2020/2021
English for General Academic Purposes. Upper-Intermediate Course - 2
Type:
Optional course
Delivered by:
School of Foreign Languages
When:
3, 4 module
Instructors:
Yulia Andrushkina,
Sonia Durneva,
Natalia Mironenko,
Maria Rodina,
Maria P. Shilankova,
Шапиро Элина Диаматовна
Language:
English
ECTS credits:
5
Contact hours:
88
Course Syllabus
Abstract
The discipline refers to the variable educational tracks offered to students of the curricula for bachelor's and master's degree at choice while mastering the optional course of English in accordance with the Concept of developing English-speaking communicative competence of students of Higher School of Economics — National Research University https://www.hse.ru/docs/381549301.html The program is for the 1st year students. English for Academic Purposes is designed to develop foreign-language communicative and integrated and critical thinking skills that is based on "Regulations FOR Interim and Ongoing Assessments of Students at National Research University Higher School of Economics and "Concept of development of English-language communicative competence HSE students". Every student has slightly different needs, depending on their chosen discipline, cultural background and other factors. However, there are main skills, tasks, and academic language that are common to most disciplines and are relevant to the needs of most students preparing to study English at university level. The course is focused on core tasks relevant to all students, such as working out the main points of an academic text or lecture (such perspectives as consumption, crime, energy, progress). There are no blocking controls.
Learning Objectives
- to improve student’s ability to read and understand journal articles, texts, lectures from different perspectives
- to increase student’s comprehension of spoken English
- to strengthen student’s speaking and writing skills in a range of different disciplines
- to systematically and progressively develop students’ academic skills, language, and critical thinking
- to learn topic-based vocabulary
- to develop the students’ general capacity to a level that enables them to use English in their professional and academic environment granted that they are provided
Expected Learning Outcomes
- To develop skills of using basic listening techniques (predicting, understanding main ideas and details)
- To form skills of note-taking
- To improve understanding of dialogues and polylogues on both familiar and unfamiliar topics
- Presentation (informative/descriptive/argumentative/persuasive speech)
- To develop understanding of lectures and learning context
- Dialogue on general, academic and professional topics. (active listening, questioning, responding to questions, emphasizing, discussion strategies)
- To form understanding of text structure
- Writing a summary of a text
- To develop understanding of articles, reports, straightforward and specialised texts concerned with contemporary problems at the threshold/vantage/effective operational proficiency level
- Writing an essay (opinion, discussion)
- Monologue (informative/descriptive/argumentative/persuasive speech)
- To develop skills of using basic reading techniques skimming and scanning (predicting, understanding main ideas, understanding details)
- Writing an academic e-mail
Course Contents
- Topic 1. Networks and innovationInternet, modern technology. Contextualizing. Identifying referencing in a text and using referencing in writing. Writing an introduction. Linking expressions. Passive voice. Managing a discussion. Listening: using visuals to assist with understanding information. Speaking: supporting an opinion; managing a discussion; correctly referring to other people’s ideas. Reading: identifying references in a text. Writing: writing an essay (opinion). Vocabulary: linking expressions. Grammar: active and passive voice.
- Topic 2. ConsumptionConsumption, mass market, advertising. Comparison, comparative adjectives. Writing a conclusion. Listening: descriptions of similarity and difference; comparative adjectives. Speaking: seminar discussion. Reading: comparison in text; identifying authorial stance. Writing: writing an essay (advantages/disadvantages). Grammar: comparisons.
- Topic 3. Crime and punishmentLaw and order. Maximizing and minimizing language. Hedging language. Evaluative language. Writing an argumentative essay. Cohesive language. Listening: identifying main arguments and supporting evidence; maximizing and minimizing language. Speaking: hedging language; presenting arguments for and against. Reading: evaluative language. Writing: planning, organizing and writing an argument essay. Vocabulary: synonyms and other cohesive language.
- Topic 4. EnergySources of energy. Problems and solutions. Writing about problems and solutions. Evaluative vocabulary. 'It' and 'There' structures. Listening: the language of problems and solutions. Speaking: researching and preparing group presentation. Reading: identifying problems, solutions, and evaluation in a text. Writing: planning and organizing a problem-solution essay. Vocabulary: evaluating vocabulary. Grammar: ‘It’ and ‘There' structures.
- Topic 5. ProgressCause and effect language. Cautious language. Identifying cause and effect relationship in listening and in reading. Planning and writing a cause and effect essay. Listening: understanding key cause and effect language. Speaking: using cautious language. Reading: identifying cause and effect relationships in a text. Writing: planning, organizing and writing a cause and effect essay. Vocabulary: cause and effect language.
