The Liberal Art University in Hong Kong

English for Communication III (LCE2010)

This course is offered in both Term 1 and Term 2. Class contact hours per week: 4 (2 x 2 hour tutorials) Credits: 3

This course is the third of three courses to help you to participate in your liberal arts education at Lingnan by improving your communication skills in English.


Important Notes

  • Completion of LCE1010 and LCE1020 is the prerequisite of taking LCE2010.
  • It is recommended that students who fail LCE1010 and/or LCE1020 should retake the course(s) in the 2nd year of their study and they should not drop the required courses of LCE1010, LCE1020 and LCE2010 except for students who are granted credit transfer/course exemption.
  • Completion of LCE1010, LCE1020 and LCE2010 is the prerequisite of taking any of the English free-elective courses offered by CEAL, except for LCE303. [Exchange students, either for one term or one year, will be exempted from this requirement. However, if these exchange students are taking LCE1010, LCE1020 or LCE2010, they will not be allowed to take any English electives offered by CEAL.]
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Course Introduction


Welcome to LCE2010 English for Communication III.
 We hope that you will find this course interesting, stimulating and useful for your academic studies at Lingnan and for your future professional development. Before you begin, there is some important information for you below which your instructor will go through with you. If you have any questions about the course, your instructor will be happy to answer them.

LCE2010 English for Communication is a 3-credit English enhancement course in tutorial mode. There are four hours of tutorial classes per week (2 x 2 hours). Class size is about 20 and you will be encouraged to both actively participate in class and to study English independently.
This course is the third of three courses to help you to participate in your liberal arts education at Lingnan by improving your communication skills in English.

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Aims

The aims of this course are to:

  • enhance your ability to work collaboratively with others to complete a specific project or study.
  • enhance your ability to present study findings through effective presentation and report writing.
  • equip you with the necessary English language skills for your academic needs and professional development.
  • help you to communicate in English with an increased ability to think logically and critically as part of the liberal arts education.
  • enhance your comprehension skills in reading and listening to extended texts on a range of genres.

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Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course students should be able to:

  • Conduct an oral interview for research purposes.
  • Design a questionnaire survey on a specific topic and write a report with appropriate content, style, organization, vocabulary and grammatical accuracy using the data collected.
  • Present the findings of a questionnaire survey with appropriate content, fluency, pronunciation, body language, vocabulary and grammatical accuracy.
  • Read specific texts for gist, global meaning and specific information.
  • Listen to extended speech for gist, global meaning and specific information.
  • Identify and correct their own content and language errors and peer review others’ work for content and language errors.
  • Make use of concepts, skills and techniques necessary for learning and improving their language skills independently in preparation for life-long language learning.


More specific Intended Learning Outcomes are given at the beginning of each unit.

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Key Content


The teaching units of this course focus on developing language and study skills you are likely to need and use in your academic and future professional life. These include being able to: devise and conduct an oral history interview; devise and conduct a questionnaire survey study in groups; formulate clear questions to elicit specific information; communicate and summarize study findings in clear and well-organized report writing; effectively present study findings to an audience; comprehend and extract relevant information from written general and academic texts and extended speech on specific topics. Additional self-directed learning and online listening and reading components are aimed at enhancing students’ initiative in self-directed language learning.


Teaching and Learning Activities


The course takes an integrated approach to language learning and as such, you will engage individually, in pairs and in small groups in a variety of classroom activities and collaborative tasks. Authentic reading and listening materials are used on specific contexts and topics. Speaking and writing activities allow practice of discussion, presentation and summarizing of research findings. Opportunities are also provided for students to reflect upon and give feedback on your own and peers’ work, encouraging mutual support and improved accuracy and clarity of expression. Additional practice materials, out-of-class assignments and group projects encourage collaboration and language use beyond the classroom.

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Measurement of learning outcomes


The learning outcomes will be measured through assessments to be administered throughout the course and during the final examination period. The assessments will focus on all four language skills plus the Independent Learning component as follows (as % of final course mark):

  • Speaking Coursework 1 (10%) Carry out an oral history interview then make a video re-telling the interviewee’s story.
  • Writing Coursework (25%) Conduct a questionnaire survey relevant to the theme given and write a report of about 1300-1700 words including the Introduction, Methodology, Results, Discussion and Conclusion sections.
  • Speaking Coursework 2 (25%) Give a group presentation of about 20-25 minutes on the questionnaire survey conducted earlier. The presentation should include the major findings and a recommended course of action relevant to the survey topic.
  • Final Reading exam (12.5%) Multiple-choice exam on selected reading texts to assess the reading learning outcomes.
  • Final Listening exam (12.5%) Multiple-choice exam on selected listening texts to assess the listening learning outcomes.
  • Self-directed Language Learning (10%) will be assessed by submission of self-directed language learning activities through Moodle consisting of clear evidence of 5 learning activities, each with a reflection on the activity. A mark of 2% will be awarded for each activity and reflection submitted for a maximum of 10%.
  • Online Listening and Reading Course (5%) A total of 6 listening and reading exercises related to the topics covered in the course will be presented on Moodle throughout the term. The exercises also practice the listening and reading skills assessed in the final exams. Students should complete 5 out of the 6 exercises and will be awarded 1% for each exercise completed for a maximum of 5%.


Coursework Assessment:  75%

Final Examination:  25%

Note
: You should be aware of the University regulations about dishonest practice in course work and the possible consequences as stipulated in the Regulations Governing University Examinations.
You will be responsible for producing evidence for of your self-directed language learning and for submitting this to Moodle within the given deadlines. 

The final Listening and Reading exam will be conducted at the end of term, during the examination period.  Further details of examinations will be given to you by your class instructor and will be announced on the University’s eLearning platform Moodle at https://lms.ln.edu.hk.    You should also consult CEAL’s web site (http://www.ln.edu.hk/ceal) for answers to questions you may have about this course, additional useful English Language Support Services (ELSS) and on-line language learning resources.

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Unit Intended Learning Outcomes and Teaching and Learning Activities


LCE2010 Unit 1 Self-directed Language Learning (SDLL)

What you will learn in this Unit
In this Unit you will learn how to reflect on and assess your previous Self-Directed Language Learning (SDLL) experiences. You will identify your long-term language learning goal and short-term language learning goals and select appropriate resources provided by CEAL English Language Support Services (ELSS) you will use to reach them. You will carry out your learning, collect evidence of your activities and write a reflection on each of your activities.


Why this is useful for you
Self-Directed Language Learning is an integral part of the CEAL core language courses and is essential in helping you to become an independent language learner. You will be able to integrate and consolidate what you have learned relating to Self-Directed Language Learning in previous CEAL courses (LCE1010, LCE1020) to enhance your language skills and proficiency in specific areas.


Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of this Unit, you should be able to:

  • Assess your level of independence as a language learner
  • Identify a long-term language learning goal and the short-term goals involved in reaching it.
  • Select activities to help you towards your short-term goals.
  • Carry out your selected learning activities, collecting evidence as you complete them.
  • Reflect on each of your activities.


Teaching and Learning Activities

In this Unit, you will:

  • Reflect on and assess your previous SDLL experiences.
  • Identify a long-term language learning goal and the short-term learning goals required to reach it.
  • Select appropriate ELSS activities to reach your selected goals.
  • Learn how to reflect on your learning activities and upload them to Moodle.


LCE2010 Unit 2: Oral History Interviews

What you will learn in this Unit
In this Unit you will learn to describe past memories and habits using the vocabulary and language presented in the unit. You will apply the basic principles of oral history research in learning about the past and carry out and record an oral history based on an interview.You will explore the uses of oral history in the media including documentaries, arts and entertainment. You will use questions in an interview to elicit information from others and respond in detail to questions in an interview with a peer.

Why this is useful for you
Forming questions accurately to elicit information from others and being able to respond to other people’s questions at length are both useful and important skills in real life both in a social context and in the workplace including job interviews. An important component of many public/international speaking exams (e.g. IELTS) requires candidates to respond to questions and elaborate answers at length. You will build on the practice of forming questions in this unit later in Unit 3 when you will design a questionnaire.

Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of this Unit, you should be able to:

  • Describe past memories and habits using the vocabulary and language presented in the unit.
  • Identify and understand references to past habits in written and spoken forms.
  • Apply the basic principles of oral history research in learning about the past.
  • Carry out and record an oral history based on an interview.


Teaching and Learning Activities
In this Unit, you will:

  • Talk about past memories, focusing on habits.
  • Explore the uses of oral history in the media including documentaries, arts and entertainment.
  • Read texts in which:
    • the past habits of individuals and communities are recollected.
    • oral history as a research methodology is introduced.
  • Watch and listen to a video of an academic describing oral history as a research methodology.
  • Study and practice the following points of grammar:
    • the grammatical structures employed to express past habits, including the simple past, the modal verb ‘would’, and the phrase ‘used to’; and
    • the patterns ‘be used to’ + NOUN and ‘get used to’ + NOUN to refer to habits or situations one is adjusting or becoming accustomed to.
  • Study and practice the use of pronouns and noun phrases to refer to things or people previously mentioned.
  • Use questions in an interview to elicit information from others.
  • Respond in detail to questions in an interview.


LCE2010 Unit 3 Academic Writing 3 Questionnaires, Surveys and Survey Reports
What you will learn in this Unit
In this Unit you will become familiar with the basic content, structure and language of academic survey reports. You will design, trial and carry out a survey questionnaire for a group research project related to cultural heritage in Hong Kong. Based on data collected, you will write a survey report both collaborating as a group and individually on your survey focus/objectives, methodology, key findings, conclusions and recommendations to preserve some aspect of cultural heritage in Hong Kong.
You will also read texts and listen to a TED Talk on cultural heritage and answer related reading and listening comprehension questions, and discuss ways to carry out cultural heritage preservation.

Why this is useful for you
In social science, business and arts disciplines, the use of questionnaire surveys as research tool for data collection is prevalent. This Unit enables you to be more familiar with collecting, presenting, describing and analysing quantitative and qualitative data and making recommendations and conclusions based on such data. Furthermore, most market, customer and behavioural research and opinion polls are based on data derived from survey reports so it will be of use in the workplace in the future.


Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of this Unit, you will be able to:

  • identify the uses of questionnaire surveys in everyday life and in research;
  • identify the main aims and objectives of survey reports and studies;
  • design a survey questionnaire for a small research project to investigate an aspect of cultural heritage in Hong Kong;
  • write different parts of a survey report using appropriate format, style and language;
  • present and describe survey data clearly;
  • examine the language and organization features used in different parts of a survey report;
  • apply effective organization and coherence features including a range of cohesive devices;
  • use hedging and modality in academic report writing.


Teaching and Learning Activities

In this Unit, you will:

  • read examples of academic survey reports;
  • analyze different parts of survey reports for content, language and organizational features;
  • learn how to design a questionnaire to investigate a specific topic;
  • collect data in relation to a set of questions designed by your group;
  • practice describing survey data in writing;
  • write parts of a survey report in groups and review each other’s writing;
  • write the individual parts of a survey report and review each other’s writing;
  • receive feedback on both group and individual parts of a survey report from your instructor and make necessary revisions.


LCE2010 Unit 4 Speaking 3: Presenting Research Findings

Having good presentation skills is essential both at university and the workplace and enhances your effectiveness in communicating key information (or study/research findings) across to your audience. These are highly marketable skills.

What you will learn in this Unit

In this Unit you will learn how to present the major findings of a group survey research study your group has carried out in Unit 3. You will recommend a course of action for preserving an aspect of cultural heritage in Hong Kong. You will practise essential presentation skills (including fluency, pronunciation, eye contact, non-verbal communication, use of audio visual, and phonological features) to communicate your research findings effectively to your audience.
You will also collaborate as a group and support each other in the preparation and the final presentation.

Why this is useful for you

In order to produce a good presentation you must be able to

  • organise and summarise complex information effectively
  • communicate information and data clearly
  • manage time efficiently
  • respond effectively to questions


Intended Learning Outcomes
By the end of this Unit, you will be able to:

  • present the and communicate the major findings of your group survey research study;
  • apply essential elements of presentation skills (including fluency, pronunciation, eye contact, non-verbal; communication, use of audio visual, and phonological features, handling Q&A, etc.) to communicate research findings effectively to an audience;
  • work effectively as a group in preparing and delivering an academic presentation based on survey results.


Teaching and Learning Activities

In this Unit, you will:

  • evaluate your individual strengths and weaknesses as a presenter and set appropriate targets for improvement;
  • identify the key features of an effective presentation through viewing exemplar presenters in the media;
  • break down and practice specific elements to achieve effective presentation;
  • practise as a group in preparing and delivering an academic presentation based on survey results.
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Additional Course Guidelines


Course Materials

Course materials will be available on the LCE2010 Main Course Page on Moodle for you to download/print out before each class. You are expected to come well prepared to every class. The course materials will be referred to in every class, so you should print them out or bring a suitable electronic device such as a netbook, laptop or tablet to view the electronic materials. A small size tablet such as the iPad Mini is considered to be the minimum suitable size for viewing and using the course materials. A device the size of a smartphone or smaller is NOT considered adequate for viewing the materials in class.  You will find this Moodle site and CEAL’s web site (http://www.ln.edu.hk/ceal) very useful for guiding your English language studies and for helping to answer questions you may have about this course, or other language enhancement courses offered by CEAL.


Homework
The Lingnan University Guidelines for learning state that
“For each hour of class contact, the expectation is that students will undertake 2 additional hours of personal study.  Personal study may include preparation for in-class activities, completing assignments, and/ or revision, etc.” http://www.ln.edu.hk/reg/info/englearning.pdf

LCE2010 has four hours of class contact per week, meaning that you should spend 8 hours each week for personal study related to LCE2010. You will be given homework to do, coursework assignments to complete and the Self-directed Language Learning Unit also provides work you are required to fulfil throughout the term.



Attendance
Generally, illness is the only permissible reason to miss classes. If you are going to miss a class for any other reason, you should inform your instructor before you miss the class.  In case of illness preventing attendance at classes, students should present a doctor’s letter or other acceptable documentary evidence.  Students are also expected to be punctual in attending all classes and consultations. Late coming will be noted and lateness of more than 15 minutes will result in your being marked absent from that hour of the class. Students are strongly encouraged to attend as many classes as possible. Most of the marks for this course come from coursework assessments and two of the major assessments are based on a group project.  Students who miss classes will miss teaching and learning activities and important information needed to complete the coursework assessments and miss opportunities to work with their team mates on their group assignments. This may have a negative effect on the quality of students’ work and therefore the marks awarded for it. It is not the responsibility of your instructor to remind you about your attendance and/or to warn you if your attendance is low.  It is your own responsibility.


Assessment Policy

Any student who fails to be present at an assessment because of illness will be given one further opportunity for assessment, provided there is sufficient documentary evidence justifying his/her absence and it is administratively possible.  Only in cases approved by the class instructor and the Head of the CEAL, will students be allowed to take a make-up assessment. 

Students who disagree with the awarded grade for any assessment should meet with their instructor and appeal within 5 days after receiving the disputed grade. Appeals made after this time are not likely to be considered. When making an appeal, justification for a change of mark should be presented.


Late Submission Penalties
For each assessment, there are deadlines. Five per cent (5%) of the total possible mark will be deducted for submission each day (including public holidays) after the due date.  This penalty applies to all work that is not submitted on the due date without prior approval and/or failure to produce supporting documentary evidence such as a doctor’s certificate in the case of illness.


Presentation of Work
At the beginning of each unit of this course, there is a task sheet which describes the main task to be carried out in the unit. You should pay close attention to the instructions in the task sheet that tell you how to present and submit your work. Your work will be submitted through Moodle (technical support will be available if needed).


Plagiarism
Please note carefully this important message from the University:

“[You should] be aware of the University regulations about dishonest practice in course work and the possible consequences as stipulated in the Regulations Governing University Examinations.”

Plagiarism is the use of other written or Internet sources without permission or acknowledgement of the author or source.  This includes copying, re-phrasing or reproducing ideas or information without acknowledging the author or source.  The university handbook specifies clear penalties for plagiarism.

  • If plagiarism is demonstrated, the student concerned may receive a zero mark on that assignment. 

 

Therefore, if you have any doubts about a piece of submitted work, you should discuss it with your instructor before officially submitting it. To understand more about plagiarism – what it is and how to avoid it – you are advised to read the following information on the university’s intranet:
https://tlc.ln.edu.hk/tlc/index.php/students/avoiding-plagiarism/


Problems with your Studies

To be successful at university, you must learn to communicate effectively with your instructors. Your CEAL instructor for this course is not only there to teach you in the classroom during your tutorials, they are also there to help, guide and support you in your studies. If you have any questions or problems regarding your LCE course or any other aspect of your life or studies at Lingnan, do not hesitate to tell your instructor. Your instructor should provide their contact details such as their office room number, telephone number and email address. You can also find the contact details of all CEAL staff here: http://www.ln.edu.hk/ceal/staff/index.php.

All CEAL instructors have a certain number of Office Hours each week for student consultation. That time is intended for you to meet your instructor, so make good use of it. The sooner you communicate any difficulties you are having, the more help your instructor and the university will be able to give you.

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