Language Learning Unit  
 
 
ENL-90007 Oral Communication Skills for Academic Study  
Co-ordinator: Ms Robin Bell    Room: CBB0.031, Tel:33049  
Teaching Team: Mrs Linda  Freeman, Miss Emma  Stevens, Ms Ella  Tennant, Mr Andrew  Gater  
Lecture Time: See Timetable...  
Level: 1, 2 or 3 Credits: 15 Study Hours: 150  
School Office: Tel: 01782 733960
 
 
 
Programme/Approved Electives for
None
Available as a Free Standing Elective
Yes
Barred Combinations
ENL-00008

Prerequisites
ONLY open to NON-NATIVE SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH currently enrolled on EAP1 (English for Academic Purposes 1) and EAP2 (English for Academic Purposes 2) or by recommendation of the English Language Unit.

Description

This highly practical module will help non-native English speaking students develop their ability to speak clearer, more comprehensible and more 'natural-sounding' English, engage confidently with others in conversation and discussion and understand and extract information from a variety of spoken sources for a range of purposes. Students will work on developing techniques for efficient and effective note-taking from listening sources, including lectures. Listening materials presented in class and made available to students through the KLE will also help students get to grips with English spoken with a variety of UK regional and international accents. Ample opportunities will be provided in class for students to practice and develop confidence in speaking in a variety of situations, both prepared and impromptu, for everyday and academic purposes. Small class size and individualised pronunciation targets ensure maximum attention to the particular needs of each student. Please not that this module is generally open only to students already enrolled on either English for Academic Purposes 1 (EAP1) or English for Academic Purposes 2 (EAP2).
Aims
The module aims to provide students with the key speaking, listening and discussion skills necessary to a range of oral communication activities, building up to those to be encountered in the course of their academic study. Particular emphasis will be placed on enhancing students' pronunciation, intonation and fluency in order to develop clearer and more 'natural-sounding' English-- and for this reason individual pronunciation targets will be set at the start of the module-- and on developing listening strategies to increase ability to understand and extract key information from spoken sources in a variety of situations. Techniques for taking notes from spoken sources, including lectures, will be introduced and practiced and ample opportunities will be provided for conversation and discussion practice, both for everyday and academic purposes.
Intended Learning Outcomes
Express themselves in speaking in a variety of situations in more 'natural-sounding' English with improved pronunciation, clarity, intonation, fluency and confidence will be achieved by assessments: 2, 3, 4
Engage comprehensibly and meaningfully in conversation and discussion, both of a general and academic nature will be achieved by assessments: 2, 3, 4
Recognise and be able to use key language structures and vocabulary items accurately and appropriately in their own speaking will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
Better understand English spoken at 'natural' speed by speakers with a variety of UK and international accents will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2, 5, 6
Extract key and supporting information from increasingly complex and lengthy listening texts, including academic texts will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2, 5, 6
Take useful notes from increasingly complex and lengthy listening texts, including academic texts will be achieved by assessments: 1, 2, 5, 6
Study hours
40 hours of classroom time
60 hours of class preparation and coursework
50 hours of additional study, including on-line listening and individual pronunciation practice
Description of Module Assessment
01: Exercise weighted 10%
Listening and note-taking tasks
2 in-class tasks in Semester 1 focusing on listening comprehension and note-taking from aural sources.
02: Practical Assessment weighted 20%
Partcipation in class speaking activities
Ongoing assessment of engagement with and participation in class speaking activities, including pronunciation and fluency practice, role plays, conversation practice and discussion and debate activities.
03: Oral Test (must pass this element)
Mid-year speaking assessment
Formative assessment at the end of semester 1 to note progress against individual targets in pronunciation, intonation and fluency. A mark will be available for entry on the SAS.
04: Oral Test weighted 30%
Final speaking assessment
Speaking test to assess progress against individual targets in pronunciation, intonation and fluency.
05: Class Test weighted 20%
Final test
One-hour in-class final test of listening comprehension and note-taking skills developed over the course of the module.
06: Exercise weighted 20%
Listening and note-taking tasks
2 in-class tasks in Semester 2 focusing on listening comprehension and note-taking from aural sources, including segments of academic lectures.
Version: (1.06B) Updated: 03/Mar/2013

This document is the definitive current source of information about this module and supersedes any other information.