Centre for Applied English Studies (CAES) |
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The Centre for Applied English Studies is responsible for English enhancement programmes throughout the University. You will normally take the Core University English (CUE) course and one English-in-the-Discipline (ED) course. CUE serves as a bridging course to prepare you for your academic studies. The ED course you will take is closely integrated with your disciplinary studies to further develop your academic literacy skills. Both are six-credit courses. In addition to undergraduate teaching, the CAES also offers advanced writing and speaking courses to postgraduates, a highly regarded MA in Applied Linguistics, and has a research postgraduate programme. Methods All enhancement programmes depend for their success on two fundamental preconditions: (a) close contact between teachers and students; (b) a high degree of learner independence and initiative. The former is ensured by limited class size, and in some cases, by a system of additional tutorials in which groups of up to five students can receive even more individual attention. Learner independence is encouraged by the provision of self-access facilities, accompanied by guidance and support for users, both within the Centre and in the University Libraries. These facilities include video and audio libraries, and AV equipment and computer-assisted language-learning terminals for self-instruction. Classroom-based instruction and self-access learning are also supported by web-based instructional programmes and by the use of multimedia learning centres. Assessment Your performance will be assessed continuously throughout the courses by means of assignments and tests. Some courses also include an examination. You must fulfill the English language requirements of your faculty in order to graduate. Research Whilst primarily a teaching unit, the CAES also conducts research in Applied Linguistics relevant to the teaching and learning of language (particularly English). This enables us to make a more effective contribution to the improvement of students’ academic and professional competence, and at the same time serves to interact with the scholarly community to continuously increase and share our expertise. |