At a glance
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Course Location
Sligo
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Course Dates and Prices
Please check our Summer Calendar
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Duration
2 weeks+
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Arrival days
Wednesdays
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Class Size
15 max
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Student Age
12 to 17 years old
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Individuals* and Groups
Groups must be accompanied by a Group Leader – *Individual only accepted in Dublin
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Entry Requirements
Minimum level of English: A2 Pre-Intermediate
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Cultural Activities
2 cultural activities per week
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Accommodation
Full board Host family & Residential
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Transport to School
Homestay students are driven to school or walk if within walking distance. Residential students walk
Programme Introduction
The FL Summer Cultural programmes are about exploring the area you are visiting, getting to know it’s people and the civilizations from ancient to modern that shaped its landscapes, its vibrant towns and cities and the great myths and literary masterpieces inspired by it. The cultural activities engage students’ creative and critical thinking skills in multi-sensory interaction with the physical world and help them develop the language to describe those experiences.
Sligo, capital of the Northwest region, is one of Ireland’s largest towns. It is a unique destination with the dramatic backdrop of Benbulben mountain, glimmering beaches, rolling green hills, and magical woodlands, with unsurpassed outdoor activities.
In modern times its beaches have become a favourite spot for surfers chasing the waves coming in off the Atlantic. The FL Sligo summer programme has a strong focus on embracing this culture of the area literature and also takes full advantage of the amazing activity of surfing in Strandhill, one of Europe’s premier surf destinations. The Future Learning Sligo Summer School is based in IT Sligo and utilises the incredible facilities that the University campus has to offer.
Learner Profile
This programme is for learners from age 12-17 who are interested in improving their 21st-century skills of communication, collaboration, creative problem solving and digital information through the medium of English. It gives them an engaging and meaningful context for developing these skills, through a programme that encourages them to engage with other cultures and explore the life, landscape, art and literature of the world around them in Sligo, and the wild Atlantic northwest of Ireland.
Learner Outcomes
The FL Summer Cultural programmes are about exploring the area you are visiting, getting to know its people and the civilisations from ancient to modern that shaped its landscapes, its vibrant towns and cities and the great myths and literary masterpieces inspired by it. The cultural activities engage students’ creative and critical thinking skills in multi-sensory interaction with the physical world and help them develop the language to describe those experiences.
By the end of this course students will have
- developed a greater understanding of the responsible and effective use of information and communication technology, fulfilling project team roles and how to use problem-solving skills to complete tasks creatively.
- become more able to contribute to and facilitate exchanges between different cultures while also being more able to identify the cause of misunderstandings and work to repair them.
- improved language competences through exchanging information, expressing and justifying opinions and developing their ability to make complex arguments incorporating other ideas and responding to them.
- increased motivation and satisfaction in their work through completing tasks such as collaborative projects and individual ePortfolios reflecting on their experience in Ireland and what they have learned in their summer programme.
Sligo Cultural Programme – Summer School
Atlantic Technological University is situated on a single modern 72-acre campus and is constantly evolving to reflect the needs of the 21st century student. Everything is within walking distance – including Sligo town centre.The campus buildings all have large classrooms which are filled with natural light and each room has the latest modern technology to complement our technology-enhanced programmes. Atlantic Technological University also has the added bonus of being very close to Sligo city centre (just 20 minutes walking) which is great for group leaders and for half-day excursions.
Sample Timetable – Sligo Cultural Programme
Our summer school program is designed to offer a unique learning experience for all participants, providing a perfect balance of educational and enjoyable activities. Check out our exciting Sample Schedule for our Sligo Residential programme.
*Please contact us for more information about our sample schedules for Host families.
Accommodation – Sligo Cultural Programme
Host Family
Living with one of our Host families in Sligo is a truly amazing experience. You get to stay in a real home where you will be welcomed by family members and looked after for the length of your stay. You’ll get to benefit from your family’s knowledge, gain a unique insight into local Irish culture and discover the true heart of Sligo. You’ll enjoy home cooking, fresh linens, great conversation and an amazing cultural experience.
It is important to emphasise that host families normally live outside the town and in the evening times students will spend the time with their host families. We do not ask host families to drive students back to the town every evening to meet up with friends, but of course on occasions this can happen or meeting up in a local nearby area.
Residential Accomodation
The FL Sligo campus offers a very unique and extremely high quality residential accommodation which is less than a ten minutes walk to the main campus, classrooms and dining area. This residence is not your standard large University complex, instead it is a series of small houses and apartments which are maintained impeccably year round. All is located within a safe, private and gated area.
Residential students eat their meals in the University canteen each day. On excursion days a packed lunch is provided.
This residence is ideal for visiting students and groups, it is private, picturesque and offers a combination of room types to suit everyone’s needs.
Activities & Excursions Examples
On the FL Sligo Summer Programme all of the afternoon activities are focused on the development of the English language through Cultural-focused workshops. We like to utilise all the facilities of the school and we have created a unique afternoon programme which has a strong link with the morning lessons.
SURF WEDNESDAYS
- Strandhill Village: A short journey from Sligo town, this is one of the most popular surf towns in the country popular with local and tourists alike looking for a seaside ice cream and stunning Atlantic views.
- Strandhill Beach: is one of the best places in Ireland to learn how to surf. The long stretch of sandy beach sees small, consistent waves rolling in all summer long, making it easier to master standing up on your board.
- Knocknarea: The name means “Hill of the Kings” and Irish legends say that this hill is where the ancient Kings were crowned, overlooking the lands around them and you can see a stone mound on top which people believe to be the tomb of Queen Maeve, queen of Connacht.
CULTURAL VISITS
- Sligo Town Tours: The town of Sligo is brimming with a rich history and culture. It is associated with some of Ireland’s most fascinating writers, poets, artists and actors.
- Lough Gill Boat Tours & Parkes Castle: this seventeenth century castle is a stunning snapshot of life in the past. Step onboard a boat ride which will take you on a tour of Lough Gill which will be sure to inspire you as it did poets and authors of the past.
- Lissadell House and Gardens: You will learn about famous families and individuals of Sligo’s past such as the Gore-Booths and W. B. Yeats through a tour of the estate house and grounds of Lissadell house in north Sligo.
CULTURAL WORKSHOPS
- Art Workshop: User brushes and ink to create your own artistic work portraying things like a silhouette of a famous Irish poet or paint an iconic landscape of Sligo.
- Natural Dyeing & Jewellery Making: You will learn how to create your own natural dyes from the world around you to add colour to a cloth bag you can keep as a memory of your time here.
- Music & Songwriting: Whether you are musical, play an instrument or not, these workshops will give you a chance to explore the technology and creativity behind music and song production.
