English 3 is designed to improve students’ English language skills for academic purposes and provide them with knowledge in relevant areas. The materials include topics such as international and intercultural issues as well as current topics of science and technology. Expectations require students to practice: reading academic articles, listening to lectures in English, speaking in front of an audience, and writing paragraphs and short essays.
There are two types of classes in English 3. RW classes focus on reading comprehension and skill in written composition, and LS classes focus on listening and oral expression.
Each student is assigned to a class and instructors for each class conduct the course using “Course description and aims”, “Student learning outcomes”, and “Keywords” as the basic framework.
By the end of this course, students will:
・ Have improved their English skills required for learning at university and for research activities
・ Be able to understand written and spoken materials correctly in diverse areas including international and intercultural issues, science, and technology
・ Be able to write paragraphs and short essays with unity and coherence
・ Have gained confidence in using English to state their opinions and improved their oral expression skills
Four language skills, fostering international awareness, communication skills, studying abroad, TOEFL
Specialist skills | ✔ Intercultural skills | ✔ Communication skills | Critical thinking skills | Practical and/or problem-solving skills |
English 3 will be anchored in the textbook, Yeas and Nays, which provides a variety of academic topics related to domestic and international issues.
But although there is a set textbook, the most important resource is you - your ideas, experiences and imaginations. We will try to build a learning community where we value each other’s knowledge. Together we can share our strengths to overcome our individual weaknesses.
These will not be lecture-style classes - often you will be working in pairs and groups to investigate the day’s issue. With this in mind, most classes will follow a 5-step cycle. As an introduction to the day’s topic, I will ask you to consider a question. Following this, I will give you a short presentation followed by a focus on a grammatical or communicative point. Next, you will discuss the issue in groups before, finally, presenting your group’s conclusions to your classmates.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
---|---|---|
Class 1 | “Should cloning be allowed?” | Introduction to the course and a survey to assess how best to match this course to students’ needs. Overview of key skills via one textbook chapter. |
Class 2 | “Is cosmetic surgery OK for young people?” | Sample presentation by instructor in order to elicit some of the key components of effective academic speech. Questions and answer skills will also be included. |
Class 3 | “Should cancer patients be informed of their disease?” | Building on the previous class, there will be a deeper exploration of how to effectively communicate with a mixed-ability group of listeners - including sign-post language, solid introductions and conclusions. |
Class 4 | “Should GM foods be banned?” | Research must be the foundation of any speaking in an academic context - e.g. debating or presenting - so in this class we will bring together a variety of research and discuss how it can best be utilized. |
Class 5 | Skill review | This class will bring together the work of the past four weeks and prepare students for their presentation. |
Class 6 | Planning session 1 | Students will work in class with the instructor’s support to refine their topic and outline for their presentation. |
Class 7 | Planning session 2 | At the beginning of this class, students will finish planning their presentation - and they will be afforded an opportunity to practice it. |
Class 8 | Presentations | Students will give a short presentation bringing together the skills we have studied; classmates will take notes during the presentations in order to complete a short written report. |
Yeas and Nays (Macmillan)
None.
Presentation: 50%
Report: 50%
None