Devon School of English

All Frequently Asked Questions

Top 10 FAQ's

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1. What is the focus in adult lessons?
2. How long can I study at the Devon School?
3. When do the adult courses start?
4. What can I do after school?
5. Where do adult students stay?
6. How do I get to the school?
7. How much do Courses For Adults cost?
8. What do teenage stduents learn?
9. When do Courses For Teenagers start at the Devon School?
10. What can teenage students do after school?
11. Where do teenage students stay?
12. How do teenagers get to the school?
13. What does the price include?
14. How much do Courses For Teenagers cost?
15. What will I learn on the Resdiential Course?
16. How long can I stay at Queen's College?
17. What can I do after lessons at Queen's College?
18. Where do residential students stay?
19. How do I get to Queen's College?
20. What does the price include?
21. How much do Resdiential Courses For Teenagers cost?
22. How do you select your teachers?
23. How can your teachers help me to learn?
24. What do adult students learn?
25. What materials do teenage students use?
26. How do you determine my English level?
27. How quickly will I progress?
28. Can I get some help outside lessons?
29. What is student counselling?
30. What is student counselling?
31. Can I get some help with my studies outside lessons?
32. How quickly will I progress?
33. How do you find my English level?
34. What materials do adult students use in class?
35. How can your teachers help me to learn?
36. How do you select your teachers?
37. What's the weather like now?
38. Where can I check National Express coach times?
39. Where can I check train times and prices?

• What is the focus in adult lessons?

  The emphasis during lessons is on increasing fluency, accuracy and confidence when speaking and on improving and developing your listening skills. You will acquire the vocabulary, expressions and strategies needed to cope effectively in the most important everyday situations. At higher levels, taking part in discussions and debates will enable you to more fully understand British culture and society. Reading skills are developed using a wide range of authentic texts. The writing syllabus, based on classroom activities, provides the basis for homework and important consolidation.

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• How long can I study at the Devon School?

  The minimum length of stay is 1 week. You can study 15 hours (mornings only) or 23 hours (5 mornings and 4 afternoons) each week. Morning lessons run from 09:00 to 12:30 and afternoon lessons from 13:30 to 15:30. There is also the possibility of additional 1-to-1 lessons at the end of the school day, typically from 15:45 to 17:00 – see   1-to-1 lessons  for details.

  If you want to study for more than 12 weeks, you can choose the Long Stay General English Course. If you'd like to study for more than 30 weeks, then you may select the Academic Year Course.

   

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• When do the adult courses start?

  Courses start on any Monday throughout the year. Please look at the school calendar for details.

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• What can I do after school?

  The school organizes an optional activity programme all year round for all its students. These trips and sports activities are a great way for you to meet other students and practise your English. All of the trips are accompanied by knowledgeable guides who can help you get the most out of your visit.

  The adult activity programme changes each week. You can go on trips to local places of interest such as the grand houses and gardens of Greenway (home of Agatha Christie) and Coleton Fishacre; the historic cities of Exeter, Plymouth and Bath; the wild countryside of Dartmoor, the green hills and red earth of the South Hams and the dramatic coastal walks of the South Devon coast. In the neighbouring county of Cornwall, there are trips to King Arthur’s castle at Tintagel, the favourite seaside town of English artists, St Ives, as well as the Eden Project and St Michael’s Mount. In the evening, country pub tours, summer barbecues and trips to the theatre are popular.

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• Where do adult students stay?

  Most students prefer to stay in a house with an English host family. Houses are as close as possible to the school - a maximum of 20 minutes’ walk. Staying with an English family gives you lots of chances to use your English and learn more about English life. Adults always have a single room unless they ask to share with a partner or friend. If you prefer, you can stay in a hotel or Bed & Breakfast Guest House.

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• How do I get to the school?

  Getting to Paignton is easy with fast and frequent coach and train services from the major London airports. We offer a complete travel advisory service that will help you organize your journey. We can book your bus or train tickets, provide timetables or arrange to have representative meet you on arrival at the airport. For a full list of transfer options go to the Getting To Us page.

  All students will be met by a member of their host family or a member of staff when they arrive in Paignton.

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• How much do Courses For Adults cost?

  Enter your preferences into the course calculator to see detailed prices.

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• What do teenage stduents learn?

  You will learn how English is used in the modern world with teachers who know how to make practice in grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation meaningful, memorable and enjoyable. You will improve your use of English, practising speaking, listening, reading and writing

   At the beginning of each week, your teacher will preview what you will study in the week and ask you if there are any areas you would like to study. The teacher will add all of the suggestions to the lesson menu in your classroom. The suggestions could be about a grammar point, a vocabulary area, or practice for a particular situation (e.g. visiting a doctor, giving a presentation in English, etc).

   At the end of each week, you will usually have a short test to review the use of words and phrases you have studied. This will be a simple, informal test to help you assess your own progress and how much you have remembered.

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• When do Courses For Teenagers start at the Devon School?

  Courses start on any Monday throughout the summer. Please look at the school calendar for details.

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• What can teenage students do after school?

  The teenage activity programme changes each week. You can go on trips to local places of interest such as Kents Cavern and Paignton Zoo or the cities of Exeter and Plymouth and the wild countryside of Dartmoor. Popular activities include wildlife boat trips, fishing, surfing, climbing, bowling and raft building.  

  Recreational activities are closely supervised by our Activity Leaders. Students must take part in the full activity programme and are not permitted to go off on their own during activities. On two evenings a week, juniors will go out to a school activity (for example to a cinema, disco or barbecue). On other evenings, younger students usually stay with their host family in the evening unless they have written permission from their parents or guardian stating what time they must come home.

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• Where do teenage students stay?

  You will stay in a house with a host family  as close as possible to the school - a maximum of 20 minutes’ walk. Staying with an English family gives you lots of chances to use your English and learn more about English life. Teenagers have a single room or share a room with a student from another country, unless they ask to share with a friend.

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• How do teenagers get to the school?

  When you arrive on Sunday, you will be met at the airport by someone from the Devon School and taken directly to Paignton. Your return to the airport will also be accompanied.

  Juniors wishing to use this service should book flights which arrive between 11:30 and 15:00 and depart between 14:00 and 17:30. The transfer must be booked with full flight details at least 3 weeks in advance. Juniors with flights booked outside the above-mentioned times will need a Meet & Greet service for the extra time spent at the airport.

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• What does the price include?

  15 hours of English lessons each week.

  Accommodation and food - usually breakfast & dinner with your host family and a picnic lunch.

  A full programme of supervised trips and activities complete with transport.

  Transfers to and from the airport.

  Welfare and advisory service.

  Access to a 24-hour emergency number.

  All the materials for your lesson.

  Access to DVDs, CDs and books in the school library.

  A Devon School folder complete with information pack, pen, writing paper and local maps.

  End of course certificate and report.

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• How much do Courses For Teenagers cost?

  Enter your preferences into the course calculator to see detailed prices.

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• What will I learn on the Resdiential Course?

  The Academic programme consists of 3 hours of lessons every morning from 9 till 10.30 and then from 11.00 to 12.30. Our teachers are all dynamic, enthusiastic and well-qualified professionals selected for their ability to make the learning experience as effective, but also as enjoyable, as possible. This means the best materials, the most stimulating teaching programmes and real-life projects linked to the afternoon activity programme which help to bridge the gap between the English world outside and the classroom.
  Students will be placed in classes (maximum class size 15 students) according to their results in our entrance test and their performance will be carefully evaluated by their teachers in collaboration with the Director of Studies, not only over the first two days but also throughout their stay so as to ensure that each student is working at the correct level for their ability.

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• How long can I stay at Queen's College?

  Up to 4 weeks, the minimum stay is 1 week. Students arrive on Sundays. Courses start any Monday in the summer school period (between July 10th and August 7th in 2011)

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• What can I do after lessons at Queen's College?

  The activity programme at Queen’s College has something for everyone: sports, arts and crafts, games, music, dance, drama as well as excursions to nearby places of interest. Half-day trips include Cheddar Gorge (countryside), Weston-Super-Mare (seaside), Exmoor (countryside) and Exeter (historical and shopping). Full-day trips visit such destinations as Bath (historical & shopping), Bristol (seaside, historical and shopping), Dunster Castle & Minehead Butlin’s (historical and amusement park/seaside). All recreational activities are closely supervised by our Activity Leaders. Students must take part in the full activity programme and are not permitted to go off campus on their own.

  The leisure facilities at Queen’s College are outstanding. There is a modern theatre that can be used for discos, films, theatre or karaoke; a large indoor sports hall for basketball, badminton, soccer, tennis, netball or hockey (student common rooms have table tennis, pool tables and TVs) and an indoor swimming pool. There are also astroturf surfaces for tennis or football and extensive grass playing fields for football, athletics, baseball or rounders.

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• Where do residential students stay?

  Queen’s College is a ten-minute walk to the market town of Taunton, in Somerset, in the south-west of England. The many shops, both large and small, offer a wide variety of goods and souvenirs. Taunton is ideally located as a starting point to visit the West Country and such destinations as Bath, Bristol, Dartmoor and Exeter.

  Queen’s College has well-appointed single and twin rooms and dormitories with between 3 and 6 beds. Each student has a single bed. Each student will have a wardrobe, desk, and a set of drawers. There is a lockable space in each room. Students are advised to leave expensive items in the main administration office or safe. Towels are not provided, but bed linen is supplied, and is changed weekly. Rooms are cleaned daily from Monday to Friday.
  
  Each house has a pay phone and students can phone home using phone cards purchased from the school office. Parents can phone or leave a message on the office telephone/fax machine (the number will be confirmed with the students travel documents) and an emergency telephone number will also be provided. We advise students to phone their parents once they have arrived at the college to assure them that they have arrived safe and well. Supervision and security are certainly the major concerns of parents sending their child to England and we, at the Devon School, give these matters top priority. We
  make sure that parents can feel confident about sending their child to study with us.

  Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) are taken in the large, light, airy dining hall. There is a different choice of meals every day, always with a vegetarian option. Food is always cooked freshly on site. Packed meals are provided for excursions. Menus offer a varied, balanced, healthy and tasty diet, with all produce supplied from local farmers and butchers and freshly cooked on site.
  There is also a Tuck Shop, providing the students with a variety of snacks and drinks.

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• How do I get to Queen's College?

  Heathrow airport (151 miles) is the most convenient of the London airports. Bristol airport is less than one hour away by coach and Exeter airport is even closer. The school organises all transfer arrangements for students attending the residential summer school.

  
  Representatives of the Devon School will be at Heathrow Airport every Sunday during the summer school period to meet flights and accompany students directly to Queen’s College, Taunton. Juniors wishing to use this service should book Sunday flights arriving between 1130h and 1500h and departing between 1400h and 1730h. The transfer must be booked at least 3 weeks in advance. Juniors with flights booked outside these times will need a Meet & Greet service for the extra time spent at the airport.

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• What does the price include?

  15 hours of English lessons each week.

  Accommodation in single, twin or shared dormitory rooms.

  Food: breakfast, lunch and dinner each day and packed lunches for excursions and return transfers.

  A full programme of supervised trips and activities complete with transport with one full-day excursion per week, and one half-day excursion per week.  

  Transfers to and from the airport.

  Welfare and advisory service.

  Access to a 24-hour emergency number.

  All the materials for your lesson.

  Access to DVDs, CDs and books in the school library.

  A Devon School folder complete with information pack, pen, writing paper and local maps.

  End of course certificate and report.

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• How much do Resdiential Courses For Teenagers cost?

  Enter your preferences into the course calculator to see detailed prices.

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• How do you select your teachers?

  Each of our teachers is selected not only for their qualifications and professionalism but also for their ability to make the learning experience as effective, personalized and enjoyable as possible.

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• How can your teachers help me to learn?

  Even the most serious student will benefit from lessons which are varied, engaging and fun. Our teachers aim to make language learning meaningful, memorable and long-lasting using the communicative principle that learners must actively use language in order to fully acquire it.

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• What do adult students learn?

  At all levels, you will study and practise the structure of English and work on widening your vocabulary as well as developing your speaking, listening, reading and writing skills. Pronunciation practice will help you with both your speaking and listening and will be an integral part of your lessons. Your teacher will help you to find the best ways to study and help you become a more independent learner. These new habits will help you to progress and stay motivated long after you have left the school.  

  
  The emphasis during the lessons is on improving fluency, accuracy, pronunciation and confidence when speaking and on improving and developing listening skills. Students acquire the vocabulary, expressions and strategies needed to cope effectively in the most important everyday situations. At higher levels, discussions and debates enable students to extend their insight into British culture and society.

  Back to Top

• What materials do teenage students use?

  The school has an extensive library of up-to-date and attractive teaching materials and media – course books, reference books, graded readers, CDs, CD-ROMs, DVDs and Interactive Whiteboard resources. We also develop a lot of our own materials for use in the classroom and on excursions. Skills are frequently developed using a wide range of authentic texts and media such as newspapers, magazines, novels, songs, television & radio programmes, films, websites, blogs and podcasts.

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• How do you determine my English level?

  We use the score from our own one-hour placement test (taken before you arrive or when you arrive). We sometimes need a short interview too and will of course take into account any recent test results or study. These all help us to place you in the correct class for your level. After your first lesson, the school directors will talk to you and your teacher to confirm you are in the right level class.

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• How quickly will I progress?

  The amount of time it takes students to progress to the next level varies from student to student. Students with the following skills and habits usually make the quickest progress:

  • Students who like using English.
  • Students with good study habits.
  • Students with good communicative skills.
  • Students who are good at finding patterns.
  • Students who are good at reading intentions
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• Can I get some help outside lessons?

  Your teacher will refer you to suitable self-study material in the self-access library and help you find ways of improving how you study and practise outside lessons. If you need more help with this, you can arrange a student counselling meeting with the Director of Studies.

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• What is student counselling?

  Study habits are very personal but bad habits will make your progress slow. A one-to-one student counselling meeting can help you identify problems with your approaches to learning and your motivation for learning. This can have a big impact on how you learn and how you can enjoy learning.

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• What is student counselling?

  Study habits are very personal but bad habits will make your progress slow. A one-to-one student counselling meeting can help you identify problems with your approaches to learning and your motivation for learning. This can have a big impact on how you learn and how you can enjoy learning.

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• Can I get some help with my studies outside lessons?

  Your teacher will refer you to suitable self-study material in the self-access library and help you find ways of improving how you study and practise outside lessons. If you need more help with this, you can arrange a student counselling meeting with the Director of Studies.

  Back to Top

• How quickly will I progress?

  The amount of time it takes students to progress to the next level varies from student to student. Students with the following skills and habits usually make the quickest progress:

  • Students who like using English.
  • Students with good study habits.
  • Students with good communicative skills.
  • Students who are good at finding patterns.
  • Students who are good at reading intentions
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• How do you find my English level?

  We use the score from our own one-hour placement test (taken before you arrive or when you arrive). We sometimes need a short interview too and will of course take into account any recent test results or study. These all help us to place you in the correct class for your level. After your first lesson, the school directors will talk to you and your teacher to confirm you are in the right level class.

  Back to Top

• What materials do adult students use in class?

  The school has an extensive library of up-to-date and attractive teaching materials and media – course books, reference books, graded readers, CDs, CD-ROMs, DVDs and Interactive Whiteboard resources. We also develop a lot of our own materials for use in the classroom and on excursions. Skills are frequently developed using a wide range of authentic texts and media such as newspapers, magazines, novels, songs, television & radio programmes, films, websites, blogs and podcasts.

  Back to Top

• How can your teachers help me to learn?

  Even the most serious student will benefit from lessons which are varied, engaging and fun. Our teachers aim to make language learning meaningful, memorable and long-lasting using the communicative principle that learners must actively use language in order to fully acquire it.

  Back to Top

• How do you select your teachers?

  Each of our teachers is selected not only for their qualifications and professionalism but also for their ability to make the learning experience as effective, personalized and enjoyable as possible.

  Back to Top

• What's the weather like now?

  South Devon is the sunniest part of the UK. For today's weather and the week ahead click here.

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• Where can I check National Express coach times?

  You can check all National Express coach times, prices and availability on the National Express website here.

  The website is easy to use: if you are travelling from London Heathrow, enter London Heathrow in the FROM box and  Paignton in the TO box. Select a date and approximate time. You can buy tickets online with a credit card.

  Please contact us if you need any further help in arranging your transfer to and from the school. 

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• Where can I check train times and prices?

  If you want to travel to the school by train or if you want to travel by train during your stay, you can check train times, prices and availability and even buy tickets online.

  Visit the National Rail enquiries website. The site is easy to use. Enter to your start station and destination, date and time.

  If you need any help arranging travel by train, please contact us at the school. If you prefer to travel by bus/coach, visit the National Express website here.

   

   

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