1) improve your academic speaking skills. In particular, you will be practising your speaking skills in seminars and your competence at giving an academic group presentation.
2) Improve your academic listening skills by listening to academic-style lectures and responding to them.
3) Improve your reflective writing skills by producing a Personal Academic Development Plan (PADP).

You'll work in a group of 20 students maximum, often in workshop mode.
You'll participate in seminars and group discussions, talking about various academic topics (linked where possible with the academic lectures you have heard). These activities will help you to improve your understanding of English and spoken English in academic situations.
You'll also develop what we call `university skills' - skills that will help you get the most out of being at university and studying. Thinking about and writing your Personal academic development plan will be the main way in which you improve your skills in this area.

The tutor will be able to recommend useful books to help you with in this module - there are many available to borrow from the library or buy. Another very useful resource is the Internet, where there are dozens of sites devoted to giving advice about academic life.

Here are some suggested texts:

Cottrell, S. (2003) The Study Skills Handbook, Basingstoke: Palgrave/Macmillan

Lowes, R. et al. (2004) The International Student's Guide: Studying in English at University (London, Sage)
Price, G. and P. Maier (2007) Effective Study Skills: Unlock your Potential (Harlow, Pearson)

You will have reached a level of GCSE + 1 year or equivalent in your education system.

* The library
* A PC with MS Office and Internet
* Individual and group study space
* A good advanced learner's English dictionary
* Multimedia equipment (DVD player, listening station)

There are three main methods of assessment: (1) two academic speaking assessments; (2) an academic listening test; (3) a Personal Academic Development Plan.

1) academic speaking assessments (40% of the total marks - learning outcome 1)

a) participation in a recorded seminar discussion
b) a group presentation (normally in threes, about 15 minutes)

2) academic listening test (20% of the total marks - learning outcome 2)

This will take the form of a listening text in the style of a university lecture. You will normally be asked to respond in a number of different ways (e.g. summarising what you have heard, answering multiple-choice questions and so on).

3) Personal Academic Development Plan (40% of the total marks - learning outcome 3)

The Personal Academic Development Plan is an account of your progress as a student. During the course of the module, you will write a number of reflective pieces about your experience of academic study and university life. For example, you might consider your personal strengths and weaknesses and your strategies for improvement. You may also think about life at a university and where your university education will take you in the future.