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)– 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.

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

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

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!

Pre-sessional Timetable

• Timetable online• Regular tutorials • Faculty afternoons on Wednesdays • Reading/ Conversation clubs

http://library.bcu.ac.uk/learner/presessional/course-timetable-5week.html

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

Course assessment

Writing(2 components)

Speaking(2 components)

50% Academic

essay

50%2 x writing tests

(1 IELTS essay + 1 micro-skills test)

50%

Presentation

50%IELTS type test

Overall score = average for 2 components

Overall score = average for 2 components

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)

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)

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

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

Course Assessment

Listening Reading

100% 2 x listening tests

(including 1 lecture based)

Overall score = average from 2 tests

100% 2 x reading tests

(including 1 on articles)

Overall score = average from 2 tests

Assessment schedule

Week Reading Writing Listening Speaking

1 Initial Assessment (all four skills)

2

3

4 Test 1: IELTS type

(Mon 18 Aug)

Test 1: Micro-skills

(Mon 18 Aug)

Test 1: IELTS type

(Mon 18 Aug)

5 Essay deadline

(Fri 29 Aug)

IELTS type test

(Fri 29 Aug)

6 Test 2:Article based(Mon 1 Sept)

Test 2:IELTS type essay

(Mon 1 Sept)

Test 2:Lecture based(Mon 1 Sept)

Presentation

(Tues 2 Sept)

Course Rules – your turn!

1. In pairs, discuss your ideas and decide on FIVE rules

2. Compare your ideas with another pair (5 min)

3. Share your group’s ideas with the class

4. Agreed rules will be displayed in the classroom

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

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!

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!

General course rules (4)

• Homework must be submitted on time

• Your homework record will form part of your final report

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.

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.

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

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)

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)

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

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

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

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

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

Email address

frans@iacm.forth.gr

Thank you to Yvonne Grifiths for putting this PowerPoint presentation together.