Grammar and Conversation for International Students / English A TaiK & University of Helsinki Spring 2010

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre2 Contact details Course Instructor: Fergal Bradley tel WIKI link:

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre3 Course Aims To develop skills in Speaking Listening Reading Writing both generally and in academic situations To gain confidence to communicate in academic and professional life To take responsibility for learning, through active participation and self-evaluation

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre4 Completing the Course This course is worth 3 credits. To earn them you must: Attend: 80% is required Complete the Course Tasks Participate Actively

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre5 Course Tasks Discussion Leading Essay Summary Language Learning Diary (including Website Review) Feedback Form

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre6 Discussion Leading Deadline : Discussion leader – before the discussion : Choose a topic that you find interesting and important. It can be academic or general. Remember: It should be a topic that everyone can talk about. Make a list of questions or points we could discuss during your discussion leading Make a vocabulary list of the important/useful/new/difficult words/expressions

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre7 Discussion Leading... Continued Attach the list to our WIKI at …….. in your own page (mark it clearly!) Idea! When putting together your list, visit to see if you have included any of the words frequently used in academic texts. These words are, by the way, among the words you could aim at using in your summaries. In addition, they are words one should be familiar with

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre8 Discussion Leading... Continued Discussion leader – during the discussion : tell us briefly and informally about the topic give us some background to the issue You can use visuals if you want (transparencies, pictures, graphs, powerpoint, etc.) N.B. Make sure to tell Fergal if you need any special equipment 5-10 mins...

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre9 Discussion Leading... Continued activate the rest of us For example:  ask people’s opinions about the topic  divide the group into those who are against the idea and those who are in favour  ask people to tell more about the topic tell about the words you have collected (Why them? In what way are they a challenge? Etc.) summarise the discussion at the end

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre10 Discussion Leading... Continued Rest of the Group – before the discussion : Read each outline on our WIKI before each discussion. Think about what you would like to say / ask during the discussion.

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre11 Discussion Leading... Continued Rest of the Group – during the discussion : Be active! Get involved! Ask questions! Give your opinions! Agree or disagree! Interrupt (politely)! Speak!

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre12 Essay Deadline : Write a short essay of around 300 words Topic related to your studies or a topic of general academic interest. Make a first draft of the essay Revise it based on the comments given to you. Share your writing (via the WIKI) with your peers. Formal, Academic style.

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre13 Summary Deadline : Write a summary of between 150 and 200 words Base it on a text of from your field of study. Use the guidelines given on the WIKI Revise your summaries based on the comments given to you. Share your writing (via the WIKI) with your peers Formal, Academic style.

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre14 Language Learning Diary Deadline : Around 37 hours of independent work Any task preparation / homework time can be counted in this Also: Keep a record of your work in a language learning diary Write a review of a website linked to the WIKI

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre15 Language Learning Diary... Continued Your diary might look like this: ActivityTime SpentComment Reading an article for my course called: “The Something of Something” 1.5 hrsNew vocabulary was difficult, but I tried to read without using a dictionary until the end of each section. New words & phrases: To adapt to new surroundings To make a hypothesis It tends to do something

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre16 Website Review Choose a site linked to the WIKI Write a review of the site (½ -1 page) Describe the site Outline positive and negative aspects Give your own opinion and experience Use formal, academic language in your review. Your opinions will have no effect on your success on the course.

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre17 Feedback form Fill out the feedback form at the end of the course!

5/9/2015Kielikeskus Språkcentrum The Language Centre18...and finally! I hope you enjoy this course and find it useful!