To design a curriculum that can meet the needs of regional students is a complicated task. Our top priority was to make ESL highly engaging for students. Language courses are generally seen as boring and a distraction from the core domain focus of engineering or management or whichever professional program the students are taking. ESL aims to elevate the status of language courses to something that students look forward to attending everyday. Another important consideration for us was to make the ESL highly context specific to a student’s life. Rather than focusing on grammar and syntax as a framework for organizing the curriculum, we took real life context and applications as a base for design of curriculum. Our curriculum revolves around 4 functional areas: Listening, speaking, reading and writing (LSRW). Even within LSRW, we design units to be proportionate to industry requirements and personal needs. Although all 4 areas are interconnected, ESL places more importance on listening and speaking compared to reading and writing.

ENTRY AND EXIT DIAGNOSTIC TESTS

We have been pushing for introducing formative assessments across all programs at RKU. Formative assessments help us in adapting the instructional approach based on the assessment results rather than simply being a memory rest at the end of the term. For ESL, we use a formative test called the English Language Diagnostic Test (ELDT). ELDT is modeled on international language tests such as TOEFL and IELTS. ELDT, which will be taken before the start of the course, will help us in identifying existing level of students prior to any instructional intervention. A similar exit assessment will be carried out at the end of the course. Both these tests are based on functional parameters of language such as listening, speaking, reading and writing (LSRW).

Based on the results of ELDT, we classify students into different levels. Although the course content for each student remains the same, we plan to support students at different levels through enrichment activities suited to their personal needs. For instance, weaker students may get additional bridge activities or out of class activities. They may also have additional contact hours with the faculties. At the same time stronger students may have additional activities or access to resources suitable to their needs.

DIGITAL LEARNING RESOURCES:

Digital English Language Lab helps students practicing their learning with more specific manner using E-sources, applications, digital online tools and can make their LSRW practically improved. Lab gives an access to all four skills practice with the help of technical experts where students practice for their own learning and for the online exams too.

CAMBRIDGE COURSES:

Cambridge English is a unique approach to teaching, learning and assessing English. Cambridge English exams are designed to assess how learners use English to communicate in real-life situations.

Cambridge English exams are widely accepted as high-quality proof of language ability. They can open doors for students to live, work and study in English-speaking countries and almost anywhere in the world.

WHAT IS BEC (BUSINESS ENGLISH CERTIFICATE)?

Cambridge English: Business Certificates are high-quality international English language exams, taken by over one million people worldwide. They are specifically designed to give employees and job applicants the work-focused English language skills they need to communicate in an international business environment.

The exams offer in-depth assessment at three different levels of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) – the globally agreed standard for English language ability:

• Preliminary – CEFR B1 (IELTS band scores 4.0-5.0)
  With a Cambridge English: Business Preliminary (BEC Preliminary) qualification, you show employers that you have a good knowledge of English for practical, everyday use in business.
• Vantage – CEFR B2 (IELTS band scores 5.5-6.5)
  With a Cambridge English: Business Vantage (BEC Vantage) qualification, you show employers that you are ready to work successfully in international business. This exam could help you when applying for new jobs, getting a promotion, or developing your career.
• Higher – CEFR C1 (IELTS band scores 7.0-8.0)
  With a Cambridge English: Business Higher (BEC Higher) qualification, you show employers that you have achieved an advanced level of Business English.

This means students can specify the exact level of English they require for recruitment or development purposes. Cambridge English Business Certificates have become an intrinsic part of assessing the language training that is given to all frontline employees who have to deal directly with customers and clients.
The exam helps develop cross-cultural communication skills and overall development of the students. It has an impact on confidence levels through international certification. It also introduces unfamiliar situations and helps simulate creative thinking and analysis.

TESTIMONIALS

BEC from RK University is a course which accepted world-wide, that added an extra layer to my CV. This course has cleared all the myths I had about English and helped me develop my skills through various engaging activities. Within a short span of just three months,I have evolved as a logical thinker who could speak and convey ideas with higher authority or any unknown person with courtesy and precision

NAGASIVAJYOTHI PAILI, 3rd Sem MBA

I must say, opting for BEC from RK University has been the best decision I have taken to better my English skills. I have given up with all my apprehensions about English Language and feel much more confident and comfortable as it is going to be an asset to me for lifetime.

ANUJA SINGH, 3rd Sem MBA

BEC from CESL @ RK University is a phenomonial experience that polished me step by step and predominantly excited my insight and transformed me into an individual ready to compete and survive in the corporate world.

SHARAD RAKHOLIYA, 6TH SEM MECANICAL ENGINEER