Foundation · Computing
English for Academic Purposes
Unit 01 — Core — Semester 1
Unit 01 — Core — Semester 1
Develops the academic reading, writing and listening skills required for university-level study, using computing and technical articles as source material.
To prepare students to read, write and listen to academic English confidently and accurately, ready for undergraduate-level coursework.
| Week | Topic & Activity |
|---|---|
| 1 | Academic Reading Skills AC1.1 Identify the structure of an academic/technical article. AC1.2 Apply skimming/scanning to extract key information. Workshop: Deconstructing a Computing Research Article. |
| 4 | Academic Writing Conventions AC2.1 Construct a topic sentence and supporting paragraph. AC2.2 Use formal register and avoid colloquial language. Writing Lab: The PEEL Paragraph Method (applied to a tech topic). |
| 7 | Listening & Note-Taking AC3.1 Take structured notes from a recorded lecture. AC3.2 Summarise key points accurately in own words. Lab: Note-taking from a Recorded Computing Lecture. |
| 8 | Formative Assessment Midterm assessment: draft assignment reviewed with tutor feedback. 1-to-1 feedback sessions with tutors. |
| Final exam week | Final Assessment Submission Final submission of all units of the semester. Portfolio finalisation and semester review. |
Assessed by coursework (no written examination) — an assignment, report or presentation set at the start of Semester 1. A formative draft is reviewed with tutor feedback as the unit’s midterm assessment during the teaching weeks, and the final version is submitted in the final exam week at the end of the semester. Graded Pass, Merit or Distinction, with plagiarism-checked submissions (Turnitin) and a signed Learner Declaration Form.