Course content

This module aims to enable students to communicate effectively in a range of academic situations. This is assessed through a formal interview and a presentation, in the Exit Test at the end of each term.

Key speaking skills covered in the module include:

• describing experiences
• expressing opinions
• developing an argument
• paraphrasing and reformulating
• conversation
• giving presentations
• taking part in informal discussions
• taking part in formal discussion and meetings
• taking part in interviews.

This module aims to provide students with the written skills they need to operate effectively in an academic environment, and forms part of the Exit Test at the end of each term.

Key writing skills covered in the module include:

• planning and writing essays on complex issues
• developing coherence and cohesion
• developing sentence structures
• developing arguments with ideas and evidence
• writing reports describing data and processes
• writing formal correspondence
• referencing in an academic piece of work.

This module aims to provide students with the listening skills they need to function efficiently in an academic environment, and forms part of the Exit Test at the end of each term.

Key listening skills covered in the module are:

• comprehension of extended speech on simple, complex and abstract topics
• understanding conversations, including discussions and debates
• listening to recorded materials from the media, including academic lectures and talks
• listening and taking notes
• listening and paraphrasing
• listening and writing summaries.

This module aims to provide students with the reading skills they need to function efficiently in an academic environment, and forms part of the Exit Test at the end of each term.

Key reading skills covered in the module are:

• understanding long, complex and abstract texts
• reading for information and argument
• reading longer texts for gist
• reading longer texts and locating specific information
• reading and taking notes
• reading and paraphrasing
• reading and writing summaries
• understanding formal correspondence.

This module aims to equip students with the English skills they need to communicate fluently and accurately in spoken English and to understand spoken English in a wide variety of contexts, and forms part of the Exit Test at the end of each term.

Students will also be able to understand and produce a range of written texts.

The key elements of the English Usage module are:

• developing oral fluency in a range of everyday situations
• developing grammatical range, flexibility and accuracy
• developing lexical range, flexibility and accuracy
• developing a wide range of pronunciation features
• developing listening skills for short and extended speech in a range of everyday situations
• using appropriate register, style and genre to produce long and short written texts.

This module aims to develop the independent study skills that students need to succeed in a UK academic environment and to help them become familiar with UK education and UK culture. This module is available September to April.

The key elements of the English Usage module are:

• producing a portfolio of study skills tasks
• producing a group project based on research
• planning and writing the different sections of a research project
• lectures on UK culture
• writing effective CVs and personal statements.