Aims and Fit of Module

This module is compulsory for MA TESOL students admitted on the condition of attending the Presessional English course.  After completing the Presessional, they must register for and pass both LAN 903 and LAN 904. Programme Directors may also designate this course as compulsory for students on their programme. It is optional for other MA TESOL students. 


The main aims of the module are:    


a)	To improve students’ understanding of and ability to use discipline-specific academic conventions in speaking, reading and writing in preparation for writing and presenting their dissertation proposal.   


b)	To provide students with discipline-specific readings for practice in critical reading and research design.  

Learning outcomes

A. Understand the genre of a dissertation proposal and presentation

B. Critically evaluate evidence and conclusions in general academic texts

C. Critically evaluate evidence and conclusions in discipline-related texts”

D. Write an annotated bibliography

E. Understand and use discipline-specific referencing systems

F. Design research questions

G. Deliver a presentation relevant to their field of study

Method of teaching and learning

This module will be offered in Semester 2 of the Academic Year.


The teaching sessions are 2 2-hour seminars each week for 12 weeks. As an hours-based module students may miss no more than 4 seminars in order to be permitted to submit their summative assessment portfolio. 


Students will receive 52 hours of guided self-study to reinforce the instruction. This will include completion of quizzes and tasks on ICE, and using the process-writing approach of re-drafting and editing to prepare the portfolio assessment.


Throughout this module, the tutors will use a variety of communicative language teaching/learning strategies to reach all types of learners.