- Writing: This introductory writing course aims to familiarise you with the grammatical and stylistic features of formal texts in English. Some of the topics we will be dealing with are formal register, cohesion, writing introductions and conclusions, using reference books, and acknowledging one’s sources. Furthermore, we will discuss those areas of English grammar that you need to become an accurate writer. We will expect you to prepare different writing, spelling and punctuation, style and grammar tasks at home, which we will then discuss in tutorial. You will also be asked to frequently hand in short writing assignments; these will be commented upon and marked. The weekly lectures provide invaluable background information to topics relevant to the writing process. We hope that at the end of the course you will feel more confident about your writing skills.
The second main component of this course is the acquisition of the vocabulary needed to discuss academic texts in the field of English studies. To this end, will compile a portfolio containing words and expressions that you have found in your text books, and that you have had to look up in the dictionary.
- Language laboratory: The aim of the first semester Language lab sessions is to help you improve your pronunciation of English consonant and vowel sounds by means of practice. However, practising individual sounds is obviously not enough. We will therefore also look at words that are often mispronounced, and we will practise stress. In this way, your English will gradually sound more natural. Furthermore, we will also do some listening exercises. At the test, your pronunciation and listening skills are tested.
Time table
The timetable will be available from June 1st on the Internet.
Teaching method One 45-minute lecture and one two-hour tutorial per week.
A la carte- and contract teaching
Those interested in following the course (with exam, may find some more information on enrollment conditions, costs etc here.
This class is not available as A la carte course.
course objectives
At the end of this course, students:
are aware of the differences between spoken and written English
have knowledge and understanding of the grammatical and stylistic features of academic texts and they have acquired the terminology needed to discuss these features
are able to write short academic essays in grammatically and stylistically appropriate English
have enhanced their knowledge of the vocabulary and idiom used in English academic texts.
Required reading
Roget’s Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases. London: Penguin, most recent edition.
From Scratch to Script: Texts and Assignments Language Acquisition 1A, syllabus available at Studiepunt Letteren.
Gussenhoven, C. & A. Broeders. English Pronunciation for Student Teachers. Groningen: Wolters-Noordhoff: meest recente druk. (For students in British Language Laboratory)
Kolln, Martha. Rhetorical Grammar: Grammatical Choices, Rhetorical Effects. New York: Pearson Education, 2007.
Laaken, M. van der et al. Writing Better English. Bussum: Uitgeverij Coutinho, 2001.
Lea, Diana. Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English. Oxford: Oxford University Press: most recent edition.
Longman’s Dictionary of English Language and Culture most recent edition.
Lujan, B.A. The American Accent Guide, Second Edition: A Complete and Comprehensive Course on the Pronunciation and Speaking Style of American English for Individuals of All Language Backgrounds, Salt Lake City: Lingual Arts, most recent edition. (For students in American laboratory).
Exam
Writing assignments: 50%; test: 25% ; pronunciation, listening and speaking: 25%. To pass the course, you need to make sure that your mark for none of the components is lower than 5. Marks lower than 5 cannot be compensated by other component marks.
Information
English Department , P.N. van Eyckhof 4, room 102c, tel. 071-5272144.
English@hum.leidenuniv.nl
Blackboard/webpage
To be announced.