English for Academic Study: Speaking English for academic study: Speaking is designed to help students develop the speaking skills they need to participate effectively in academic seminars and discussions, as well as to help them develop effective presentation skills. Each of the ten units is based on one of the topics listed below; the discussions and presentations that the students take part in during the course are related to the topic of each unit. The written and listening texts are designed to give the students different perspectives on the topics and provide evidence to support their ideas, one of the essential features of academic life. There is a learner diary at the end of each unit to help students think about the process of learning and the strategies they are developing. The unit topics are as follows: * being a successful student; * learning online; * changing roles in the family; * a healthy lifestyle; * the influence of the media; * the world of work; * protecting the environment; * science and the paranormal; * and studying in a new environment. The 2009 edition of EAS Speaking has been fully revised for ease of use, while retaining the same popular topics. As well as a new format, the Course Book now comes with unit summaries and a comprehensive glossary of terms. Each unit has weblinks offering additional information and activities, related to both speaking skills and the topics covered in the units. A dedicated website, www.englishforacademicstudy.com, offers further teacher resources. This book can be used in conjunction with the following books in the English for academic study series, also published by Garnet Education: EAS Reading, EAS Writing, EAS Extended Writing & Research Skills, EAS Listening, EAS Vocabulary and EAS Pronunciation. Key Features * Topic-led units develop presentation and seminar participation skills * Reading and listening texts help generate ideas *'Useful language' sections support discussions and presentations * Regular review units and learner diary sections to consolidate work * Audio CDs for further self-study or homework * Useful 21-page appendix An accompanying Teacher's Book is also available.
English for Academic Study - Speaking Course Book + CDs - Edition 1
English for Academic Study - Speaking Course Book + CDs - Edition 1
Summary
A university preparation course published in collaboration with the University of Reading.
English for Academic Study - Speaking Course Book + CDs - Edition 1 Summary
English for Academic Study - Speaking Course Book + CDs - Edition 1 Reviews
"English for Academic Study: Speaking (Garnet) is a university preparation course developed in collaboration with the University of Reading. Written by Joan McCormack and Sebastian Watkins of the University of Reading's Centre for Applied Language Studies, EAS: Speaking is based on extensive research into the needs of students. It aims to help students participate effectively in academic seminars and discussions and to develop presentation skills. It was nice to see some colour after the black-and-white books we'd been looking at. But this book is exciting in other ways as well. Excellent, very complete, very thorough and well-structured were some of the adjectives being used in the iT's office. Each of the book's 10 units is topic-based (for example, a healthy lifestyle, the world of work, the influence of the media, and so on). The discussions and presentations that students make are related to the topic of each unit. The written or listening texts are designed to give students different perspectives on the topic and also to help them give evidence to support their own ideas, giving them practice in one of the essential features of academic life. There are between five and seven tasks per unit, all of which are meaningful, and listening practice is included throughout to provide models for the type of speaking in question. The topics feel relevant and not overly dense. There's also a bank of reading texts at the back of the book as well as audio transcripts. The book boasts current source texts and activities relevant to the needs of students from a wide range of study areas. The methodology also feels up-to-date and cutting-edge. For example, each unit ends with a guided learner diary section to get students to think about the process of learning. As the introduction says, 'What you put into the course will determine what you get out of it." The book doesn't limit itself to teaching the output language and discourse features, but rather tackles the whole process of how to achieve objectives in different contexts. There are four other titles in the EAS series, plus two Study Books. You can find out more at the Garnet Education website." First Impressions, iT's for Teachers, Autumn 2007 "Do not be put off by the somewhat lurid pink cover or the brightly coloured contents page which make this book look more suitable for primary school children than university entrants. If you can get beyond that, this Course Book has a lot to offer. It was designed, although not necessarily exclusively, for international students for whom English is a second language, set to embark upon their studies at English-speaking universities. Its aim is to help such students develop the speaking skills they need to participate fully in academic seminars and discussions. The ultimate goal of the course is to develop that bedrock of academia - critical thinking. And for that, you need, of course, the right language skills to express your ideas effectively. Each of the ten units is topic-based, the subjects ranging from the media to the environment. The first five units form the core of the book, covering aspects of presentation and seminar skills. That input is then consolidated in unit 6, while units 7 to 10 provide the opportunities and materials for further practice. After every second unit there follows a review to allow for consolidation, while each individual unit closes with a 'learner diary' giving learners the chance to assess their improvement. What I particularly liked: the reading texts are fresh, contemporary and genuinely interesting to read; underlying [cultural] assumptions are examined, e.g., if we are to discuss the future of the family, what does the notion of family mean in different cultures?; lots of useful language expressed in helpful chunks in separate boxes, e.g., the language of reporting back: 'Point X provoked the most discussion'; signpost expressions such as 'Moving on to my next point', or the importance of clarification: 'So, if I understand you correctly, what you're saying is that ... ' (all augmented by very useful appendices with fuller lists); Insider tips on how to develop those all-important academic skills, e.g., looking at issues from different perspectives, thinking beyond one's own experiences (leading to a box of useful language such as 'From a scientist's point of view ...' or 'The employees would no doubt argue that ...'); or on the need to anticipate problems; complete transcripts of the listening exercises; the point made that in authentic discussions, language and content are often not very 'tidy' - promptly followed by another useful 'language box': 'If I could just come in here/say something ...'; or 'Coming back to the point Peter made earlier ...'. This is definitely a book for all students of English as a second language, looking to operate in any professional context. It would also be helpful for native speakers - as the speaker in one dialogue put it: non-native speakers get a much better introduction to academic skills that native speakers who are just expected to know what to do. Somehow the book pulls of the neat trick of teaching the language, but with lots of relevant content, too - so as one is led through the language of the Chair ('Shall we begin?' or 'We're running out of time so ...'), the role of the Chair is also covered (getting discussion started, encouraging everyone to participate, clarifying points, summing up at the end, etc.). This book can be used alone or on conjunction with the other English for Academic Study (EAS) Course Books in the series, e.g., EAS Writing and EAS Pronunciation (a review of which is coming up soon). I did not have access to the accompanying Teacher's Book; I'm sure it would be most helpful, but with a little preparation you could probably manage quite well without it." Alison Wiebalck for ETAS Journal Vol. 26/2, Spring 2009 "In the UK, the University of Reading's Centre for Applied Language Studies has, for over 30 years, been a leading provider of courses to international students focussing on English for Academic Purposes. Their series of books - English for Academic Study - are now well established and used on many pre-sessional courses in England. English for Academic Study: Speaking is part of this series and the purpose of this book is to help develop the speaking skills ESOL students need to participate effectively in academic seminar discussions as well as develop effective presentation skills. As befits a book intended to prepare students for tertiary study, the book is targeted at upper-intermediate students in the IELTS range 5-7.5+. An audio CD is included with the student's book and there is a separate Teacher's Book available (not available for review). Speaking consists of ten units which are topic-based. The type of topics will be familiar to most teachers and students with titles such as 'A Healthy Lifestyle', 'Protecting the Environment and Learning Online'. However many students may have more difficulty identifying with the featured article 'Men Want To Be Househusbands' included in unit 3 'Changing Roles in the Family'. Within each unit there is a 'Skills Focus' and a 'Language Focus' section. The Skills Focus section provides information on the necessary skills to deliver a presentation, participate in a discussion or lead a seminar. In later units, topics range from 'Designing a Questionnaire' to 'Presenting a Research Proposal'. The Language Focus section gives essential phrases for all the stages of academic speaking. A useful section is on Turntaking. Here the phrases are quite specific and go beyond the general phrases often found in books on academic speaking. Armed with this section a student can learn not only how to initiate a turn but also how to help a quiet fellow student who is trying to speak but other students keep speaking first. 'I think David has been trying to make a point' or 'David, did you want to make a point?' In my own speaking classes I certainly would be impressed by any student who demonstrated such active participation and had the language skills to empathise. The typical format for a unit is to start off stating the learning point for that unit. This is then followed by tasks for the students which draw out their own knowledge of the subject. There is then some exchange of information through pair or group work. A major part of each unit is discussion or presentation on a particular topic with preparatory work that might include additional information gained through reading a relevant article or listening to material on the accompanying CD. A further stage in the classroom would be language work and opportunities to use this in a discussion or a presentation is given by returning to the same topic or a similar one but this time the students engage with a different group of students. Research into language learning has shown that reflection on the process of learning contributes to successful learning. In Speaking such reflection is part of the course and the Learner Diary is a section at the end of each unit. There is a lot to like in this book. The focus is clearly learner-centred with lots of tasks for students and these include listening, speaking and writing activities. I addition, there is much useful information on the particular skills necessary to participate effectively in seminar discussions or give a presentation. This information is often given in bite-sized bullet points, much in the way a PowerPoint presentation might present information. Review is built into the course after every two units. The book itself is attractively produced in A4 size with colour on every page and liberal use of small photographs supporting the text. Appendices include transcripts, reading texts, a compilation of useful language phrases and several photocopiable feedback forms for self-critiquing and peer response. Effective participation in seminars and discussions is not just about speaking - ability to hear and understand what others are saying is important too. Here, the accompanying CD fulfils this role by including a wide range of native and non-speakers which supplements the text by including a range of listening activities and samples of performance. This book can be recommended as suitable for ESOL students in the target range mentioned and indeed I would use it myself were it not for the fact that a colleague has produced a textbook on academic speaking that covers similar ground." Martin White, University of Auckland, for the TESOLANZ Newsletter, April 2008 "This text from the University of Reading's Centre for Applied Language Studies is part of their English for academic study series that also includes reading, writing, extended writing and research skills, listening, vocabulary and pronunciation. The course book is aimed at university students and students preparing for IELTS, with an IELTS level of between 5.0 and 7.0. It consists of 10 topic-based units, with discussion and presentation skills linked to the topic of each unit. Each unit has a skills focus and a language focus, and the written and listening texts within each unit are designed to give different perspectives on a topic and to help students to give supporting evidence to their ideas. This format is a welcome change from the more usual skills-based approach of texts on presentation and discussion skills. Particularly at a more advanced level, it can be frustrating trying to find suitable topics for discussion and presentations, and a lot of time can be spent on trying to find valuable and relevant content in order to discuss or present a topic in any depth. This book solves that problem with topics that should be of interest to a large number of students. These topics range from learning online to science and the paranormal. My initial concern was the length of time it would take to work through the topics in the book to achieve all the necessary speaking skills, however, the core skills are confined to the first six units. The remaining four units give further practice, making it quite manageable. I particularly like the inclusion of a review unit after every two units, and the 'learner diary' section at the end of each unit. The 'learner diary' sections aim to develop learner reflection and begin with a self-assessment tasks in unit 1 and reflective diary entries in the following units. A variety of feedback forms including presentation assessments, discussion reviews and an audience feedback sheet are also included. One aspect of speaking skills for academic purposes that I would have liked to have seen covered is ways of approaching lecturers and tutors, however this is a minor omission. I feel that students who had worked through this book in class would be more than adequately prepared for the majority of speaking situations university life is likely to throw at them." Laura Hasely, Bridging Programmes, University of Canterbury EAS is an EAP series (English for Academic Study) comprising seven separate course books covering the following areas: Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing, Extended Writing & Research Skills, Pronunciation and Vocabulary. The books reflect the most recent developments in EAP and are based on practical experience of EAP practitioners in the classroom. Each book can be used as a stand-alone course or supported by others within the series, depending on the needs of the students. EAP is taught on all courses that prepare overseas students for study at universities in English speaking countries. Students hoping to study abroad will therefore get a head start by studying such material rather than general English. The EAS series is used on a high proportion of EAP courses in the UK and Australia (and the US version is now being used in North America). It has received widespread praise, and the in the words of a lecturer at a university in the UK: 'There is virtually nothing else that has come on the market in the last ten years that touches it.' The series has been designed for students on pre-sessional and foundation courses within an IELTS range of 5.0 to 7.0. However, they can be used for any group of students who need to improve their English academic skills within this range. The series is based on authentic reading or listening texts within the appropriate range of the students; these have been carefully selected to illustrate the skill area in focus. Free audio material is included where appropriate, featuring authentic transcripts of realistic length with a variety of accents. The Listening course also comes with a DVD. A website features a variety of teacher and student resources including interactive activities for Extended Writing & Research Skills. TESOL Spain Newsletter, Vol 34-2, 2010 English for Academic Study: Speaking is aimed at upper-level English language-learners. This is a topic-based course book that develops speaking skills for the university classroom. The purpose is to provide students with the skills necessary for particpating in seminar discussions and delivering academic presentations. The textbook includes a CD to accompany the listening tasks. The course book begins with an introduction to the overall organization and its ten units. Some unit topics include: Being a Successful Student, Learning Online, and the Influence of the Media. Transcripts are provided before the appendices. Following every two units is a review, and the appendices have additional support materials such as a list of topics for seminars and language expressions for seminars and presentations. The first five units develop specific skills for participating in seminar discussions and giving academic presentations. The sixth unit, Consolidation Unit, allows for the independent practice of these skills through seminars assignments. The subsequent units, seven to ten, provide additional practice with these skills. The units begin with a warmer and then consist of about five to seven learning tasks, which are composed of subtasks. In addition, both skills and language structures are included throughout each unit. Some of the skills include presenting information from a text and using a text to support one's ideas. A few examples of the language structures include summarizing the outcomes of a discussion and expressions for chairing a discussion. The course book also incorporates a Learner Diary at the end of each unit for students to reflect on how they are progessing through the tasks. Listening tasks are integrated throughout, and the authors include reading material at the end of the units. Overall, EAS: Speaking is a much longer course book than EAS: Listening and provides students with numerous opportunities for practicing the speaking skills necessary for participating in seminars and delievering presentations at the university level. Instructors will find the selected topics of interest to many English-language learners, and having the additional listening and reading material creates a more integrated course book. This would be a textbook worth considering for courses where students need to develop academic speaking skills. Jacqueline Foster for TESL Canada Journal, Vol. 26, No.2, Spring 2009
About
Joan McCormack is the Director of the Self-Access Centre at the University of Reading, and works as an EAP Lecturer and Course Director. She has worked in Japan, Peru and Spain, and has been involved in the field of EAP for the past 12 years. Her areas of interest include the development of materials for teaching extended academic writing and research skills, as well as fostering the development of learner autonomy in students. Joan is co-author of two of the titles in the English for Academic Study series: Extended Writing and Research Skills and Speaking. Sebastian Watkins co-authored the Speaking title in the English for Academic Study series, published by Garnet Education. Since 2002, he has also taught English for Academic Purposes at the University of Reading to both pre-sessional and in-sessional students. Prior to that, Sebastian spent time working in Spain, Turkey, Hungary and Oman, concentrating on Business English, IELTS preparation and teacher training on UCLES CELTA courses. He received a Masters in TEFL from the University of Reading in 2004. He also directs and teaches on tailor-made short courses in ESP for a range of external sponsors.
Table of Contents
Contents Introduction Unit 1: Communicating in academic situations Unit 2: Seminars and discussions Unit 3: Examining underlying assumptions Unit 4: Reading into speaking Unit 5: The use of data Unit 6: Consolidation unit Unit 7: Supporting your point of view Unit 8: Collecting and presenting data Unit 9: Thinking rationally Unit 10: The importance of reflection Glossary Reading texts Transcripts Appendices Appendix 1: Signpost expressions for presentations Appendix 2: Table Appendix 3: Sample OHTs Appendix 4: Preparing and planning a presentation Appendix 5: Possible topics for seminar discussions Appendix 6: Career drivers questionnaire Appendix 7: Sample proposal Appendix 8: Useful language Appendix 9: Photocopiable handouts
Additional information
GOR005041305
9781859644836
185964483X
English for Academic Study - Speaking Course Book + CDs - Edition 1 by
Used - Very Good
Hardback
Garnet Publishing
2009-05-01
128
N/A
Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us