Foregrounding the productive skills, "English: Speaking and Writing" is a suite of three courses that enables learners from different academic backgrounds to gain accuracy, range, confidence and fluency in written and spoken English, primarily for study purposes.
Drawing on a broad spectrum of authentic source material, both academic and general, "Speaking and Writing I" aims to engage your interest in a variety of contexts which will allow you to hone your productive skills. During the course you will work in pairs and groups, discussing source material, analysing and practising language, thereby enabling you to produce a succession of short texts. Language functions addressed include among others: expressing opinions; using formal and informal language; exploring cause and effect relationships; narrating events; defining terms; outlining a process; comparing and contrasting; making a presentation.
The course gives you the opportunity to:
- compose a series of essays and other task-focussed written assignments which allow you to bring general, as well as your own research perspectives into play;
- participate in pair and group discussions which encourage you to reflect on your own and others' research experience;
- practise your pronunciation;
- improve your language control;
- exercise range in your grammatical and lexical choices;
- develop aspects of coherence and cohesion: punctuation, paragraphing and linking;
- prepare and give a short presentation to your peers.
Special attention is paid to the accuracy of structures and the development of vocabulary.
Prospective participants are advised to contact the Language Center for consultation about suitable intensive courses during the semester break that will prepare them for this course. Participants needing more grammar training can also attend the course Essentials in English during the semester.