English for Academic Purposes (30 November – 4 December 2019)

Led by: Dr Mike Orr/University of Edinburgh, David Read/University of Sheffield, Charlotte Assimakopoulos/Queen Mary University of London and Dr Maggie Charles/University of Oxford.                         

Level 1 (IELTS equivalent 2.0 to 4.0)

Topics covered:

  • Grammar: Compare cities and cultures using a range of grammatical structures (comparatives/superlatives).
  • Speaking: Use useful phrases to ask questions and communicate in hotels, deliver a presentation on customs in Turkey using the language of advice (should/shouldn’t), talk about types of food and be able to order food in restaurants.
  • Writing: A short academic profile.

Level 2 (IELTS equivalent 4.0 to 5.5)

Topics covered:

  • Grammar: question forms, relative clauses (defining and non-defining), the present perfect, modal verbs of certainty.
  • Reading: Solving traffic congestion article, making inferences from the text, critical thinking, analysing solutions.
  • Writing: A paragraph about food in your country.
  • Speaking: Group roles and turn-taking, expressing opinions, asking questions for clarification and to check understanding, giving advice and suggestions, group discussion.
  • Listening: Arabic sushi – a video, listening to a lecture.
  • Presentation skills: using your voice (contrastive stress and intonation), features of effective and less effective presentations, giving a short, paired presentation on a topic related to your field.

Level 3 and Level 4 (IELTS equivalent 5.5+)

Topics covered:

  • Focus on academic writing: fluency, accuracy and appropriacy: structure and language of abstracts & structure and language of personal academic biographies.
  • Listening for comprehension of content: Facial recognition, giving effective presentations.
  • Speaking in formal and informal situations: Introducing yourself at a conference, three-minute thesis, Debate: the use of facial recognition technology – for or against?
  • Reading academic and informational texts: Academic abstracts and research biographies, informational texts on facial recognition.