The Language Centre, like any other university organization bearing the same or similar name, is an academic language support unit whose primary function is to prepare students of the university to meet the rigorous demands of instruction in a foreign or second language. This preparation sows the seeds of language proficiency that will ultimately develop the students’ full potential as participants in a modern bilingual society, or for success in English-medium professional careers.
In addition to delivering general and academic English language skills courses to over 6000 students each semester, the Language Centre also assesses and certifies all its students for progression to various university credit courses. Most of the credit courses are taught in English, but students of the two predominantly Arabic-medium colleges are required to enroll in English language proficiency courses in order to fulfill university requirements. Whereas the students are the main pre-occupation of the Language Centre, it must be emphasized also that its staff are the greatest asset. With a highly qualified academic staff of over 200 instructors drawn from diverse international and academic backgrounds, the Language Centre of Sultan Qaboos University is one of the largest and finest units of its kind in the Arabian Gulf region.
The Language Centre is responsible for most English language teaching and testing at the University. The Centre offers intensive English language instruction for new students and credit English language instruction to support college courses. The credit English language instruction is divided into two groups: credit English courses for English-medium colleges and majors and credit English courses for Arabic-medium colleges and majors. The Centre also teaches English at the postgraduate level as well as English for the university administrative and technical staff.
The Language Centre has its own Testing and Assessment Unit (TAU) and Curriculum Development Unit (CDU). The Testing and Assessment Unit prepares placement and exit exams. It is also responsible for final exams in the intensive program. The Curriculum Development Unit designs curricula, reviews and develops teaching materials and supervises curriculum implementation. The two units are also involved in research related to their area of specialty. They sometimes invite experts from Oman and abroad for the purpose of training and consultation.
Support facilities for students and teachers are available in the form of self-access resources and e-learning. The Language Centre has a Teacher Resource Centre and a Student Resource Centre. The Teacher Resource Centre provides the Language Centre’s academic staff with professional support through the provision of books, journals and audio-visual materials. The Language Centre also has a Student Affairs Officer who provides help and guidance to students.
The Language Centre has an academic staff of over 200 teachers from 29 different countries. The Language Centre is fully committed to supporting professional development for its faculty through workshops and seminars in areas related to teaching, testing and materials development. The Centre has recently established a Professional Development Committee that looks into matters of staff development. The most prominent teacher development event is the annual English language teaching conference which attracts ELT scholars and practitioners from around the world.
Academic staff members at the Language Centre are encouraged to carry out research projects in various aspects of English language teaching and learning, testing, curriculum and methodology, and participate in a range of national and international conferences, symposia and professional journals. Their active research helps to enhance the academic reputation of the Language Centre and Sultan Qaboos University and inform the teaching and testing practices. The Language Centre has a Research Committee whose primary objectives are to facilitate research within the centre and foster an atmosphere conducive to research. The committee is also responsible for periodically soliciting opinions from faculty members about potential areas of research that have a bearing on the centre's operations and for prioritizing and commissioning internal research projects.
The Language Centre has a strategic plan which is reviewed periodically. The strategic goals serve as a roadmap towards achieving excellence in the areas of teaching, curriculum, testing and assessment, instructional resources, human resources, management structure, research, and community services.
for more information you can visit:
http://www.squ.edu.om/langcenter/tabid/1008/Default.aspx/langcenter/tabid/1008/Default.aspx
In addition to delivering general and academic English language skills courses to over 6000 students each semester, the Language Centre also assesses and certifies all its students for progression to various university credit courses. Most of the credit courses are taught in English, but students of the two predominantly Arabic-medium colleges are required to enroll in English language proficiency courses in order to fulfill university requirements. Whereas the students are the main pre-occupation of the Language Centre, it must be emphasized also that its staff are the greatest asset. With a highly qualified academic staff of over 200 instructors drawn from diverse international and academic backgrounds, the Language Centre of Sultan Qaboos University is one of the largest and finest units of its kind in the Arabian Gulf region.
The Language Centre is responsible for most English language teaching and testing at the University. The Centre offers intensive English language instruction for new students and credit English language instruction to support college courses. The credit English language instruction is divided into two groups: credit English courses for English-medium colleges and majors and credit English courses for Arabic-medium colleges and majors. The Centre also teaches English at the postgraduate level as well as English for the university administrative and technical staff.
The Language Centre has its own Testing and Assessment Unit (TAU) and Curriculum Development Unit (CDU). The Testing and Assessment Unit prepares placement and exit exams. It is also responsible for final exams in the intensive program. The Curriculum Development Unit designs curricula, reviews and develops teaching materials and supervises curriculum implementation. The two units are also involved in research related to their area of specialty. They sometimes invite experts from Oman and abroad for the purpose of training and consultation.
Support facilities for students and teachers are available in the form of self-access resources and e-learning. The Language Centre has a Teacher Resource Centre and a Student Resource Centre. The Teacher Resource Centre provides the Language Centre’s academic staff with professional support through the provision of books, journals and audio-visual materials. The Language Centre also has a Student Affairs Officer who provides help and guidance to students.
The Language Centre has an academic staff of over 200 teachers from 29 different countries. The Language Centre is fully committed to supporting professional development for its faculty through workshops and seminars in areas related to teaching, testing and materials development. The Centre has recently established a Professional Development Committee that looks into matters of staff development. The most prominent teacher development event is the annual English language teaching conference which attracts ELT scholars and practitioners from around the world.
Academic staff members at the Language Centre are encouraged to carry out research projects in various aspects of English language teaching and learning, testing, curriculum and methodology, and participate in a range of national and international conferences, symposia and professional journals. Their active research helps to enhance the academic reputation of the Language Centre and Sultan Qaboos University and inform the teaching and testing practices. The Language Centre has a Research Committee whose primary objectives are to facilitate research within the centre and foster an atmosphere conducive to research. The committee is also responsible for periodically soliciting opinions from faculty members about potential areas of research that have a bearing on the centre's operations and for prioritizing and commissioning internal research projects.
The Language Centre has a strategic plan which is reviewed periodically. The strategic goals serve as a roadmap towards achieving excellence in the areas of teaching, curriculum, testing and assessment, instructional resources, human resources, management structure, research, and community services.
for more information you can visit:
http://www.squ.edu.om/langcenter/tabid/1008/Default.aspx/langcenter/tabid/1008/Default.aspx
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