Workshops

The Language Centre Testing Unit (LCTU) organizes workshops throughout the year both within the university and for external organizations. These workshops are designed for academic and administrative staff, as well as for students, in order to develop their knowledge of issues in the field of testing and assessment, in the context of internationalization. These workshops are also available to organizations and groups outside the university. Please see below for a list of the type of workshops currently on offer. All LCTU workshops are customized to suit the needs of individual groups. If you cannot see a workshop, which covers your needs, then contact us, as the information below is only an indication of what is on offer. For further details, please email the LCTU: testingunit@rug.nl.

 

 

• Building up language skills profiles
  This workshop theme is invaluable for members of the university working in the area of admissions to English medium undergraduate and postgraduate studies. It would also be of interest for those involved in PhD admissions. In the first part of the workshop, the thinking behind international examinations, such as IELTS, TOEFL, the Cambridge CAE & CPE and other relevant examinations, will be explained, in order to show the type of information about candidates’ language skills profiles these examinations actually provide for stakeholders. Participants will be able to apply their knowledge and experience in a practical way, in the second half of the workshop, by exploring what the balance should be between the four skills, reading, listening, writing and speaking, in their courses, in order to build up the dream language skills profile.

 

• From Survival to Success in Studying and Researching in English: Preparing for your Study or Research Abroad
  The secret of success in studying through the medium of English is good planning. How do you know that your English language skills are really good enough to enable you to be accepted onto a university course, or a work experience placement? What is the CEFR and what do the various levels signify in terms of your study plans? This workshop will help students and researchers to discover in good time what their language level is and how to deal with any deficits.

 

• The CEFR in Context
  Three levels are dealt with in this series of workshops. The overall objective of these workshops is to help participants understand and use the CEFR effectively in their own work environment. The CEFR workshops are useful for language professionals. Other versions of the workshop on the CEFR are available for academic and administrative staff involved in internationalisation. The CEFR workshops are given by experienced trainers, previously involved in the EMBED project.
  
  - CEFR Workshop – Stage One deals with familiarisation with the CEFR philosophy and levels. It also covers standardisation of raters in the assessment of course work, for example when using the European Language Portfolio.
  
  - CEFR Workshop – Stage Two focuses on standardisation leading to empowerment. The participants build up the ability to set up a systematic standardisation process within their organisation, with occasional external support. Participants will use language samples from their work situation in the workshop.
  
  - CEFR Workshop – Stage Three further develops the ability to standardise independently, using benchmarked samples, together with material from their own work environment, in order to produce locally annotated CEFR samples.