Centre of English Studies

Academic Staff CES prides itself on the high quality and motivation of our Academic Staff. Our Director of Studies is available to give you advice and help. All our teachers are TEFL qualified university graduates, all of whom have extensive experience in teaching multinational classes and dealing with the learning difficulties and demands of students from many different cultural backgrounds. The most up-to-date technology and textbooks are used to help you reach your language targets. CES offers a communicative and task based approach to language learning in our classes. Courses Throughout the year Centre of English Studies offers a wide range of courses for adults. Our Standard and Intensive General English Courses are held at seven different levels from Beginners to Advanced. There are progress tests for all students, and long stay students get a personal report each month. Whether you require English for professional, academic or social purposes, CES has a course which will meet your needs. Your first day When you arrive at CES on your first day, your registration will be completed with the help of a member of staff. You will take a multiple-choice and writing test to help us determine your exact level of English followed by a short oral test with our Director of Studies. A member of staff will give you an introductory talk about studying at CES, life in Dublin and the Social Programme. You will be given an Information Pack and student card before joining your class after the mid-morning break. Facilities CES has 20 classrooms which are bright and airy and provide a pleasant and comfortable atmosphere for learning. The School has a fully equipped Computer Room with a wide selection of English language learning applications as well as FREE Internet and E-Mail access for all students, for which a booking system is in operation. CES also has two student common rooms. Self-access study is an important part of our programme. The most up-to-date video and cassette materials are available in our Self-Access Centre, where students will be guided in their selection of materials by the Centre Co-Ordinator. There are also Listening Stations and a Library.

Dublin is one of Europe’s most beautiful capital cities. It is exciting and vibrant and has one of the youngest populations in Europe. Culture and music are everywhere and areas such as Temple Bar attract many young people. The city has some of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in the world and yet is a modern city with excellent shops, restaurants and museums, all within easy walking distance. Ireland is a land famed for its greenness and beauty, its gentle pace of life and its glorious landscape. Irish people are known worldwide for their ability to talk. Ask any Irish person for their opinion on politics, literature or religion and you will immediately have an “expert’s” opinion – we Irish love to talk. Irish people are exceedingly hospitable and we pride ourselves on the warm welcome we give to our visitors. Over the past 10 years, Ireland has seen a huge growth in its economy, known worldwide as the “Celtic Tiger”. Ireland is now at the forefront of the Information Technology revolution and is a leading exporter of computer software. Many multinationals now use Ireland as their European base. Our colourful history and culture have inspired such literary greats as W.B. Yeats, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, James Joyce and Samuel Beckett. Contemporary writers and poets such as Roddy Doyle, Paul Durcan and Seamus Heaney write about a modern Ireland. Traditional music and dance are part of our rich culture and heritage and visitors can enjoy and join in these sessions throughout Ireland. Our mountains, rivers and lakes attract visitors from all over the world and easy access from Europe and Asia make Ireland an increasingly attractive destination. Traditional Irish food, good music and easy access to our lovely countryside will ensure that you have a wonderful and enjoyable stay in Ireland. At night Dublin is just as lively as during the day. You can go to one of the many small restaurants or visit the pubs famous for their traditional music and set-dancing. Dublin has a thriving concert and theatre scene with many of the biggest names in music and theatre coming to Dublin to perform. Dublin’s theatres are famous worldwide and the National Concert Hall and Helix Centre cater for all music and theatre tastes. Sports such as golf, tennis and horseriding are all available, easily accessible and close to the city. The sea, the mountains and the countryside are all within an hour’s drive of the city centre and are easily accessible by public transport.

Throughout the year Centre of English Studies offers a wide range of courses for adults. Our Standard and Intensive General English Courses are held at seven different levels from Beginners to Advanced. There are progress tests for all students, and long stay students get a personal report each month. Whether you require English for professional, academic or social purposes, CES has a course The Standard General English Course is from 09.00 – 13.00 Monday to Friday. Each class is divided into two lessons, taught by two teachers. The first part of the morning (09.00 – 11.00) concentrates on improving the students’ accuracy and focuses primarily on grammar, reading and writing. The course-book is the basis for much of this lesson, with supplementary material taken from related workbooks. The second part of the morning (11.20 – 13.00) concentrates on improving the students’ overall communicative proficiency and fluency and focuses on listening, speaking, vocabulary and consolidating the first lesson. It is in this lesson that students will also work on specific pronunciation difficulties. The course book is also used in this lesson but it is not relied upon as heavily as in the first lesson. which will meet your needs.

One of the best ways to learn more about Ireland and Irish people is to live with a family during your stay. Family life is informal and Irish people are welcoming, friendly and talkative, so you will have plenty of opportunities to practise your English. Our families are carefully chosen by our Accommodation Officers and all families have been visited and approved by us. Irish families live in houses with gardens in pleasant suburbs which are approximately 6-8kms from the city centre. Students travel to and from school by bus or train. You will be sent details of your family and must make contact with them to confirm your flight number and time before arrival. You will have your breakfast and evening meal with your family from Monday to Friday and all your meals at the weekends. Breakfast is a light meal consisting of juice, cereal, toast or brown bread. Dinner is usually the main meal of the day and takes place between 6pm and 7pm, which allows you to join our evening social programme. Students usually have a single room during the winter but a supplement must be paid to guarantee a single room during June, July, August and September. Centre of English Studies are delighted to offer new self catering apartments to our clients for July and August. Location:- Dun an Oir is an exclusive Student Development situated in Glasnevin, a mature residential area in Dublin approximately 4kms from the city centre. A bus stop is located directly outside the entrance to Dun an Oir with direct access to the city centre. The city centre is within easy cycling distance. Within walking distance are convenience stores, 24 hour supermarkets, Fast food outlets, Leisure centre, pitch and putt course and numerous pubs and restaurants, including the newly opened Poterhouse Brewery. Accommodation:- There are three floors in the residence. All rooms are en-suite and there is a kitchen/living room for each 6 bedrooms. Each Living/Kitchen area at Dun An Oir is furnished to an extremely high standard, fully integrated kitchen with all modern appliances. Swipe card security system is used throughout and all floors are serviced by a lift. Comfortable lounge areas include Satellite TV and DVD players. Bedrooms:- All rooms at Dun An Oir are single en-suite. Each room is furnished to an extremely high standard with fully fitted wardrobes and study desks. Facilities:- - Full On site Security - Caretaker - Secure off street car parking - Bicycle shed - Full laundry facilities - Cable TV - Spacious modern living areas Campus Accommodation (Self-Catering Apartments): July and August only UCD Village : 5kms from the city centre Each apartment has 3-4 bedrooms and students share a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom and sitting room. Each student has his/her own individual study. Trinity College : 3 minutes walk from main school Accommodation is in single study-bedrooms or in apartments with two single bedrooms and a lounge. Some rooms have en-suite shower and toilet facilities.

ADULT CULTURAL AND SOCIAL PROGRAME SUMMER SOCIAL PROGRAMME During the summer months, CES organise a varied social and cultural programme. This is an excellent way to make new friends and practise your English in a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Our team of Social Co-Ordinators or ‘Yellow Shirts’ will ensure that you enjoy the many activities CES organise There are six or seven daily afternoon activities from which to choose (we have over 35 activities per week!!), including visits to museums, art galleries, castles, the Guinness Storehouse, the Old Jameson Distillery and the Dublin Writers’ Museum as well as excursions to the beautiful fishing villages and seaside towns of Howth, Malahide and Bray. The summer evenings are dedicated to experiencing Dublin’s nightlife such as visiting pubs with live traditional Irish music, going dog racing at Shelbourne Park or taking a leisurely evening stroll through the city. Full day tours are also arranged every Saturday during the summer months to places of historical or scenic interest during the summer. Weekend excursions to the west of Ireland are also organised on a regular basis in July and August. If you are interested in sports such as golf, sailing or horse-riding our Administration staff will happy to make a booking for you. WINTER SOCIAL PROGRAMME During the winter our Social Programme combines afternoon visits to places of historical and cultural interest and a variety of videos shown in our Self-Access Centre. There are also evening activities including visits to pubs with live traditional music and racing nights at Shelbourne Park. Full day Saturday tours to places of historical and cultural interest are arranged during the winter months on demand and CES staff are available to help students if they wish to visit places outside Dublin independently of the school. You don’t have to stay in Dublin to enjoy what Ireland has to offer. You can travel to any part of the country within a few hours – Kerry and Cork in the south, Galway and Connemara in the west or Donegal and Sligo in the northwest. You can enjoy a weekend of sightseeing and be back in Dublin for class on Monday morning. Travel by public transport is cheap and car hire is reasonably priced.