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Presessional programme for Built Environment students

Presessional programme for Built Environment students. Sandra Haywood, Andrea Sweetman Centre for English Language Education. CELE: English for Academic Purposes. Research Credit-bearing courses Insessional courses Presessional programmes. Presessional programmes. Intensive, full-time

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Presessional programme for Built Environment students

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  1. Presessional programme for Built Environment students Sandra Haywood, Andrea Sweetman Centre for English Language Education

  2. CELE: English for Academic Purposes • Research • Credit-bearing courses • Insessional courses • Presessional programmes

  3. Presessional programmes • Intensive, full-time • Year-round • 4 entry points • 10 weeks • Assessed (gatekeeping) • Mixed disciplines • Mixed level (mostly pg) • Mixed nationality

  4. Presessional programmes Summer term – highest demand • Standard 10 week programmes • 5 weeks programmes • 4 weeks: students with unconditional offers • Specialised programmes • Total number of students = 450 approx pa • Majority register at UoN

  5. Specialised programmes • For Business students • For Law students • For Bioscience students • For Built Environment students (NEW)

  6. Development of BE programme • Faculty Liaison project: University-wide • Aims: • to identify the academic literacy demands of different disciplines • to investigate the extent to which CELE prepares and supports students • Built Environment selected for in-depth study • Aim: • data gathering  pool of resources

  7. Data gathering • Online fact-finding • Interviews with teaching staff • Interviews with students • Observations • Samples of assignments • One genre unknown to us: ‘studio crits’ • Diverse needs: MArch / MSc split

  8. Vital ingredients • Cooperation of staff • Support of HoD • Key academic contact • Cooperation of students • Consent • Two way process

  9. Data analysis • To understand linguistic demands and challenges • To understand specific conventions and expectations • For example: studio crit • Need to defend design • Need to understand indirect instructions / criticisms, informal language

  10. Data analysis contributed to: • Presessional programme • Insessional course • Research papers

  11. Process • Allowed CELE to build up deeper understanding • Allowed DBE to understand what CELE does • BUT considerable time required • Data gathering and analysis • Building relationships • Significant resource implications

  12. Funding • University of Nottingham’s Teaching and Learning Fund • CELE • Presessional programme development: • 1 FTE for 20 weeks

  13. BE Programme development • Consultation with HoD • 5 weeks Table: Number of BE students on standard programmes pa • Aim  1 group (max 16 students) • Based on standard programme framework with tailored content

  14. Materials Development • Research & Planning • Conceptualisation & Development • Implementation • Reflections

  15. Materials Development : Acknowledgements Klaus Mundt – Input into oral skills / assistance with selection of video clips Dr Cora Lindsay– Development of Reading and Essay Writing component

  16. Research & Planning • Access to past assignments - online • Compiled list of questions : Sent out in advance of follow- up meetings [ See handout] • Attended Studio Criticisms : MArch [Urban Design ] • [Regeneration of a run-down area of Hackney]

  17. Constraining Factors: • Limited amount of time to produce materials for use in the summer (2009) • Course Duration : 5 weeks • Materials – pinned to existing framework of CELE courses

  18. Existing Framework: CELE Presessional Courses • Project (x 5 per week) • Listening & Note-Making (x 1 per week) plus LIVE LECTURE [summer only] • Discussion & Presentation Skills (x 2 per week) • Reading & Essay Writing (x 4 per week)

  19. Further Considerations • Needs : How can we help students to reach their target scores in such a short time? • Entry level : MSc students IELTS 5.5 > 6.00 target MArch students IELTS 6.0 > 6.5 target [Cohort intending to study on various programmes within the Dept. of Architecture and Built Environment]

  20. Yet more considerations : The question EAP tutors inevitably ask : How far can the EAP tutor [non- specialist] become involved in teaching in areas which may involve subject – specific content / highly specialised vocabulary ?

  21. Live lecture programme: Week 1 - Thursday, 19th August Re-inventing the Tall Building : Alternative Designs and Functions for a Sustainable Future Philip Oldfield Week 2 – Thursday, 26th August Room Acoustics and Intelligibility Iain Paterson Stephens Week 3 - Thursday 2nd September What is Renewable Energy? Sean Casey Week 4 - Thursday, 9th September   Sustainability in the Built Environment   Ed Cooper

  22. Conceptualisation : Oral /Aural/ R&EW Components Topic Language Focus Week1R&EW Concepts of Design : Compare & Contrast DPS /LN Design : Urban Housing Week 2 R&EW Cities and Towns Problem/Solution DPS/LN Week 3 R&EW Supermarkets & Retail Cause/Effect DPS/LN Parks Presentations [Organisation & Delivery] Week 4 R&EW Pract. Exam DPS Presentation Pract. [Organisation & Delivery]

  23. Implementation: • Overwriting : rather too much material for time frame • Emphasis : More given to MArch programmes in materials

  24. Reflections : Student Feedback : Overwhelming majority said they would recommend the course to others • Committed tutors - vital • Involvement/cooperation & support from B.E. Dept. – vital • Development time - vital Final Reflection: • Cooperative, motivated students – 50% unconditional • Helpful to track students after Xmas – before reviewing the course

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