This Course Guide has been taken from the most recent presentation of the course. It would be useful for reference purposes but please note that there may be updates for the following presentation.
ENGL E070
English for Post-Secondary Study
Welcome to ENGL E070 — English for Post-Secondary Study.
ENGL E070 is a five-credit, pre-foundation-level course. It is the first in a series of four courses (ENGL E070, ENGL E100, ENGL E200, ENGL E210) designed specifically for Hong Kong students studying in HKMU — to improve their English language proficiency and communication skills.
This Course Guide has been prepared to tell you about the course and how you can work through it. It also gives you information about tutorials and assessment. Please read it carefully before you begin.
ENGL E070, English for Post-Secondary Study, is a self-study course with tutorial support. It provides you with a number of basic strategies to improve your reading and writing skills related to academic study at degree/sub-degree level.
It focuses on the use of language at sentence and paragraph level, through to the construction of a longer text. By the end of the course you should be able to write a short academic essay on a theme. In addition, the course covers the essential grammar related to these tasks.
Course learning outcomes
On completing this course, you should be able to:
Course overview
The following table provides an overview of the course. It gives you a general idea of the amount of work involved. This schedule includes an allowance to attend tutorials, complete the assignments and to work through the practice activities in each unit.
| Unit | Title | Weeks of work | Assessment |
| 1 | Text and fluency | 3 | |
| 2 | Words and meaning | 3 | Assignment 1 |
| 3 | Good paragraphs | 3 | Assignment 2 |
| 4 | Putting ideas together | 2 | |
| 5 | Getting started on writing | 2 | |
| 6 | Producing a text | 2 | Assignment 3 |
| Revision for final examination | 1 | ||
| 16 weeks |
Course materials
Throughout this course you will use the following items:
| This Course Guide | The Course Guide contains everything you need to know about the course. Use this guide to find out about:
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| Six self-contained study units | This course has six self-contained study units. Each one requires two or three weeks of work. The last topic is revision and preparation for the final examination. | |
| An Assignment File | The Assignment File contains the three assignments. The procedures for submitting the assignments are explained at the beginning of this file. | |
| Set textbook | In order to complete this course you will need the following textbook:
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| A dictionary | You will also need access to a dictionary, e.g.
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The learning in this course is made up of the following parts:
The study units | There are six study units in this course, as seen in the Course Overview. You are required to work through each unit at your own pace and complete the activities. | |
The activities | The activities help you apply and practise the skills taught so that you can successfully complete the assignments and the final examination. Feedback is provided at the end of each unit. | |
The tutorials | There are eight two-hour tutorials spread throughout the course, as seen in the Course Overview. Attendance at tutorials is not compulsory, but you are strongly advised to attend them all. The first tutorial is particularly important as your tutor will inform you of the detailed arrangements for the course. The rest will provide:
The times, dates and locations for the tutorials will be sent to you before the semester starts. |
Your learning approach
We suggest that you approach your learning in the following way:
Before the course begins you will be advised of the name, address and phone number of your tutor. Make sure that you establish contact as soon as you can.
Your tutor is there to support your study. He/she will:
Do not hesitate to contact your tutor if you need help. Please note, however, that it is not his/her role to provide lectures on the course materials. Rather, your tutor will act as a guide, discuss any problems you might have, and to follow up requests for further information and clarification.
There are two methods of assessment in ENGL E070 — English for Post-Secondary Study:
| Assignments | 40% | |
| A final examination | 60% |
Assignments
During this course you will be asked to submit three assignments. Each will be marked by your tutor and all three scores will be counted in the overall continuous assessment.
| Assignment | Marking scale score | Course value |
| 1 | 100 | 10% |
| 2 | 100 | 15% |
| 3 | 100 | 15% |
Detailed information on the requirements and topics for each assignment can be found in the Assignment File. Make sure that your read it carefully before submitting any of the assignments.
A final examination
There will be a three-hour final examination at the end of the course that will account for 60% of your total marks.
It will assess your mastery of the language skills presented throughout the units. If you have attended the tutorials, completed the assignments and acted on your tutor's feedback on your work, you will be well prepared for this exam.
Further information about the examination will be sent to you later in the course.
