This course is for participants whose level corresponds to level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Please only register if your level corresponds to the course. Participants of our partner institutions and Unifr employees can contact us to take a placement test if they are unsure of their level. Unifr students are automatically guided to the placement test when registering for a course on MyUnifr.

Target audience
B1 Introducing Academic English is a course for participants who have an B1 (Intermediate) level of English and who aim to improve their language skills so that they can begin to use English in academic settings. The course is open to all students, researchers and staff from across the university and its partner institutions; it is highly interactive and active student participation is required. This course can be taken individually or consecutively with: B1 Introducing Academic English: Autumn Semester. 

Course contents and teaching method
B1 Introducing Academic English focuses on developing and improving participants’ speaking, reading, writing and listening skills (integrated skills). Examples of tasks include:

Speaking
You will be able to practice your speaking skills in every lesson. For large parts of the lesson you will work in pairs or small groups, speaking in English together to complete tasks. You may also be asked to:

• Give a 5 minute presentation 
• Participate in small group discussions 
• Participate in class debates 

Reading
We will use interesting academic texts, magazine articles (such as TIME magazine or The Economist) and internet articles to assist you to:

• Identify the main purpose and relevant information of a range of texts 
• Understand a range of academic terms
• Improve your note-taking skills 

Writing
Through writing activities, we will review basic grammar structures and introduce vocabulary related to academic English. You will have the opportunity to develop your skills in writing sentences, paragraphs and different essay types. 

Listening
We will use recordings from lectures and seminars to:

• Develop your understanding of lectures & note-taking skills 
• Develop your ability to understand seminar discussions 

Activities will also include watching news reports, TED talks or other interesting video recordings in order to improve your listening skills. 

Workload and evaluation
There is no final exam for this course. Instead, students will be asked to complete weekly homework tasks (approx. 1 hour) which will reinforce what is learnt in class. 

Attendance and regular participation in the course is compulsory. Students must attend 80% of the classes to pass the course. 

Materials
Some lessons will use exercises from the textbooks: Oxford EAP: Pre-Intermediate B1 (ISBN: 9780194002073) and Oxford EAP: Intermediate B1+ (ISBN: 9780194002011) . Students are welcome to purchase these books, however, it is not obligatory. Students will be provided with materials in class.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

• Express ideas more clearly and accurately, and in an appropriate academic style
• Speak more fluently, accurately and with clearer, more intelligible pronunciation
• Better understand natural spoken English in academic, business and everyday contexts
• Connect ideas using a greater range of linking words and phrases
• Use a greater range of academic vocabulary and grammatical structures
• Speak with improved accuracy, especially with present and past verb tenses
• Plan and deliver professional presentations to an audience
• Participate more actively in and with greater confidence in group discussions
• Respond effectively and appropriately to feedback from peers and the lecturer

The General Conditions for Participation in Language Courses apply. 

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