OR provide us with evidence of your sponsorship
Evidence of entitlement to study at Swansea University, for example a Visa or a UK ID Card.

What payments terms do you offer?

All students studying less than a full Academic Year at ELTS are required to pay their full fees on enrolment day (the first day of the course.)

Students studying a FULL academic year (October – June)

Students who enrol for a full Academic Year (if enrolment takes place on or before the first day of the Course) are entitled to pay their course fees in two instalments:

50% of their full course fee on Enrolment Day (the first day of their first course) and the remaining 50% of their course fee on enrolment day (the first day of the second course).

Students who fail to pay 50% of their course fees on enrolment day will not be entitled to pay in instalments.

It is important to note that paying in instalments is a payment option that is given only to students who are studying for the full academic year. All other students are required, as stated above, to pay their full fees on enrolment day.

Discount

Students who enrol for a full Academic Year (if enrolment takes place on or before the first day of the Course) can claim a 2% discount, if the total fee is over £6000 and providing the full course fee is paid in on enrolment day. Students who do not to pay their full course fees on enrolment day will not be entitled to the 2% discount.

What should I do if I am sponsored?

Some students receive fee support from other sources, such as companies, scholarships, trust funds, and governments, etc. If this is the case, the University requires documentary evidence of an award. This evidence must be presented at or before enrolment and should make specific reference to fees for Academic Year 2014/15. You should ask your sponsor to complete a Confirmation of Sponsorship form which can be printed from the following link.

Students claiming to be in receipt of sponsorship will not be permitted to enrol without appropriate documentation. Sponsors are expected to pay invoices within 30 days. The University will continue to recognise an organisation as a legitimate sponsor only if payments are received promptly. We do not class parents/family as sponsors for the purposes of this definition, and reserve the right to reject sponsorship credentials in certain circumstances.

What if my sponsor fails to pay?

This is very unusual, but in the event that a sponsor fails to pay all or part of any fee due you will be held personally responsible for any outstanding amount.

What would happen if I had difficulty paying my fees?

If you find yourself in financial difficulties, you are strongly advised to contact Joanne Parfitt, Head of Department, or Lisa Bowen, Administrator, in the English Language Training Services Department. The worst case scenario for non-payment of fees is that, under University Regulations, you may be required to suspend your studies and re-enrol for the next course (once all outstanding fees have been paid). It is therefore important not to ignore any correspondence you may receive from the ELTS Department or the Finance Department.

Please Note

At the discretion of the Management under exceptional circumstances, students may be allowed to have a maximum of 2 weeks study without payment of fees. After this time, they will be required to immediately pay the 2 weeks course fees, and will then be required to leave their studies until full payment for the course is received.

If you owe any money from any previous period of study at this University, you will not be allowed to re enrol until the debt has been paid in full.

General Conduct and behaviour

Please be aware that:

you are expected to conduct yourself in an orderly manner.
if you attempt to obstruct teaching, study, research or the administration of the University you will be liable to disciplinary action.
unauthorised absence from the University without proper cause will be liable to disciplinary action.
you are under an obligation to inform your School / Department of any criminal conviction prior to and during your period as a student.
if you wilfully damage University property, you must pay for its repair and may be subject to disciplinary action.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is against Swansea University’s regulations and is defined as ‘the act of using without acknowledgement another person’s work and submitting it for assessment, as though it were one’s own work, for instance through copying or unacknowledged phrasing’

Examples of plagiarism given in the regulations include:

‘use of any quotation(s) from the published or unpublished work of other persons which have not been clearly identified as such by being placed in quotation marks and acknowledged’.
‘summarising another person’s ideas, judgments, figures, software or diagrams without reference to that person in the text and the source in the bibliography’
‘use of the service of ‘ghost-writing’ agencies in the preparation of assessed work’.
‘use of unacknowledged material downloaded from the internet’.
‘submission of another student’s work as your own’.
‘to reproduce material, without acknowledgement, that has been used in other work/assessment for your degree programme (self-plagiarism)’.

Portfolio Plagiarism

All final drafts of written work need to be submitted via Turnitin. In any instance of plagiarism the students will have onlyONE opportunity to resubmit work and this can only then achieve a D grade.

Student Responsibilities

Pay all course fees on the first day of the course. If you do not, you will not be allowed to enrol in the University until you pay. Please note that course fees will NOT be refunded

Arrive at class on time. Arriving late causes disruption in the class and this is unfair to your classmates. If you are later than 10 minutes for your class, you will not be allowed to enter the class and will be registered as absent on that occasion.

Attend class regularly. An attendance register is taken for every class of the day and attendance is commented on in the end of course report. Attendance is also a required question on Visa application forms. You are required to attend at least 90% of available classes over the period of the course; on a ten week course there are approximately 200 available classes and you are therefore required to attend 180 classes. If you do not do so, and cannot provide clear reasons (with evidence) for your non attendance, you will not receive an end-of-course certificate.

As soon as you have 5 unexplained absences you will be sent a non attendance letter. Any non-attendances will be stored in your student file and reported on your end of course report and visa application form. This report will be sent to any University department that you have applied to enter, and this may affect your acceptance.

Students should inform us of any absence as early as possible. If you are unwell, or just unable to come to class for whatever reason, please phone us to let us know. The ELTS Sick line telephone number is: 01792 295391.

Programmes of study

ELTS is a diverse department and runs many different courses throughout the year. Basic information about the courses is included below, more specific information can be obtained from Programme Coordinators.

English for University Studies

The English For University Studies Pre-sessional (EUS) helps students to improve the skills they need to progress successfully to their foundation, undergraduate or postgraduate course. Exact course content depends on student’s entry levelbut each EUS level will help students to develop the following important academic language and study skills:

Language Skills for Academic Studies
Academic Reading
Listening and Note-taking Skills for Academic Lectures
Academic Writing
Presentation and Academic Speaking Skills
Using Academic Sources and Referencing Skills
Critical Thinking
Academic Vocabulary and grammar practice

Each week includes 23 hours of organised tuition.