NOTE: Due to COVID-19, schools may have new requirements that affect English Weeks. Please check your district’s guidelines for changes that may affect your school. We respect any restrictions that may help provide a safe school environment.

Students

How old are the students that you teach?

English Weeks take place in primary schools, secondary schools, vocational/technical schools, and gymnaziums. Students should be in grade 5 or above.

How many students do I need to run a course?

A group consists of 12-18 students. There can be one or two groups per course, depending on whether you would like a 30-lesson course (one group) or a 15-lesson course (two groups).

What is the maximum number of students allowable in a group?

There can be up to 18 students in a group (36 total for two groups). If more than 36 students are interested, an additional English Week can be scheduled so that everyone can be comfortably accommodated.

Can we combine students of different age levels to form a group?

Normally, it’s fine to combine groups. For example, in primary schools there has often been one group composed of sixth-, and seventh-graders, and another group of eight- and ninth-graders. In secondary schools and gymnaziums, groups are commonly composed of first- and second-year students, and third- and fourth-year students. 

Do the students receive a certificate?

Yes. A certificate is awarded to each participating student at the end of the English Week.

Course details

How long does English Week take?

English Week generally runs six lessons per day, Monday through Friday. With a 15-lesson course, one group will have lessons one, two, and three, and the second group will have lessons four, five, and six; with a 30-lesson course, the one group will learn through lessons 1-6. However, courses can be adapted to your students’ needs.

What sort of resources will you require when you come to our school?

English Weeks are “low-tech,” and only require one traditional classroom. The bigger the blackboard or whiteboard, the better – the ones with wings that fold open are ideal. Also, chairs and desks should be easily movable for role plays and mingle activities. In other words, no high-tech classrooms, interactive boards, or language labs. Old-fashioned is best for the kind of interactive teaching of English Week.

Also, it would be helpful to have a timetable indicating the lesson times and breaks, as well as 6 or 7 bilingual dictionaries in the classroom. 

How can I promote an English Week in my school?

The best way to promote an English Week is to make sure all English teachers, students, and parents are aware of what English Week is, when it is, and how the students can sign up. To increase awareness, we encourage you to download and print out copies of our Note for Parents for all potential English Week participants, which can be sent home with students for a parent’s signature.

You can download a template of the Note for Parents here. Feel free to change any information to suit your needs:

Note for Parents template

Can school funds be used to help pay for an English Week?

Yes. Ray Sikorski is a certified freelancer (živnostník), and has IČO and DIČ numbers. School and European Union funds are often use to partially or fully pay for courses.

If you come back to our school for a second course, will you provide a new program?

Yes. Some schools have hosted three or more English Weeks, and there’s always new material for returning students.

Do you offer courses for teachers?

If there is interest in your school or among teachers in your region, a course can be provided for teachers who are interested in learning new methods of teaching English. Please send an email with your interest, time frame, and needs.

Can I contact schools you have worked with to talk about English Week?

Yes. We are happy to provide contact information for teachers we have worked with.

Can teachers sit in on English Week classes?

Yes. It’s always nice to have teachers in the classroom. Just let us know and you’re always welcome. (Warning – you may be asked to participate!)

Booking

When are courses available?

Our courses are very popular. We are currently booking for the 2014-2015 school year. Please visit the calendar to see which weeks are available, and then contact us to book the week you’d like.

Other

Some of our students are poorly behaved. How do you deal with disruptive students?

Disruptive behavior is unfair to other students, so students should only sign up for the course if they intend to take it seriously. Students should know that repeated misbehavior will result in removal from the course, and the offending student’s fee will not be refunded.

Will you need help finding accommodation in my town?

If an English Week has never happened in your town, chances are we’ll be looking for a place to stay during English Week. Any help you can provide in finding accommodation would be greatly appreciated.

Would you like to have lunch in our school canteen?

Yes, dining in the school canteen is a great way to socialize!