IL1AACN-Academic Skills and Language for Accounting

Module Provider: International Study and Language Institute
Number of credits: 0 [0 ECTS credits]
Level:4
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2023/4

Module Convenor: Ms Jennifer Sizer
Email: j.sizer@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module focuses on the academic language and literacy skills needed to perform more effectively at undergraduate level in Accounting. It is primarily designed for students whose first language is not English. The module closely maps to core Accounting modules to develop students’ academic language, literacy and study skills for successful participation in their degree programmes and completion of assessed coursework tasks.

The module is non-credit-bearing and designed to support students’ disciplinary study, the expectation being that students will apply the skills they have learnt on IL1AACN in their credit-bearing work. Therefore, for the module itself, there is no assessment or expectation of independent study hours.

Aims:

This module aims to support undergraduate Part 1 Accounting students whose first language is not English with their transition to the UK HE context and academic culture. It focuses on the key academic language and skills needed to successfully complete undergraduate coursework assignments and exam tasks. 

By the end of the module, students will be better able to: 

• accurately interpret coursework assignment instructions/briefs


• effectively use task and discipline appropriate reading-to-write skills


• employ task-appropriate language (grammar and lexis)


• critically evaluate their own and others’ writing


• understand the expectations of assignment tasks in Accounting 


• read disciplinary texts employing appropriate reading skills and strategies to critically engage with them


• identify key ideas in lectures and seminars


• communicate fluently and accurately within their discipline by building their subject-specific vocabulary and grammar


• Identify helpful sources of ongoing support and advice.

Assessable learning outcomes:

N/A

Additional outcomes:

N/A

Outline content:

Classes will focus on the following:

• Recognising and responding to the key written assignment genres in Accounting, e.g. the Essay, including:
  
  
  
  • expected structural & argumentation patterns 
  
  
  • reading-to-write and source use and synthesis processes
  
  
  
  


• Grammar for academic communication, including verb tense and form and sentence structure


• Building discipline-specific vocabulary for Accounting


• Reading skills and strategies for dealing with a range of Accounting texts and reading purposes, e.g. strategic reading to identify: 
  
  
  
  • specific sources or concepts (search reading)
  
  
  • individual words or phrases (scanning)
  
  
  
  


• Speaking and oracy skills and strategies for dealing with Accounting presentation tasks, e.g. 
  
  
  
  • organising andsignposting spoken language communication/texts
  
  
  • pronunciation, including sentence stress and intonation
  
  
  • non-verbal communication (e.g. eye contact).
  
  
  
  

Global context:

This module supports internationalisation at Reading by facilitating successful and equal inclusion of students whose first language is not English in UK degree programme study.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

The module will utilise written and spoken texts from Accounting to develop students’ receptive and productive disciplinary language knowledge and reading and listening skills. 

Teaching will be learner-centred, taking a task-based approach to:

• guided ‘noticing’ of key organisational and linguistic features in context


• exercises practicing use of relevant lexical/grammatical items


• scaffolded wri tten-language and spoken-language tasks.

Summative assessment- Examinations:

N/A

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

N/A

Formative assessment methods:

Sessions will take a task-based approach, enabling students to receive on-going feedback from the instructor and from other students during class discussions.

Penalties for late submission:

N/A

Assessment requirements for a pass:

N/A

Reassessment arrangements:

N/A

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

N/A

Last updated: 30 March 2023