| Unit name | Text Response |
|---|---|
| Unit code | LANG00010 |
| Credit points | 30 |
| Level of study | QCA-3 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Ms. Taylor |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
IELTS writing component: 5.0 (minimum) or equivalent |
| Co-requisites |
Academic Writing (LANG00006) |
| School/department | Centre for Academic Language and Development |
| Faculty | Faculty of Arts |
Text Response is a mandatory 30-credit unit within the International Foundation Programme, which is designed to prepare international students for undergraduate study in the UK. It is one of a number of complementary units whose overall aims are to improve the language, academic literacy and subject knowledge required to succeed at a British university.
Text Response explores the difference between factual and evaluative responses to different texts. It will help develop critical questioning, reading, listening and speaking skills and strategies, academic vocabulary and summary writing. This unit moves from short factual summaries of data, text and lectures to longer more evaluative and critical reviews culminating in an extended comparative critical review of 1,500 words and academic presentation. As well as helping students use sources in a way that is acceptable to the academic community, it will help students develop interactional and presentational speaking skills. It complements written work done in Academic Writing.
At the end of this unit students will be able to:
1. recognise and recall the meaning of words from the Academic Word List (Coxhead, 2000); 2. use a range of strategies for unpacking meaning of academic texts and lectures; 3. distinguish fact from opinion; 4. write critical reviews including description and evaluation. 5. prepare and deliver effective academic presentations and reflect critically on performance
Learning is facilitated in small group classroom sessions (12-16). Individual and group-based work is integrated as appropriate. In addition to a range of textbooks and authentic texts, use will be made of appropriate e-learning technologies.
This mandatory 30-credit unit involves:
Academic vocabulary test (weighting 10%; ILO 1;2); Academic grammar (for reading) test weighting 10%; ILO 2;3); Comparative Critical Review (1,500 words)weighting 30%; ILO 2; 3; 4); Task based exam (reading & lecture into writing)weighting 40%; ILO 1; 2; 3; 4); Presentation (weighting 10%; ILO 5); Portfolio consisting of a collection of classroom work and reflection (required formative component with individual feedback ILO 1; 2; 3; 4).
Beglar, D. &N. Murray (2009). Contemporary Topics 3 Academic Listening and Notetaking Skill. New York: Pearson Longman.
De Chazal, E. & McCarter, S. (2012) Oxford EAP: A course in English for Academic Purposes (B2). Oxford: OUP
De Chazal, E. & Moore, J. (2013) Oxford EAP: A course in English for Academic Purposes (C1). Oxford: OUP
Fletcher, C. (2013) Skills for Study (2). Cambridge: CUP McNair, A. & Gooch, F. (2013). Skills for Study (3). Cambridge: CUP
Rogers, L. (2011). Reading Skills. Surrey:DELTA.
Authentic materials and targeted materials are exploited and available on Blackboard VLE (interactive tutorials,self-assessment tools and all course documents).
