This course will support international students during their first semester. The overarching aim is to facilitate engagement and participation on core academic programmes required by Applied Linguistics, and English Language & Linguistics by developing subject-specific academic literacy skills and language. It will target key areas of need including reading-into-seminar speaking skills and academic writing at paragraph level with a view to supporting on-course study. The content integrates student-selected texts from across their programmes, exemplar written texts from successful students, and involves guided self-reflection, collaboration and peer work. Analysis, evaluation and feedback will feature strongly on this course to facilitate collaborative critical learner autonomy.

Two one-hour classes per week over semester 1 (total 20 hours) 

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The standard assessments for this course are: 

■ 8 minute (approx.) individual contributions to a larger group discussion - 50% (individual mark)

■ Assessed writing (1000 words) - 50%

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available: 

■ Individual discussion with tutor as alternative to contribution to larger group discussion.

■ There is no alternative to the assessed writing but extensions to the deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustment (students should follow the usual process for extensions).

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.  

This course aims to:

■ introduce strategic reading skills and raise awareness and knowledge of academic text organisation & patterns

■ develop analytical, evaluative and critical engagement with academic texts before and during discussions

■ provide structured opportunities to develop spoken English language proficiency and skills so students can interact effectively and respond in a structured manner to specific academic tasks/questions

■ develop the capacity to write samples of academic texts summarising, commenting on and synthesising ideas from published academic written sources and referencing sources effectively following academic conventions

■ encourage collaborative group work in English

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ use a variety of reading strategies to efficiently negotiate academic texts 

■ communicate effectively and appropriately across a defined range of spoken academic contexts  

■ write academic paragraphs synthesising academic texts to show an understanding of genre features including, for example, organisational structure, vocabulary, citation and referencing, voice and register 

■ work autonomously to undertake group work in English in order to prepare effectively for, and therefore contribute to, course related tasks