Aims and Fit of Module

To extend students’ general and discipline-specific English language and study skills, with an emphasis on critical thinking and independent learning, in order to allow them to function more effectively in other university modules, as well as in their overall academic career, and to raise their language skills to CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) B2+ level.

Learning outcomes

A. Employ diverse listening and note-taking strategies to effectively enable general, detailed and critical understanding of discipline specific and general academic spoken texts.

B. Employ diverse reading and note-taking strategies to effectively enable general, detailed and critical understanding of discipline specific readings and general academic texts.

C. Demonstrate a range of speaking skills to describe, explain, summarize and critically analyze topics relevant to their field of study with a high degree of fluency and an appropriate academic style (when required) and lexical register.

D. Employ a range of writing skills to describe, explain, summarize and critically analyze topics relevant to their field of study with an appropriate academic style and lexical register.

E. Demonstrate competence in academic skills and activities, including research skills and/or academic integrity requirements.

Method of teaching and learning

Following the practice of University of Liverpool’s English Language Centre, materials, instructional design and assessments will be framed according to the Academic Literacies approach. This means foregoing a one-size fits all study skills perspective on EAP in recognition of the fact that departments have their own set of academic literacy practices, in reading and writing particularly, that students need help understanding. To that end, materials
and assessments will be developed in consultation/collaboration with department academic staff. Smaller class groupings will allow for increased and sustained formative feedback which is both responsive and supportive of students’ needs.
 


Students will have four hours of classroom contact time (seminars) and seven hours of self-study per week. The seminars will be conducted using various EAP teaching approaches and methodologies that encourage students to discover meaning and knowledge independently and by working with peers. Students will also be given guidance on, and opportunities to practice the various skills mentioned in the learning outcomes. The self-study activities will be extensions and/or consolidation of work carried out in the seminars. 


Speaking coursework assessments normally take place during normal teaching weeks.