Embassy English Student Handbook

Embassy English Student Handbook

Driving in New Zealand 23

New Zealand

Your guide to studying

and living with Embassy

Student

Handbook

2015

courses

Our Staff

Welcome to Embassy Auckland! I hope you

will have a wonderful time studying at our

spacious well equipped city based campus

Our highly qualified teachers and friendly,

efficient student welfare staff are here to help

you to achieve your goals and ensure you have

an enjoyable and rewarding time in Auckland

All our staff are happy to provide advice and

help when needed, just ask Auckland is a

fantastic city – a great climate, relaxed lifestyle

and friendly people make it a wonderful place

to enjoy your study abroad experience

Lindsay Spedding

Campus Director

Student Welfare Manager/

Chinese Student Advisor

Ms Margaret Chen

The Student Welfare Team is available

to assist you with accommodation and welfare problems They will also monitor your attendance to ensure that you are attending class and working to the best of your ability

Accommodation Officer

Elia Fiso / Angela Zhao

• Homestay and lodge placement

Attendance Officer

Coco Lu

The Campus Director is responsible for:

• Major school issues

• Overall management of the centre

• Emergency contact

When you first arrive, you will probably have many questions to ask

Here is a list of key people who work here and what they are responsible for:

Centre Academic Manager

Alan Cockburn

• Course Design

• Teacher Supervision

• Problems or questions about

your course or classes

• Opportunities after Embassy, references,

applications and university placement

Head of Teaching

Prini Wimalachandra

• Teacher Supervision

• Problems or questions about

your course or classes

• Opportunities after Embassy, references,

applications and university placement

Orientation

An introduction to teaching methods,

resources and facilities You will be given

information about your course and advice

about studying and learning, as well as a

tour of the school and facilities Additionally

you will be introduced to key members of

staff and information about the school, the city,

accommodation and the social programme

You will meet accommodation staff and/or

student services staff, who will give you

practical information and advice about your

stay Please note: You will need to bring your

passport to the orientation to be copied

You must have a current and valid visa

(e.g Visitor or Student) at all times

Placement test

This tests your level of English, so that we

can put you in the right class for your level

The test includes: grammar and vocabulary,

speaking, and writing You will have a short

interview with the academic staff to discuss

your individual needs and wants You will be

placed in class according to the test result,

the Academic Manager’s opinion of your

level, and your own opinion

Your teachers

All of our teachers are professionally trained with specialist qualifications in English language teaching such as the Certificate

in English Language Teaching to Adults, in additi

on to educational qualifications from universities and colleges Many specialise in particular areas

of teaching, or are engaged in research, textbook writing, materials development or the use of IT

in ELT

Starting your course

You will start classes on Tuesday morning

or afternoon You may find that you are joining a class which already exists This is perfectly normal and is because students arrive on different dates and stay for different lengths of time The important thing is that each week is a separate teaching unit and you will be placed in the class which is most appropriate for you and your level

of English Your teacher will help you integrate into the group

Self-access

The self-access facilities give you the opportunity

to practise and improve your English more quickly

They are available to all students at fixed times and comprise computer and Internet access, reading, grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation materials and exercises Students have free wifi and

unlimited internet data, although some sites

Your Course

What to expect on your first day

Sample Day One

have directed you to the Embassy centre.

for placement test Introduction and orientation with Campus Director/

Principal, Centre Academic Manager, Student Welfare Manager, International Student Advisor (Visa and Insurance Check), Attendance Officer and Accommodation Officer

You will receive free books, folder and orientation questionnaire Introduction

to the language lab/self-access facility.

Homework

Standard Course 5 hours per week and

Intensive Course 10 hours per week

• Homework may be of different types:

study based homework e.g grammar

and vocabulary practice exercises

• communicative homework

e.g asking your host family questions

for a class survey

• study skills assignments

e.g ways of keeping vocabulary records

• specialised English topics

e.g planning and giving a presentation

• examination practise and preparation

You will be asked to do at least one piece

of extended writing per week which will

be collected, marked and returned

Progress

You will take progress tests in class and be

given a progress report every 4-6 weeks, in

addition to tutorials with your teacher and/or

the Centre Academic Manager to discuss your

course and your progress

Materials

You will receive a course book for your level

In addition, your teacher will use a wide variety

of supplementary materials and authentic

materials, such as BBC radio and TV news

Examinations

Even if you have not chosen an

Examination course, it may be possible

to enter for an international examination

As an organisation, we have many

years experience in advising students

Below are some of the examinations which

you can prepare for through the Embassy

Problems and advice

If you have any kind of problem or worry, please tell us so that we can help

If you are uncertain about your level or your course, please speak first to your teacher

or if you would prefer, directly to the Academic Manager

Extending or changing your course

If you decide you would like to extend or change your course please speak to the Centre Academic Manager

Pathway opportunities

If you are interested in going to university

or further education, speak to the Centre Academic Manager who will advise you or make

an appointment with someone who can provide academic counselling In most cases, you will be referred to the Tertiary Counsellor who will provide you with more detailed information

Course planning

Your course is planned with clear aims and objectives to meet each week

Standard 20: 20 x 50 minute lessons

per week, morning and/or afternoon

language development

Aims and objectives

• To improve your confidence and ability

to speak and understand English

• To improve your grammar, vocabulary

and pronunciation

Classes may take place in the morning or

afternoon Times may change in summer

Aims and objectives

• To improve your confidence and ability

to speak and understand English

• To improve your grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation

• To improve your language skills, listening, speaking, reading, writing, according to your study and future needs

• To improve your understanding of effective strategies for learning, in particular for use

in self-study

• To give you the opportunity to study specialised English such as Business and IT, leading to externally validated certificates

Classes run on a morning or afternoon timetable depending on class length

Optional extras

• Would you like to continue your English

on the internet after you leave? Ask us

about the Embassy online learning package

• Would you like to add some one-to-one

lessons to your course? Ask us for details

Would you like to go to a New Zealand

Student Services

Phonecards

A range of phone cards can be purchased

through the reception desk on the Ground

Floor Please be sure to ask about which

phone card suits your needs best as some

offer larger discounts to certain countries

Incoming mail

Students are welcome to have mail sent directly

to the Centre Student mail can

be collected at the Reception Desk

Messages

The Student Welfare department will take

important telephone messages for you and

will send messages to you in class Please give

your friends and family the telephone number

of your host family or residence

Public Transport

The Embassy Centre is conveniently located

near major bus stops, and not far from the train

station Most people in Auckland use the bus in

order to travel to and from work or study

Train passes

Train passes are purchased on the train directly

Discounted fares are available to passengers

that travel frequently

Bus passes

A local monthly bus pass can be bought in

registered bus outlets throughout the city and

on any bus and entitles you to one month’s

unlimited travel in the city of Auckland

• Dress appropriately for class

• Show respect for fellow students and their property

• Respect all students’ right to study and learn in the classroom

• Turn off mobile phones when entering class

• Smoke only outside in designated smoking areas

• No chewing gum in class

• No food or drink in classrooms or the computer room

• Education providers must monitor student progress and attendance Embassy will notify New Zealand Immigration should students cease to attend the course or programme they are enrolled in

• Attend class on time If you are more than 15 minutes late for class, you will have to miss the lesson and you will be marked absent

Please remember: If you do not follow these

rules or behaviour is generally unsatisfactory, you may be asked to leave the college

Internet

Where?

The Internet and email facilities are available

in the computer laboratories You will have access to the computers during the normal centre hours and will be shown where it is

as part of your orientation on the first day

Events

Every Friday Embassy offers a trip

to places of interest around the city

These may include:

• Auckland City Museum

• Auckland Maritime Museum

• Auckland City Art Gallery and New Gallery

• Indoor Aquatic Centre – Takapuna

If you have any ideas about sports/events you

would like to see organised please suggest

them to the Kiwi Club Coordinator

Social Programme

Kiwi Club

During the year there are regular excursions organised by Embassy Auckland These excursions leave from outside the Centre

Please note that some students may need to check their visa before travelling

Students under 18 should also check with the Centre before travelling

The Kiwi Club Coordinator will also help you plan any trips which are not organised

Sample Indoor Trips:

• Kelly Tarltons Underwater World (penguins, sharks, tropical fish and octopi)

We walk to the main bus terminal downtown (10 mins away) and catch a bus along the beautiful waterfront to Kelly Tarltons Underwater World We enter the underground complex and take the revolving standing platform, which enables you to view sharks, sting-rays, tropical fish, octopi, and many other amazing sea-life creatures We then jump

in a viewing jeep, which takes us through the penguin habitat – it’s exactly like in Antarctica!

We eat at the café for lunch and then head back

to school after going for a stroll along the waterfront

• Beach visits for swimming, lunch

and ball games on the sand

• Outdoor Sports Lessons eg, surfing

at Muriwai, horse riding

• Rollerblading on the waterfront

at Mission Bay

• Minigolf and fish and chips on the

beach at Mission Bay

• Aotea Centre Craft Markets

• Mountain Biking Woodhill Forest, Muriwai

• Walk up to visit the volcanic crater and

360˚ view of Auckland in Mt Eden

Full-day and Weekend

• East Coast Beaches, Hot Water Beach,

Whitianga, Cathedral Cove etc

Taupo:

• North Island’s biggest lake/

bungy jumping/sky diving

North Island National Park:

Accommodation

New Zealand

Information about New Zealand

New Zealand is a unique country Its scenery sets it apart from the rest of the world while its people

have a reputation for friendliness, strength and independence There is abundant beauty and diversity

in scenery, lifestyle and culture From rolling green farmlands to barren volcanic desert areas, from

golden beaches with clear blue water to majestic snow covered mountains, New Zealand offers

a sample of every possible landscape within a relatively small country

New Zealand is a Parliamentary democracy, offering a safe political environment for

international students and visitors It has a population of only 4.2 million and is similar

in size to the United Kingdom or Japan New Zealand is primarily a European culture which

has absorbed many of the rich and historic cultural elements from the Maori and Pacific Island

heritages, and now from its rapidly growing multi-cultural Asian communities

With a well-educated population New Zealanders excel in many areas – arts, science, technology

and manufacturing Schooling is compulsory until the age of 16, but a steadily increasing number

of students remain at school to gain qualifications for further study at tertiary institutions

Population

New Zealand is an independent nation and a

member of the British Commonwealth It has

a diverse multicultural population of around 4.2

million people The majority of New Zealanders

are of British descent, and the largest minority

is New Zealand’s indigenous Maori, who make

up around 14 percent of the population

Climate

New Zealand’s seasons are the reverse of

the Northern hemisphere This means that

the warmest months are December through

to March, while the coldest are June to August

The North of New Zealand is sub-tropical and

the South temperate In summer, the average

maximum temperature ranges between

20-30ºC and in winter between 10-15ºC

Money

New Zealand currency is made up of dollars

and cents There are $5, $10, $20, $50 and

$100 There are 10c, 20c, 50c, $1 and $2 coins

$1 = 100c You can go to any bank or bureau de

change to exchange foreign currency for New

Zealand money or New Zealand money for

foreign currency A small commission fee may

be charged for this service

Most banks are open from 9.30am to 4.30pm

weekdays and are closed on weekends In some

countries you may be able to open a New

Zealand bank account before you leave home

This will enable you to transfer funds directly to

your account in New Zealand

If you haven’t got a New Zealand bank account

before you leave home, you may want to

purchase travellers cheques in New Zealand

dollars This is safer than carrying large

amounts of cash

Another option is to bring a bank draft with you

Once you get to New Zealand you

can easily open a bank account as there

are a range of banking products and

services available

Hotels, bars and clubs

Lively DJ and band scenes, particularly in the larger cities, have given New Zealand’s night life a renewed vibrancy You will find a variety

of nightclubs, bars, pubs, concerts and live performances to choose from, and there are also four casinos, in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin and Queenstown You need to be at least 18 years of age to enter bars and nightclubs

Language

English is the common and official language

of New Zealand Maori is the second official language

Electricity

Electricity is supplied throughout New Zealand

at 230/240 volts, 50 hertz Most hotels and motels provide 110 volt AC sockets (rated at

20 watts) for electric razors only For all other equipment, an adapter/converter is necessary, unless the item has a multi-voltage option

Please note that power outlets only accept flat

3 or 2-pin plugs, depending on whether an earth connection is fitted

Life in New Zealand

There is of course no such thing as a ‘typical’

New Zealand Homestay Your hosts may be

young, middle aged or retired; their attitudes

may be anything from ‘modern’ to ‘old

fashioned’, and their interests anything from

art to rugby But they will be kind and friendly,

even if at first a little reserved

In New Zealand today, couples are not

always married and both partners often work,

whatever the standard of living of the family

So it is becoming more usual for the whole

family, husband and children, to help with the

household jobs (e.g washing up) Although

you are not expected to clean the house, it

is considered polite to offer to help with little

things such as setting the table for dinner,

clearing away or drying the dishes and you

may find this helps you to feel more a part

of the family

If the family has a pet dog or cat (some have

more than one), you may be surprised that they

are treated as important members of the family

Your Homestay

Your home

The family home may be very different from your own, but it will be clean and comfortable

Make sure you leave the bathroom and toilet

as clean as you found it It can be very busy in the morning when all the family may be getting ready for work or school, so please be

considerate about the amount of time you take A towel should be provided but you are expected to provide your own soap, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner etc

Your host will clean your room, but you should keep it tidy and make your own bed

Please treat your home and room with care

Be especially careful with cigarettes, ink, make

up, nail polish, or any product which can burn or stain Never dye your hair without checking first

if your host has any objections

If you are unfortunate enough to have an accident, tell your host family immediately and offer to pay for the damage The matter will be quickly solved and forgotten

There may be somewhere for you to lock your valuables in your room If not, don’t leave them lying around; ask your family to look after them

Homestay address

Some hosts do not like giving out their address or phone number If you need to open a bank account, buy a mobile phone,

or need a parcel delivered, please give the school address so that everything can be sent there for you to collect

Heating

In summer the temperature in your room

may be warm and humid and in winter it

may be colder Please check with your family

before opening windows or using heaters

Keys

Most Homestays will give you a set of keys to

let yourself in and out of the house If you are

not given your own set of keys, they will make

arrangements with you so that you are able to

get in Please take care not to lose the keys as

you will have to pay for the cost of a

replacement lock if you do

Food

Your homestay will provide you with breakfast

and dinner seven days a week and lunch on the

weekends and on public holidays It is a good

idea to go shopping with your family and tell

them what foods you like

Problems or questions

We hope your stay will be a very happy one,

but if you have any problems please come to

the Accommodation Office on Level 1, room

1.15 Whatever the problem (even if you think

it is something very small), please tell us so that

we can help you

Laundry

You should talk to your family about laundry

arrangements Some families will show you how

to use the washing machine, some families

might want to wash your clothes for you

Bedroom

You will have your own room, including a desk

for study and reading light, a closet or set of

draws for your clothing and linen for your bed

Visits by friends

Some hosts may be happy for you to bring your

friends to the house but please ask first Always

introduce your friends to your host and ask if

they may go to your room Don’t invite your

friends into the house if your host is not at home

Leaving accommodation early

Please note that if you decide to leave your accommodation early, you need to tell the Accommodation Office 17 days before you want to leave For refunds, please refer to the Refund Policy in this booklet

Bathroom

Please ask your family when is the best time for you to use the shower or bath Please remember water is precious and hot water

is expensive Water is a precious resource in New Zealand and you will probably be sharing bathroom facilities so you should not take too long in the shower 5-10 minute showers are recommended It is a good idea to do your make-up and hair in your bedroom

Smoking

Nowadays, most hosts will not allow smoking indoors In fact you may find that some hosts smoke outside themselves, or in only one room

Please respect the request of your host and smoke outside, if this is what they have asked you to do

Evenings at home

You will be welcome to spend evenings at home and conversation with your hosts is a very important part of your stay They will be interested to know about you and your country and you will have plenty of opportunity to chat with them, particularly during the evening meal

However, please be careful not to treat your hosts as teachers and if they are watching TV,

be sensitive about asking too many questions in the middle of their favourite programmes! Just

as you may need privacy at times, they also need privacy, so please respect theirs

You may want to spend time or study in your room but try not to isolate yourself too much

Remember noise carries so if you are watching

TV or playing a radio after 22.00 hours and before 08.00, keep the volume low

Telephone and Internet

All overseas telephone calls should be made

collect or with a calling card If you would

like to have your own phone, the host family

may charge for this as this is an extra cost

Please check with your family before using

the telephone and keep the call as short as

possible, as other people may want to use it

Please respect the amount of time you spend

on the internet (not all night), and check that

the family is not expecting any telephone

calls The internet may also have additional

costs Too much time will have a negative effect

on your study

Money

You should have paid Embassy your first

four weeks of homestay before arriving in

New Zealand Payments are then made two to

four weeks in advance A bond is not required

Your duties

• You must clean and tidy your own room

• Always remember to telephone your homestay if you are going to be late home for dinner Ask your family what time they have dinner each night

• Remember that your homestay family

is not a hotel

• Please say ‘thank-you’ and remember

to assist with small chores when possible

Residential accommodation

Embassy has agreements with a number of

residential accommodation providers near the

centre If you would like to apply to live in one of

these providers, please contact the

Accommodation Officer

Living in private accommodation

It is not possible to arrange this before you

arrive Prospective tenants are required to

personally sign an agreed short hold tenancy

agreement and to pay one month’s rent in

Residential/Private

Some students who are here for a long period

do like to go into private accommodation

We can provide you with a list of local estate agents and letting agents The local paper can also be a source of property vacancies Please note that although we can advise you, we cannot make arrangements on your behalf If you choose to stay in private accommodation, the school will have no jurisdiction over your landlord Therefore, if you have any difficulty or experience any problems, the Accommodation Officer will not be able to act on your behalf, though we will of course tell you where to go

Practical information

Practical Information