Course Content

This training course is designed for academics who teach in an English speaking environment, focusing on equipping educators with the knowledge and strategies to help students improve their study habits and academic performance. The course includes the following elements but can be adapted to suit the needs of the client.

Academic Language Proficiency

One of the key challenges for both educators and students alike is to use the appropriate academic English. Unlike the language learned at school or other institutions, academic English uses noun phrases to create a text that sounds knowledgeable, informed and persuasive without being personal. By enabling educators to guide students in the importance of adhering to the the language of academia, this will prepare the students for academic study in their own institution and in other English speaking environments both at home and abroad.

Academic Writing

Students need to be aware of academic conventions in an English speaking environment when preparing a written text whether it is an essay, a dissertation, a thesis or paper for review and publication. This can can vary from discipline to discipline and most departments will provide guidelines on what they expect. However there are features that are expected in all areas of academia.

Reading Strategies

Studying any subject in higher education requires endless reading of books, journal articles and other relevant documents. Helping students to improve their reading by teaching them strategies to enable them to identify and understand complex academic texts is essential to grasp a deep understanding of their chosen field. Making students aware of how to find and explore texts without drowning in a sea of words will ease the load as they progress through their studies.

Critical Thinking

Being able to think critically in a chosen field of study is essential in any field of study in order for a student to have a thorough understanding of the ideas they will find on their academic journey. The ability to question and interact with any text whether spoken or written is an essential skill. This is especially important these days as students will find information and ideas through the use of AI. However, they need to be able to identify truth from fiction, relevance from irrelevance, or facts from fabrication.

Information Literacy

Students need to know how to search for relevant material for any project, research or class activity. So much information is available through databases, libraries and websites. How does the student know if it is relevant to their needs without reading the complete text, or reliable especially if it from the Internet? There are also conventions for acknowledging sources that students need to be aware of in order to satisfy both institutional and legal requirements.

Note-taking and Summarising

Students will inevitably need to take notes whether reading a text or listening to the spoken word through lectures or recordings. Encouraging students to take notes enables them to take ownership of a text and use it in their own work without violating institutional rules or even the law of the land. Encouraging students to summarise their notes in their own words helps them to avoid plagiarism.

Effective Oral Communication

Oral communication takes place in a number of different ways in a student's life. Formal situations such as seminars can be demanding as they are usually conducted in small, formal groups with a lecturer. Also, group work may be required and even though it is less formal, it is important for a student to contribute to any discussion. Many courses require students to give a presentation to demonstrate their understanding of a topic.

Classroom Management

How to ensure student engagement in a class is often a challenge based on the nature of the content, the perceived outcome of the class, and the student themselves. How to motivate reluctant students is something we all face from time to time. The way a class is managed can have a profound impact on the outcome.

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