• Cook Frances

One Step Beyond: Expanding Academic English, Spring Workshop is for students who already use English very well in most situations, but who desire to refine their knowledge and use of English for current and future purposes via critical and lively engagement with challenging material  A strong emphasis is placed on building lexical resources due to the crucial role that an accurate, productive vocabulary plays in creating cohesive texts.  As such, the language we focus on in the Spring Workshop – to present and discuss information, to describe change, and to emphasize, comment on and evaluate particular points and relationships – should ultimately help you to connect ideas and make them flow more logically and/or compellingly.  We will also look at idiomatic language in some detail, since this type of language gives you greater verbal dexterity and allows you to enliven and put a personal stamp on your communication. To make progress and to complete the course, you will have to attend every class and do a number of assignments including extended readings.  Classwork and assignments/project are in lieu of a final exam and are commented on and evaluated, in detail, by you, your peers, and your lecturer.  

Learning goals for the course include being able to:

Use oral and written English more critically, accurately, concisely, and appropriately (and creatively) to communicate, in an informed way, to and with others, about things that matter in the world around you

Describe/discuss (orally and in writing) issues of importance in the wider world, highlighting key perspectives and positions (and their interrelationships)

Present on a social topic of interest, incorporating a song that addresses the topic

Expand lexical knowledge (collocations, idiomatic language, specialized topic related vocabulary)

Incorporate outside sources (appropriate articles and/or research studies) into your classroom work and assignments

Share thoughts and feelings on topics of personal and/or current-day interest

Contribute actively to small group discussions and other public situations such as Q&A sessions; hone listening skills

Lead/organize a small group discussion

Identify and practise ways to take some distance from (hedge) what you are expressing

Identify and work to improve typical pronunciation trouble spots

Rely less on linking words and expressions to make your written texts flow

Improve accuracy (advanced grammar areas, mechanics)

Work on achieving brevity and clarity by respecting word/time limits but not compromising content/meaning

Locate and correct problems in your written work