IL1AFSN-Academic Skills and Language for Food Science

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

Module Convenor: Mr James Wylie
Email: j.wylie@reading.ac.uk

Module Co-convenor: Ms Sarah Mattin
Email: s.mattin@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This non-credit-bearing module is delivered at the University of Reading for students who are beginning to study degrees delivered by the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences at undergraduate level. It is primarily for international students whose first language is not English. The module recognises the need to continue language development, develop academic skills and enhance familiarity with common types of assessment task in the UK university Food Science context to which they are transitioning. 

Aims:

This module  aims to develop the students' familiarity with, and linguistic ability to perform effectively, a range of relevant academic tasks in the UK university Food Science context. This developmental enhancement has been designed to be transferrable to other modules, both concurrent and future, and thus help facilitate the students' assessment task and overall performance in their undergraduate Food Science degree courses at the University of Reading. It aims to enhance students' academic English self-confidence.

On completing this module, students should be better able to:

• Write a laboratory report


• Apply paraphrasing and Harvard referencing academic conventions


• Describe data presented in a table or chart


• Produce a presentation with impact


• Distinguish between informative and persuasive presentations


• Appraise their current presenting performance


• Write a Food Science exam answer and essay


• Explain the meaning of Food Science terms


• Describe and explain a Food Science process


• Distinguish between common Food Science essay command words


• Critically evaluate information, objects and concepts


• Recognise how noun phrases can be combined in academic writing

Assessable learning outcomes:

N/A

Additional outcomes:

On completing this module, students should also be better able to:

• Use a broader range of academic and subject-specific language more fluently and accurately


• Plan assignments


• Use Blackboard and Turnitin


• Carry out classroom tasks with peers


• Carry out interaction with university staff


• Appraise their ongoing language needs and take appropriate developmental action

Outline content:

The content of this module is divided into three strands of learning:

Strand 1: Laboratory reports

Strand 2: Presentations

Strand 3: Exam, essay and assignment writing

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 adopt an overall ‘genre’ approach, taking the social purpose of texts as the starting point to explicate organisation/structure and key discourse and language features.

It takes a discipline-specific approach to language and literacy development using example student texts and published Food and Nutritional Sciences-specific sources in classroom tasks. 

Teaching and learning is facilitated in a generally task-based appro ach, through a combination of reflective and productive activities, guided analysis of laboratory report and Food Science journal extracts and sample texts, and peer and tutor feedback. The guided analysis of texts involves 'noticing' of key organisational and linguistic features in context, and productive activities are appropriately scaffolded. Interactive communicative tasks are regularly included, both longer presentation tasks and shorter interview and discussion tasks.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Seminars	16
Guided independent study:	0	0	0
Total hours by term	16	0	0
Total hours for module	16

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method

Percentage

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:

Reassessment arrangements:

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books: 

2) Specialist equipment or materials: 

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: 

4) Printing and binding: 

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification: 

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence: 

Last updated: 30 March 2023