School of the Word students are in lectures together most mornings, they are however, broken down into smaller tutorial groups which meet regularly on certain afternoons. Tutorials enable groups of four or five students to discuss issues relating to the course with an academic tutor present to facilitate the discussion between students.

A typical tutorial cycle starts with meeting the tutor and spending around an hour looking at a question and deciding together what are the objectives coming out of the question that need to be discussed at the following tutorial.

Students are then given a two-week period to research into the agreed objectives. Both biblical study

and research into contemporary society are encouraged. The aim is to examine the question from every possible angle.

After two weeks, the group meets again and the academic tutor sits in on an in-depth discussion around the prepared topic. The tutor might prompt from time to time, but is mainly there to assess the depth of research and ability of each individual to listen and interact with others. These prepared discussions all count towards the final award.

Such a tutorial system contributes towards the following stated aims of School of the Word:

• To develop each student’s ability to think biblically, creatively and independently.
• To develop the discipline and personal skills of study.
• To grow in personal self-awareness and confidence in impacting the culturally diverse world in which we live with the Gospel.

As well as assessed tutorial discussions, students in tutorial groups will examine and critique presentations of the Gospel in the form of podcasts, DVD clips, and written tracts. They will also look at contemporary films, which they will be trained to “read” and discuss how those films inform them about the culture they have come from. In addition, tutorial groups will examine and demonstrate how they can use film to communicate Christian truths.

The academic tutor and the members of the groups are changed each term so as to glean the maximum possible from all the tutors and fellow students.