Improving your skills
Derby English Language Centre (DELC) provides free, in-session, 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 week on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and 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 drop-in sessions for help with assignments and coursework can be booked in on Friday afternoons.
Book your place on our in-sessional English courses
Class timetable
On campus, face to face at our Kedleston Road campus, starting week commencing 5 February 2024:
Communication skills
Course |
What you'll learn |
When and where |
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
Tuesdays 1-2pm in E620 Kedleston Road Campus
6 February, 13 February, 20 February
|
Communication skills at University |
Improve and develop your discussion, presentation and overall communication skills |
4 week course
Tuesdays 1-2pm in E620 Kedleston Road Campus
7 February, 5 March, 12 March, 19 March
|
Continuing communication round sustainability |
Following on from Term 1 this is a further opportunity to improve and develop your discussion skills through the topic of sustainability |
4 week course
Tuesdays 1-2pm in E620 Kedleston Road Campus
9 April, 16 April, 23 April, 30 April
|
Drop in for individual questions |
Come along to ask questions about your assignments! |
Tuesday 7 May
1-2pm in E620 Kedleston Road Campus
|
An introduction to academic writing
Course |
What you'll learn |
When |
Basics of writing |
Expectations of UK study and key terms to get started |
Wednesday 7 February
1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
|
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
Wednesdays 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
14 February, 21 February, 28 February, 6 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 |
Wednesday 13 March
1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
|
Paraphrasing review |
Paraphrase practice and a review of the skills to do it successfully |
Wednesday 20 March
1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
|
Academic style review |
A review of how to make your writing more academic in style |
Wednesday 10 April
1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
|
Developing vocabulary |
Ways to extend and use academic vocabulary in reading and writing |
Wednesday 17 April
1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
|
Ironing out the grammar errors |
A review of tenses, prepositions and articles usage |
Wednesday 24 April
1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
|
Proofreading and editing skills |
Tips on how and what to check in your work |
Wednesday 1 May
1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
|
Drop in for individual support |
An opportunity to ask questions and get individual support with assignments |
Wednesday 8 May
1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
|
Advanced academic writing
Course |
What you'll learn |
When and where |
Accessing higher grades - taking the basics further to see improvements |
A review of the key features of successful writing |
Thursday 8 February
1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
|
Developing structure in academic writing |
- Review typical report / essay structure
- Writing introductions and conclusions
- Writing the 'main body' and an abstract
|
3 week course
Thursdays 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
15 February, 22 February, 29 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 |
Thursday 7 March
1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
|
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
Thursdays 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
14 March, 21 March, 11 April
|
Improving cohesion and coherence |
- Writing better sentences
- Writing better paragraphs and developing logical arguments
|
2 week course
Thursdays 1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
18 April, 25 April
|
Proofreading and editing skills |
Tips on how and what to check in your work |
Thursday 2 May
1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
|
Drop in for individual questions |
Come along to ask questions about your assignments! |
Thursday 9 May
1-3pm in E906 Kedleston Road Campus
|
Online Fridays
Course |
What you'll learn |
When and where |
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
|
Fridays 10 am - 12 pm
On our Microsoft Teams site
Friday 9 February, Friday 16 February, Friday 23 February, Friday 1 March, Friday 8 March, Friday 15 March, Friday 22 March, Friday 12 April, Friday 19 April, Friday 26 April, Friday 3 May, Friday 10 May
|
Drop in |
Online drop in for assignment help or individual support |
Fridays 1-2 pm
On our Microsoft Teams site
|
For more information, email englishsupport@derby.ac.uk
Book your place
Register your interest for our in-sessional English language courses by filling out our form.
Book onto our in-sessional English courses