Worlds of English

ENGL E372 Worlds of English is a two-semester, 20-credit, higher-level course. It is a core course for the English strand of the Bachelor of Education (Honours) in Primary Education, the Bachelor of Language Studies (English) (Honours) and the two double-degrees which combine the latter with a Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Primary and Secondary). The original course — U214 Worlds of English Language — was developed by the UK Open University.

This Course Guide tells you briefly what the course is about, what it contains, and how you can work your way through it. It also gives you some information about tutors, face-to-face sessions, the Online Learning Environment (OLE) and course assessment. Refer to it throughout the course to help clarify important points about studying with HKMU.

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Outline the history and development of English as an international language.
• Identify and compare contemporary varieties of English spoken in different parts of the world.
• Explore the use of English in different social and cultural contexts — in everyday conversation, business and trade, and as a literary language.
• Analyse stylistic, social and political issues surrounding the creative and literary use of English.
• Compare how English is learned monolingually and bilingually in different cultural contexts.
• Critically assess the pedagogical, cultural, political and business issues surrounding the use and position of English in migration, education, language policies and commercial activity.
• Investigate English in the media and the extent to which global technology affects its use.

There are several themes that run through ENGL E372 as a whole and help you to make links between the different parts of the course. These are:

• changing English;
• varieties of English;
• English as a global language;
• learning English;
• English and creativity;
• English and technology;
• the status and meaning of English;
• English and identity;
• achieving things in English;
• discourses about English;
• politics of global English.

As well as this Course Guide, ENGL E372 includes:

• three course books;
• three study guides;
• one module guide;
• one supplementary text (English: A Linguistic Toolkit);
• one DVD (for English: A Linguistic Toolkit);
• six assignments (TMAs), of which five are counted (see Assignment File).

More detail is given below about the various elements of the course.

Course books

The course is divided into three blocks, each with a course book.

• Block A: Book 1 English in the World (edited by Philip Seargeant and Joan Swann)
  This book examines the history of English from its origins in the fifth century to the present day status of being a global language, together with the dynamic diversity of present-day varieties of English found throughout the world. Throughout, the focus is on the international nature of English and its use alongside other languages in a diverse range of communities.

• Block B: Book 2 Communicating in English (edited by Daniel Allington and Barbara Mayor)
  Exploring the complex relationship between communication, technology and the English language, this book looks at established topics such as rhetoric, language acquisition, and professional communication, as well as covering exciting new fields such as everyday creativity and digital media. It considers the way in which the English language is used today in different contexts and in many parts of the world, by both native and non-native speakers. Issues of language use in speech and writing, in work and play, and in persuading and informing, are explored and illustrated with data and readings from around the English-using world.

• Block C: Book 3 The Politics of English (edited by Ann Hewings and Caroline Tagg)
  The book discusses the ways in which people's language choices relate to the history, politics, and economies of their local context. The book covers topical issues including the role that English plays in shaping migratory patterns, the English teaching and publishing industries, and the dominance of English in the global media. Key theoretical concepts are introduced in an accessible manner, and readers are given an in-depth understanding of the roles that English and other languages play as people mediate relationships of competition, conflict and co-existence in today's globalised world. Throughout, the focus is on the international nature of English and its use alongside other languages in a range of contexts.

DVDs

There is one DVD-ROM in the course material, which is entitled English: A Linguistic Toolkit, it introduces the various basic linguistic structures of English including morphology, grammar, phonetics and phonology, and discourse structure. These introductions are accompanied by a number of supporting activities. Please note that HKMU students taking this course can access 3 video clips about the contents of the 3 course books on the OLE while UKOU students taking the same course in the UK (Course code: U214) receive 3 DVDs. These three up-to-date video clips aim to supplement and illustrate the development of different English varieties discussed in the course books. These video clips are categorised into three topics: The Rise of English, A Global Language and The Future of English.

Assignment File

The Assignment File provides an overview of the nature and requirements of the assignments (TMAs) and contains all six assignments for the course, together with guidelines for completing them. In addition, it includes sections on how to acknowledge your sources and write references.

The following table provides an overview of the course and gives an indication of the amount of time to allow for completing sections of ENGL E372. However, we all have our own pace of learning and approaches to study, so this schedule is only a guide. You can adjust it to suit your own personal needs more closely. The important factor is to plan your study schedule carefully. The estimated time, on average, that you need to spend on this course is about 15 hours per week. This estimate includes time for reading the course books, studying the video clips, writing your assignments, reviewing your study materials, attending tutorials and preparing for the final examination.

The following is a recommended strategy for working through ENGL E372. If you have any problems, phone your tutor. Remember that your tutor's job is to help you.

1. Organise a study schedule. Refer to the Course Guide and to the Study Schedule for more details. Note when you are meant to study the course book chapters/units and the video clips, and how the assignments relate to them. It would be helpful to write down your own dates for working on each section of the course to create your personal study schedule. Gather together all the information you have received — for example, details of tutorials, assignments and the examination — and note the important dates.
   Once you have worked out your study schedule, do everything you can to stick to it. The most common reason for failing is getting behind with the course work. If you get into difficulties, please let your tutor know before it is too late to help you.
2. Work on Chapter 1 of the first course book, English in the World.
3. Follow the same procedure for each chapter.
4. Review the material for each book of the course when you complete it; and when you finish the last book, review the whole course and prepare for the examination.

Face-to-face and telephone tutoring

To supplement your ENGL E372 course materials, there are 16 tutorials, each of two hours.

Your tutor marks and comments on your assignments and keeps a close watch on your progress. When an assignment is returned to you, pay attention to the comments your tutor has uploaded on the OLE and on the assignment itself.

Your tutor will also assist you if you have any difficulties during the course. Don't hesitate to telephone him/her if you need help. Contact your tutor if, for example:

• you do not understand any part of the course books or associated material;
• you are interested in a topic and want to read about it further;
• you have a question about assignments, your tutor's comments on them, or the grades that you receive.

Online support

The course is supported by the Online Learning Environment (OLE). Students can find the latest course information from the OLE. Through the OLE, students can communicate electronically with their tutor and the Course Coordinator, as well as with other students. To access the OLE, you will need to have access to the Internet. However, the use of the OLE is not compulsory for the study of this course.

ENGL E372 has two methods for assessing your progress: continuous assessment (assignments) and a final examination.

Assignments (TMAs)

The assignment details for this course — the Assignment File — will be uploaded to the OLE. There are six assignments, of which the best five will be counted for your overall continuous assessment score. This continuous assessment is worth 50% of the total course mark. It is important that you submit your assignments on time. You should upload your assignments to the OLE on or before the due dates. If you have any problems using the Internet, please contact your tutor immediately to discuss how to send him/her your assignments by post. If you are unable to upload your assignments on time for any reason, it is sometimes possible to get an extension, but you must apply for an assignment extension on the OLE before the deadline of that assignment.

The Assignment File contains more details about the submission of assignments and suggestions on how to approach them. You will also receive a Study Schedule to remind you when to submit them.

Final examination

The final examination for ENGL E372 consists of questions which reflect the type of assignments that you encounter in the course. It lasts for three hours and is worth 50% of the total course result. Do not worry that it will contain 'trick' questions or try to confuse you. HKMU has a clear, open approach to helping its learners succeed in their studies. You will be provided with a Specimen Examination Paper similar in format to the final examination.

To earn a pass on the course, you must attain a pass in both the continuous assessment (assignments) and the final examination.

This course uses a wide range of written and audio-visual material to illustrate different types and uses of English. As you study it, please try to compare these with your own experience of English. We suggest that you keep a ‘cuttings file’ which might include, for instance:

• local forms of English (words, grammatical structures etc. which you see/hear around you);
• letters to the press, newspaper articles etc. that contain discussions/debates about English or language use.

Other examples will suggest themselves to you as you work through the course. Collecting your own examples in this way will help you to understand and extend discussion in the course materials, and relate this to your own experience. You may also be able to draw on some of these examples in assignments.