IF0NU1: English for Academic Purposes 1

Module code: IF0NU1

Module provider: International Study and Language Institute

Credits: 60

Level: Foundation Level

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Professor Liz Wilding, email: e.a.wilding@reading.ac.uk

NUIST module lead: Ting Ouyang, email: 78364922@qq.com

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: No

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module is an introduction to English for Academic Purposes, providing students with the basic academic language, skills, and strategies needed for university study. 

Module learning outcomes

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

1. demonstrate understanding of modified academic texts within a limited amount of time  
2. demonstrate understanding of spoken monologues and dialogues, delivered at a modified pace   
3. interact orally with others in the exchange of information and the development of ideas and opinions  
4. briefly present information, ideas and opinions orally, in a coherent and clear manner  
5. respond in writing to a given question in a relevant, coherent and communicative manner 

Module content

The module will focus on development of the following English for Academic Purposes skills and strategies: 

• Reading: including survey reading, close reading, selecting information, summarising, monitoring comprehension 
• Listening: including identifying main and supporting points, note-taking, decoding connected speech, monitoring comprehension 
• Speaking: including oral presentations, group discussions, oral fluency, communicative strategies 
• Writing: including paragraphing, appropriate structure, cohesive devices, proof-reading 
• Language knowledge, including vocabulary, with a focus on the most frequent words in general academic English; grammatical structures; functional language, particularly those relevant to general academic English; pronunciation 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

This module will employ a communicative approach to language and skills development. Students will be actively engaged, working together in pairs and groups. Students will be expected to work independently outside class, individually and in groups, both to complete assignments and further develop their own language. 

Study hours

At least 192 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

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

Assessments with numerical marks

• 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 three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/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.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

• Midterm test
• Reflective journal
• Reading and listening records

Reassessment

Additional costs