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Unit information: Text Response in 2020/21

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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. Katherine High
Open unit status Not open
Pre-requisites

IELTS: min. 5.5 overall; min 5.0 in writing and 4.5 in other components or equivalent

Co-requisites

Academic Writing (LANG00006)

School/department Centre for Academic Language and Development
Faculty Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

Text Response is a 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.

Intended Learning Outcomes

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.

Teaching Information

Students will attend 5 hours of study per week. Learning is facilitated in small group sessions. Individual and group-based work is integrated as appropriate. In addition to a range of authentic texts, use will be made of appropriate e-learning technologies for self-study and self-assessment as well as work in class.

Assessment Information

Formative assessment:

  • Portfolio consisting of a collection of classroom work and reflection on which students will receive peer and tutor-led feedback

*Individual Presentation (8-10 minutes). Peer and tutor-led feedback
*Small group poster presentation (12-15 minutes). Peer and tutor-led feedback.


Summative assessment:

  • Comparative Critical Response (1,500 words) (40%) ILO 1, 2, 3, 4

*Oral claim of development (15mins) (60%) based on evidence from a developmental portfolio. ILOs  1, 2, 3, 5


Reading and References

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).

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