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Welcome to the BCU Pre- sessional Programme

Welcome to the BCU Pre- sessional Programme. Tutor: Francesca Sweeney- Androulaki. Birmingham 2014. Course requirements. At the end of the Pre- sessional you must achieve: an overall level equivalent to IELTS 6.0/6.5 (depending on your degree course)

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Welcome to the BCU Pre- sessional Programme

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  1. Welcome to the BCU Pre-sessional Programme Tutor: Francesca Sweeney-Androulaki • Birmingham 2014

  2. Course requirements • At the end of the Pre-sessional you must achieve: • an overall level equivalent to IELTS 6.0/6.5 (depending on your degree course) • minimum of IELTS 5.5 in each of the four language skills. • If you do not achieve this level, you will not be allowed to progress to your degree course. • You will have to complete assessments during the course and at the end of the course.

  3. No automatic progression! • PLEASE NOTE: there is NO automatic progression from the Pre-sessional to your main course at BCU • You will need to work very hard in the next 6 weeks to reach the required level

  4. Failure to meet requirements:2-week ‘re-sit’ option • If you do not achieve the required level (5.5) in ONE skill, you will have a ‘re-sit’ option • This involves TWO more weeks of intensive study (40 hours) to improve that one skill

  5. What academic skills do you need? • Reading – textbooks, journals, other print and online materials • Writing– essays, reports, making notes from books and lectures, paraphrasing, summarising, referencing • Listening – seminars, lectures, study groups • Speaking – discussions and seminars, presentations • Critical thinking skills – analysis & evaluation of information, ideas and sources - thinking for yourself!

  6. Pre-sessional Timetable http://library.bcu.ac.uk/learner/presessional/course-timetable-5week.html • Timetable online • Regular tutorials • Faculty afternoons on Wednesdays • Reading/ Conversation clubs

  7. 1:1 tutorials • 1:1 tutorials will be held regularly • to give you support for the essay • to provide feedback on your progress with the essay and other aspects of the course • Tutorials provide opportunities for you • to ask questions about the essay/ course • to discuss any difficulties you are having

  8. Course assessment

  9. Academic essay (50% of score) • Essay topics will be provided • Word limits • 1200 words for BA students • 1500 words for MA students • Deadline: end of week 5 (Fri 29 August)

  10. Writing - Essay (50% of score) • You will need to submit: • one hard (printed) copy AND • an electronic copy • Turnitin: your essay will be checked for plagiarism (i.e. copying from sources)

  11. Writing: 2 x tests(50% of writing score) • Test 1: Micro-skills test (e.g. grammar, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation, paragraphing) – week 4 • Test 2: IELTS type essay– week 6

  12. Speaking: Presentation • You will give a 10-12 minute presentation on a topic related to your assessed essay • You should focus on one or two aspects of your essay topic • The presentation must NOT be a summary of the whole essay • The content must be accessible and interesting for a general audience

  13. Course Assessment

  14. Assessment schedule

  15. Course Rules – your turn! • In pairs, discuss your ideas and decide on FIVE rules • Compare your ideas with another pair (5 min) • Share your group’s ideas with the class • Agreed rules will be displayed in the classroom

  16. General course rules (1)(to compare with yours) • 100% attendance is expected unless there are exceptional circumstances (e.g. ‘real’ illness) • Lateness will not be tolerated - you will not be allowed into the class if you are >5 min late • Late comers will be marked absent for the WHOLE morning/afternoon if they are >5 min late

  17. General course rules (2) • Electronic dictionaries should not be used in class unless your tutor gives permission • Mobile phones must be switched off in class • Electronic devices used without permission will be confiscated!

  18. General course rules (3) • ONLY ENGLISH should be spoken in class! • Your spoken English will not improve if you keep using your own language in class • Practice makes perfect!

  19. General course rules (4) • Homework must be submitted on time • Your homework record will form part of your final report

  20. Presenting your written work • Written work must be double spaced with a 2.5cm margin, to leave room for corrections and comments . • Homework and class work must be written on A4 paper – small pieces of paper taken from notebooks will not be accepted • Written work will be regularly redrafted, making corrections and responding to comments.

  21. Organising your course work • Your class work and homework should be kept in one file so that you – and your tutor -can regularly review your work • Word processed homework (e.g. essay drafts) must be handed in as HARD COPY – it is your responsibility to print the documents.

  22. Essential equipment for the course • A ring binder (file) with dividers to help you to keep together work for different elements of the course • Lined A4 paper • Vocabulary notebook

  23. Course books: Academic Skills • Headway Academic Skills: Reading, Writing and Study Skills, Level 3 • Headway Academic Skills: Listening, Speaking and Study Skills, Level 3 • Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students (Bailey) • Passport to Academic Presentations (Garnet) • Listening (Garnet)

  24. Course books: General English • New Headway Intermediate • Grammar for IELTS (Hopkins and Cullen, CUP) • Vocabulary for IELTS (Cullen, CUP) • Real Listening and Speaking (Craven, CUP)

  25. Learning contract • You will receive a copy of the Learning Contract by email • You need to print and read the Contract by Friday this week (1 August) • You will be tested on the content of the Contract on Friday morning • You need to sign the final page of the Contract and return it to your tutor

  26. Study commitment • 20 hours of class study/ week is not enough • You will also need to spend at least 2 hours each day on homework/ self-study

  27. Motivation & Goal Setting • What you achieve in the next 6 weeks is up to you • Work hard with clear learning goals • Submit your homework on time and pay careful attention to the feedback you receive

  28. Questions • Please ask if there is anything you do not understand or if something is unclear • The 1:1 tutorials give you an opportunity: • to ask questions • to discuss your progress and any issues you want to raise

  29. Partnership • Working together, we can make the next 6 weeks a stepping stone to: • Academic success in your degree course at BCU • Life-changing adventures in Birmingham/ UK

  30. Email address frans@iacm.forth.gr Thank you to Yvonne Grifiths for putting this PowerPoint presentation together.

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