• Schaller-Schwaner Iris

From your mind to your mouth and back again: This course focuses on developing and refining your speaking skills in English for Academic Purposes for contexts in which English is an important communicative and educational tool. The course is open to students with higher intermediate oral skills who are independent users of English developing and improving their oral skills further (B2-C1). There will be content and language input from the teacher and contributions from participants. Using this input will require reading or analysis of academic texts, listening to audios, and critical thinking. In this course, speaking is an integrative tool for thinking and learning and cooperating across disciplines as well as for experiencing yourself as a user of English.

Involve yourself in two types of speaking: In your studies you need to do more than read books, listen to lectures and write exams. In particular, there are two types of speaking skills you need to develop or expand at university. In many classes, especially 'seminars' and 'tutorials', you will be expected not just to listen, but to actively contribute to discussions that the lecturer or a colleague initiates or facilitates. You may also be required to prepare and make an oral presentation, by yourself or with one or more other students, on a particular topic, e.g. an article from a reading list, or a piece of (informal) research that you have undertaken – and to answer questions and participate in asking other presenters questions. This workshop offers an opportunity to develop these types of speaking in English, transferring skills from your other languages or learning new ones.

Explore content and make a contribution: In a content-driven, interactive workshop for people whose needs and purposes will vary, you need to take responsibility for your own learning and contribute your (personal and disciplinary) perspectives and interests from across the university. Content will come from popularized as well as authentic academic sources from different subjects and from published textbooks and exercise materials for learners of English (for Academic Purposes).

Windows of opportunity and willingness to communicate: The course offers spontaneous and prepared speaking with a focus on oral seminar skills (some writing will be necessary). If you want to develop engaging questions, examine texts & ideas, synthesize information, learn new words & concepts, co-construct a dialogue or expand your understanding of a text or phenomenon through discussion and give a researched oral (co-) presentation this is for you. Higher-intermediate B2+ English is a learning plateau on which oral fluency, complexity of expression and/or accuracy may have to be tackled. You have to be willing to speak English aloud 1:1 as well as address an audience.

Develop a voice and a take: In terms of discussion skills, the aim is to think aloud and develop multiple perspectives and ideas, to participate in exploring questions and answers, either initiatively or responsively. This requires interactional language and the vocabulary to summarize content or express your take on an issue. It also involves key elements of dialogue such as sharing personal experiences, providing examples, giving opinions and accounting for them, explaining ideas and information. The workshop also teaches (the theory of) presentations through a range of participatory activities. Each student prepares and gives an in-workshop oral presentation, ideally in cooperation with a colleague from another subject whose language background is different. The workshop provides students with an opportunity (1) to learn how to prepare and deliver engaging presentations, (2) to improve confidence in oral communication, and (3) to give and receive constructive feedback from peers, i.e. fellow students, and the teacher.

Attendance policy and assessment: Please attend and contribute actively and regularly. You must not miss more than two class sessions. Assessment will comprise three assessment tasks prepared at home and delivered orally in class plus a researched oral class presentation that draws on peer-reviewed published research on a topic related to your studies. Keep a record of all your language learning work for this course, for example in the form of a language learning log.

• Course Description B2-C1 Exploring & Developing Academic English Oral Seminar Skills
• Course Description SS 2019

See course description Under 'Documents' in Gestens.

See course description Under 'Documents' in Gestens.

See course description Under 'Documents' in Gestens.

See course description Under 'Documents' in Gestens.