| Full Year, 2020 On-campus Springfield | |
| Short Description: | Academic Speak & Listen Skills |
| Units : | 1 |
| Faculty or Section : | USQ College |
| School or Department : | USQ College |
| Student contribution band : | Band 1 |
| ASCED code : | 091501 - English Language |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
Staffing
Examiner: Sheilagh O'Brien
Other requisites
Students will require access to e-mail and have internet access to UConnect for this course.
Pre-requisite: Successful completion of EAPI or English Proficiency equivalent to IELTS Band 5.5 plus completion overseas or in Australia of Senior High School or Post-secondary diploma or first year degree or equivalent work experience.
Co-requisite: none
ONLINE STUDENTS ONLY:
Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at
Rationale
A need has been recognised to prepare students from non-English speaking backgrounds to gain skills in English for academic purposes and develop strategies to equip them for University study prior to entering an Australian university. This course will develop speaking and listening skills in an academic context. It will provide opportunities for students to increase their confidence in order to participate successfully in typical university activities.
Synopsis
This course transitions students to an Australian Academic culture via practical experience. The course focuses on two typical university activities: oral presentation and group tutorials. Preparation and delivery of an oral presentation develops skills in formal structure with appropriate content, effective visual aids design, response to questions and the use of fluent and effective vocal delivery. Students also learn about the importance of building rapport with their audience and formal elements such as chairing and credible demeanour. Planning and managing a group tutorial develops skills in research, listening and evaluation of suitable audio visual material, active learning and teaching strategies, effective group work and cross cultural competence. Students also learn appropriate behaviour to effectively manage their roles as instructor and tutor as well as the ability to reflect on those experiences.
Objectives
On successful completion of this course students should have:
- improved the accuracy of their listening skills and ability to respond appropriately.
- demonstrated the ability to speak confidently in an academic context using standard pronunciation and grammar.
- gained the ability to use strategies to become an active listener.
- learned to work effectively and cooperatively in functional groups.
- acquired greater awareness of formal structure, and verbal and nonverbal language considered appropriate to gain credibility in an Australian academic culture.
- gained techniques to reflect upon and review their own work and use self-awareness to foster independent and sustainable learning.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. |
Oral Presentation - preparation: Structure, content, and chairing. Delivery, fluency, use of voice, demeanour Planning and organisation of content, design and use of visual aids. |
25.00 |
| 2. |
Delivery of student Oral Presentation. Reflection on own work and experience. |
15.00 |
| 3. |
Listening Skills and Strategies: active listening skills of prediction, recall, notetaking and asking relevant questions. Evaluating audio information and identifying purpose, standpoint and main idea. |
10.00 |
| 4. |
Group Tutorial Presentation - preparation: Working in groups and lesson planning to create relevant activities and resources. Research, evaluation and synthesis of ideas. Tutorial management and identification of roles. Use of voice for different purposes. Building rapport with audience and facilitating active participation |
20.00 |
| 5. |
Delivery of Group Tutorials. Reflection on own work and experience. |
30.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2020&sem=05&subject1=EAP7330)
Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)
Reference materials
Student workload expectations
| Activity | Hours |
|---|---|
| Assessments | 3.00 |
| Directed Study | 54.00 |
| Private Study | 108.00 |
Assessment details
| Description | Marks out of | Wtg (%) | Due Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final Test - Oral Presentation | 30 | 45 | TBA | |
| Group S/L tutorial | 30 | 35 | TBA | |
| Listening Test | 25 | 20 | TBA |
Important assessment information
-
Attendance requirements:
It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities (such as lectures and tutorials) scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration. -
Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks for that item. -
Penalties for late submission of required work:
Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4). -
Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must obtain at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course (i.e. the Primary Hurdle), and have satisfied the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised), i.e. the final test by achieving at least 50% of the marks available for that assessment item.
Supplementary assessment may be offered where a student has undertaken all of the required summative assessment items and has passed the Primary Hurdle but failed to satisfy the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised), or has satisfied the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised) but failed to achieve a passing Final Grade by 5% or less of the total weighted Marks.
To be awarded a passing grade for a supplementary assessment item (if applicable), a student must achieve at least 50% of the available marks for the supplementary assessment item as per the Assessment Procedure (point 4.4.2). -
Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative items for the course. -
Examination information:
OPEN: An open examination is one in which candidates may have access to any printed or written material and a calculator during the examination. -
Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the next examination period. A supplementary exam may be awarded, at the discretion of the Examiner, to students who do not pass the final exam. It is expected that such students have gained at least 45% of the total weighted marks available for the course. -
University Student Policies:
Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene University policies and practices. These policies can be found at .
Assessment notes
-
Referencing in assignments must comply with the APA referencing system. This system should be used by students to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The APA style to be used is defined by the USQ library's referencing guide. This guide can be found at .
Evaluation and benchmarking
In meeting the University鈥檚 aims to establish quality learning and teaching for all programs, this course monitors and ensures quality assurance and improvements in at least two ways. This course:
1. conforms to the USQ Policy on Evaluation of Teaching, Courses and Programs to ensure ongoing monitoring and systematic improvement.
2. forms part of the English for Academic Purposes Program and is benchmarked against the internal USQ accreditation/reaccreditation processes which include (i) stringent standards in the independent accreditation of its academic programs, (ii) close integration between business and academic planning, and (iii) regular and rigorous review.
Other requirements
-
Computer, e-mail and Internet access:
Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at . -
Students can expect that questions in assessment items in this course may draw upon knowledge and skills that they can reasonably be expected to have acquired before enrolling in this course. This includes knowledge contained in pre-requisite courses and appropriate communication, information literacy, analytical, critical thinking, problem solving or numeracy skills. Students who do not possess such knowledge and skills should not expect the same grades as those students who do possess them.