1. Academic Writing Skills

2. Aims / outcomes Aim of Session: To introduce the academic writing skills unit Outcomes. At the end of the lesson you should be able to: Discuss any concerns re: academic reading Describe the differences between leisure and academic reading Describe a range of books and identify style of books - swiftly

3. Content… Academic reading Essays and essay planning Note taking Evidence for unit – English assignment 1F Studying this unit – until half term (following this individual support will be available)

4. Reading to learn… …developing the skill of academic reading

5. "I have always been the sort of person who enjoys reading. When I have nothing else to do, I read. Charlie Brown

6. Over to you… What was the last thing you read? Try to identify one thing that you read by choice…and one thing that you may have been asked to read as part of your course What was good about it? Anything challenging / negative?

7. Book buying is soaring, so why aren’t we reading? THE INDEPENDENT 25-7-02 Are book sales growing? How many of us never read books? How many minutes daily do we read for ? Non-fiction Newspapers/magazines Fiction Total

8. Book buying is soaring, so why aren’t we reading? THE INDEPENDENT 25-7-02 Are book sales growing? YES How many of us never read books? 40% How many minutes daily do we read for ? Non-fiction 8 Newspapers/magazines 22 Fiction 11 Total 41

9. Speed & Academic Reading Primary school Secondary school CollegePost- graduate Adult 200 250 325 400 200 Does our average WPM change throughout the life- cycle? (Buzan, 2003)

10. Learning Style & Academic Reading Do auditory and visual learners have different reading preferences? (Dunn & Dunn, 1986) Visual learners prefer pre-class readings Auditory learners prefer post-class readings

11. What do I look for in a textbook? An accessible, clear written style - not too familiar, not too stuffy A balance of detail and comprehensibility Contemporary, global examples Clear layout, using pictures intelligently Things to make and do? A thorough index

12. How do leisure reading and academic reading differ?

13. By choiceBy direction May be discussedWill be discussed At your own paceTo a deadline Usually enjoyableSometimes enjoyable More passiveMore active LinearFragmented Chairs, beds, beachesDesks, libraries OnceMore than once

14. “I took a speed reading course and read War and Peace in twenty minutes. It involves Russia”. - Woody Allen (1935- )

15. Book review In pairs – select a book and write notes on the following: What kind of book is it? What's the layout and presentation like? Is it comprehensive? What's the level of detail and difficulty like? What's the written style like? How did you navigate your way around the book?

16. Academic Writing

17. Starting with you… Interview the person next to you about their experiences of academic writing What types of academic writing have they done before? What was the last thing they wrote? What did they enjoy about it? What did they find difficult? What type of feedback have they received?