English for students, administrators and teachers of the UDA

The Language Unit resumes English courses on Saturdays for teachers and administrators. For more information and registration write to:  secretaria_idiomas@uazuay.edu.ec rod it March 23.

Magali Arteaga, Director of the Department of Languages, commented that - contrary to what was imagined - the crisis caused by Covid-19 has not prevented both students and teachers from continuing to improve their level of English, because in this new period it has been registered an increase of 15% in the enrollment of this subject compared to previous cycles.

Even students with the previous curriculum, in which only three levels of English were required to pass, have chosen to continue studying and have continued to enroll in the courses offered by the language unit.

Arteaga adds that students from other educational establishments are also interested in the English courses taught at the University of Azuay, which is why they are also part of the percentage of students who have enrolled in this new period.

This increase may be related, among other causes, to the fact that in 2018 English courses began to form part of the scholarship plans, and in 2020 the University implemented the “2020 Solidarity Scholarship” due to the pandemic, which has helped students have a better chance of accessing courses.

This fact is favorable, because according to Arteaga, the aim of the institution is that in the future certain subjects in all majors are taught in English, so it is necessary that students reach level B2 and teachers C1.

In addition, it states that evaluations have already been carried out on teaching staff and most are able to teach lectures in English, so the courses are only offered to teachers who have a level lower than C1.

As for English teachers, to be chosen they must go through a selection process in which they have to take an exam, do an interview and give a demonstration class.

Also, as a result of the health crisis, they have had to train in workshops on handling digital platforms in order to teach more didactic classes.

Although it has been difficult to have to change from a face-to-face mode to a virtual one because it had to be done in an unforeseen way, both students and teachers have gradually adapted to the new way of learning, earning more confidence in the management of technological tools.

UDA Correspondent