The English Language Centre (ELC)  is the only English language teaching unit at UM that is responsible for all in-coming undergraduate students’ English language training. It was established in 2002 and joined the Faculty of Arts and Humanities in 2015.

Mission

The mission of the ELC is to empower students to succeed in University studies and in life by engaging them in English, academic, and global skills learning.

Vision

The ELC vision is to become a leading English centre in the region through its student-centred pedagogy, effective curriculum and assessment, innovative use of technology in teaching, collaboration and professional sharing within UM, Macao, and the world.

Teaching and Activities

ELC has a team of qualified professionals, all with Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) or Education MAs and some with PhDs, who are dedicated teachers using innovative pedagogy as well as new technology to enhance students’ learning, and they continue to improve themselves in professional development engagements. ELC is known for its student-centred, interactive and collaborative teaching strategies, as well as its use of a blended mode of teaching incorporating the latest technology and e-learning elements. Our teachers create award-winning in-house teaching material, and actively engage with teacher/tutor-training both in UM and the Macao community. ELC offer courses to about 4000 students each academic year. In the summer, ELC runs an intensive summer English programme for about 300 pre-sessional undergraduate students. ELC teachers have demonstrated great teamwork and collegiality in all aspects of the running of the Centre, our colleagues actively engage in a range of commitments within the Centre, such as course level team-teaching, teaching coaching/sharing, unit committees including management, hiring and contract reviews, professional development and retreats, placement tests, summer programmes, curriculum reviews and reforms.

In addition to providing courses for undergraduate Language & Skill requirement, ELC also provides a range of services to support English learning within UM and in the Macao Community. The English Writing and Communication Centre (EWCC) offers one-on-one writing and speaking tutorials for UM students of all levels. Every year, ELC organizes English learning activities including the English Festival and regular workshops such as writing emails, using on-line e-learning platforms, creative writing, presentation contest, etc. ELC teachers regularly conduct teacher/tutor-training workshops for the Centre for Teaching and Learning Enhancement and the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, coach the UM public speaking team, and provide practical English workshops for UM administrative staff. For the Macao community, ELC teachers are invited by individual schools as well as by the Macao Government Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) to conduct teacher-training workshops for primary and secondary school English teachers. ELC also sent qualified teachers to teach English classes for the firefighters and other government staff, as well as the adult community English courses organized by the DSEDJ.