English 5 is designed to improve students’ English language skills for academic purposes and provide them with more 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 English lectures, speaking before an audience, and developing skills to write paragraphs and short essays.
By the end of this course, students will:
・be able to express their ideas and opinions in classes confidently
・be able to write paragraphs or short essays
・be able to better understand academic lectures
・practice effective reading strategies
✔ Applicable | How instructors' work experience benefits the course |
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An instructor with work experience as a journalist and editor will provide hands-on education in writing and presenting about science, based on practice in the field that features critical thinking and logical ways of communicating information to audiences. |
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 |
Usually, we will start the lesson with a discussion of the day’s topic followed by listening to a news story from the U.S.A. This approach will allow us to gain a better understanding of international perspectives and also to compare them with our own countries’.
After this, we will critically explore the issue. You will be asked to produce a short piece of work based upon the class’s topic - for example a short presentation, a summary or reaction paper. Such integrated skills will also come in useful for the TOEFL exam.
This is not a lecture-style course. Please envisage this classroom as a community where everybody has different strengths and weaknesses. By cooperating with each other, together we can overcome any difficulties.
Course schedule | Required learning | |
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Class 1 | You have one identity | Exploring privacy issues in the 21st century - and the role of social media. |
Class 2 | A courtesy campaign | To what extent should the government legislate to “improve” public manners and morality? Are manners universal? |
Class 3 | Give me my place to smoke! | Individual vs Group. Exploring whether smoking ought to be banned - or whether it is a private choice. |
Class 4 | What’s happening to home? (1) | First of two-week exploration of changing work patterns and their impact on our sense of home. |
Class 5 | What’s happening to home? (2) | Second of two-week exploration into changing employment patterns. This class will include short presentations about the pros and cons of recent blurring of work/home distinctions. |
Class 6 | Is autism underestimated? | Speculation on the reasons why autism is on the rise; the wider issue of “What is normal” or, perhaps more accurately, “Is there such a thing as ‘normal’?” |
Class 7 | Medicine by the minute; Review and Exam. | Discussion on future advances in medicines and the limits of technology. |
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Consider the Issues (4th edition), Pearson.
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Presentation: 50%
Exam: 50%
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