FOU101 Academic Skills in English

Unit Guide
TRIMESTER 1 2013

Lecture Information
Time:
Venue: TBA
Pre-requisites: None
Teaching Staff
Teaching Role

1. Lecturer: Dr. Dng Th Hong Oanh, Associate Professor

in Education (Theory and Teaching Methodology)
MA in TESOL, Canberra University, Australia
Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics, Victoria University of Wellington, NZ
Post Doctorate in Higher Education Management, Yale University, USA
Post Doctorate in International Studies, RMIT, Australia
Assistant Lecturer: Nguyn Xun t
AB in Economics, Princeton University, USA
Assistant Lecturer: Christina Campodonico
AB in English, Princeton University, USA
Dng Th Hong Oanh

Name

Nguyn Xun t, Christina Campodonico

Telephone

84.8. 5446 5555

Email

Oanh.Duong@isb.edu.vn

Room

TBA

Consultation Times

By appointment

Unit Description
Increasingly, Vietnamese students entering the job market are expected to be able to function
both in Vietnam and in international contexts. While Vietnamese university education places a
triple emphasis on soft skills, hard skills, and proficiency in at least one foreign language, reality
shows that Vietnamese students are still inadequately trained in soft skills, causing students to
lose opportunities both within the classroom and in the job market. This introductory course is
an effort to equip Vietnamese students with basic survival skills and aims to prepare students to
become more successful in both academic and working environments by targeting common
weaknesses and shortcomings that Vietnamese graduates face. In particular, this course
emphasises cross-cultural communication, particularly with English-speaking cultures, and is
designed to help students become more confident, adaptable, and suitable for work in a
multicultural environment.

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Aims
This course aims to help Vietnamese students gain skills necessary for success in international
workplaces as well as in academic environments at colleges and universities. Skills covered by
the course include critical thinking and analysis, communication, academic and business writing,
research methodology, and learner autonomy. Furthermore, this course aims to introduce and
train students in problem solving skills for both academic and real-life applications. The course
is tailored to the Vietnamese context and addresses specific cultural differences and difficulties
that Vietnamese students commonly face when working in an international environment.
Objectives
Upon completion of the course, students are expected to have gained a foundation in the
following four skills, which also serve as the four focuses of the course.
1. A basic general understanding of skills necessary for both academic and business
environments within an international context.
2. Critical thinking, including analyzing and formulating evidence-based arguments.
3. Integrated basic language skills for improved student functionality within Englishlanguage environments (such as reading, note-taking, speaking, writing, and active
listening).
4. Oral communication, including spoken etiquette in both formal and informal situations
and spoken English fluency.
5. Writing, including business and academic writing as well as IELTS and TOEFL writing.
6. Research skills and Learner autonomy, including finding and evaluating sources,
citations, and presentation skills.
Learner Outcomes
On successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Perform well in international-level academic and business environments.
2. Analyze and assess arguments presented in both scholarly and popular texts.
3. Formulate coherent arguments and present evidence based on analysis of information to
develop and support a position.
4. Identify key components of the communication process and communication styles for
effective communication, both in written and oral forms with other related skills in an
academic setting.
5. Communicate effectively using proper etiquette in written and oral forms in both formal
and informal situations.
6. Understand the concepts and practices needed to accomplish written assignments/projects
and to deliver an effective presentation.
7. Develop a better understanding of different learning styles and techniques necessary to
work effectively as individuals or collaboratively with others.
8. Develop a higher comprehensive understanding of the academic research process.

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2013 International School of Business University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City

9. Understand the fundamentals of using sources to support an argument as well as avoid

plagiarism in writing.
10. Write academic research papers using appropriate academic writing styles, citations, and
bibliographies based on internationally-recognized formats (APA, Harvard, Chicago,
etc.)
Required/ Recommended Materials
Guidebook, Book(s), Selected texts, Hand outs.
UniStep. Academic Skills Guide. University of Western Sydney. 2007 (soft copy available in
PDF form)
Effective Communication
Brian Paltridge. Making sense of discourse analysis. Gerd Stabler. Australia. 2000. (hard copy)
Communication in written form
Rebecca Chapman. English for Emails. Oxford University Press. Oxford, UK. 2007. (hard
copy)
Hamp-Lyons, L. and B. Heasley. Study Writing. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
2006. (hard copy)
Alice Oshima. Writing Academic English, Fourth Edition. The Longman Academic Writing
Series. Longman. 2010 (hard copy)
Oral Communication
Linda Grant. Well Said: Pronunciation for Clear Communication. Heinle and Heinle.
2011. (PDF)
Deena R. Levine. Beyond Language: Cross Cultural Communication. Pearson Education ESL;
2nd edition. 1992. (hard copy)
Jeremy Comfort. Effective Presentations. Oxford University Press. 1997. (video MP4 and hard
copy)
Additional Books
McCarthy, Michael & O'Dell. English Collocations in Use. Felicity Cambridge University
Press. Cambridge, UK. 2005 (PDF)
Susanne Tayfoor. Common mistakes at first certificate and how to avoid them. Cambridge
University Press. 2004 (PDF).
Selected texts
Handouts
Video clips/ PowerPoint materials

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LECTURE PROGRAM
The following is a general program for the course that indicates the topics covered in each class
along with the associated activities and required assignments/reading. The lecturer may modify
this syllabus at his/her discretion and add or remove material as necessary to accomplish the
goals of the unit. The course is taught over the duration of 40 hours, with each class lasting two
hours and the last two classes (i.e. four hours) dedicated to the final revision.

Focus

Topic

Ask students to
define critical
Critical thinking
thinking
Definitions and applications Describe a picture
critically (pair
of critical thinking
work and group
work)
Use GRE prompts
for both evaluating
Critical thinking
an argument and
Analysing and evaluating an formulating an
argument
argument.
Practice writing in
Formulating an evidenceclass
based argument
Brainstorming (pair
and group work)
Identifying critical
thinkers
Critical thinking
Developing critical
Integrated language skills in
reading, speaking,
critical thinking
listening, writing
skills
Ask students to
name some
common problems
Communication
they face
(communication
Common problems in oral
breakdown,
communication
miscommunication,
Introduction to Englishunintended
language etiquette
attitudes)

Communication
2

Page 4

Activities

Speaking well in English:

Identify basic
requirements for

Required
Assignments/Reading
Unistep Chapter 4:
Thinking Critically, pp.
70-89
Handout
Video clips

Handout (GRE)
Unistep Chapter 1:
Related University
Survival Kit, pp 5-13

Unistep Chapter 4:
Critical Reading and
Note-taking, pp. 94133; Handout
Video clips
Reading: Brian
Paltridge, Chapter 5:
conversation analysis
(85-101)
Cross-cultural video
clips and handouts
(include clips on some
other non-English
cultures and
distinguishing different
English-speaking
cultures)
Reading: Linda Grant,
Well Said

2013 International School of Business University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City

pronunciation, stress,
intonation, and rhythm

English speaking,
practice.

Communication

Role-play pair
and group work
and presentation

Etiquette in speaking:
Quantity, Quality, Relation,
and Manner
Useful expressions in daily
English communication
Small talk

Role-play
Communication
Etiquette in speaking:
Politeness, Keeping face
and losing face in a crosscultural context, Non-verbal
communication

Communication
Academic speaking:
Effective presentation in
formal contexts

Mock interview
Group/pair work
and
presentation/report

Interviews for academic and

real-life purposes
Writing
Common problems in
written communication

Written etiquette: Emails,

letters, and CVs

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Reading: Brian
Paltridge, Chapter 3:
The cooperative
principles and
conversational maxims
(39-57)
Handouts
Video clip
Reading: Brian
Paltridge, Chapter 3:
The cooperative
principles and
conversational maxims
(39-57)
Reading: Beyond
Language, Chapter 4
(99-129)
Handouts
Video clip
Reading:
Unistep Chapter 12, pp
337-343
Jeremy Comfort.
Effective Presentations
Video clips and
handouts

Group discussions
followed by
presentation and
class discussion

Introduction to written
English etiquette

Writing

Video clips and

handouts

Write a letter of
inquiry
Write a cover letter
and a CV
applying for (a)
job/project/research
/to a professor
Optional: Ask
students to write
cover letters and
CVs for a job
listing (using real
job listings)

Unistep Chapter 6, pp
137-162, Chapter 8,
pp196-240
Hamp-Lyons, L. and B.
Heasley. Study Writing
Handouts

Handouts
Reading: Rebecca
Chapman. English for
Emails.

2013 International School of Business University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City

Writing
Academic writing: What is
academic writing? Nonacademic and academic
writing

Ask students to
judge a text for its
academic quality
Summarize a text

Reading:
Unistep Chapter 9, pp
246-279, Hamp-Lyons,
L. and B. Heasley.
Study Writing

Summarising a text
Writing
Academic writing: Topic
sentences and paragraphs
in an essay; coherence and
cohesion
Writing
Academic writing:
Organisational, structural,
and linguistic skills in the
IELTS and TOEFL writing
sections
Research & Learner
autonomy
What is research?
Identifying the research
question

Research & Learner

autonomy

Structure of a research
paper

Research skills & Learner

autonomy
Principles of clarity
Finding and evaluating
sources for research

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Practice identifying
topics and forming
outlines.
Homework
assignment: write a
text to be evaluated
by the instructor
and fellow
classmates
Practice test with
IELTS and TOEFL
samples

Provide examples
of research for
students to
determine research
question
Write a short
literature review
based on several
sources
Introduction
Literature Review
Data
Methodology
Results
Analysis
Applications
Conclusion
Examples of good
and bad sources
Language and
reliability of a
source

Unistep Chapter 10,

284-316
Reading: Hamp-Lyons,
L. and B. Heasley.
Study Writing

Handouts
Video clips

Reading: Hamp-Lyons,
L. and B. Heasley.
Study Writing
Handouts
Video clips

Reading: Hamp-Lyons,
L. and B. Heasley.
Study Writing
Handouts
Video clips

Reading: Hamp-Lyons,
L. and B. Heasley.
Study Writing
Handouts
Video clips

2013 International School of Business University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City

Research skills& Learner

autonomy
Academic honesty: citations
and plagiarism
Group learning

APA, Harvard,
Chicago
Bring some books
and sources for
students to practice
citations and
bibliographies

Handouts

Research skills & Learner

autonomy
Defending a thesis (oral
presentation)

Handouts

Learner autonomy in
research
Final revision
5
Final revision

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2013 International School of Business University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City

GRADING SCALE AND POLICY

Assignments

No.

Type of
Collaboration

Weight (%)

01

Group

30

Individual

10

Mid-term exam/5-7 minute oral

presentation

01

Individual

20

Final individual research project/inclass written exam

01

Individual

40

Total

100

Group presentation
Class attendance and participation

To pass this course, students must:

achieve at least 50 per cent of the available marks,
complete all assessment items and contribute sufficiently to group presentations, and
miss no fewer than three classes

Late Assignment Policy

Coursework and assignments are expected to be completed by the due date; no late assignments
will be accepted. If there are extenuating or unforeseen circumstances, an extension may be
granted at the instructors discretion.
Make-up Policy
All quizzes and the final exam must be taken on the assigned dates. If there are extenuating or
unforeseen circumstances, students must contact the instructor in advance to arrange a date for a
make-up quiz or exam. No make-up quiz or exam will be accepted unless prior arrangements
have been made.

CLASS POLICIES AND METHODOLOGY

Attendance
Attendance will be taken at the beginning of every class. No more than three absences are
permitted throughout the duration of the course. Arriving more than 15 minutes late to class,
coming back more than five minutes late after the break, and leaving the class early without prior
arrangement with the instructor will all be considered absences. All extraneous absences will be
reflected in the attendance grade.
Participation
Students are expected to participate actively in class and contribute thoughtfully to class
discussions. The participation grade is contingent upon satisfactory engagement with class
materials.

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Electronic Device Use

Cell phones will be turned off or switched to vibrate mode before class starts. No phone calls or
text messaging are allowed inside classroom during class time. Portable listening and/or music
devices may not be operated in the classroom. Headphones and/or ear buds of any type may not
be worn while in the classroom whether operating or not. Laptop PCs are not permitted unless
specifically authorised by the professor exclusively for note taking. If you are in violation of
these policies you will be excused from class and an absence will be assessed.
Email Policy
The professor may be contacted through the standard ISB email system. Students must use their
assigned ISB Email account. The professor will not respond to private or personal email account
messages. In case students use their personal email accounts, they will be held accountable for
privacy issues.
Professors Expectations
Students are to be punctual at every class meeting. Assignments (including reading assignments)
must be completed before class. Projects and papers are to be completed on time and turned in as
scheduled. Students must participate in classroom assignments and discussions. A participation
grade will be included in the student's assessment. This course will follow formal academic rules
of correspondence so students are expected to observe college-level syntax, grammar,
punctuation, capitalisation, etc., in all written work.
Methods of Instruction
Lecture slides with professor's in-class commentary, in-class discussions, written assignments,
exercises, problems, team project, and exams will be employed.
Classroom Etiquette and Student Behavior Guidelines
Students will demonstrate respect for professors and fellow students. Behavior that is disruptive
to a positive learning environment reported by the professor will result in a warning on the first
instance; the second instance might result in expulsion from the course or campus.
Disability Support Services
Students with disabilities are advised that accommodations and services are available through
ISB. It is the student's responsibility to contact the ISB Office and to submit appropriate
documentation prior to receiving services.
Additional Information
This unit guide may be revised at the discretion of the professor without the prior notification or
consent of the students. The schedule above presents an approximate expectation of course
progress. The professor reserves the right to add, delete, or modify any dates of this schedule.
The professor also reserves the right to change the overall course grade weighting. Any changes
will be announced in class.

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Any student caught (1) Cheating on an exam, (2) Collaborating with others on work to be
presented, if contrary to the stated rules of the course, (3) Submitting, if contrary to the rules of
the course, work previously submitted in another course, (4) Knowingly and intentionally
assisting another student in any of the above actions, including assistance in an arrangement
whereby work, classroom performance, examination, or other activity is submitted or performed
by a person other than the student under whose name the work is submitted or performed, or (5)
Plagiarising, may fail the class and be subject to further disciplinary action.
First violation will result in a grade ZERO (0%) for that assignment. Second violation will result
in a failure course grade. Written assignments will be randomly checked by the professor with
Turnitin.com, an online plagiarism-checking tool.
Furthermore, your reference to support your statements must be from a reliable source, such as,
textbooks, supplemental reading material, and reference books. However, many websites are not
reliable sources. Examples are Wikipedia.org, about.com, and ask.com. If you are not sure if a
reference is acceptable or not, please contact the professor.
Referencing
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) 6th edition will
serve as the primary reference materials for all students. Therefore, all papers must be submitted
in APA format. The mechanics of student papers and work will be evaluated, as well as the
content. It is imperative that guidelines be reviewed before an assignment is begun. It is also
important that the required submission format be followed in compiling the final paper or
assignment.

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2013 International School of Business University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City