Introductory description

In this module there is a focus on understanding lectures and taking effective notes, listening to ‘live’, natural English, and listening supportively to others in small-group discussions. Within the speaking element, students engage in small group discussions, work on aspects of pronunciation (including individual problems) and presentation skills. The speaking element is taught in conjunction with listening as these skills often overlap; for example, knowledge of pronunciation is also an important tool for effective listening.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Unit 1

• Listening to lectures: guided note-taking and pre-and post-listening discussion
• Listening to lectures: predicting and listening for numbers and statistics
• Discussion/seminar skills: taking part in small group discussions
• Discussion/seminar skills: language for giving opinions/agreeing/disagreeing
• Pronunciation: Individual sounds
• Fostering learner autonomy: considering the notion of a good language learner

Unit 2

• Listening to lectures: note-taking techniques (linear notes cf. spider diagrams, symbols and abbreviations)
• Listening to lectures: peer-reviewing lecture notes
• Discussion/seminar skills: language for interrupting
• Fostering learner autonomy: identifying different learning styles and differences in teaching/learning across cultures.

Unit 3

• Listening to lectures: identifying signpost markers
• Listening to lectures: listening and summarising /reproducing main ideas (e.g. producing an oral summary from a set of lecture notes)
• Listening to lectures: pre-and post-listening discussion
• Fostering learner autonomy: how to research an article for use in a seminar; summarising research for an audience
• Discussion/seminar skills: taking part in a seminar; language for asking and answering questions; clarifying
• Discussion/seminar skills: using signposting language
• Pronunciation: sentence stress and intonation

Unit 4

• Listening to lectures: expressing views on the content of a lecture
• Discussion/seminar skills: ‘active listening’ and responding thoughtfully to what has been said/reflective listening
• Fostering learner autonomy: useful internet sources for self-study; developing an awareness of credible/non-credible sources
• Pronunciation: natural connected speech (e.g. weak forms and liaisons)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Communicate using comprehensible and appropriate pronunciation, intonation and stress patterns.
• Understand live, ‘natural’ spoken English e.g. lectures and be able to summarise the key points.
• Actively participate in small group discussions using coping strategies for interaction where necessary.
• Deliver a clearly structured presentation.

Subject specific skills

• Using ideas from lectures and other listening sources in producing academic writing
• Language: accuracy, fluency, aspects of pronunciation, appropriacy and intelligibility
• Participating in seminar discussions (e.g. using appropriate language, responding to others, functional language, preparing for a seminar)

Transferable skills

• Note-taking
• Time-management
• Academic