English Assist

Objectives

English Assist is a paid consultancy service, set up for NUS expatriate staff from non-English speaking countries. It has the following objectives:

	help clients maximise the clarity and effectiveness of their oral and written English for pedagogical purposes;
	help clients maximise the effectiveness of their lecture and classroom communication.

Format

Each programme consists of ten consultations of two hours each, spreading over a period of six months.

For the first consultation, the client and consultant analyse samples of the client's oral and written communication (videotaped or audio-taped lecture and samples of written text) to determine the client's pre-course language and communication profile. Items from the pre-profile become the basis for structuring the remaining consultations.

At the end of the programme, the client and consultant together draw up the client's post-course language and communication profile. If the need arises, this is followed up by a six-month post-course consultancy service when the client may call on his/her consultant for additional help.

The unique feature of English Assist is that it offers each client a personal language programme specially designed for his/her specific language and communication requirements.

Graduate English Course - Basic Level (ES 5000)

Objectives

This course aims to help international graduates from non-English speaking countries organise ideas and use accurate English for academic writing. At the end of the course, students should be able to:

	construct well-organised short academic essays - plan and write outlines for academic essays - write Introduction, Body and Conclusion sections for academic essays
	edit academic essays for form and content
	avoid common spelling and grammar errors in academic writing
	give well-organised and interactive mini-presentations

Format

The course is conducted through two 2-hour tutorials each week for a total of 12 weeks. It covers aspects of paragraph writing, academic essay writing, text editing, grammar review and oral presentation.

To facilitate independent learning, the course is also conducted in the virtual learning environment where students are able to use self-access learning materials and interact with their peers and tutors outside the traditional classroom.

Assessment

Evaluation is based on continuous assessment and a final written examination.

Continuous Assessment 50%

	Assignment 1: Introduction Writing (5%)
	Assignment 2: Body Paragraph Writing (5%)
	Assignment 3: Conclusion Writing (5%)
	Assignment 4: Oral Presentation (5%)
	Assignment 5: Essay Writing (15%)
	Grammar Book, Class Participation, and Independent Learning Folder (15%)

Final Written Examination 50%

	Text Editing (10%)
	Essay Writing (40%)

Graduate English Course - Intermediate Level (ES 5001A)

Objectives

This course provides the opportunity for postgraduate students to improve their academic writing skills.

Format

In this module, we will discuss the general characteristics of academic writing, and you will be encouraged to explore the grammar and style of academic writing in your own discipline. Hence, instruction and practice in writing academic texts will be provided. You will have to complete in- and out-of-class writing tasks, which are designed to help you to organize and present information grammatically, accurately, cohesively, and coherently to your intended audience.

With regular attendance, active participation in class activities, completion of all course assignments, and independent learning students will be able to raise their proficiency with writing summaries, data commentaries and critiques.

Assessment

Assessment in this course is as follows:

	Writing Assignments 45%
	Participation 5%
	Final Exam 50%

Graduate English Course - Intermediate Level (ES 5001B)
Speaking and Listening Module

Objectives

This intermediate level course is designed to help foreign graduate students to improve their oral and aural skills in the English language. Students will develop competency in speaking skills to a level that will allow them to participate in general conversation and in academic discussions and to comprehend most educated English speech. At the end of the course the students should :

	have improved their listening skills for dealing with academic discourse;
	have improved their general listening skills;
	be able to express their ideas and thoughts in a natural and confident way;
	be able to give a well organised, competently delivered "professional" presentation;
	be able to pronounce English words with greater clarity though retaining a foreign accent.

Format

The course will include a variety of videos, oral presentations, listening exercises, discussions and pronunciation practices with peer and tutor feedback.
The course will run for 12 weeks with tutorials held weekly for two hours a session.

Assessment

Students will be assessed as follows:

1. Mini Presentations ( Individual)
2. Oral presentation - (Team)
3. Oral presentation - (Individual)
4. Critique of a Presentation
5. Listening Exercises
6. Listening Portfolio/ Pronunciation
7. Attendance and Participation

ES5002 Graduate English Course - Advanced Level (Research Paper/Thesis Writing)

Course description

ES5002 is a 12 week (48 hours) English course designed foreign students who are pursuing a PhD in NUS by research. ES5002 teaches organisational structure, and writing conventions of research papers and theses (with the primary focus on thesis writing).

Foreign PhD students who are not exempted from Graduate English Courses (based on their results for the Diagnostic English Test) are required to take ES5002.


Requirements

Either one research paper or segments of the Introduction chapter, a Results chapter, and the Discussion/Conclusion chapter of a thesis is/are required for assessment. Students have to write these assignments during tutorial hours.

Objectives

At the end of this course students will be able to:

	identify and write up the Introduction section of a research paper or chapter, using the 5 stages of Introduction
	identify and write up the Results section of a paper or a thesis chapter, using the 3 elements of information conventions in a research report
	identify and write up the Discussion section of a research paper or a thesis chapter, using the seven information elements
	identify the five elements of the Abstract of a thesis
	use transitional devices appropriately and accurately to link ideas or discussion in thesis chapters or research paper
	use the correct tense in all sections of the research paper or thesis chapter

Format

	lectures, hands-on workshops (critiques of actual research writing)
	analyses of samples of research papers and theses (discussion of language problems and organisational structure of theses/research papers written by past students), e-exercises

Assessment

ES5002 is a 100% continuous assessment module, with 80% on the writing assignments, 10% on e-exercises and 10% for the crititique (during a workshop).

English for Pre-matriculation PRC (SM2) Students*

Objectives

This six-month intensive English course has been designed for Senior Middle Two (SM2) students from the People's Republic of China (PRC) whose English proficiency is equivalent to that of the local secondary-one students. The course aims to equip students with English communication skills at O level.

Format

Students are divided into small groups, each of which is taught by four or five teachers. Equal attention is given to (1) the four language skills - listening, speaking, reading and writing; (2) pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary; and (3) task-based assignments.

Towards the end of the course, there will be a Special Test to select students for the Accelerated Bridging Course (ABC) to prepare them for earlier admission into the university. Those not selected for the ABC have to continue with the lst phase of the course and move on to the Bridging English Course for two semesters.

* This is a non-university course conducted under the auspices of the Ministry of Education.

Intensive English for Pre-matriculation PRC (SM3) Students*

Objectives

This course has been designed for Senior Middle Three ( SM3 ) students from the People's Republic of China (PRC) whose English proficiency is equivalent to that of first year secondary EL1 students in Singapore. This course aims to raise the students' listening, speaking, reading and writing skills to an O-Level standard by

	improving their grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation; and
	exposing them to technical English so that they can cope with their university coursework.

Format

Students are divided into small groups each of which is taught by three or four teachers. Equal attention is devoted to the four language skill areas as students develop grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. Course assignments are task-based and carried out either individually or in collaboration with peers.

* This is a non-university course conducted under the auspices of the Ministry of Education.

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