LS2YSA: Study Abroad

Module code: LS2YSA

Module provider: English Language and Applied Linguistics; School of Humanities

Credits: 120

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1 / 2

Module convenor: Dr Christiana Themistocleous, email: c.themistocleous@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

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

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: Maxi placement

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 taken by students on the Year Abroad who are placed in an exchange university. This module aims to increase students’ skills and knowledge in the field of English language and applied linguistics by providing students with opportunities to take modules at an overseas host institution. Additionally, by studying and living in another cultural and educational context, students will have the opportunity to improve their intercultural communicative competence and/or start or make progress with learning and using a foreign language in naturalistic environment. 

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Demonstrate ability to practice and apply communicative skills in a foreign language
2. Articulate arguments effectively in speech and writing in relation to the coursework at the host institution
3. Compare and contrast cultural patterns of communication between the home and host culture

Module content

Material covered: intercultural communication, language learning and teaching, different areas of theoretical and applied linguistics, language and communication, language, technology and media, among others. It is expected that students spend the third year in a country where the foreign language is spoken. If English is the mainly spoken language in the country visited, then students are encouraged to take another language module of their choice. If taking language module is not possible, students will draw on their intercultural communication encounters in their assessed work.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

Lectures with seminar-style discussion and guided independent study. There may be other teaching and learning methods in the host institutions. This module adopts experiential and active learning methods by which students engage directly with the subject matter in a university setting using their own observations and interpretations. 

Study hours

This module is a placement or study abroad module and therefore the teaching and learning activities will predominantly, or entirely, take place away from the University of Reading. Your host organisation will normally advise you of the associated hours of your placement or year abroad. If the module includes any in-person activities at the University of Reading, these will be confirmed to you 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

The marks that students achieve at their host university will be brought back with them to the University of Reading. After translation in accordance with the agreed formula, the marks will be applied to this module and, if applicable, used in the calculation of progression and/or the overall classification.

If the Year Abroad is not successfully completed, the student will transfer to the equivalent programme without a Study Abroad Year.

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.

Reassessment

Additional costs