ELC Launches Excel@English Scheme
This semester, the ELC is launching an exciting new study scheme for students, the Excel@English Scheme aimed at helping enhance students' English in specifically targeted areas, so that they can excel in their studies and future careers. Based on a diagnosis of their language needs, they decide what, when and how to study.
The first step is to take a diagnostic assessment (DELTA) to identify the English language skills to improve. Then they meet with a mentor, an ELC teacher, who will help build an independent study programme to meet their needs.
To make it as flexible as possible, the Scheme is modular in design. Participants complete core tasks and collect points in their Learning Passport for elective tasks in order to complete the Scheme. Those who successfully complete the Scheme will receive a testimonial for their Head of Department/School, a certificate they can use in job applications and the chance to win a fantastic prize.
For more information about the Scheme and the things that will earn points in the Learning Passport, go to http://elc.polyu.edu.hk/EES.
In May, the ELC hosted its first Writing Roundtable: Exploring Multiple Perspectives in Creative and Academic Writing. The Roundtable brought together English Language teachers from tertiary institutions, and creative writers and professionals from various literary fields in Hong Kong. They discussed how students' academic and creative literacy could be supported across various academic disciplines and in different genres.
The roundtable discussion format and the discussion between both creative and academic writers were new for many of the participants, and prompted some very interesting discussions and insights from all sides. Participants appreciated the roundtable format which allowed them to discuss their experiences of the new 4-year curriculum cohort with their colleagues from other universities in a less constrained way than in a “traditional” conference. The inclusion of a creative writing stream also allowed participants to discover about writing in different perspectives.
English for Young Leaders Summer Course
In July, the ELC welcomed approximately 60 S4 students who took part in our English for Young Leaders program (EYL). This energetic group of teens worked in teams to create a travel companies which aimed at promoting Hong Kong on a global scale. Each group was given the challenge of creating or selecting an original and innovative attraction and ultimately persuading a panel of role-playing representatives from the Hong Kong Tourism Board that their attraction was worth sponsorship. Students created a custom-made promotional brochure and pitched their ideas to a group of very feisty lions in a “Meet the Lions” session. Networking also played a significant role in the course as students became familiar with formal business etiquette in the classroom and attended an evening networking gala at a restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui. At this event, students played a chosen role in their company, exchanged business cards and conversed with English speaking guests who acted as representatives from various Hong Kong tourism organizations.
During the three weeks of the course, students not only developed friendships with their peers, but also gained invaluable leadership skills that will hopefully contribute to their bright futures ahead. Each student was able to cooperate, share ideas and receive feedback from instructors. Although the tasks were taxing at times, the students’ progress and effort was inspiring. It was a rewarding experience, as an instructor, to see their confidence grow and leaders develop. This programme could not have been such a success without the guidance of Anna Ho, the developer of EYL, and the dedication of the teachers who were on board. Their positive energy and dedication greatly influenced the students, making EYL an enriching experience for all involved.
Dawn Gillis, EYL Teacher
ELC Continues to ExpandThe ELC continues to grow with eight new academic members of staff this semester.
We would like to take this opportunity to welcome David Barnard, Christine Burns, Lucy Chan, Chan Man, Adrienne Cheng, Bilands Dy, Christopher Shepard and Jessica Xia to our teaching team this year.
ELC Rolls out DSR English Subjects
After a hectic year in which the ELC rolled out 16 new LCR courses for the 4-year curriculum, this semester sees the offering of the first of 23 new DSR English subjects for students on the 4-year curriculum. This semester students in ABCT, FCE, and HTI begin their discipline-specific English courses.
English for Scientific Writing (ELC3121) guides students through writing scientific reports, and then re-writing specialized scientific reports for the general public in more general English. Both are essential English skills for scientists.
This term, in Professional Presentations for HTI students (ELC3622) students will be learning how to present their ideas in a professional way so that they can speak as a member of the scientific community.
FCE students will take English for Construction and Environmental Professionals (ELC3421) which will take them through a variety of workplace situations, from writing applications and interviewing for jobs, through workplace correspondence, to writing training reports to apply for membership of a professional institution.
Standford University Collaboration
Around 700 first-year PolyU students were enrolled on the Stanford University’s online English learning program in 2012-13. The Program consists of 6 strands: parts of speech, sentence structure, sentence composition, paragraph structure, word usage and literary devices, and mechanics. Within each strand, there are different concepts that students can learn to master, e.g. nouns, verbs, tenses, prepositions, pronouns, opinion statements and supporting sentences. There are 6 levels in the program, with level 6 as the highest. Exercises in the online program are mainly in the form of multiple choice items, identification of key language features, filling-in the blanks, spelling, sequencing of events, and sentence composition. Students can check their progress online anytime. The program can show students how many minutes they spent in their last session, how many exercises they completed and what the percentage of correct answers was. Students can also see if they have progressed up the levels in the program.
Although students were highly encouraged to work on the online program, participation was completely voluntary, i.e. no penalty was given for no work or unsatisfactory progress. Over 500 students used the Program and around 100 of them were very active users who completed at least 700 minutes of language exercises. Around 150 students satisfied the following three requirements. They: (i) completed a minimum of 200 minutes in the Program, (ii) completed at least 70% of the exercises correctly, and (iii) showed an improvement of at least half a level. They then received a certificate issued by the English Language Centre of the PolyU, which included reference to Stanford University.
The ELC would like to thank two colleagues, Mr James Evans and Miss Winnie Wu, for leading this collaboration with Stanford University. Their valuable contributions enabled the smooth offering of the program.
Julia Chen
As we reported last semester, in Semester 1 and early Semester 2 last year, the Centre for Independent Language Learning (CILL) held four seminars on four very different topics:
How to think and respond quickly in English for oral presentation/impromptu speech;
How to become a smart writer at University: Exploring secrets of editing and developing writing;
Plato’s Fear: How the power of language works and
What to read after Tuesdays with Morrie
In Semester 2 the CILL seminar series continued with How to succeed in job interviews, which was well received. Dr Joe Ching, the CILL coordinator, was the speaker, and there were 28 participants, including both undergraduate and postgraduate students. They raised a lot of questions on how to improve English language skills, especially their writing and speaking skills, in order to succeed in job interviews.
The final CILL seminar of the year took place in June 2013 when Joey Kwok, Pinna Wong and Christy Wong delivered a talk on How to write a winning curriculum vitae. During their talk, the speakers shared with participants various types of commonly used CVs and helped participants polish their skills to produce a professional resume in order to give a good impression to their potential employers.
Joe Ching, CILL Coordinator
In support of the PolyU's promotion of reading, the CILL team recommends a 'Book of the Month' each month. Background information, movie DVDs and "readers" are provided in CILL for our users to consult as they read the books, and we hope these extra resources will enhance their reading experience. We hope you enjoy the books we have chosen. Here are our book picks for the rest of 2013:
October - Tokyo by Mo Mayder
November – Drop City by T. C. Boyle
December – Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
Joe Ching, CILL Coordinator
Inscribe: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Writing is Underway!
The ELC has recently established Inscribe: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Writing.
While the idea for a refereed electronic student journal to showcase students writing was put forward some while ago, funding from a Teaching Development Grant of $58,680 has allowed this to become a reality.
The plan is that Inscribe will be published once a year and focus on writing that students produce for the English Writing Requirement as part of the GUR. In contributing to the e-journal, we hope that students will benefit from the opportunity to experience an academic publishing environment and that a community of writers at PolyU will develop.
Student manuscripts for the pilot edition are in the final stages of proofing and we hope to launch pilot edition at the start of next semester. Watch this space for more information!
I would like to thank the team that have been working so hard to bring Inscribe into being: Grace Lim, Phil Todd, Caitlin Feenstra, Jim Lo, John Jones (editors), Shari Lughmani and Freeman Chan (senior advisors).Dean Gui, Project Leader
ELC Initiative in Promoting Extensive Reading
In response to the University’s increasing emphasis on the development of literacy skills, the ELC has implemented a teaching and learning project ‘Developing and implementing induction materials for promoting extensive reading’ to encourage extensive reading in the academic year of 2012-13. During the period, materials developed in the project were piloted in the Speaking Assistance Programme in CILL.
To encourage reading through discussion, and support discussion, twenty sets of materials on fiction and non-fiction books have been developed for use in these reading discussion sessions. A Summer Reading Discussion Programme spanning two weeks was also conducted in June 2013 to continue piloting some of the developed materials. These discussion sessions are similar to SAP sessions with a specific focus on reading.
The reading discussion sessions have given us insight into how reading inputs can be integrated into our existing SAP sessions to facilitate the development of discussion skills involving more sophisticated content and language, and to cultivate interest in extensive reading by introducing different books to suit student interests.
The development of literacy skills is a long-term endeavour. Students need to be provided with different opportunities to cultivate their reading interests and develop good reading habits. We are glad to have made a contribution to this in the ELC.Hazel Chiu, Coordinator for the reading project and the Summer Reading Discussion Programme
Project team members: Barbara Cheng, Ellen Mok, Linda Kwok, Phil Todd, Richard Moore, Rosana Ho, Visanna Lee
