Semester 1 Information

Summary

Academic Listening and Speaking involves your active participation in realistic spoken academic tasks, helping you to understand key information, and to take effective notes, as well as to engage in group discussion and deliver a successful presentation.  

The course will be organised by topic, based around the provided coursebook reflecting the wide range of disciplines offered by the University. 

Content

To support your listening and speaking practice and to accelerate your development, you will receive regular feedback on your speaking both from your class teacher and your peers.  

In addition, Academic Listening and Speaking will provide a focus on a range of features of spoken academic discourse, and academic skills and strategies. These may include the following: 

• patterns of organisation in academic speaking 

• the signalling of relationships between ideas 

• the marking of speaker stance and attitude  

• academic vocabulary and grammar 

• being intelligible to a mixed-nationality audience 

• critical thinking 

• brainstorming, planning, revising, and reflecting 

• making inferences while listening 

• turn-taking 

• dealing with communication breakdowns 

In the class, you will discuss and practice these areas of focus. 

Assessment

You will be assessed on preparatory work you do towards an assignment that will be finalised in 'Academic Writing' in PGPEP 2. You will also receive regular formative feedback on your ongoing preparation and performance.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, you will be able to:  

1. Use a range of listening strategies to understand key spoken information. 

2. Take clear and accurate notes on key points while listening. 

3. Contribute effectively and with increased confidence in group discussions. 

4. Deliver a clear and coherent spoken presentation to a group of students. 

Summary

‘Academic Reading and Writing’ builds essential skills you need for postgraduate study. You will learn how to approach reading and writing more critically and understand better what is required on a postgraduate programme in the UK. During the course you will work towards completing a short source-based essay. 

The course will be organised by topic, based around the provided coursebook, reflecting the wide range of disciplines offered by the University. 

Content

You will receive regular feedback on your writing both from your class teacher and your peers.  

In addition, Academic Reading and Writing will provide a focus on a range of features of written academic discourse, and academic skills and strategies. These may include the following: 

• Reading for main ideas, support and detail 

• Identifying purpose, genre and audience 

• Identifying and understanding key vocabulary 

• Evaluating claims 

• Evaluating suitability of content for citation 

• Summarising, paraphrasing and synthesising 

These elements are not exhaustive: you will have a lot of other work to do on the course.  

Assessment

You will be continually assessed through short presentations, discussions and debates, aligned to skills developed over the course. You will also receive regular formative feedback on preparation and performance.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, you will be able to:  

1. Read effectively to identify and understand key information in academic texts.  

2. Write a short academic essay (750 words) in which the organisation and argument are clear and supported by appropriate references to sources.  

3. Use grammar and vocabulary more accurately, both to express and to recognise meaning. 

4. Think more critically in an academic context. 

Summary

Study Skills and Reflection offers you a unique opportunity to reflect, independently and with others, on your language learning and development on the other two courses (Listening and Speaking, Academic Reading and Writing). You will also develop the study skills you will need to transition successfully to your chosen postgraduate degree programme.  

Content

Weekly sessions will focus on study skills and reflection on language learning. 

Study skills sessions include core language learning strategies for academic vocabulary and academic grammar and discourse, as well as student choice from university study skills topics, which may include: effective studying; critical thinking; time management; dissertation and research projects; exams and revision. 

Reflections on language learning will involve small group discussions on learning across courses, followed by individual reflections utilising a variety of tasks and genres. 

Assessment

You will be assessed on a short (500-word) reflective account of language learning.

Learning outcomes

On completion of this course, you will be able to:  

1. Use and reflect on appropriate skills and strategies for language learning and university study. 

2. Reflect on and strengthen their ability to learn both collaboratively and independently. 

3. Communicate reflective language learning through a variety of genres.