Dogme and Student-Led Teaching: What Is the Best Course for You?

English courses at ILC are for everyone, whatever their level or age. We have coursebooks and resources for General English and for exams such as IELTS and Cambridge.

But what if you don't want to follow a book page after page, exercise after exercise? Maybe you just want to improve your speaking so you can chat to local people, make friends and meet new people. Maybe you have particular interests: history, art, literature, sport. Coursebooks have their advantages, such as a clear structure and exam practice, but there's another option: student-led teaching.

What is Dogme teaching?

Dogme is an approach that puts the learner, not the materials, at the centre of the lesson. It is named after a Danish film movement of the 1990s that used a natural, improvised approach to filmmaking. Of course, our teachers still plan every lesson, but how they plan depends on the needs of the students, which they find out when they first meet you.

What happens in a Dogme lesson?

Discussing the news

You choose a news story. The teacher guides the discussion and teaches the grammar and vocabulary that come up naturally.

Talking about local trips

If you study in Bristol, for example, there's the Harbourside, the Clifton Suspension Bridge and trips to Bath or Glastonbury. Share ideas and advice with classmates, guided by the teacher.

Creating your own resources

The lesson can be built around what students bring: a website, an article or a hobby. Other ideas include role-plays, presentations about your passions and discussions on topics that matter to you.

Up-to-date material

The world moves fast, and even recent textbooks can feel out of date. Dogme keeps material contemporary, relevant and created by the class.

Is it right for you?

Dogme is a creative, fun way to improve your speaking and learn what you want to learn. And there's always a book if you need one! Explore our General English and one-to-one courses, or find out about ILC Bristol.