IL1PAPGUN-Academic Practices and Genres Undergraduate

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

Module Convenor: Mr Daniel Devane
Email: d.devane@reading.ac.uk

Module Co-convenor: Miss Victoria Collins
Email: v.collins@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

Taught in Summer vacation.

As a final - or 'exit' - component of the Pre-sessional English Language Programme (PSE), this module aims to enhance students’ ability to successfully engage with assessed coursework on UK undergraduate degree programmes.

Students will develop understanding of genre expectations and associated academic values, practices and processes, e.g. academic integrity, planning and reading-to-write.  The module will also develop students’ ability to process and apply academic concepts and arguments to analysis of a real-world case or example. Self-awareness and reflection are also integral features of the module.  

Aims:

This module aims to enhance students’ ability to successfully engage with assessed coursework on UK undergraduate degree programmes through awareness of academic values, expectations (including genre awareness) and associated practices and processes e.g. academic integrity, planning and reading-to-write.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

• Identify ideas and arguments from academic sources to critically evaluate a real world example or ‘case’.


• Applying a given criteria for analysing a real world example or ‘case’


• Use genre-appropriate organisational and linguistic features to complete a written academic Case Study


• Drawing on a range of oracy skills, deliver an individual oral presentation reflecting on
  
  
  
  • own academic practices and implications for future learning
  
  
  • an aspect of learning from the module and its implications for and applications to their degree programme study.
  
  
  
  


• Use appropriate listening and mediation skills to discuss information from video interviews with University of Reading academics within an individual oral presentation.


• Ask and respond appropriately to questions about specific points following a presentation


• Attribute sources accurately within texts they produce using appropriate in-text and end-of-text citation methods

Additional outcomes:

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

• Recognise what academic integrity is and the steps to engage with this


• Appreciate disciplinary differences in citation practices


• Exercise autonomy and initiative in time management


• Use a variety of strategies and resources for the purpose of independent language study


• Become a confident user of the university’s VLE [Blackboard], submission and assessment tools e.g. Feedback Studio, and other learning technologies e.g. Office 365


• Reflect on the skills and language needed to continue developing and understand how to use tutor feedback to identify areas for improvement

Outline content:

The module will help students to acquire the skills and knowledge to engage effectively with tasks common to UK postgraduate degree programmes by:

• Raising students' awareness of the range of coursework genres used for assessment on UK university degree programmes, their social/communicative purposes and related structural and linguistic features. 


• Analysing  the purpose, stages and features of  key  genres  throughsamples by proficient speakers/writers.


• Selecting appropriate articles from a reading list


• Producing sections of the tasks with guided supported practice i.e. improving the response through tutor feedback on draft work


• Constructing the final response to the tasks independently [of the tutor] for final assessment.


• Practice of language appropriate for the context of the oral (presentation) and written (a Case Study) genres and topics.

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 take a task-based, contextualised approach which integrates practice and development of receptive (listening, reading) and productive (speaking, writing) academic English communication skills around the students’ intended disciplinary field as well as discussing international student experiences.

The module will adopt an overall ‘genre’ approach, taking the social purpose of texts as the starting point to explicate organisation/structure a nd key language features.

The Systemic Functional Linguistic (SFL) framework, which links language to purpose and genre, will guide the teaching of linguistic and discoursal features of academic communication.

The module consists of practical classes and guided independent study tasks.  

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures			5
Seminars			42
Guided independent study:
Wider reading (directed)			9
Preparation for presentations			9
Preparation for seminars			22
Revision and preparation			18
Reflection			18
Total hours by term	0	0	123
Total hours for module	123

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	50
Oral assessment and presentation	50

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

For students who have not met the English Language requirements for their University degree programme, re-assessment is through The Test of English for Educational Purposes (TEEP).

The case study and individual oral presentation (coursework) are not included in the re-assessment.

Formative assessment methods:

Students will regularly receive formative feedback on language skills tasks completed during the module.

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:

The grades required for successfully completing the Pre sessional English Language course will vary according to the University entry requirement for students’ intended degree programmes.

Reassessment arrangements:

Re-assessment is through the  Test of English for Educational Purposes (TEEP).

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