This blended learning module is the presessional Academic Reading & Writing programme for higher-level students, and is intended for students with IELTS entry level 6.0-7.0, depending on the requirement specified in their conditional offer letter. It is specifically aimed at developing the critical thinking, study and research skills needed for the transition to the destination degree at a UK university, including time management, group working skills, research planning and use of the VLE. Students will be placed in different strands - STEM, Arts & Humanities, Finance, or Business Management - depending on their destination degree. Compared to Academic Orientation 3 & 4, a greater emphasis is placed on discipline-related academic language use and project work. The module consists of 6 hours lessons per week is built around a range of off-line and on-line individual tasks and group activities. Each session will comprise of teaching input and activities in which students will be required to work both individually and collaboratively. Materials and tasks will be specific to the different strands and graded to the different needs of the group. Students will engage in research projects in small, discipline-related teams, agreeing group objectives and tasks, allocate roles, and use and evaluate strategies to meet their objectives and responsibilities. Students will reflect on, review and extend their learning by completing online and other tasks, and self-assess their progress on a weekly basis.
The content of this module equals that of ESAP 5 D, but the higher-level students complete the tasks with less support and at a faster pace.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Be able to design, plan, and complete individual and group tasks independently and evaluate their success
Analyse individual learning needs and effectively apply appropriate learning strategies
Be able to initiate, give and respond effectively to (peer-) feedback on individual and group tasks
Formulate own opinion based on critical evaluation of broad range of evidence.
Use the VLE effectively, flexibly and creatively for study.
Work productively in multi-cultural, discipline-related teams
Employ a range of research skills to formulate, complete and present a subject specific project culminating in an academic poster
Using the genres, referencing conventions, lexis, and rhetorical functions of own discipline
Apply main conventions regarding the delivery of academic oral presentations in an academic context