Description

English Language and Communication Skills

Description - summary of the module content

Module description

Our module is designed to support your studies on the Management and Finance modules on the Graduate Diploma as well as your studies on future Master’s programmes. You will improve your ability to use English for the academic study of management and finance. A variety of assessment methods are used and these prepare you for assessment methods commonly used in higher education in the UK.

This module is suitable for students with a minimum overall ability in English as a foreign language equivalent to British council IELTS 5.5, with a minimum of 5.5 in the discrete skills (reading, writing, speaking, and listening).

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module will provide you with essential skills for undertaking the academic study of business management and finance through the medium of English within the context of higher education. You will develop your reading, writing, speaking and listening skills relevant to the fields of business management and finance. You will also increase your knowledge of English grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation appropriate for academic study.

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 the main language structures with ease and fluency
• 2. Demonstrate productive and receptive use of the core of general academic vocabulary and an active vocabulary in your specific subject
• 3. Demonstrate understanding of a wide range of demanding, longer texts (oral and / or written) and recognise implicit meaning in your field of specialisation
• 4. Produce clear, well-structured, oral and / or written text on complex subjects, showing reasonably controlled use of organisational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices
• 5. Express yourself with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers possible without strain for either party

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Communicate orally and in writing to follow a course of academic study at university level

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. Collect appropriate data and information
• 8. Develop and practise relevant academic skills (e.g. presentations/taking part in seminars) using online platforms

Syllabus plan

Syllabus plan

Written Language Skills

• Writing processes (e.g. generating ideas; planning and organisation; revision skills etc.)
• Language of academic texts (grammar and sentence structure, academic style and vocabulary); different genres of writing (e.g. description, argument, academic reports) and reading (eg journal articles, research articles, online material)
• Use of source references in academic writing, including correct use of in-text referencing; compiling lists of references according to the APA conventions.
• Reading comprehension skills and strategies
• Developing linguistic awareness: text structure & purpose
• Critical reading
• Academic study skills (including notetaking; use of paraphrase, summary, quotation; synthesising sources)
• Research skills. Finding suitable sources and evaluating them for their relevance and academic credibility.

Listening and Speaking Skills:

• Listening to a variety of text types and developing effective note-taking
• Developing skills to orally summarise content, evaluate and critically respond
• Using the above skills to take part effectively in a seminar.
• Developing skills to research a topic and present material effectively with clarity and coherence.

Learning and teaching

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Assessment

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Re-assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral– if you miss an assessment for reasons judged legitimate by the Mitigation Committee, the applicable assessment will normally be deferred. See ‘Details of reassessment’ for the form that assessment usually takes. When deferral occurs there is ordinarily no change to the overall weighting of that assessment.

Referral– if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to take a re-sit exam and re-submission. Only your performance in this exam will count towards your final module grade. A grade of 40% will be awarded if the examination is passed.

Resources

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

Dictionary e.g.:

·        Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English. (New Ed.). Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd.

Grammar practice book such as:

·        Paterson, K. (2013). Oxford Grammar for EAP. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Web based and electronic resources: ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/

Module has an active ELE page

Key words search

English language, study skills, academic skills; pre-masters programme