Prospectus

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Language Acquisition 3: Academic Vocabulary in Use

Course
2011-2012

Admission requirements

Succesful completion of Language Acquisition 1 and 2.

Description

In your future position, you will need to use academic and other professional vocabulary. While Language Acquisition 4 looks at various professional disciplines, Language Acquisition 3 specifically urges you to build vocabulary as used in an academic context. Students do activities during the tutorials and practise using the right words in the right places in sentences. Each week, students study the words from certain chapters and prepare an assignment at home (e.g., discover and describe the lexicographic background of a word, or design a number of graphs explaining a certain linguistic or cultural phenomenon). They let the audience participate in these presentations. During the tutorials, some students will be asked to present what they have prepared. Two interviews (between students) will be recorded during the tutorials. Your progress in pronunciation and grammar will be part of the interview grade, as they should be sufficient by now and should improve through self-study. At the end of the course there is a vocabulary exam, during the exam period.

Course objectives

  • increasing active and passive academic vocabulary

  • explaining complex systems and phenomena

  • creating awareness of your own and other students’ use of academic language

  • practising and improving grammar and pronunciation

Timetable

The timetable will be available by June 1st at www.hum.leidenuniv.nl/engels.

Mode of instruction

One-hour seminar every week.

Assessment method

  • participation: 20%

  • interviews: 40%

  • exam: 40%

A minimum of 5 for each of these components is a requirement for passing the course.

Blackboard

This course is supported by Blackboard.

Reading list

Michael McCarthy & Felicity O’Dell (latest edition) Academic Vocabulary in Use. Cambridge University Press.

Registration

Students should register through uSis. First-year students cannot register through uSis. They will be registered by the administration. Exchange students cannot register through uSis, but must see the director of studies and register with her. If you have any questions, please contact the departmental office, tel. 071 5272144 or mail: english@hum.leidenuniv.nl.

Exchange and Study Abroad students, please see the Study in Leiden website for information on how to apply.

Contact information

Departmental Office English Language and Culture, P.N. van Eyckhof 4, room 102C. Tel. 071 5272144; mail: english@hum.leidenuniv.nl.
Studentcounsellor Bachelor: Ms. S.H.J. Bollen, P.N. van Eyckhof 4, room 103B.
Coordinator of Studies Master: Ms. K. van der Zeeuw-Filemon, P.N. van Eyckhof 4, room 103C.

Remarks

No remarks.