Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
Teaching organisation
Education Pathways
Unit rationale, description and aim
International students studying health sciences in Australia may require an external English language proficiency test result for entry into undergraduate studies, or for professional registration or employment purposes. To perform competently in an external test, candidates must have appropriate language proficiency as well as test-taking strategies and task experience. Being able to reflect on, and continue to develop, language and communicative competencies, contributes to success in tertiary studies, as well as in interpersonal and professional interactions.
This unit supports students with the skills development needed to achieve the required proficiency in an external English language test. The focus is on developing accuracy and fluency of language, flexibility and extension of language, and on the students' ability to respond to a variety of topic and task types. This unit provides students with test-taking strategies and the opportunity to apply skills and strategies to timed and controlled practice tasks. Students are required to reflect on feedback and implement approaches to promote their language learning, skills development and task fulfillment.
The aim of this unit is to build on the English language proficiency and to provide students with test-taking strategies and experience in the various tasks and macro-skill components of an external English language proficiency test.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description | Relevant Graduate Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| LO1 | Describe the personal language development required to improve language proficiency | GC3, GC11 |
| LO2 | Extract points of view, main ideas, or relevant details from written and auditory texts and graphic information | GC7, GC9, GC11, GC12 |
| LO3 | Apply strategies and skills to language tasks in timed and controlled settings demonstrating accuracy and fluency | GC7, GC11, GC12 |
Content
Topics will include:
A variety of general knowledge and academic topics
Understanding external test requirements, strategies and time management
Reflecting on personal learning plans and skills development
Interpreting test questions
Predicting, skimming and scanning
Reading and listening for opinions, main ideas and details
Reading and listening to understand purpose, value, inference and organisation of texts
Pronunciation and fluency
Building grammatical accuracy and extending vocabulary
Paragraph and essay structure, content and organisation
Interpreting and describing graphic information and processes
Online and paper test taking
Timed practice tasks
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
In order to promote independent learning and the development of language proficiency, active learning is a focus of the learning and teaching strategy. Students are encouraged to reflect on their language learning needs and be inquisitive and active in pursuing strategies to promote proficiency. In this unit there is also a focus on cooperative learning, utilising small and large group discussions, and peer teaching and learning. This supports the understanding of tasks, broadening of general knowledge, interpersonal interaction, and the development of communication skills.
Face-to-face mode
This unit is delivered face-to-face on campus in a 3-hour weekly workshop. The workshop format is designed to allow students to explore content and language, and subsequently engage with content and apply skills in a classroom setting. It is aimed at maximising the students’ opportunities for interaction and communication with the tutor and with their peers, and provides practice and feedback on impromptu language use. Face-to-face mode is supported by online resources and activities available on the Learning Management System.
Assessment strategy and rationale
Assessment will be equitable for students undertaking either face-to-face or online classes. The assessments have been designed for students to demonstrate the extent to which they have achieved the learning outcomes and developed and applied the knowledge, skills and strategies targeted in the unit.
Improving English language proficiency requires students to understand and reflect on feedback, and to implement strategies and practice in order to build on learning and skills. The Reflective Portfolio includes the identification of a skills area that the individual student needs to develop. It is also comprised of weekly statements on learning and encourages students to reflect on what they are doing, how they are doing it, and their degree of success in achieving their goals. The task serves to structure and support students’ development of proficiency, encourages them to look at applicability of learning in relation to other skills, and promotes independent learning.
To demonstrate English language proficiency, a student’s skills require assessment in “real-time” contexts in which students must be independent in their demonstration of skills. This enables assessment of students' skills and responsiveness in impromptu settings, which is important in determining readiness for the degree. This is the purpose of Assessments 2 and 3, which are evenly weighted so that the macro-skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing are addressed equally for proficiency assessment. The assessments have been designed to include a receptive and a productive skill. The reading-writing assessment has been scheduled as the third assessment and in the exam period as its format more closely aligns with the format of final exams and it allows additional time to focus on writing accuracy. The exam tasks mirror the style of assessment students may encounter in external proficiency tests undertaken for the purposes of entry to the degree or for registration or accreditation purposes.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Reflective Portfolio Students will be required to submit a portfolio containing short reflections on their development of one of the four macro-skills (listening, reading, speaking and writing). The portfolio should identify the specific language skills or features that the student personally needs to develop, include evidence of completed language activities, and weekly comments from the student on achievements and challenges. The purpose of this task is for students to analyse their progress and look at implications for future practice, and to promote independent learning. Students will also look at applicability across skills. | 20% | LO1 |
Listening and Speaking Assessment This task is designed to assess listening and speaking proficiency. The format of the test will align with common proficiency test tasks and students will be required to execute the tasks in a controlled and timed setting. | 40% | LO2, LO3 |
Final Exam The purpose of the final exam is for students to demonstrate their level of proficiency in the macro-skill areas of reading and writing under exam conditions. | 40% | LO2, LO3 |
Representative texts and references
Academic Skills Unit. Accessed through Canvas: Unit: Academic Skills Unit (acu.edu.au) .
Bailey, S. (2015). Academic writing: A handbook for international students (4th ed.).
Routledge.
Hewings, M. (2007). English pronunciation in use. Advanced. Cambridge University Press.
Hewings, M. (2015). Advanced grammar in use. A self-study reference and practice book for advanced learners of English. (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
McCarter, S. (2011). Ready for IELTS. Macmillan Education.
Oshima, A., & Hogue, A. (2014). Longman academic writing series 4: Paragraphs to essays. (5th ed.). Pearson Education.
Pearson. (2012) The Official Guide to PTE Academic. Pearson Test of English Academic. (2nd ed.). Pearson
NOTE: OET resources https://www.occupationalenglishtest.org (official, Cambridge-endorsed texts yet to be published).