Module overview
This module is non-credit bearing and forms part of Pre-sessional Course A in which you study Academic
Speaking, Listening, Reading and Writing. You also attend Independent Learning workshops to further
develop critical thinking and study skills necessary to succeed at the University.
The listening module is taught in conjunction with the speaking module as these skills often overlap; for
example, knowledge of pronunciation is also an important tool for effective listening. As a result, you will be
expected to practise a range of skills in the same class.
The listening module follows the University of Southampton Pre-sessional Course A Speaking and Listening
syllabi.
Aims and Objectives
Learning Outcomes
Transferable and Generic Skills
Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:
- take notes in lectures and seminar.
- better understand lectures at University.
- better understand academic staff and classmates
- develop strategies for improving your listening skills
Syllabus
The listening syllabus helps you to develop strategies for improving your listening for gist and specific
information, and focuses in particular, on how to listen effectively in lectures and how to take useful notes
while listening. You will attend a weekly lecture in order to practise the skills taught, and to accustom you to
the style of lecture used in the UK. You will also take part in a lecture follow up session where you will discuss
what was covered in the weekly lecture.
Areas that you will cover include:
Using an introduction to help understand the lecture better
Identifying the key points a lecturer wants to make
Distinguishing key points from examples
Identifying ways in which a lecturer signals key points
Recognising when new terminology, terms and concepts are being introduced in a lecture
Recognising ways in which information is organised in lectures
Identifying key phrases that indicate how a lecture is organised
Identifying main and subtopics in a lecture
Developing strategies to use when information in a text has not been heard/understood
Identifying phrases in a lecture that indicate connections between ideas
Understanding emphasis in lectures
Identifying digressions
Understanding connected speech
Using strategies to predict the content of a lecture
Learning and Teaching
Teaching and learning methods
You will experience a wide variety of teaching and learning methods including: full class teaching; real life
and videoed lectures; individual, pair and group work in class; discussions in small groups; set tasks to be
completed outside class; use of authentic lectures for exploitation; self-directed independent study and group
tutorials.
Type | Hours |
---|---|
Independent Study | 4 |
Teaching | 4 |
Total study time | 8 |
Resources & Reading list
Internet Resources
BBC Learning English: Academic Listening.
BBC Radio 4: The Reith Lectures.
Henry Stuart Talks: The Management & Marketing Collection.
British Council Learn English: Professionals Podcasts.
British Council Learn English: Listen and Watch.
Textbooks
T Lynch (2004). Study Listening. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
D Beglar and N Murray (2009). Contemporary Topics: Academic Listening & Note taking Skills Book 3. New York: Pearson Longman.
D Bell (2008). Passport to Academic Presentations. Reading: Garnet Education.
R Lowes, H Peters and M Turner (2004). The International Students Study Guide. London: Sage Publications.
C Fletcher (2013). Skills for Study level 3. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
C Campbell and J Smith (2009). English for Academic Study: Listening. Course book. Reading: University of Reading.
C Thaine (2012). Cambridge Academic English Intermediate Student’s book: An integrated skills Course for EAP. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
A McNair and F Gooch (2013). Language for Study level 3. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
S Ostrowska (2014). Unlock Listening and Speaking Skills 3. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
E Kisslinger and M Rost (2009). Contemporary Topics: Academic Listening & Note taking Skills Book 2.. New York: Pearson Longman.
S Cottrell (2008). The Study Skills Handbook. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
L Lansford (2014). Unlock Listening and Speaking Skills 4. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Assessment
Assessment strategy
Informal tasks designed to provide formative feedback on:
listening skills
strategies to improve your listening skills
Formative
This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.
ListeningSummative
This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.
Method | Percentage contribution |
---|---|
Examination | 100% |