English for Academic Purposes Program 2014 - 2015

What is the English for Academic Purposes Program? The English for Academic Purposes Program (EAP) is a course designed to enable students whose first language is other than English to develop English grammar, writing skills, reading skills, and listening and speaking skills required to succeed in postsecondary education. Students will learn to write clearly and effectively, comprehend various pieces of text, become proficient in listening critically to the instructor, classmates, and guests and speak effectively in individual, pair or group settings. 

Hours: 5 hours a week for a 14 week semester

Introduction The English for Academic Purposes (EAP) Program is a 13 week comprehensive, intensive program designed to prepare academically qualified students, whose native language is not English, for the purpose of admission to undergraduate or graduate programs at Concordia. The EAP program is for prospective International, Permanent Resident or Canadian students whose level of English language proficiency (ELP) is at a high-intermediate to lowadvanced level of fluency. This program is accredited by Languages Canada.

The program is comprised of four courses scheduled Monday to Thursday. Fridays are dedicated to online assignments and tutorials as required. The 260-hour program includes: 10 hours per week on grammar and writing, and 10 hours per week of academic reading, speaking, listening, and presentation skills. The program will also include special interest seminars and activities which focus on culture, literature, and pronunciation. Conversation tutorials and practice in a language lab will be assigned as needed.

The general objectives of this course are to develop advanced skills in English:

 TO WRITE clearly and effectively The course will include classes dedicated to grammar development. Students will work with words by themselves and move on to larger units, to sentences, paragraphs, and finally, essays and a research paper.

 TO READ easily and comprehend what is read The course will introduce shorter pieces of literature, stories and modern essays. Students will study a novel written in a Canadian context. Specific reading comprehension exercises will be completed on a regular basis.

 TO LISTEN critically – to the Instructor, classmates, and guests Listening is a critical, but often, underappreciated skill for students, requiring attention and a sense of purpose. Students will learn to take notes while listening. In addition, some viewing and interpreting of visual material are included in the course.

 TO SPEAK comfortably Classroom activities provide the students with the opportunity to speak in small groups within the class, completing group work in the class and, in front of peers. Presentation skills will enable students to become comfortable speaking to larger groups.

About Concordia… Concordia is a welcoming community within the busy urban center of Edmonton, Alberta's capital. Our Highlands campus is tucked away in a residential area overlooking the beautiful North Saskatchewan River valley, minutes from downtown by public or private transportation. It's the best of both worlds: a peaceful locale within easy reach of the countless amenities of city center. Concordia’s degree programs represent the finest liberal arts tradition over a wide range of subjects and disciplines. When you graduate from Concordia, you’ll be equipped with an internationally-recognized degree, and with the critical thinking and communication skills you’ll need to succeed, regardless of the field you choose.

Course Structure The EAP is divided into two levels according to the student’s proficiency in English. Academically qualified students can apply for admission to EAP Tier 1 and EAP Tier 2.

Admission Requirements In order to be considered for admission, applicants will need to submit minimum scores in one of the following: a)

TOEFL iBT 40

b)

IELTS 4.0

c)

CLB 4.0

Results from placement testing will place applicants into the appropriate Tier courses of the program. EAP Tier 1 (EAP 96, 97, 98, and 99) 4 months

Intermediate Proficiency (TOEFL scores 40-59; IELTS 4.0; CLB 4.0)

EAP Tier 2 (EAP 101, 102, 103, and Advanced Proficiency (TOEFL scores 60-79; IELTS 5.0; CLB 5.0) 104) 4 months

One term (four months) is required to complete each tier. EAP courses are offered during Fall and Winter. All EAP Tier 1 students who achieve a grade of "C" or better in all co-requisite courses of the tier will be permitted to advance to Tier 2. Students who achieve a grade of "C-" or lower in one or more corequisite course will be required to repeat and successfully complete all courses of the first tier before advancing to tier 2. EAP Tier 2 students who successfully complete all EAP Tier 2 courses with a grade of 'C' or better, will meet the broader English Language requirement for admission to Concordia’s Undergraduate or Graduate degree programs with the exception of Concordia’s After-Degree in Education program. Admission into regular university courses requires the successful completion of EAP Tier 2.

Syllabus Course Description These four courses enable students whose first language is other than English to develop English grammar, writing skills, reading skills, and listening and speaking skills required to succeed in postsecondary education. Students will learn to write clearly and effectively, comprehend various pieces of text, become proficient in listening critically to the instructor, classmates, and guests and speak effectively in individual, pair or group settings. Students will learn to take notes in class; some viewing and interpreting of visual material are included in the course. Students will develop English language verbal skills through in class group work and presentation skills. Students will be able to communicate effectively on practical, social and academic topics. Students will be challenged to think critically and respond freely in order to create a healthy and growing learning environment. Course Prerequisite(s) and/or Co-requisites: N/A Course Hours: 5 hours a week for a 14 week semester Credit value: non-credit Instructor: Ms. Ileana Fernandez Class Schedule: Monday – Thursday: 9:00 am – 10:15 am Grammar 10:30 am – 11:45 am Writing 12:30 pm – 1:45 pm Reading 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm Speaking/Listening

Course Objectives Grammar: To recognize and correct tense errors, spelling errors, syntax errors. The content learned in the grammar class will depend on commonly made mistakes on assignments and in class activities. Reading: To understand the meaning of vocabulary by using context clues. To recognize word families, prefixes, roots and suffixes. To predict, use inferences, summarize, and identify main points and details in multiple types of texts. To distinguish metaphors, connotation and subtleties in texts. To identify purpose and writer´s point of view. To analyze the structure of different types of texts. Writing: To connect ideas and sentences. To write descriptively and detailed sentences. To create cohesive, well-developed compositions. To express relationship between time, space and condition. To

convey abstract meaning. To address an audience. To develop a voice and purpose for each genre explored in class. To use appropriate formality. Speaking/Listening: To use a descriptive language. To give instructions effectively. To use a variety of academic, social and courteous language. To agree and disagree. To give effective presentations. To manipulate words in order to convey precise meaning. To organize ideas in a coherent and logical pattern. To speak with increased accuracy. To understand synonyms, antonyms and words with multiple meanings. To understand subtleties and cultural references. To ask open-ended questions. To listen for main points and details.

Costs     

Fee per Semester: CA$ 4420.00 Mandatory Fees: CA$ 378.00 International Students Fee per semester: CA$ 2340.00 Concordia Health and Dental Plan - CA$ 300.00 if start in Fall, CA$ 200.00 if start in Winter. Repatriation Fee - CA$ 50.00 per Year

Contact Concordia University College of Alberta international.concordia.ab.ca/eap/

Dr Barbara van Ingen – Dean of Students [email protected] – (001) 780-479-9289

Dr Manfred Zeuch – Vice President International [email protected] – (001) 780-479-9329