MODL5620M

Academic Literacies

Week 1
  Peter (Matthews) and Helen (Sadig)
 In the seminar today we will:
- Introduce ourselves
- Look at an overview of Academic Literacies
- Summarise the ‘Needs Analysis’ findings
Overview - Consider your communication style in an intercultural group
- Reflect on your current independent learning skills as an MA
student
- Prepare for Week 2 Lecture & Seminar
- Reminders
  Helen Sadig (she/her)
 Email: h.c.sadig@leeds.ac.uk
- Leeds, UK
- Associate Professor in English for Academic Purposes (not Film
Studies!)
- Background:
Introduction - Studied Linguistics & ELT (MA); Linguistics & Education
(BA)
- Taught in Italy (4 yrs), Greece (1 yr), Poland (6 mths)
- Taught at Leeds University since 2000
- UG, PGT, PGR students, lecturers, GPs
- Presessional, Insessional, bespoke courses
- Teaching on insessional programmes in LCS & Medicine
 - Weekly Seminar
- Focus on: dealing with challenging texts, expectations in the
Film discipline (use of language/ ‘norms’), communicating your
ideas effectively, presentation skills, support with Independent
Project…. Etc.
- A two-way relationship (I will learn from you too)
Academic - Flexible approach- responding to what you need to help you
Literacies succeed (not presuming what you do/ don’t know) [Flexible
syllabus]
Overview - Some sessions will be more useful for you than others-
everyone has different needs.
- A space to reflect and discuss challenges and difficulties
- Help with assessments & self-study
 Dedicated language
The Language Zone learning space
Parkinson Building, 2nd floor
Designed to facilitate language learning
Weekly activities:
activities
Conversation Club, Book Chat,
Friendly, helpful staff available to help Presenting with Confidence...
with any language learning enquiries. Volunteering opportunities:
languagezone@leeds.ac.uk Language Groups

Online spaces with resource links, and opportunities for interaction,

collaboration and meeting other learners.
Check the Language Zone SharePoint site:
• Follow us to receive email updates
• Join our Teams on MS Teams
• Sign up for the Language Exchange
  Mixture of film-making background / film theory backgrounds/
non-film backgrounds
 Varied rich practical experience

Needs Analysis  Some students want to:

Summary  Do PhD/ become Film Studies lecturers
 Become more experienced in practice-based research
 Broaden theoretical knowledge to inform practice ….
 Most students have:
 A passion for films/ film-making/ directing/ film festivals …
  What do you think will be the most challenging aspect(s) of your MA studies?

Needs Analysis
Summary-
Challenges
  Language/ Communication
“English is not my native language, so using correct grammar and
academic language may be difficult, which requires me to constantly
learn and accumulate”
“don't have enough confidence and ability of using English”
“Because English is not my first language, I am afraid that I cannot
Needs Analysis express my ideas correctly”
Summary-
Challenges (1)  Writing/ Reading
“My English isn't particularly good and my undergraduate
programme was more practical than academic writing”
“English academic essay are a big challenge for me, and I am not
familiar with the format and requirements of essays”
“reading is really hard for me because I am nor sure about how to
read effectively and I need to learn more new words”
  Thinking Critically
“Because I have not been exposed to the UK learning system and am facing
new professional fields”
“In my previous study, I found that although I had a strong ability to integrate
materials, I lacked in critical thinking”

Needs Analysis “Reading, thinking and expressing, I think this is a necessary process to learn a
course well. I need to read a lot of books and consult a lot of sources to know
Summary- how to understand and interpret a film better and more deeply, I just worry
that sometimes I can't understand the publications I read well, which affects
Challenges/ my ability to think critically”

Concerns (2)  Presenting/ Public Speaking

“I'm not very good at public speaking. I'm more of an introvert”
“I am weak in spoken English”
“I'm afraid that I can't communicate academic issues fluently with professors
during academic seminars and how to use critical thinking to think about
problems”
 Discuss:
 What has been your previous experience of academic seminars (if
Seminar Skills any) e.g. UG level?
 Do you have experience of communicating with peers from a
Reflection different linguistic/ cultural background to you? What are the
challenges/ opportunities?
Variations in  Discuss: What do the following images (a, b, c) represent in terms
Seminar of discussions?

Discussions
 Scenario a. --------1--------- ----------2---------- -------1--------- ------3-------

Scenario b. -------1-------- ---------1---------- -1--- -------3-----

Scenarios ---2-- -3- ------2------

Scenario c. ----------1------------ ----------1-- ----1----------------

----2------------------- 2 -------------- ---3----
 Discuss: Why is it useful to be aware of these variations for seminar
discussions?
Possible answers:
 To understand other students better (e.g. a quiet student may be
waiting for a pause!)
 To realise there are different approaches to communication, perhaps
not the same as yours
Discuss  To recognise the ‘turn-taking norms’ in the UK university context (i.e.
how to interject)
 To realise that you may need to modify your own approach to
contribute successfully in your seminar...(i.e. contribute more/ listen
more)
 To be more aware of how others are feeling (effective
communication is not just talking!)
  Appropriate: Dear Helen / Hi Helen,

Effective  Use first names (Rachel, Mani, Angelos)

Emails
 Tip: Check how someone signs off their email, and reply using that name
 Hi Rachel,

I would like to ask a question about MODL5620M (Film Arts & Industries)
as I have looked on Minerva and in the handbook, but can’t find the
answer.

Effective Is it possible to XXXXXXXXXXX?

Email-
Thanks in advance.
Example
Best wishes,

[Full Name]
[SID Number]
  Task 3: Preparing for next week’s lecture and seminar.

 Week 2 Theme: Decolonizing Film studies

 Lecturers: Dr. Rachel Johnson & Dr. Priyanka Verma
Week 2
Preparation
1. Vocabulary Check
 Have you heard of ‘decolonizing’ before?
 Do you have any examples of what this word means to you?
  Task: Analyse the Week 2 readings by completing the table on the
Genre Analysis handout provided.
Task
 1) Read through the university links for:
- Time Management
- Pro-active learning
 Decide on your strategy for organising your time (self-study,
lectures and seminars etc) for week 2.

Individual Self-  Prepare your self-study plan/ time-table/ outlook calendar/ app
(however you will manage yourself)- prepare to present it to the
Study Tasks group in week 2

2) Read the texts to prepare for Week 2 Lecture & Seminar. Answer
‘critical thinking’ questions (on next slide) while reading.
 Critical thinking questions for week 2 texts:
- What is the ‘agenda’ for the writer? (i.e. the purpose of the text
and what they want to achieve?)
Critical - What is the writer’s main argument (in your own words)
Thinking - What evidence does the writer use to support their ideas?
Questions for - Does anything surprise you about the tone of the writing?
Week 2 Texts - Does the writing seem ‘academic’ to you? Why/ why not?
- Consider the citations- ‘dominant’ / ‘non-dominant’ writers?
  Set up a reading group (e.g. 3-4 sts together)

 Arrange a time and place to meet (e.g. set up a ‘chat’ on Teams/ in

person) to discuss:
Reading Group
Task Discuss:
Critical Reading of Week 2 Core readings (Discuss the ‘critical
thinking questions’ to get overview of texts before next week’s
lecture and seminar)