For groups of teachers who would like to improve their teaching skills while being immersed in Canadian culture, please read below about Douglas College's English Language and Culture Immersion Programs.
About immersion
What is immersion? Intensive group language training opportunities.
Goal: Develop the knowledge and skills to communicate more easily and confidently in English. Learn and gain appreciation for Canadian culture
Length: Programs are typically 4 weeks.
Hours: 15 hours a week of language instruction and 10 hours of weekly experiential learning activities with the focus on the development of oral/aural skills.
Experiential learning: Opportunities to use and improve English skills by enhancing cultural understanding of Canada and the local environment.
- Homestay experiences.
- Off-campus excursions.
Class Components
Readings, lectures, and discussions to prepare students for critical analysis of their field trip and outing experiences. Debriefings of the field trips reflect on the experience from an intercultural perspective.
Class size less than 22 students for more opportunities in language learning.
Evaluation components:
- Participation, class work, oral and written homework assignments, journals and quizzes.
- Evaluation forms can be adapted to your organization’s requirements.
- Completion reward: Certificate and report card.
Experiential Learning
When: Every afternoon.
Who: Students with a teaching assistant known as a "monitor".
What: Informal activities with a chance to develop confidence and practice English in an informal comfortable and supportive atmosphere.
- "Workshops" are on-campus sessions to practice using English spontaneously. Activities may include role playing for ordering at a restaurant, improvisational drama exercises to develop an awareness of body language, or sport and team building activities.
- "Outings" are off-campus excursions to sites of cultural, historical, or social interest.
Graduation Ceremony
What: Graduation dinner and ceremony
When: At the end of the program
Program:
- Students have an opportunity to give brief speeches, present skits, and sing to demonstrate their skill and comfort in English.
- Host families, new friends, and instructors are invited to help celebrate the success and achievement of the students.
Homestay
Students have a daily opportunity to talk with their families and participate in Canadian family life. Homestay is an important part of the immersion experience.
Homework activities are designed for the students to help them communicate with their families. Assignments typically include conversation questions about family traditions, Canadian celebrations, or a favourite tourism destination in B.C.
An evening social is organized for each student and his/her homestay family to gather together in a group setting to eat and play games.
Free Time and Optional Activities
Each week, students have the opportunity to participate in optional activities during free time. These include sports activities, seasonal festivals, recommended restaurants, or places to visit during free time.
These activities provide a chance for students to use English in informal settings. Costs may be associated with these activities and are not covered by the program.
See a Sample Calendar (2 weeks of 4 week program).
Programs for English Language Educators
Douglas International and the ELLA/TESL department also offer programs for English-language educators from other countries.
As in the programs above, participants stay with home stay families, learning about their day-to-day lives and Canadian culture.
These programs, usually designed in collaboration with the home institution, provide students with the following:
- Intensive in-class, interactive instruction in the latest methods and techniques for ESL instruction.
- Observations of ESL classes, with guided observation tasks and feedback sessions.
- A chance to create materials and try out newly learned techniques in microteaching sessions.
- Off-campus excursions (see above).
See a typical schedule for this type of program.
