Teaching OISE Young Learners

Founded in 1973 as Oxford Intensive School of English, OISE is now one of the longest established English language organisations in the UK and remains committed to intensive study. The Young Learners Schools Division was set up in 1975 to meet the demand from young people (aged 11-17) for serious English language study. 1994 saw the opening of the companys first all-year-round Young Learners School in Newbury. OISE Young Learners Schools division is now one of the UKs leading multi-centre organisations. It is recognised as efficient by the British Council and is a member of English UK.

The OISE Mission Statement:

To make a significant significant contribution to the students future success in life through inspirational language teaching which challenges the learner and is focused on results.

The OISE Core Values: Values:

The will to make a significant contribution to our students future success in life o Respect for the customer o A passion for getting it right o The development of our staff As a teacher you need to embody these values and help our students develop as much and as quickly as they can. o

OISE Students: o Have chosen OISE because of its reputation for serious study. o Students expect to work hard and are critical of unfocused classroom methods. o They are ambitious learners who want to see progress during their stay and return to school feeling more confident. o Many students view the teachers as the main representatives of the school and OISE itself. o Students expect teachers to be professional, well prepared, well-presented and punctual but also pleasant and approachable. o Every student is valued. Good care is supremely important and is the responsibility of each us. The 7 Pillars The 7 Pillars represent the teaching principles to which the organisation is committed and ensure lessons are delivered in a unique but uniform way in each location. Purpose: By being driven by purpose, teacher and learners share a common intention. Pitch: Pitching the lesson high ensures each student is challenged. Pace: By injecting pace, the teacher keeps lessons dynamic. Push: Pushing the students helps them exceed their own Push: expectations. Positive: By encouraging positive feelings of competence on each student, the teacher builds confidence. Progress: By making students aware of their progress, the teacher encourages independent learning. Performance: By providing practice, the teacher builds confidence in tackling real world performance.

Academic Approach
Syllabus The syllabus is designed to help both students and teachers enjoy and benefit from the courses. The main aim of the syllabus is to give students confidence and the ability to communicate fluently and effectively in English. Building students confidence in English is a vital part of everything we do. Lessons o Last 90 min and have max 8 students per class o Encourage active student participation o Have clear staging with appropriate time limits for each activity o Taught at a fast pace, calculated to stretch and challenge all students in every class o Classes, created after first days testing, usually have 3 teachers each in order to benefit from different voices, personalities and teaching styles.

Academic Programmes:
Full Study Allows students to develop accuracy in the 4 skills in formal morning lessons. In the afternoon, skills workshops and exercises build confidence and fluency in using the language. In the late afternoon, students participate in cultural and leisure activities to further enhance their learning experience. Extended programme Offers further academic challenges for more ambitious learners, such as skills-based projects, presentations and debates. It is designed to further the full study programme by providing life skills that students can apply to their studies and beyond. BaccalaureateBaccalaureate- Specifically prepares students to achieve high marks in all aspects of the English Baccalaureate exam. The course differs from a general EFL format, focusing on the 4 exam areas of Grammar and Lexis, Text Analysis, Writing and Speaking. Cambridge Exam Preparation: Focuses on the language skills required for success in English Cambridge Exams PET, FCE, CAE.

Lesson Focus
Grammar One major structure is presented each morning. Teachers work from the Lesson Plan Pack or course books provided, supplementing these with their own ideas and materials where appropriate. Reading & Listening Students utilise strategies for reading and listening in English. They develop their skills through activities such as predicting the content of texts, skimming, scanning, extracting information and deducing meaning from context. Vocabulary As well as learning new words and phrases relevant to their level, students are shown, and encouraged to use, techniques for remembering words more effectively. Speaking Lessons are a valuable opportunity for students to practice new grammar and vocab in relatively controlled exercises. Fluency Classes focus on communication activities to boost confidence in speaking and writing. Homework Students are given a workbook of exercises related specifically to the material covered each day, Teachers can supplement this with other activities if they choose. It is important that each student receives at least 90 minutes homework everyday.

Timetables and Rotas

Residential Courses: o Weekdays are divided into 6 sessions 3 teaching sessions including breaks, afternoon activity/dinner, homework/evening activity, bedtime/lights out o Teachers work all teaching sessions plus one of the 3 leisure sessions and there is a rota for wake-up, meals. o Teaching staff have one full day off per week (Saturday or Sunday), organised in agreement with the Course Leader. o All residential staff should remain fully resident at the school for the duration of their contract. o Accommodation and meals are provided, and complete commitment to every aspect of the course is expected as students require 24-hour supervision. Non-residential Courses: o All teachers work all teaching sessions (9.15 15.15). During this period, there are rotas for the supervision of break time and lunch time. Teachers are normally required to supervise afternoon activities as well from 15.15 17.15. o There is a full-day excursion each Saturday during the course and teachers volunteering to work these sessions will receive an extra payment of 50.

Leisure Programme: o We provide a pre-planned leisure programme structure for all centres o This encourages students to use English during leisure time through project-based activities, workshops and sports o Programmes include a weekly excursion to a place of cultural interest (often city visit) o Residential students also enjoy a varied programme of evening entertainment o Non-res students have one weekly evening social event o Staff commitment to the leisure programme is essential in ensuring students get maximum maximum benefit.

Working with Minors

All adults working with or on behalf of students have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of students. OISE recognises its explicit duty to safeguard and protect children from abuse as defined in the Children Act 2004 and Education Act 2002. We are guided by its fundamental principle: the welfare of the child is paramount All staff will be informed of their responsibilities, procedures for referring concerns to the Designated Person and receive induction training. In line with English UK guidelines, OISE YLS will request an enhanced Disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) on all season staff. Additionally, all references will be followed up and at least one should comment on your work with children. OISE complies fully with the CRB Code of Practice and its obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998 pertaining to the safe handling of Disclosure information.

Employment status and Payment Details

All employees must be able to provide evidence of their entitlement to work in the UK (normally an EU passport or passport with a suitable work permit). All seasonal staff working on OISE courses in the UK are employed earners and will be subject to standard PAYE deductions (NI and Tax). Teachers are paid a weekly rate, as specified in the contract. Payment is made on the last Friday of each month in arrears, by BACS. Holiday pay constitutes one twelfth of gross earnings during the contract and will be paid at the end of the contract. All pay rates are shown in the Job Descriptions on the OISE website: www.oiserecruitment.com