ESL Teacher Reference Desk

Foundation Year Programme

FOUNDATION 2

Semester 2

Extensive Reading Skills

PREREQUISITES

• Foundation 1 final examination and continuous assessment result: 51 points or higher.
• Placement test result: 61 points or higher.

AIMS

The module aims to

• enable students to achieve fluency in the areas of vocabulary recognition and reading comprehension skills;
• equip students with effective extensive reading strategies;
• make reading a positive, encouraging experience for all students;
• develop the culture of reading and critical thinking skills;
• encourage students to take charge of their own reading development;
• produce independent readers who value reading as a life-long pursuit.

ASSESSMENT

The module will be evaluated for a total of 100 marks of which 90 marks will be based on continuous assessment and 10 marks will be based on the end-semester examination.

CONTENTS

ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGIES AND LEARNING OUTCOMES: MAPPING

Learning Outcomes for the Module

On completion of this module, the student will be able to

1. Use intensive reading strategies.
2. Demonstrate effective extensive reading strategies.
3. Develop an ever-expanding fund of recognized words and their meanings.
4. Read not just for information or to perform a task, but also for pleasure.
5. Establish personally relevant reading goals.

NOTE:

Extensive reading - 80% continuous assessment based on the log maintained by the tutor. The table below outlines the grading system for extensive reading.

*Approximately 150 - 200 words in Times New Roman, font size 12 will be considered as one page. Adjustments will be made for books/magazines/journals in larger or smaller font sizes.

Regulations and Requirements

Each student must fulfill the following requirements of the Extensive Reading Skills course.

(1) Self-study (average 6 hours per week) includes preparation for extensive as well as intensive reading classes. For extensive reading purposes students read chosen books, magazines or journals on preferred topics. For intensive reading purposes students use a handbook compiled by the faculty of the Languages Centre. More than 80% of the time must be devoted to extensive reading.

(2) Every student must keep a log which shows how much the student read every week and must demonstrate that s/he understood what s/he read. The log must be kept in the prescribed format.

(3) Students must be prepared to discuss what they have read with the tutor. These meetings will take place every second week. The class will be divided into two groups of approximately 15 students each, and each group will meet the tutor on alternate weeks for a face-to-face discussion.

(4) Students must show the teacher the book/article they are currently reading. If it is online, they need to print and show the hard copy.

(5) Attend all classes regularly. Students should be mindful that if they are not in class, for any reason, they miss important schoolwork and are not able to participate in their class's ongoing educational activities. This may be reflected in students' grades. If a student misses more than three classes without a clear reason she/he will not be allowed to continue the course without a special permission from the Head of the Languages Centre.

(6) Students are not allowed to walk or chat loudly with each other during the lesson without a tutor’s permission. If a student ignores the tutor’s remarks, uses offensive words or offensive body language, leaves the classroom early and without the teacher’s permission, is late for classes or insults other students and the teacher, behaves in an arrogant manner or in any other inappropriate way, the student will be severely punished including expulsion from the College. Expulsion implies that the student should not consider the College for further education.

 (7) Attend all examinations. Cheating at examinations is not tolerated and students who are caught by invigilators during examination will automatically fail themselves.

(8) The course outline is the main document of the course and the topics which are written in the course outline must be discussed in class every week. The duty of each student is to study the handouts, according to the course outline, and prepare for class discussions. The course outline is given to each student during the first week of the semester.

(9) Any additional questions or suggestions related to the above can be answered or discussed personally by your tutor during the tutorial, after the tutorial or by email. Each student who approaches the teacher by email must write his/her student number, name and the class number.