| Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
English Communication Skills I (EA
1101)
Objectives
This course is designed to meet the needs of first year students of the Arts and Social Sciences faculty whose courses are
language-based. The main objective is to make the students effective readers and writers so that they can cope with their
academic work. The students are taught to read academic texts efficiently and to synthesize relevant ideas to complete a given
task. They are also taught how to plan and write essays of different rhetorical types in response to different purposes and
requirements of the writing task as well as the needs of the intended readers.
Format
Through reading exercises, students are taught to work out information structures of academic prose and to be aware of
devices which signal relationships between ideas. Through discussion of the reading texts, students evaluate ideas, formulate
informed judgements and develop their own points of view.
The writing exercises focus on academic writing skills with emphasis on exposition and argumentation. Students are guided
through the composing process, namely, pre-writing strategies, drafting and revision. Written assignments comprise summaries
and essays.
Assessment in this course consists of continual assessment and a final examination.
Back to Courses by Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Back to Courses Offered by the
Centre
English Communication Skills II (EA 2101)
Objectives
This course aims to develop second year Arts students’ skills in producing written arguments that challenge other people’s
views. The course focuses on students effectively managing the writing process.
Format
ECS 200 revolves around three types of activities:
§ class discussions where students plan arguments in ways that meet a reader’s needs and carry out the writer’s
purpose;
§ writing sessions where students draft information into texts and where they can seek help from their teachers or other
students; and
§ teacher-student conferences where students revise their work with the help of their teachers.
The assessment in this course comprises continual assessment and a final examination.
Back to Courses by Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Back to Courses Offered by the
Centre
English Communication Skills III (EA 3101)
Objectives
This course aims to:
§ develop students’ critical thinking skills for planning and revising academic and non-academic writing;
§ encourage students’ independent thinking and analysis on a variety of topics relevant to their needs and the demands of
the university and the workplace;
§ develop students’ oral and written communication skills so that they can communicate ideas and information clearly;
and
§ help students develop efficient reading skills so that they can read assigned texts in their social science subjects quickly
and effectively.
Format
Students are taught to engage in brainstorming and discussions to generate ideas. They take turns to assume the role of target
audience and provide feedback on each other’s written drafts. Students also discuss current issues and challenge each other’s
point of view.
Students are taught how to write examination essays, letters and reports effectively. They are also taught effective oral
communication skills.
Evaluation in this course comprises continual assessment and a final examination.
Back to Courses by Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Back to Courses Offered by the
Centre
English Language for Chinese Honours Students
Objectives
This course helps students to
§ write abstracts for their honours academic exercises; and
§ prepare for job-hunting and job-related writing tasks.
Format
The process approach to writing is used in this course. There are many pre-writing activities such as reading, brainstorming and
discussion. Students are encouraged to work in small groups to discuss ideas, and to provide peer evaluation for each other’s
abstracts, letters or resumes before submitting them to the teacher. Drafting and revising are required for all the writing
assignments.
Samples of students’ writing and common grammatical errors are discussed to help the students see the need for clarity and
effectiveness in their writing and to help them edit their work independently. Both fluency and accuracy are emphasized in this
course. Journals are used to encourage students to write freely to improve fluency.
There is continual assessment and a final examination.
Back to Courses by Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Back to Courses Offered by the
Centre
Foundation Skills Course: Academic Discourse Skills
(FE 1301)
Objectives
This course is a component of the Faculty Enrichment Module (FEM 101) which is compulsory for all first year Arts students.
The workshops, however, are optional for students of English Literature, English Language and English Communication Skills.
The primary objective of this course is to equip students with the skills they need to
§ read critically and assess the credibility of a writer’s assertions;
§ use rhetorical and linguistic conventions of academic criticism; and
§ master proper citation strategies to avoid plagiarism.
Format
The course consists of three sets of lectures-cum-workshops: critical reading, rhetorical writing and critical writing.
At the end of the course students are required to submit a written assignment before they sit for the FE 1301examination.
Back to Courses by Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Back to Courses Offered by the
Centre
|