BMM4462 - English for Academic Purposes 1

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

1 Communicate appropriately in English both orally and in writing with a sufficient degree of fluency and accuracy both for academic and professional purposes;
2 Demonstrate effective listening, note-taking and writing strategies appropriate to their chosen programme of study;
3 Demonstrate an understanding of grammar and vocabulary appropriate for academic contexts;
4 Consolidate understanding of business and marketing concepts and specialist business vocabulary encountered on semester 1 academic courses;
5 Understand a range of aspects of British life and culture.

Content:

The module has three elements:
1) General and academic language and skills development in reading, writing, speaking and listening;
2) Introduction to British Life and Culture;
3) Business and Marketing specific input to help students with the language and concepts of their business degree programme.

The aim of the module, by combining the above three strands, is to provide the support required to enhance students’ ability to engage more fully with their degree programme.
Topics will include:
• Note-taking and academic listening skills
• Academic reading skills development
• Oral skills for discussions and seminars
• Presentation skills
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Academic writing skills for essays and reports eg understanding assignment titles, planning and structuring, including sources, cohesion, academic style, referencing etc
• Revision and extension of key grammar for academic purposes
• Developing vocabulary in general and business contexts

Learning and Teaching Information:

An appropriate range of materials will be used from a variety of sources including authentic material, eg. from newspapers, websites, the BBC as well as commercially available English language teaching material. Sessions will be taught using communicative methodology, with students encouraged to work together on tasks, whenever possible in pairs or small groups, to maximise opportunities for speaking. A variety of resources for independent use will be recommended and learner independence encouraged through guided self-directed learning tasks, which will be included as part of the final portfolio assessment.

English language taught sessions (workshops and seminars)
Contact hours: 40
Intended Group size: 15

Guided independent study
Hours: 160

Additional Assessment information
Students are required to submit a minimum of 5 short essays or other written assignments set by the tutor as homework on a weekly basis. Students will be given a choice of titles, based on topics studied in class. Students re-write essays based on tutor feedback and corrections and re-submit both originals and improved versions in the final portfolio. These, together with in-class reading, speaking and listening tests and a selection of activities and a log recording self-directed learning tasks, form the portfolio. Students will also be assessed on their contributions to class discussions. An overall pass mark for this module is required for progression to Level 5.

Other relevant information
This module is for all students identified as needing specialist language support. Individual needs will be identified through the admissions process, through intro-week and in-sessional classes. Pre-sessional assessment will also be undertaken where possible.

Assessment: