Students who have taken the IELTS at least twice but failed to attain Band 6.0 (Band 6.5 for BTB and BA-ENG) or above, and have completed ENG2000 IELTS Five-Day Workshops
Nil
This 14-week non-credit English course is designed for students who are not able to meet the University’s English-language exit requirement. The course serves as an English enhancement course to help students lift their English standard prior to graduation. It strives to improve students’ four core language skills – reading, writing, listening and speaking. The small group sizes and tutorial mode aim to cater for students’ individual needs.
Upon completion of this module, students should be able to:
a. listen for general and specific information and identify speakers’ tones, stances, and opinions;
b. use appropriate reading strategies to locate general and specific information; critically read a wide range of texts and develop a good understanding of writers’ claims, stances and arguments;
c. organise and write different types of texts using a range of linguistic devices;
d. communicate effectively using appropriate verbal and non-verbal skills; demonstrate critical thinking skills and express opinions in English persuasively.
1. Strategies for effective listening
1.1 Identifying and predicting the content, scope and objectives of spoken intercourse
1.2 Inferring themes and objectives of spoken texts based on grasping key words
1.3 Distinguishing main ideas from supporting ideas
1.4 Identifying speakers’ attitudes, tones and opinions
1.5 Inferring underlying meanings, implications and undertones
1.6 Detecting verbal signals to deduce meanings and the flow of spoken texts
1.7 Listening for stress, rhythm and intonation
2. Strategies for effective reading
2.1 Skimming and scanning to locate general and specific information
2.2 Identifying the gist and specific details by recognising a wide range of linguistic devices
2.3 Recognising features of different types of written texts
2.4 Using effective cohesive and coherence devices
2.5 Identifying and critiquing writers’ intentions, attitudes and stances to arrive at independent interpretations and responses
2.6 Distinguishing facts from opinions, unsupported claims from justified assumptions, and logical fallacies from valid arguments
2.7 Inferring and deducing meanings
3. Strategies for effective writing
3.1 Identifying key elements in a variety of written genres including explanation, discussion, interpretation, reflection and argumentation.
3.2 Using accurate and appropriate grammatical structures, cohesive devices and vocabulary
3.3 Developing effective paragraph structures, topic sentences and supporting sentences
3.4 Describing facts, figures, graphs and processes
3.5 Supporting arguments with reliable and justifiable references
3.6 Developing summarising, paraphrasing and synthesising skills
4. Strategies for effective speaking
4.1 Communicating effectively by employing a wide range of verbal and non-verbal skills for conversation, discussion, and persuasion
4.2 Asking and answering questions effectively
4.3 Responding to ideas and suggestions meaningfully in both formal and informal contexts
4.4 Improving the use of elements of spoken English, including articulation, intonation, fluency, word stress and sentence stress
4.5 Participating actively, meaningfully, and critically in discussions
1. Listening Test (25%)
2. Reading Test (25%)
3. Writing Test (25%)
4. Speaking Test (25%)
Hung, T. T. N. (2005). Understanding English grammar: A course book for Chinese learners of English. Hong Kong, China: Hong Kong University Press.
Kline, J. A. (2003). Listening effectively: Achieving high standards in communication. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
McWhorter, K. T. (2012). The successful writer’s handbook. (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: Longman.
Meyers, A. (2005). Gateways to academic writing: Effective sentences, paragraphs and essays. White Plains, NY: Longman.
Smith, B. D. (2007). The reader’s handbook: Reading strategies for college and everyday life (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Pearson/Longman.
Weissman, J. (2013). In the line of fire: How to handle tough questions when it counts. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.
Williams, D. E. (2007). The power presentation: Career acceleration through public speaking. Boston, MA: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
On-line Resources
Plagiarism and how to avoid it
http://www4.caes.hku.hk/plagiarism/
Academic Grammar
http://www4.caes.hku.hk/acadgrammar/
The Oral Presentation Skills
http://www4.caes.hku.hk/tops/
BBC English
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/
Critical Thinking
http://austhink.com/critical/
British Council
http://www.britishcouncil.org.hk/
Cambridge EFL On-line
http://www.cambridge-efl.org
Cambridge practice test
http://www.cambridge.org/elt/insightielts/test.htm
IELTS official site
http://www.ielts.org/
