°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±¼Ç¼
IL1APPN: Academic Skills and Language for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics
Module code: IL1APPN
Module provider: International Study and Language Institute
Credits: 0
Level: Level 1 (Certificate)
When you'll be taught: Semester 1
Module convenor: Mr James Wylie, email: j.wylie@reading.ac.uk
Module co-convenor: Mr Daniel Devane, email: d.devane@reading.ac.uk
Pre-requisite module(s):
Co-requisite module(s):
Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):
Module(s) excluded:
Placement information: NA
Academic year: 2024/5
Available to visiting students: No
Talis reading list: No
Last updated: 23 May 2024
Overview
Module aims and purpose
This non-credit-bearing module is delivered at the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±¼Ç¼ for students who are studying degrees delivered by the School of Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (SPPE) at undergraduate level. It is primarily designed for international students, including students new to studying in the UK and students whose first language is not English, and aims to support their transition to the UK HE context and academic culture by enhancing their academic skills and English self-confidence. The module recognises the need to focus primarily on the essay genre. This developmental enhancement has been designed to be transferrable to other modules, both concurrent and future, and thus help facilitate the students' assessment task and overall performance in their undergraduate SPPE studies at the °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±¼Ç¼.
Module learning outcomes
By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:
- Apply knowledge of essay and presentation genres in undergraduate Philosophy, Politics, and Economics to interpret assignment tasks and employ appropriate organisational patterns in their completion.
- Demonstrate an understanding of academic integrity through appropriate use of referencing conventions, including the paraphrase and summary of source material.
- Employ task-appropriate language (grammar and lexis) in written and spoken texts.
- Demonstrate criticality by using a variety of task-appropriate techniques to incorporate and comment on the views of others in their essays and presentations.
Module content
The content of this module is divided into two strands of learning:Â
Strand 1: EssaysÂ
- Recognising common essay command words
- Applying appropriate use of voice, including techniques for guiding and involving the reader
- Relating source synthesis to essay writing
- Relating argument to essay structure
- Writing a thesis statement
- Appling critical evaluation to a critique
Strand 2: PresentationsÂ
- Producing a persuasive presentation
- Distinguishing between spoken presentation and written language
- Breaking down a presentation into comprehensible chunks
Both strands will focus on consolidating and enhancing students’ use of language for academic communication and developing self-confidence in academic communication.
Structure
Teaching and learning methods
The module will adopt an overall ‘genre’ approach, taking the social purpose of texts as the starting point to explicate organisation/structure and key discourse and language features.Â
It takes a discipline-specific approach to language and literacy development using example student texts and published SPPE-specific sources in classroom tasks. Â
Teaching and learning is facilitated in a generally task-based approach through a combination of reflective and productive activities, guided analysis of extracts of example student essays and published texts, and peer and tutor feedback. The guided analysis of texts involves 'noticing' of key organisational and linguistic features in context, and productive activities are appropriately scaffolded.
Interactive communicative tasks are regularly included, both longer presentation tasks and shorter reflective and discussion tasks. Two of the sessions will be delivered in workshop style allowing students to tailor the sessions to individual needs. The in-person delivery of the module will be supported by digital tools in the classroom where appropriate (e.g., short interactive learning tasks and/or quizzes).
Study hours
At least 16 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.
 Scheduled teaching and learning activities |  Semester 1 |  Semester 2 | Ìý³§³Ü³¾³¾±ð°ù |
---|---|---|---|
Lectures | |||
Seminars | 16 | ||
Tutorials | |||
Project Supervision | |||
Demonstrations | |||
Practical classes and workshops | |||
Supervised time in studio / workshop | |||
Scheduled revision sessions | |||
Feedback meetings with staff | |||
Fieldwork | |||
External visits | |||
Work-based learning | |||
 Self-scheduled teaching and learning activities |  Semester 1 |  Semester 2 | Ìý³§³Ü³¾³¾±ð°ù |
---|---|---|---|
Directed viewing of video materials/screencasts | |||
Participation in discussion boards/other discussions | |||
Feedback meetings with staff | |||
Other | |||
Other (details) | |||
 Placement and study abroad |  Semester 1 |  Semester 2 | Ìý³§³Ü³¾³¾±ð°ù |
---|---|---|---|
Placement | |||
Study abroad | |||
 Independent study hours |  Semester 1 |  Semester 2 | Ìý³§³Ü³¾³¾±ð°ù |
---|---|---|---|
Independent study hours |
Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.
Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.
Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.
Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.
Assessment
Requirements for a pass
This module is not assessed.
Summative assessment
Type of assessment | Detail of assessment | % contribution towards module mark | Size of assessment | Submission date | Additional information |
---|
Penalties for late submission of summative assessment
This module is not assessed.
Formative assessment
Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.
Sessions will take a task-based approach, enabling students to receive feedback from the instructor and from other students during class discussions.
Reassessment
Type of reassessment | Detail of reassessment | % contribution towards module mark | Size of reassessment | Submission date | Additional information |
---|
Additional costs
Item | Additional information | Cost |
---|---|---|
Computers and devices with a particular specification | ||
Required textbooks | ||
Specialist equipment or materials | ||
Specialist clothing, footwear, or headgear | ||
Printing and binding | ||
Travel, accommodation, and subsistence |
THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS MODULE DESCRIPTION DOES NOT FORM ANY PART OF A STUDENT'S CONTRACT.