Pre-Sessional English Language, Study and Communication Skills

Pre-Sessional English Language, Study and Communication Skills

Programme Handbook September 2012 3

FOREWORD Welcome by the Dean of the School of Foundation & English Language Studies It is a pleasure to welcome you to BPP University College. The aim of this programme is to help prepare you for your further study. You will get the most out of your time with us if you understand that high quality education is a two-way activity in which all students must engage. Our tutors and support staff are committed to helping you to get the most from your time at BPP, but please do not forget that the main effort must come from you. We welcome feedback, both good and bad, to help us continually improve our programmes and we look forward to working with you. Let s have a great time together! Good luck with your education and your future. Amanda Blackmore Professor Amanda Blackmore Deputy Principal and Dean, School of Foundation and English Language Studies 4

Welcome by Director of Programmes We would all like to wish you a warm welcome to BPP University College. We hope very much that you will find your stay with us enjoyable and useful. This programme has been designed with great care and based on many years experience of preparing students for higher education study, and particularly for those students who are returning to study and perhaps need that little extra support to further their education or career aspirations We are familiar with the differing needs of the many types of people who come to us for tuition. At the same time we really value your comments and suggestions as it is important that you keep us informed of your own particular needs. You will find that BPP University College is a busy place and enjoys an excellent and eclectic mix of both UK and international students. As a result you will meet people from many cultures and contexts and we hope that you will enjoy and benefit from the opportunity of this diversity. You will learn best if you are happy and comfortable. So do not stay silent if you are worried about something, or if you have a problem. We all wish you a very happy stay and look forward to working with you. Paul Evans Paul Evans Director of Programmes, School of Foundation and English Language Studies 5

CONTENTS INTRODUCTION TO THE PROGRAMME... 7 PRE-SESSIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS... 7 6

INTRODUCTION TO THE PROGRAMME PRE-SESSIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS General Information School Level Credit Value Contact Hours Programme(s) Module Leader Related Modules Pre-requisites Co-requisites Post-requisites Excluded Combinations External Accrediting Body Business School N/A None 200 Hours (10 weeks) Pre Study UG and PG Paul Evans None None BPP UG or PG Programme None None Introduction The module will provide students with essential skills for undertaking academic study of business, management or law through the medium of English within the context of British universities. Students will be offered the chance to improve their command of English overall and in the academic setting specifically. This will be done through progressive practice and enhancement of the students reading, writing, speaking and listening skills relevant to the fields of business management and/or legal studies. An emphasis will be put on the relevance of the teaching methods, materials and assessment to the needs of students aiming to undertake university level study in the UK in the immediate future. Teaching methods and assignments in this course will simulate typical expectations in university courses: this will be done progressively starting from a partial and building up to an almost complete match. Formative feedback will be provided throughout the course aiming to improve students performance in the summative assessment. Equally, the programme will equip students with the necessary Study Skills: a number of fundamental computer programmes used in university studies (MS Word, Power Point, Excel) will be introduced through hands-on sessions in computer classes; students will go 7

through a series of various study skills (learning styles, reading, critical thinking, analytical etc.) self-assessment and self-audit exercises and establish a personal programme of skills development to undertake individually. Employability skills will be introduced in this module as well (such as CV and Cover Letter writing and practice for job interviews). Finally, the aim of a Pre-Sessional programme at a UK university is to introduce international students to the British culture and assist them in adjusting to the everyday realities of the modern British life, so that they can begin the academic year with this task minimized and fully apply themselves to their university studies. This cultural element will be applied in the UK Culture and Life in London module, where students will visit a number of venues for further learning and practical application of their cultural knowledge. Educational Aims This programme aims to: Provide students with essential language skills for undertaking university level study of business, law, management or finance through the medium of English within the context of British universities. Provide students with an opportunity to increase their knowledge of English grammar and vocabulary relevant to their chosen fields of university study and develop their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills in the academic setting. Provide students with new (or enhance the already existing) communicative skills based on the use of modern technology currently used in universities worldwide (e.g. Internet-based reading, listening, viewing and discussions). Familiarize students with basic conventions of academic discussions oral and written and academic writing style. Enhance their analytical and debating skills. Provide students with presentational skills (both oral and written) relevant to academic studies generally and in their chosen field of study in particular. Familiarize international students with fundamental elements of British culture and life in London, in particular, in order to assist their assimilation into the UK culture for the duration of their studies and possibly beyond. 8

Learning Outcomes Knowledge and Understanding Ref A. Students should be able to demonstrate a: K1 K2 K3 Reasonable understanding of and an ability to use the main language structures with ease and fluency Basic understanding of a wide range of demanding, longer texts (oral and/ or written) and ability to recognise implicit meaning in their field of specialisation. Productive and receptive use of core academic vocabulary and active vocabulary in their specific subject. Cognitive Skills Ref C1 C2 C3 B. Students should be able to: To differentiate between main and supporting ideas in written texts and oral presentations in their field of study. Categorise and synthesise information and ideas to produce their own argument. Recognize English language structures in order to achieve a solid understanding of academic texts in their field of study. Professional Skills and Attitudes Ref P1 P2 P3 P4 C. Students should be able to: Exercise the level of language necessary to communicate orally and in writing to follow a course of academic study at university level with some language support. Communicate ideas and analysis clearly and concisely in an appropriate format in order to inform and explain their decision making rationale to others. Express themselves with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers possible without strain for either party. Produce clear, well-structured, oral and/ or written text on complex subjects, showing reasonably controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices. General Transferable Skills Ref T1 T2 T3 D. Students should be able to: Exercise self-management skills, including the ability to set personal objectives, manage time and tasks and evaluate their own performance. Exercise initiative and personal responsibility within set parameters for the enhancement of business performance. Take responsibility to learn effectively and be aware of their own learning strategies, including the ability to learn both independently and co-operatively. 9

Mode of Assessment I. English Language and Communication Skills: This module is divided into a number of aspects that are assessed in the following way: 1) Listening and Speaking: Formative: Portfolio of written lecture outlines (three) based on listening to the prerecorded lectures (completed at home on the basis of notes taken in class). Summative (Week 14): Lecture outline based on listening to a pre-recorded lecture (completed in class on the basis of notes). Group discussion of the lecture: assessed through presentation. 25% of the final course grade 2) Reading and Academic Vocabulary: Formative (Week 6): 1 hour long reading comprehension test on the basis of two texts one prepared reading at home and one unprepared + three obligatory postings to an online discussion board based on online reading (subject to what is offered every year). Summative (Week 15): 1 hour long reading comprehension test on the basis of two texts one prepared reading at home and one unprepared. 25% of the final course grade 3) Writing: Formative: teacher supervised peer-editing sessions on academic writing skills (incorporating quotes, paraphrasing, summaries etc.) and essay drafts. Feedback to completed paragraphs, paraphrases and summaries. Summative: Final drafts of three essays combining in-class and home preparation. 25% of the final course grade 4) Grammar: Formative: Initial assessment (grammar) and individual study plan. Progress grammar test (Week 5). Summative (Week 15): Final grammar test. 25% of the final course grade 10

II. Study Skills Formative: On-going assessment will be undertaken for each aspect of study skill areas such as computer and presentation skills on an on-going basis. No summative assessments are planned for this element of the course which will vary according to the needs of the cohort. UK Culture and Life in London This element of the module is assessed through participation only. A diary of visits will be required to be compiled by the student named London Life documenting observations and feedback. Indicative Reading To develop your skills in finding, accessing and analysing business information, data and knowledge you are encouraged to explore all sources of information to drive and enhance your learning (books, academic and professional journals, online resources, etc.). Below is an indicative list of reading that you may find helpful in your studies; more specific readings may be utilized throughout the module. Seminal Works Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English (new edit), Harlow, Pearson Education Ltd Books and Texts Hamp-Lyons, L. 2006. Study Writing: A Course in Written English for Academic Purposes Glendinning, E. 2004. Study Reading: A Course in Reading Skills for Academic Purposes Lynch, T. 2004. Study Listening: A course in listening to lectures and note-taking (2 nd ed.) Cambridge, CUP Murphy, R. 2004. English Grammar in Use. Cambridge, CUP Norbury, P. 2008. Britain Culture Smart! The Essential Guide to Customs and Culture, London: Kuperard Schmitt D. & Schmitt N. 2005. Focus on Vocabulary: Mastering the Academic Word List, Pearson Education Academic and Professional Articles Students will be strongly encouraged to use journal articles relevant to their areas of specialisation in order to develop their reading and comprehension skills. Online Resources Students will be strongly encouraged to use online resources relevant to their areas of specialisation, in order to develop their reading and comprehension skills. 11

INDICATIVE OUTLINES The English Language and Communication Skills module is organised as follows (the division of the various skills and hours is to be understood as an average estimate per week and can be adjusted on a week-by-week basis as required by specific activities and the needs of the group): Language Development: Grammar and Academic Vocabulary Listening & Speaking 8 (hrs/week) 4 (hrs/week) Reading & Writing 4 (hrs/week) Study Skills 4 (hrs/week) Cultural Life Ad Hoc (hrs/week) In-sessional English - The UK Culture and Life in London module is delivered in either two consecutive 2-hour sessions (where the first one is a class lecture and the second one is an organised visit to a venue), or a 4-hour long session fully dedicated to a venue visit. 12

Topic Language Development: Grammar and Academic Vocabulary Listening & Speaking Outline Language development component is designed to improve students range and control of grammar and professional vocabulary with some pronunciation work as well. The focus is on developing accurate language use. The teaching strategy of the module is to: Ensure the focus is on accuracy of grammar and vocabulary use Select material taught after the initial assessment (depending on the established needs of a particular group) Set and check homework regularly Check progress through tests The course content is largely dictated by the needs of the group, as well as business or legal vocabulary related to management/finance/law modules studied in each term. The aim of this component is to help students acquire or enhance the necessary skills to learn effectively from lectures and seminars, while actively participating in the latter. Students will build up on this by utilising the media (radio, TV, Internet): by the end of the course they should be able to understand auditory reports in the news and professional media and synthesize the main information from them on a par with a native English-speaking university student. The teaching strategy of the module is to: make students listen to university level lectures, help them understand the material through pre- and post-listening group exercises; teach students to take effective notes while listening; encourage peer-learning through discussions and note-comparing; teach students to organize their notes into coherent lecture outlines; enhance students speaking and debating skills during pre- and post-listening exercises that also aim to expand their general vocabulary. Reading The recommended book is Lynch, T. Study Listening: A course in listening to lectures and note-taking (2 nd ed.) Cambridge, CUP. Teaching will also be based on the current radio, TV and Internet offerings to help students relate to current political, economical and social issues, as well as the current state of their field of study. The aim of this component is to improve the overall ability of students to understand written English and develop their skills in reading both academic and general business texts. The emphasis is more on developing detailed comprehension and linguistic knowledge than on developing reading strategies (which is covered in the Study Skills component), though the latter will be referred to. The teaching strategy of the module is to: Improve students overall ability in understanding written English Develop students skills in reading both academic and general business texts Improve students reading fluency Develop students vocabulary Teach students to relate their purposes to their ways of reading Teach students to understand writer s intentions and to read critically The recommended textbook for this component is Oshima, A. & Hogue, A. Writing Academic English. Pearson, Longman. Relevant professionally related texts for individual and class reading, as well as for reading comprehension tests, will also be chosen from the media to help students relate to current political, economical and social issues, as well as the current state of their field of study. 13

Writing Study Skills UK Culture and Life in London Students will also be required to read subject specific articles online: discussions will be set up and links provided on the college system. Students will need to make obligatory postings to the discussion boards for each article. The aim of the writing component is to provide an overall introduction to the written academic style and ensure its sufficient practice by students. The course will open with an assessment of the students writing skills and then provide an overview of basic elements of academic writing (such as structure and coherence; professional use of source material through direct quoting, paraphrase and summary; expression of the author s voice in academic texts etc.). All these elements will require practice through written exercises in class and homework. Essays will be written in several stages (interrupted by sessions of teacher-supervised peer-editing). Students will practice writing such types of essay structures as compare/contrast, reason/consequence, and argumentative essay. The course familiarises students with the process of planning and drafting a text, and incorporating revisions which result from peer feedback, as well as feedback from the teacher. Study Skills component is designed to help international students understand the academic requirements of and cope with the study process at a UK university. Key cultural and professional expectations will be explained, as well as strategies to deal with them; online self-testing and practical exercises will be part of the course aiming to help students understand their potential shortcomings and deal with them before they embark on their university course. A number of hands-on computer workshops will be delivered with the view of (re)introducing the fundamental computer programmes used by university students in the field of business and law (MS Word, Power Point, and Excel). Oral presentation skills will be taught and practiced in group and individual presentations. The aim of this component is to assist international students in adjusting to the UK culture and life in the British capital before they embark on their university course. This cultural module will be taught through two types of classes. One is via interactive class sessions, where cultural and behavioural guidelines will be presented to students and questions will be answered. These class sessions will be then supported by field trips to various venues: those of basic everyday importance (bank, post-office, Tube station, etc.) and those of cultural/educational meaning (cinema, museum, theatre, Houses of Parliament, etc.). As this module does not have any formal methods of assessment (students will receive their grade based on attendance and participation only), the assumption is that the atmosphere in class will be even more relaxed, friendly and encouraging than during more formal sessions in other components. This is to ensure that students are fully equipped for life in London during their course of study and the college is aware of those potentially at risk of cultural misconceptions/struggling to live independently in a new country, so that they can be monitored during their first term of study as well. 14

INDICATIVE SCHEME OF WORK In some instances information regarding content of module is indicative - actual module content will be determined according to considerations (for example, new developments in the field or new postings on the Internet) which are taken into account at the time of module delivery. Module Title: 1) English Language and Communication Skills Syllabus Listening and Speaking Skills: Listening & note-taking (pre-recorded lectures, online viewings etc.) Discussion skills: pre-listening activities include brainstorming and discussion of the forthcoming lecture topic Vocabulary development: pre- and post-listening activities include vocabulary building exercises Reading and Writing skills Academic study skills: reading skills, exam revision and preparation, etc. Comprehension skills and strategies: reading for the gist, reading for details etc. Linguistic knowledge; text structure & purpose Intensive & extensive reading through variety of text types Critical reading Writing process (generating ideas; planning and organisation; revision skills etc) Language of academic texts (grammar and sentence structure, academic style and vocabulary) Different genres of writing (description, compare/contrast; reason/consequence; argument) Use of source references in academic writing: introduction (to be reinforced in the Research Methods and Honours Dissertation module) Language Development Grammar and Academic Vocabulary: Initial assessment and analysis of students' needs Systematic work on key areas of grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation (to be adjusted according to students needs) Development of core academic vocabulary use 15

2) Study Skills Syllabus Workshops on Computer Skills (MS Word, Power Point, Excel) Interactive seminars on presentational skills: public speaking, structuring, rehearsing and delivering an oral presentation (group and individual) Skills self-assessment and self-development: Learning Styles; Reading, Logical and Analytical skills Written Academic Skills: referencing and avoiding plagiarism Employability Skills: CVs, cover letters and preparing for interviews 3) UK Culture and Life in London: Syllabus Interactive discussions of cultural issues in class Ad hoc guided visits to venues educational, cultural, professional and those of everyday importance 16

OUTLINE LEARNING AND TEACHING PLAN English Language and Communication Skills Week Content Learning and Teaching Strategy Head Start Introduction to the course General meeting with students: placed into groups, distribution of course books. Cultural activity: TBC Independent Study Task: Students explore ways of improving their English skills online: reading, listening to and viewing material on news websites. Prepare to report back to class in Week 1. Week 1 The focus this week is on the following aspects/skills: Listening and Speaking Writing Reading Language Development Session 1: Initial assessment Activity 1: Initial writing assessment (short essay). Activity 2: Initial assessment grammar test (multiple choice). Session 2: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Lynch, Study Listening: Introduction to listening and note-taking. Activity 2: Class discussion of individual findings (see Head Start task). Teacher introduction and explanation of online facilities for self-assessment of skills. Week 2 The focus this week is on the following aspects/skills: Listening and Speaking Writing Reading Language Development Session 3: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Reading comprehension techniques: reading for gist. Activity 2: Academic Vocabulary (Focus on Vocabulary) Introduction to vocabulary learning methods (keeping Vocabulary Cards) pp. x-xiv + Unit 2/ Chapter 5 Session 4: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Lynch, Unit 1: listening and note-taking. Activity 2: Grammar exercises based on student needs and texts chosen for reading comprehension oral and written practice. Session 1: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Reading comprehension techniques: reading for detail. Activity 2: Academic Vocabulary (Focus on Vocabulary) Unit 2/ Chapter 6 Formative assessment: submission of Listening Outline for the previous listening (part of portfolio). Session 2: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Oshima and Hogue, Writing Academic English Chapter 1: Paragraph Structure teacher explanation. Activity 2: In-class writing. 17

Session 3: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Reading comprehension techniques: text structure and cohesion Formative assessment: submission of completed paragraphs. Activity 2: Grammar exercises based on student needs and texts chosen for reading comprehension oral and written practice. Session 4: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Lynch, Unit 2: listening and note-taking. Week 3 The focus this week is on the following aspects/skills: Reading Writing Listening and Speaking Language Development Independent Study Individual work based on tutor feedback to Assessment essay and Grammar test. Session 1: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Oshima and Hogue, Unit 8: paraphrase and summary teacher explanation. Activity 2: In-class writing. Formative assessment: submission of Listening Outline for the previous listening (part of portfolio). Session 2: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Online reading and blackboard discussion - teacher explanation. Activity 2: Harvard referencing style: discussion board teacher explanation. Activity 3: In-class writing (continued from Session 1). Session 3: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Oshima and Hogue, Unit 4: from paragraph to essay. Formative assessment: submission of completed paraphrases and summaries. Activity 2: Academic Vocabulary (Focus on Vocabulary) Unit 2/ Chapter 7 + Chapter 8 (Unit Review) Session 4: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Lynch, Unit 3: listening and note-taking. Independent Study Task 1: Online reading and blackboard discussion. Formative assessment: three obligatory posts per student. Week 4 The focus this week is on the following aspects/skills: Reading Session 1: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Oshima and Hogue, Unit 6: cause/effect essays teacher explanation. 18

Listening and Speaking Writing Language Development Activity 2: In-class writing. Session 2: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Text on current political affairs: unprepared reading and class discussion. Activity 2: Academic Vocabulary (Focus on Vocabulary) Unit 2 Test + Unit 4/ Chapter 13 Formative assessment: submission of Listening Outline for the previous listening (part of continuous assessment). Session 3: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Cause/effect essay: peer-editing of the outlines. Activity 2: Grammar exercises based on student needs oral and written practice. Session 4: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Lynch, Unit 4: listening and note-taking. Week 5 The focus this week is on the following aspects/skills: Reading Writing Language Development Independent Study Individual Grammar exercises. Task: Prepare reading for Week 5. Session 1: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Text on current economical issues: prepared reading and class discussion. Activity 2: Cause/effect essay: peer-editing of Draft 1 (structure and coherence). Formative assessment: submission of Listening Outline for the previous listening (part of continuous assessment). Session 2: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Cause/effect essay: peer-editing of Draft 2 (language and referencing). Activity 2: Harvard referencing style - class explanations and clarifications. Session 3: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Grammar exercises based on student needs oral and written practice. Activity 2: Academic Vocabulary (Focus on Vocabulary) Unit 4 / Chapter 14 Session 4: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Progress Test on Grammar. 19

Independent Study Task: Harvard referencing style - discussion board. Reading Week Week 6 The purpose of this week is to consolidate the material studied so far and give students a chance to work more on their individual shortcomings. The focus this week is on the following aspects/skills: Reading Writing Listening and Speaking Language Development Independent Study Individual work on grammar and vocabulary issues. Task 1: Prepare the final draft of Cause/Effect essay for submission. Task 2: Prepare the reading for the Reading comprehension test in Week 6. Task 3: View two films in English (your choice) and prepare to discuss them in class. Session 1: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: In-Class Reading Comprehension test. Formative assessment: 1 hour long reading comprehension test on the basis of two texts one prepared reading at home and one unprepared. Summative assessment: Cause/Effect Essay Final Draft submission. Session 2: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Lynch Study Listening, Unit 5: listening and note-taking. Activity 2: Academic Vocabulary (Focus on Vocabulary) Unit 4 / Chapter 15 + Chapter 16 (Unit Review) Session 3: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Text on current political affairs: unprepared reading and discussion. Activity 2: Oshima and Hogue, Unit 7: compare/contrast essays teacher explanation. Week 7 The focus this week is on the following aspects/skills: Listening and Speaking Writing Language Development Session 4: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Text on current (cross)cultural issues: unprepared reading, class discussion. Activity 2: Grammar exercises based on student needs and texts chosen for reading comprehension oral and written practice. Session 1: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Compare/Contrast essay. Peer-editing of outlines. Activity 2: Grammar exercises based on student needs oral and written practice. Formative assessment: submission of Listening Outline for the previous listening (part of portfolio). Session 2: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar 20

Activity 1: Lynch, Unit 6: listening and note-taking. Activity 2: Academic Vocabulary (Focus on Vocabulary) Unit 4 Test + Unit 5 / Chapter 17 Session 3: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Peer-editing of Draft 1: structure and coherence. Activity 2: Grammar exercises based on student needs oral and written practice. Session 4: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Work on grammar and sentence structure: issues emerging from essays. Week 8 The focus this week is on the following aspects/skills: Listening and Speaking Writing Reading Language Development Session 1: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Peer-editing of Draft 2: language and referencing. Formative assessment: submission of Listening Outline for the previous listening (part of portfolio). Session 2: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Lynch, Unit 7: listening and note-taking. Session 3: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Oshima and Hogue, Unit 9: Argumentative Essays teacher explanation. Formative assessment: submission of Listening Outline for the previous listening (part of portfolio). Summative assessment: Compare/Contrast Essay Final Draft submission. Activity 2: Academic Vocabulary (Focus on Vocabulary) Unit 5 / Chapter 18 Session 4: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Text on current political issues: unprepared reading and class discussion. Activity 2: Class discussion of films viewed in the Reading week. Week 9 The focus this week is on the following aspects/skills: Listening and Speaking Writing Reading Independent Study Individual Grammar exercises. Task 1: Prepare reading for Week 9. Session 1: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Argumentative essays: peer-editing of outlines and class discussion. Activity 2: Class discussion of films viewed in the Reading week (continued). 21

Language Development Session 2: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Text on current economic issues: prepared reading and class discussion. Activity 2: Class discussion of films viewed in the Reading week (continued). Session 3: Individual tutorials Individual tutorials on Argumentative essays. Session 4: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Peer-editing of Draft 1: structure and coherence. Activity 2: Academic Vocabulary (Focus on Vocabulary) Unit 5 / Chapter 19 + Chapter 20 (Unit Review) Week 10 The focus this week is on the following aspects/skills: Writing Reading Listening and Speaking Language Development Independent Study Individual Grammar exercises. Task: Prepare reading for Week 10. Session 1: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Viewing a TV broadcast + class discussion. Session 2: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Argumentative essay: peer-editing of Draft 2 (language and referencing). Activity 2: Harvard referencing style - revision and practice. Session 3: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Grammar and sentence structure: issues emerging from essays. Activity 2: Academic Vocabulary (Focus on Vocabulary) Unit 5 Test + Unit 3 / Chapter 10 Extension & Consolidation Summative assessment: 1) Lecture outline based on listening to a pre-recorded lecture (completed in class on the basis of the notes). Group discussion of the lecture. Lynch, Unit 8. 2) Final grammar test. 3) 1 hour long reading comprehension test on the basis of two texts one prepared reading at home and one unprepared. Session 4: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Mock response paper to two texts in current media: one prepared + one unprepared. Independent Study: Preparation for summative assessments based on course content in weeks 1-10 (see tests on the left). Argumentative Essay Final Draft submission 22

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Study Skills Week Content Learning and Teaching Strategy Head Start Week 1 Introduction to the course General meeting with students: divided into groups, distribution of course books. Cultural activity: TBC The focus of this week is on: 1) Learning Styles 2) Reading Skills Session 1: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Self-assessment of Learning Styles teacher explanation and practice. Session 2: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Self-assessment of Reading Skills teacher explanation and practice. Activity 2: Reading activity main and supporting ideas. Class discussion. Independent Study Online self-assessment of Learning Styles and Reading Skills. Week 2 The focus of this week is on: 1) Presentation Skills 2) Logical and Analytical Skills Session 1: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Oral presentation skills and Public Speaking teacher explanation. Activity 2: Class exercises for Public Speaking. Week 3 The focus of this week is on: 1) Numeracy 2) Referencing and Plagiarism Session 2: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Self-assessment of Logical and Analytical Skills interactive. Session 1: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Revision and Preparation for Numeracy test. Session 2: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Harvard Referencing teacher explanation and in-class practice. Activity 2: Demonstration of Turnitin antiplagiarism website. Independent Study Compile a short bibliography on a given topic in 24

Harvard reference style. Week 4 The focus of this week is on: Employability skills CVs, cover letters, interview skills Session 1: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Drafting CVs interactive. Session 2: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Writing Cover Letters interactive. Activity 2: Job interview skills interactive. Week 5 The focus of this week is on: 1) Presentation Skills Independent Study Draft your CV. Session 1: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Students presentations. Week 6 Week 7 The focus of this week is on: Computer skills MS Word The focus of this week is on: Computer skills MS Word II Session 2: Interactive lecture and tutor led seminar Activity 1: Students presentations. Sessions 1 & 2: Computer class workshop Activity 1: Hands on computer class session on basic MS Word formatting. Sessions 1 & 2: Computer class workshop Activity 1: Hands on computer class session on basic MS Word formatting. Week 8 The focus of this week is on: Computer skills Excel Sessions 1 & 2: Computer class workshop Activity 1: Hands on computer class session on Excel. Week 9 The focus of this week is on: Computer skills Excel II Sessions 1 & 2: Computer class workshop Activity 1: Hands on computer class session on Excel. Week 10 The focus of this week is on: Computer skills Power Point Sessions 1 & 2: Computer class workshop Activity 1: Hands on computer class session on Power Point. Extension & Consolidation Independent Study Preparation of short oral presentation supported by Power Point in pairs. Individual tutorials on and group peer-editing of study skills portfolio. Submission of Portfolio for grading in Week 15. 25

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