YC5001 - Academic Language Skills for Humanities and Social Sciences

This module is taught by interactive seminars and use of practical group activities in the sessions.

The material delivered in practical workshops is designed to enhance your capabilities as an independent learner. This will involve significant self-directed learning and will test your ability to interact with others during group sessions. The sessions will be tailored to address some of the specific issues that you meet within your chosen discipline. When working in groups the nature of the activity will vary from group to group depending upon your specific programme of study. For example, you will develop your critical analysis and critical writing skills by analysing the work of other academics according to the requirements of your programme/module assignments. In addition to the core topics listed, your learning will be supported by your own self–reflection of your skills and academic areas of interest and you will be asked to share these in specific sessions.


Individual attendance and your participation in group work is essential to your learning and as such forms part of your summative assessment. You will be expected to participate in the practical classes having completed directed pre-reading and preparation tasks provided by your tutor. Additional directed learning will be provided to support the development of your skills base, the use of the e-learning platform and support your self-reflection.

All teaching materials for the module are made available on the module electronic learning portal (eLP) site. You will be provided with a teaching and learning plan that outlines the formal sessions, along with the tutor-directed study tasks and independent reading associated with each session. You will be asked to use both email and eLP to share ideas and feedback.

Teaching staff operate an ‘open door’ policy for students meaning you can approach them anytime during normal office hours, or via email, to answer questions, receive feedback and support your learning on the module.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. Online reading lists (provided after enrolment) give you access to your reading material for your modules. The Library works in partnership with your module tutors to ensure you have access to the material that you need.

Knowledge & Understanding:
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Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• MLO1: Read and listen critically, and use a variety of information sources effectively
• MLO2: Recognise and apply the conventions of academic writing, and write effectively within an academic context
• MLO3: Collate subject-related information, reference and organise those resources, and prepare and deliver academic presentations


Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

• MLO4: Assess personal strengths and weaknesses in relation to academic study and language skills, and identify strategies that can be used to further develop their skills.

Summative Assessment:
The module is assessed by three components. These are attendance, a group presentation and a 300 word written assignment. They are all pass/fail.

Attendance of 70% of the timetabled sessions* is required. [All MLOs]

Preparation and participation in a small- group discipline-related presentation that is relevant to your area of study. [MLO3]

Individual written subject specific assessment that is relevant to your subject discipline. [MLO2]


Formative Assessment:
You are expected to participate in a combination of 1-2 formative written and presentation assignments that are provided per semester. Formative assessment will take place through group work, discussion, specific academic language tasks, and text modelling as appropriate.


Feedback:
Class discussion and tutor feedback on in class exercises will support your learning and provide guidance for the summative assessments. Written feedback will be provided on summative assessed work. For presentation, feedback will be supplemented with verbal comment and discussion.


* (If you have valid grounds for non-attendance [such as illness], then appropriate documentary evidence [such as a doctor’s letter] must be provided to the module tutor at the following session. Any anticipated non-attendance [for example, for an interview] must be approved by the module tutor in advance.)

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The aim of this module is to support your study, language and communication skills for academic purposes in the study in your chosen discipline. The module is designed to enable you to become an independent learner. The module is supported by a teaching and learning plan which outlines the formal sessions, together with the tutor-directed study and independent reading. Interactive workshops will be tailored to address some of the specific issues that you meet within your discipline. Directed learning will require a range of activities including pre-reading, preparation for interactive activities and use of the e-learning platform. You will be expected to identify those skills which you need within your programme, and to develop these independently through a range of learning activities that might include extended reading, and reflection.