In-sessional English courses

Improving your skills

Derby Language Centre (DLC) provides free, in-sessional, language classes to help you perform better in your studies. You can take them at any point during your time at Derby, whether you are studying on an undergraduate degree or a postgraduate degree.

These sessions will boost your academic English skills and build your confidence, as well as helping you navigate the expectations of UK study. We can support you to give better presentations, improve your academic writing skills, help you to produce reports, essays and literature reviews or provide help with communication skills.

Sessions are delivered every weekday Mondays to Fridays. The courses are made up of blocks of one to four sessions. Courses run throughout the year to help you fully develop your skills.

Certificates are available on completion of each course. These courses are available for international students and/or any student whose first language is not English. Free individual support sessions for help with assignments and coursework can be booked in on Friday mornings, for either a face to face or online meeting.

Book your place on our in-sessional English courses

Communication skills and writing courses

Communication skills

The content of our communication skills classes includes a general overview of good communication skills for study and employment, conversation and discussion to improve spontaneity and fluency of spoken interactions, seminar skills and presentation skills.

Academic writing

We offer courses at two levels: Introductory Academic Writing and Advanced Academic Writing.

Introductory Academic Writing

The content of these courses includes referencing, citation, paraphrasing skills, improving academic vocabulary, and writing style, writing structure, common grammar errors and developing a critical voice.

Advanced Academic Writing and Independent Study Support

Content will include further development of referencing and citation, paraphrasing, academic vocabulary, and style, as well as further developing a critical voice and style, and writing abstracts and sections of your research report.

Class timetable

On campus, face to face at Kedleston Road campus: January to May 2025

Communication skills

Course	What you'll learn	When and where Tuesdays 1–2pm
Conversation and discussion in the classroom	A chance to refresh your spoken skills or to get started and meet people. An opportunity for all students to practise and improve the spontaneity and fluency of spoken interactions in English through conversational English and discussion topics such as AI in the world of work and study, career opportunities and studying abroad	3 week course Room E618 1–2pm 4 February 11 February 18 February
Communication skills at University	Improve and develop your discussion, presentation and overall communication skills	4 week course Room E618 1–2pm 25 February 4 March 11 March 18 March* *Room change to N410
Continuing communication round sustainability	An opportunity to improve and develop your discussion skills through the topic of sustainability	4 week course Room N410 1–2pm 25 March 1 April 8 April 29 April* *Room change to E607
Drop in for individual questions	Come along to ask questions about your assignments!	Room E607 1–2pm 6 May

An introduction to academic writing

Course	What you'll learn	When and where Wednesdays 1–3pm
Basics of writing	Expectations of UK study and key terms to get started	Room E805 1–3pm 5 February
An introduction to academic writing	Referencing, citing and paraphrasing Structuring arguments and ideas (sentences and paragraphs) Academic style Critical evaluation vs description	4 week course Room E805 1–3pm 12 February 19 February 26 February 5 March
How to listen better to improve assignment grades	How to make better notes, identify key points from lectures and respond successfully in spoken and written form	Room E805 1–3pm 12 March
Paraphrasing review	Paraphrase practice and a review of the skills to do it successfully	Room E805 1–3pm 19 March
Academic style review	A review of how to make your writing more academic in style	Room E805 1–3pm 26 March
Developing vocabulary	Ways to extend and use academic vocabulary in reading and writing	Room E805 1–3pm 2 April
Ironing out the grammar errors	A review of tenses, prepositions and articles usage	Room N508 at 1–3pm 9 April
Proofreading and editing skills	Tips on how and what to check in your work	Room N508 at 1–3pm 30 April
Drop in for individual support	An opportunity to ask questions and get individual support with assignments	Room N508 1–3pm 7 May

Advanced academic writing

Course	What you'll learn	When and where Thursdays 1–3pm
Accessing higher grades - taking the basics further to see improvements	A review of the key features of successful writing	Room E618 1–3pm 6 February
Developing structure in academic writing	Review typical report / essay structure Writing introductions and conclusions Writing the 'main body' and an abstract	3 week course Room E618 1–3pm 13 February 20 February 27 February
Becoming a more efficient reader - making better use of research from reading	Reading strategies to read quickly and efficiently, making notes and putting your notes into your work	Room E618 1–3pm 6 March
Becoming a more critical reader, thinker and writer	Each session will review critical thinking skills and practise writing in an evaluative way	3 week course Room E618 1–3pm 13 March 20 March 27 March
Improving cohesion and coherence	Writing better sentences Writing better paragraphs and developing logical arguments	2 week course Room E618 1–3pm 3 April 10 April
Proofreading and editing skills	Tips on how and what to check in your work	Room E618 1–3pm 1 May
Drop in for individual questions	Come along to ask questions about your assignments!	Room E618 1–3pm 8 May

Online Mondays

Course	What you'll learn	When and where Mondays 4–5pm Online
Writing tips and advice	A weekly online webinar to discuss the topics from the on-campus classes: Reviewing expectations, key terms and tips for success Referencing, citing and paraphrasing Structuring arguments and ideas (sentences and paragraphs) Academic style Academic voice and critical evaluation Typical structure of essays and reports Introductions and conclusions Writing the ‘main body’ and abstract Reading in the research process Paraphrasing workshop Academic style workshop Proofreading and editing skills	Online via In-sessional support Teams site at 4–5pm 3 February 10 February 17 February 24 February 3 March 10 March 17 March 24 March 31 March 7 April 28 April 12 May
Individual Support	Individual support is available to ask questions or for guidance with assignments.	Friday mornings 10am–1pm Either face to face, in the Language Centre (South Tower S203) or online Email englishsupport@derby.ac.uk to book an appointment

Course

What you'll learn

When and where

Mondays 4–5pm Online

Writing tips and advice

A weekly online webinar to discuss the topics from the on-campus classes:
Reviewing expectations, key terms and tips for success
Referencing, citing and paraphrasing
Structuring arguments and ideas (sentences and paragraphs)
Academic style
Academic voice and critical evaluation
Typical structure of essays and reports
Introductions and conclusions
Writing the ‘main body’ and abstract
Reading in the research process
Paraphrasing workshop
Academic style workshop
Proofreading and editing skills

Online via In-sessional support Teams site at 4–5pm

3 February
10 February
17 February
24 February
3 March
10 March
17 March
24 March
31 March
7 April
28 April
12 May

Individual Support

Individual support is available to ask questions or for guidance with assignments.

Friday mornings 10am–1pm

Either face to face, in the Language Centre (South Tower S203) or online

Email englishsupport@derby.ac.uk to book an appointment

For more information, email englishsupport@derby.ac.uk

Please note that we are an advisory and support service and not a proofreading service.

We can offer feedback on things like structure, style and development of arguments and part of this could include some feedback on grammatical use and language accuracy. To do this we will look at 1-2 pages of work. To get the most from this service, you should indicate which section you want us to focus on and highlight specific questions for us.

Book your place

* Indicates a required field