The English Language: past, present and future

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The English Language: past, present and future
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 E371
The English Language: past, present and future


Introduction

ENGL E371 The English Language: Past, Present and Future 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 -- U211 Exploring the English Language -- was developed by the UK Open University. ENGL E371 involves some adaptation of U211 for the Hong Kong context.

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 the OUHK.

Course learning outcomes

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

Course themes

There are several themes that run through ENGL E371 as a whole and help you to make links between the different parts of the course. These are:

Course materials

As well as this Course Guide, ENGL E371 includes:

Some parts of the books, DVDs and Resource and Reference Materials have been made optional where we felt they were likely to be particularly difficult for second language learners or very remote from your experience. The readings which are optional are indicated in Appendix 1.

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

Course books

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

This book 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. The seven chapters in this book correspond to Units 9--15 on DVD 1.

This book explores a variety of topics related to both the informal acquisition and the formal teaching of English across a wide range of contexts, from first language acquisition by infants to academic writing at university level. It considers the experiences of bilingual and multilingual speakers as well as those of monolinguals, and has a strong focus on language as social action and on the different motivations and identifications of learners. The seven chapters in this book correspond to Units 17--23 on DVD 2.

This final book in the series focuses on innovative uses of English in a global context, from early manuscripts to postcolonial literature, creative writing and the use of the Internet. It explores the many ways in which English, as both a visual and verbal resource, is being redesigned to suit the needs and interests of its users around the world. The? seven chapters in this book correspond to Units 25--32 on DVD 2.

Note: Although there are only 28 book chapters, the DVDs/Resource and Reference Materials contain 32 units as Units 8, 16, 24 and 29 provide extension activities.

Each chapter in the books contains a main (teaching) text plus one or more readings which may be accounts of research, reviews of certain topics, and arguments for and against certain positions. The main texts introduce various themes and topics, and provide guidance on the readings to help you evaluate arguments put forward in them. We hope you will take a critical approach to both the readings and the main texts.

DVDs

The two interactive DVD-ROMs -- DVD 1 covering Blocks A and B and DVD 2 covering Blocks C and D -- are an important part of the course and your best starting point for working your way through it. They serve as study guides, providing helpful support on the recommended sequence of study, including when to read chapters from the course books. They also contain a very considerable amount of audio-visual material that is so important for this course, as well as practical activities of various kinds which are designed to engage you as actively as possible with all the course materials, so that you are thoroughly prepared when it comes to writing your assignments. Please note that they are solely for use on a computer and will not play on a DVD player attached to a television.

The DVDs also include a Glossary tool, which is designed to allow you to compile a list of key terms you come across in the course. You will need a good knowledge of these terms for your assignments and the examination. It is therefore good practice to make a note of them and their definitions and, where possible, memorable examples, as you work your way through the course. The Glossary tool can be accessed by clicking on the Glossary button in the top right corner of the screen when you are using the DVD-ROMs. For a full explanation about the Glossary and its place within the course, see Unit 1, Section 2, on DVD 1.

Resource and Reference Materials

These materials consist of two booklets, the first of which is related to Blocks A and B and the second to Blocks C and D. They contain helpful supplementary study material and information about the course, including the intended learning outcomes. You should study the relevant sections in them asyou read the chapters in the course books.

Supplementary readings

Several supplementary readings related to language issues in Hong Kong have been included to help you relate material covered in the course to the local context. These readings are listed in Appendix 2.

Assignment File

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

Course overview

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 E371. 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 and supplementaryreadings, studying the DVDs and Resource and Reference Materials, writing your assignments, reviewing your study materials, attending tutorials and preparing for the final examination.

 

Course books and other material

Assignments

Block A
Changing English
(weeks 1 -- 10)


Book 1, Chapters 1--7
DVD 1, Units 1--8


Assignments 1 and 2

Block B
Using English
(weeks 11 -- 20)


Book 2, Chapters 1--7
DVD 1, Units 9--16


Assignments 3 and 4

Block C
Learning English
(weeks 21 -- 30)


Book 3, Chapters 1--7
DVD 2, Units 17--24


Assignments 5 and 6

Block D
Redesigning English
(weeks 31 -- 40)


Book 4, Chapters 1--7
DVD 2, Units 25--32


Assignment 7

Revision
(weeks 41 -- 42)

 

 

Strategy for working through the course

The following is a recommended strategy for working through ENGL E371. 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 Overview and to the Study Schedule for more details. Note when you are meant to study the course book chapters/units and the DVD materials, 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 -- Changing English -- together with the related materials on the DVD and in the Resource and Reference Materials.

  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.

Tutors and Tutorials

Face-to-face and telephone tutoring

To supplement your ENGL E371 course materials, there are 14 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 written on the TMA form 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:

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.

Course assessment

ENGL E371 has two methods for assessing your progress: continuous assessment (tutor-marked assignments) and a final examination.

Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs)

The assignment details for this course -- the Assignment File -- will be sent to you as supplementary material. There are seven TMAs, 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 mail them to reach your tutor on or before the due date. If you are unable to do so for any reason, it is sometimes possible to get an extension, but you must follow the proper procedure.

The Assignment File contains more details about the submission of TMAs 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 E371 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. The OUHK 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 (your TMAs) and the final examination.

Concluding comment

This course uses a wide range of written and audio-visual material, including some additional Hong Kong 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:

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.

Appendix 1

Optional readings in the course books

For ENGL E371, the following readings have been made optional:

Book 1

Chapter 2: David Crystal 'The Celtic language puzzle'

Chapter 4: Ayo Bamgbose 'Identifying Nigerian usages in Nigerian English'

Book 2

Chapter 4: Catherine Kell 'Changing literacy practices in a South African informal settlement'

Book 3

Chapter 4: G. D. Jayalakshmi 'One cup of newspaper and one cup of tea'

Chapter 5: Kathleen Heugh 'English in the curriculum in South Africa'

Book 4

Chapter 1: Rib Davis 'In the vernacular'

Chapter 6: Mercedes Durham 'Language choice on a Swiss mailing list'
Erin McKean 'L33t-sp34k'

Also, the whole of Book 4 Chapter 5 'English manuscripts: the emergence of a visual identity' has been made optional.

Appendix 2

Supplementary Readings for Hong Kong Students

The following readings have been added to the course for Books 1 and 3.

Book 1: Changing English

Chapter 1English voices

Chapter 6 Dialect variation in English

Chapter 7 Style shifting, codeswitching

Book 3: Learning English

Chapter 5 English in the curriculum

Chapter 6 English for speakers of other languages