• Schaller-Schwaner Iris

Introduction

The course aims for students with adequately high language competence to develop their English speaking and presentation skills and to develop knowledge about English. It does not prepare for the CPE, though some relevant materials are used. Due to the design and purpose of this course, in particular its interactive aspects, everyone should contribute actively. Interactive tasks are opportunities to learn and to shape the course. As a participant, you will:

1 develop descriptive grammar and related concepts as action-guiding principles or a specialist cognitive framework

2 use English orally aloud and demonstrate critical thinking and fluency in co-constructing discourse

3 explore your own specific topic within a shared theme using reliable published research to support your argument

4 draw on this literature explicitly in your oral presentations, showing refined oral delivery skills and academic ’voice’.

Course work combines descriptive and pedagogical grammar with accuracy and fluency work in academic speaking (e.g. high-level, abstract lexis or pronunciation). It develops an understanding of language and language competence (e.g. seeing words as objects to manipulate or analyse, monitoring of one’s actual speech production and correcting errors). Researching and planning an oral contribution to a programme of talks develops academic literacy skills. Participants should engage in autonomous self-study, e.g. revision of grammar and lexis or consultation of reference works. Meeting deadlines, evidence of engagement in course work, a successful written test and a successful oral presentation are required to pass this course.

Close attention will be paid to different types of written and spoken texts and their linguistic features and functions. Activities will focus on details of language, noticing and naming difficulties, and filling gaps or reframing knowledge. Texts and tasks will be based on sections of a course book (cf. below), academic publications, and materials from the web or articles from the press. Participants are expected to consult reference works (reliable dictionaries, grammars).

ACCESS & REQUIREMENTS

Requirements: attendance, commitment to first exam session, successful written test(s) as well as oral presentation
Course participants are expected to register for the first exam session. This means committing to taking any written test during the semester and giving one’s oral presentation before its end. Course requirements cannot be postponed to a subsequent exam session. The AS (PE I) and the SS (PE II) courses are to be taken in sequence. A pass mark (in all parts) of the AS PE I is required to proceed to the SS PE II course. Assessment of participants includes observation of active engagement, evidence of sufficient learning, a successful oral presentation on an agreed, researched topic and a successful written test based on all materials. Productive oral language use in contributions to whole class activities is encouraged in every lesson. Revising for the test during the semester enhances the learning experience. It forms part of the ongoing process as a means of pacing the learners’ investment in their skills development.

Learning objectives, course content

Specific aims of this course include expansion of participants’ general Academic English, awareness of stylistic differences, resourcefulness in oral production and interaction, honing listening and reading skills for sophisticated language use. AS grammar work will include focus on past tense forms with non-past meanings, future time reference, perfect aspect, modality, and complex sentences. Reflecting about language use by talking about what you notice will make you more aware and enhance the improvement you gain through practice activities (e.g. traditional and contextualized grammar exercises). For this purpose you will engage with descriptive grammar and a variety of texts.

Learning outcomes of oral presentations
Participants will be able to give an effective presentation of 7 -10 minutes on a topic negotiated with the lecturer and researched individually but related to a shared area of inquiry, demonstrating ability to speak freely from notes, using an appropriate range of vocabulary, grammatical structures and sign-posting phrases, organizing and linking ideas and arguments logically, showing awareness of oral presentation conventions, and maintaining language quality with regard to lexis, structure, style and pronunciation. Participants are expected to invest and engage in searching and using academic and popular sources, to draw on and acknowledge all sources explicitly. As a participant, you will relate complex arguments and relevant personal insights, attribute and examine ideas, account for your take on a topic, identify issues and stimulate or invite reactions from your audience.

Required material: Gude, K.; Duckworth, M. & Rogers, L. 2012. Cambridge English Proficiency Masterclass. Student’s book with online skills & language practice. Oxford: OUP. All audios, the audio script and the answer key are available for free online at https://elt.oup.com/student/masterclass/?cc=ch&selLanguage=en 

Recommended descriptive reference grammars

Aarts, Bas 2011. Oxford Modern English Grammar. Oxford University Press.

Biber & Conrad & Leech 2002. Longman student grammar of spoken and written English. Longman

Biber; Johansson; Leech; Conrad & Finegan 1999. Longman grammar of written and spoken English.

Biber, Douglas; Johansson, Stig; Leech, Geoffrey N.; Conrad, Susan; Finegan, Edward 2021. Grammar of spoken and written English. John Benjamins.

Collins ⁴2017. COBUILD English Grammar. 4^th ed. Collins. [somewhat more learner focussed]

Huddleston, Rodney; Pullum, Geoffrey K. & Reynolds, Brett 22021. A Student's Introduction to English Grammar. 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 9781009088015

Leech & Svartvik ³2004. A communicative grammar of English. 3^rd ed. Pearson Longman.

Quirk; Green; Leech & Svartvik 1985. A comprehensive grammar of the English language. Longman

Grammar workbooks, handbooks and apps etc.

Aarts, B. & Wallis, S.A. 2011. The interactive grammar of English. London: Survey of English Usage cf. the iGE app home page at  www.ucl.ac.uk/english-usage/apps/ige for download options

Carter, R.; Hughes, R. & McCarthy, M. 2000. Exploring grammar in context. CUP

Foley & Hall 2003. Longman advanced learner’s grammar. Self-study reference and practice book.

Foley & Hall 2012. MyGrammarLab Advanced with key and LabPack. Pearson Longman.

Leech, Geoffrey ³2004. Meaning and the English verb. 3^rd ed. Longman

Paterson, K. & Wedge, R. 2013. Oxford Grammar for EAP. [English for academic purposes]. OUP

Swan, M. &Walter, C. 2011 Oxford English Grammar Course. Advanced (+ Pronunciation CD-Rom)

Swan, Michael ⁴2017. Practical English usage. Fully revised 4th ed. OUP

Woods, E. & Coppieters, R. 2002. A Workbook to Communicative Grammar of English. PearsonESL.

Yule, George 1998. Explaining English grammar. OUP

Yule, George 2006. Oxford practice grammar with answers. Advanced. OUP (& 2009 Supplementary)

Recommended Dictionaries (available in pb with CD/DVD-ROMS, editions for mobile devices available)

OALD Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary 10th ed. 2020 e.g. Paperback (with 1 year's access to both premium online including Oxford Speaking Tutor and Oxford Writing Tutor and app ISBN 978-0-19-479848-8)
Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English 2014

Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 4^th ed. 2013 (with CD ROM)

Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 8^th ed. 2014

Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners 2^nd ed. 2007 (+ CD ROM)

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5^th ed. 2009 (with DVD-ROM)

Collins English Dictionary. Complete and Unabridged. 12^th rev. ed. 2014