Summer Course

In the classroom - students, FK volunteers and teacher Peter Wilson

In the classroom – students, FK volunteers and teacher Peter Wilson

Once students have been selected to attend UWC Red Cross Nordic, we identify those who would benefit from a 3-week Summer Course which aims to introduce them to many aspects of College life. It gives the new students an opportunity to adjust to using English as the language of daily life before the arrival of the hundred second-years and the remaining new first-years. The course gives those students with less experience of English an opportunity to practise using the working language of the College in academic situations as well as in the social and residential situations which make up such a significant part of College life.

The Course is run by two teachers with assistance from 3-4 recently-graduated UWC students and a group of Norwegian Peace Corps volunteers. The Course is structured with classes in the mornings and activities in the afternoons and evenings. The Norwegian Peace Corps volunteers work as classroom assistants, so a focus on Norwegian life and attitudes is a natural part of the teaching. Students share and challenge assumptions, discuss the unfamiliar food and northern European weather, and work closely together in the classroom.

The UWC graduates are able to share their experiences and explain aspects of student life at the College and help the new students develop a supportive network of friends during the course. The UWC graduates also run the extracurricular activities, guiding activities as the new students learn about each other’s cultures and helping students to develop their communication skills.

This period of orientation is often referred to as an invaluable start to the UWC journey by those who have participated in it.

For more information, please see the latest English Summer Course Information Booklet.

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