Module

Handbook
2023/24

3508 FETQR - Academic English Skills

Oryx Universal College

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Contents

Teaching Staff............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................3
Syllabus......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4
Timetable...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6
Assessment.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7
References/Book List.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................8

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Teaching Staff

The module is delivered by:

Dr Kyle Lachini
Email address: kyle.lachini@oryx.edu.qa
Dr Mais Sulaiman
Email address: mais.s@oryx.edu.qa
Dr Adi Fejzic
Email address: adi.f@oryx.edu.qa
Ms. Hind Zurub
Email address: Hind.Z@oryx.edu.qa

Contacting the Tutors

Each tutor will provide details on request of their own availability based upon timetable commitments. In practice the timetabled
sessions provide the best vehicle for communicating with the tutors. In addition, tutors may be contacted via the email address
provided. You must remember to use only your Oryx Universal College e-mail address, if you use any other e-mail address your
e-mail will not be acknowledged. E-mail provides a good means of communication and allows individual appointments to be
made if necessary. We will endeavour to reply to your email within 3 working days, normal working hours are 9.00am to 5.00pm
on Sunday to Thursday.

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Syllabus

Context of the Module

This module aims:

In this module you will study a range of general topics (‘The Modern World’). You will use these to develop your study skills so
that you are able to participate fully in your undergraduate degree in Year 2.

Learning Outcomes

After studying this module, you should be able to:

1. Use a broad active reading vocabulary to read with a large degree of independence, adapting style and speed of reading to
different texts and purposes.
2. Express yourself clearly and without much restriction, maintaining good grammatical control, with appropriate style and
register realised.
3. Follow the essentials of lectures, talks, reports and other forms of academic/professional presentation which are propositionally
and linguistically complex.
4. Write a linguistically complex essay in response to a specific question, synthesising and evaluating information and arguments
from a number of sources.
5. Take effective notes on a complex and unfamiliar text, presentation or lecture.
6. Interpret and evaluate relevant information and ideas.
7. Contribute to a group discussion even when the speech is fast and colloquial.
8. Research and plan written tasks effectively, identifying and incorporating reliable and relevant source materials.
9. Give a well-structured, detailed academic presentation on a given subject.

What you will be expected to do

Attendance at all sessions (virtual or face to face) is important for you to make the most of what your degree has to offer. It has
been proven over the years, that there is a clear correlation between attendance and success, you need to make sure you understand
your timetable and when you need to attend sessions. The module delivery schedule on page 6 of this Module Guide gives a
description about the lectures and seminars that you must attend/log on to. You should take notes during the lectures (PowerPoint
presentations) and participate in the discussions that will take place during the seminars. Staff will also make time in these
sessions to answer queries and try to solve any academic related problems.

Timetabled sessions are only a part of how you will learn on the module. A large part of what it means to study and learn at
university is based on directed independent learning outside of formal classes. This independent study is just as important as
timetabled sessions and will involve you in extra reading, research, task development, group work, keeping up to date with current
events related to your subject, technology-based tasks provided through Canvas, or preparation for the next session or assessment.
Undertaking this work, as directed by your module tutor, will assist you in building on from what is learnt in class but also in
pursuing your own interests related to the subject of study. It is expected that you will commit your time to undertaking these
independent study activities just as you would commit time to attending timetabled sessions.

You will also be expected to take part in the discussion sessions and to fully participate in the group and individual activities that
are part of this module.

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Timetable
This module is delivered (lectures, seminars and extended sessions). In order to meet the total student learning hours for the
module it is anticipated that you will be doing further reading between each lecture to help develop your thoughts and knowledge
for input into the sessions.
The following lecture programme is indicative:

Time Subject Description Staff

4 hrs Lecture & Seminar A lecture is delivered every other week on Modern World topics and followed Adi/
by seminar discussion on the same topic. Hind
2 hrs Reading seminar In this seminar, students will read and discuss some texts about the same topic Kyle
being discussed during the Lecture and seminar. A particular focus will be
given to improve students’ reading skills.
2 hrs Writing seminar Students will develop their writing skills to be able to write an academic essay Mais
by the end of the first semester.
2 hrs Subject Specific Subject specific vocabulary will be introduced to students to prepare them for Mais
Seminar the second semester subjects (Computer Science/Civil Engineering)
2 hrs Language Development These are grammar and vocabulary sessions that are compulsory for those who Kyle
workshop have less than IELTS 6 and need to develop their English.

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Assessment

The coursework assignment details are on Canvas under Assignments.

The assignment brief specifies the assessment and marking criteria which can be found with the assignment briefs on Canvas. All
assessments need to be submitted with only your student number used for identification. They are marked and then second marked
anonymously and are unmoderated until they have been through the formal Assessment Boards. The External Examiners review
the work before the Assessment Boards to ensure the level of the work and the marking are of the appropriate standard.

Assessment Timetable

Assessment Type Examination Dates Scores announcmen

Formative and Summative First semester:
assessment
Midterm Exam – After week 6 of the course calendar A week after each exam
Final Exam

Final Exam – After week 12 of the course calendar

There are interim feedback stages built into the module timetable for class activities based on the textbook so that you can start
the work and progress the submission throughout the academic year.

Submitting Coursework

 All assignments should be submitted electronically through Canvas.

 Any assignment submitted after the deadline will not be marked unless they have been approved by the Module Leader and
meet the University Extenuating Circumstances requirements.

Feedback
Feedback is a crucial part of the learning process and is taken very seriously in all modules. You will receive feedback from your
assessed work where possible within three working weeks. You will be informed if the feedback will be given within a different
time period. You need to take note of all the feedback you have been given and link this to actions for your learning. If you are
not clear on what is meant by the feedback or how you might use it to improve or develop, please make an appointment to see a
tutor or use other opportunities such as tutorials to seek clarification.

LJMU’s policy on feedback, for implementation from 2010-2011, determines that:

 Student assessment deadlines will be published alongside university feedback deadlines
Details will be provided within programme and module handbooks of assessment submission deadlines as well as when you will
receive feedback on those assessments.

 Feedback will be available three weeks after the assessment deadline

Unless otherwise stated, you should expect to receive feedback on assessed written coursework, excluding examinations or
dissertations, three weeks (15 working days) after the assessment deadline. Feedback may consist of marks (they will be
provisional, subject to moderation) as well as more detailed written and verbal comments.

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  Feedback will relate to the assessment criteria
All assessment tasks are marked according to assessment criteria. Tutors will use these criteria when providing you with feedback
in order that you are better able to understand how well you have done and why. In this way, feedback should be helpful to you in
future similar assessment tasks in any modules.
 Students will be entitled to face-to-face feedback on their first piece of assessed work
Early on in each year of study you will have an opportunity for face-to-face feedback on a piece of assessed work. This will not
necessarily be in a one-to-one meeting with your tutor but may take place in a small group setting, such as a tutorial.

Marking criteria
This is provided with the assignment brief and will be made clear in the lecture briefing session. The grading criteria is available
on Canvas under the Programme Guide link.

Textbook
McCarter, S. and de Chazal, E. (2021). Oxford English for Academic Purposes Upper-Intermediate Student's Book + DVD Pack
(Oxford EAP) Student Edition. OUP. London.

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