Description
University of Exeter Pre-sessional Programme
Module title | University of Exeter Pre-sessional Programme |
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Module code | INT0411 |
Academic year | 2018/9 |
Credits | |
Module staff | Andrew Holbrook (Convenor) |
Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
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Duration: Weeks | 5 |
Number students taking module (anticipated) | 400 |
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Description - summary of the module content
Module description
You will take this course if you have been offered an Exeter university degree course and need to build up your skills in academic language and skills before you start. This course is primarily aimed at developing your academic skills and language in relation to the course you have chosen to study at university. The course focuses on all four skills but gives emphasis to writing and reading. You will spend 20hrs per week in class and will also have weekly writing and reading tasks and you will also complete a longer essay (1200 words) during the five weeks. All this will be done with the support and feedback of your teachers.
Module aims - intentions of the module
The module is intended for students entering with a minimum level of English at CEFR level B1+ The module will provide students with essential skills for undertaking academic study through the medium of English. Students will develop their reading, writing, speaking and listening skills within a general academic context of use. The intention is to see progression to a CEFR level B2 or beyond depending on entry point. Although the course mainly focuses on reading and writing skills there is also an emphasis on developing confidence in speaking in small groups about academic topics. We hope that at the end of the course you will have the confidence and skills to approach the course you are going to take in the university.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate an ability to use and understand complex language structures with ease and fluency;
- 2. demonstrate both productive and receptive use of vocabulary appropriate to your discipline
- 3. demonstrate understanding of demanding texts (oral and/ or written), including lectures or journal articles in your field;
- 4. Show refinement in your use of skills and strategies required for reading academic texts in your discipline
- 5. Demonstrate accurate and effective summary, paraphrase and note-taking skills
- 6. Produce clear, well-structured, oral and/ or written text appropriate to your specific discipline
- 7. Show appropriate understanding and use of the genres in which knowledge is communicated within your discipline
- 8. Show confident command of academic conventions in writing eg referencing and genre specific style
- 9. Express yourself with a good degree of fluency and spontaneity, especially within your subject area
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 10. Present a clearly structured, well written and researched, essay
- 11. Synthesise and comment critically on a body of academic writing.
- 12. Access and use critically printed and, electronic learning resources identified as useful by you
- 13. Be able to independently critically analyse and summarise research papers, without guidance
- 14. Demonstrate the level of language necessary to undertake the study of a degree in your discipline degree
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 15. Work co-operatively in study groups of students going to study in your discipline in university
- 16. Use a range of learning and communication resources; including IT and library resources
- 17. Evaluate your own performance in relation to given criteria
- 18. Take responsibility for your own learning and work independently; set realistic targets, manage your time and monitor your own progress
- 19. Communicate effectively in the written and spoken language;
Syllabus plan
Syllabus plan
Written language and Study Skills (within the subject discipline)
- Linguistic knowledge: language of academic texts; key vocabulary in discipline
- Writing process (e.g.: generating ideas; planning and organisation; revision skills etc)
- Text genre, structure & purpose in texts(e.g.: process, hypothesis, comparison & argument);
- Written presentation of research: (the project)
- Comprehension skills and strategies for reading: detailed understanding
- Study Skills for writing: practice in note-taking; paraphrasing and summarising; Use of source references in academic writing; locating and evaluating sources
- Strategies in creating a critical response in productive work
Spoken Language (within the subject discipline)
- Comprehension skills: detailed understanding
- Oral presentation of own research; oral summary of reading
- Discussion skills in a seminar setting
- Language: accuracy, appropriacy, fluency, pronunciation and intelligibility in the spoken language
Learning and teaching
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
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85 | 105 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
Category | Hours of study time | Description |
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reading and analytical skills | 26 | Using texts within the students discipline to create a critical summary of a set text |
reading and writing skills | 36 | Create a long essay on a topic within the students discipline using library resources |
speaking skills | 5 | Weekly seminars to discuss to topics within the students discipline. Task related with preparatory input materials |
listening skills | 18 | Listening to excerpts from lectures; taking notes on specific points and synthesising the main ideas. |
guided independent study | 50 | Using texts chosen by the student and knowledge of syntax and vocabulary to create a long essay of 1200 words |
guided independent study | 10 | Revisiting and listening to lecture excerpts used in class or set for homework and preparing for the summative listening task |
guided independent study | 20 | Using given texts to create selective summaries and a critical response of about 300 words (pw) |
guided independent study | 15 | Following the weekly blended tasks on the programme ELE |
guided independent study | 10 | Preparing input materials for the weekly seminar and materials for the summative spoken presentation |
Assessment
Formative assessment
Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
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sample listening test | 1 hour | 1, 3, 5, 17 | marked paper with oral support |
response papers x 3 | 300 words each | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9,11,13,14,19 | feedback sheet |
seminars x 4 | 30 minute small group discussion | 2, 3,6,9,12,14,15,17,19 | spoken feedback directly after seminar |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
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30 | 60 | 10 |
Details of summative assessment
Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
---|---|---|---|---|
listening tests x 2 | 20 | 1 hour each | 1, 3, 5, 17, | marked papers |
long essay | 30 | 1200 words | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, | tutorials during writing process |
reading exam | 20 | 1.5hr exam | 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 14, | marked paper |
reading into writing exam (response paper) | 20 | 2 hr exam | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14, 19 | marked paper |
presentation | 10 | 10 minute presentation | 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 18, 19, | feedback on marksheet |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment notes
reassessment is not offered for this programme
Resources
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Academic Writing. Stephen Bailey - 978-1138778504
English for Academic Study: extended writing and research skills. John McCormack. 978-1908614308
English for Academic study: Listening. Colin Campbell. 978-1908614339
Oxford academic vocabulary book. Julie Moore. 978-0194000918
Oxford Grammar for EAP. Ken Paterson. 978-0194329996
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3085
Module has an active ELE page
Indicative learning resources - Other resources
a large amount of in-house resources given to students in booklets
Credit value | |
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Module ECTS | 0 |
NQF level (module) | 6 |
Available as distance learning? | No |
Origin date | 16/01/2018 |
Last revision date | 16/01/2018 |