Certificate in EMI Skills

English as a Medium of Instruction

Session plan and handouts

Module 2 Session 1
Language for structuring seminars and dealing with questions
Session overview

Session overview

To review and practise language for structuring seminars

(Optional) To discuss features of seminars
Aims
To review and extend language for responding to student questions in a seminar
(Optional) To practise the four-step approach to answering questions from students

Participants Participants who have completed online work in Module 2 of the Certificate in EMI Skills

Length of session 60 minutes (90 minutes with optional activity)

Session plan
Materials
Handouts 1–2

Equipment Board/flipchart

Rationale
This is the first session of a 3-hour seminar aimed at reviewing and extending the material in Module 2 of the Certificate in EMI
Skills – Language for seminars. The seminar material has been organised into two separate sessions with optional activities to
allow local trainers to select according to participant needs.
The focus of Session 1 is on discussing and reflecting on the language participants might use to structure seminars and deal
with student questions. Session 2 looks at language for asking questions and for teacher–student interactions.

Delivery
Session 1 is a 1-hour (or 1.5-hour) seminar designed around a number of activities for participants to complete in pairs or
groups and whole-class discussion. Unless otherwise stated, you may wish to have participants working in the same pairs/
groups throughout the session or regroup them for different activities.

Part Aim Activity Materials Time

Part 1 To review and Complete a questionnaire about typical Handout 1: Stages of seminars 30 mins
practise language features of seminars (version 1 for the whole class/
for structuring Discuss examples and details of each version 2 for pairs)
seminars feature Board/flipchart
Part 2 To discuss features Discuss and compare reasons for including Handout 1: Stages of seminars 15 mins
(Optional) of seminars (or not including) different features in (version 2 for pairs)
seminars Board/flipchart
Part 3 To review and Brainstorm common types of questions Handout 2: Questions from 30 mins
extend language that students ask during seminars students (cut into strips)
for responding to The trainer models the four-step approach Board/flipchart
student questions in to answering questions from students
a seminar
Participants practise the four-step approach
to answering questions from students
Part 4 To practise the four- Participants practise using examples from Board/flipchart 15 mins
(Optional) step approach to their seminars
answering questions
from students

2 Cambridge English Certificate in EMI skills | Module 2 | Session 1 | © UCLES 2015

 Language for structuring seminars and dealing with questions

Part 1
To review and practise language for Tony: Lisa likes to use an icebreaker at the start of the first
Aims
structuring seminars seminar of the course.
Trainer: Really? That’s great! Lisa, what kind of icebreaker do
Complete a questionnaire about typical
you like to use?
Activity features of seminars
Lisa: I generally ask everyone to say their name and say why
Discuss examples and details of each feature they have chosen this seminar.
Timing 30 minutes Trainer: Thanks, Lisa, that’s a really good idea. Does anyone
else use icebreakers? (etc.)
Handout 1: Stages of seminars (version 1 for
Materials the whole class/version 2 for pairs) 7. A
 fter briefly reviewing the questions, ask participants to
Board/flipchart draw a chart to represent the structure of a typical seminar.
Draw an example on the board. It can be in the form of a
single vertical bar divided into horizontal sections to show
Procedure time distribution, or it can be a horizontal bar divided into
vertical columns. (See examples below.)
1. B
 efore the start of the session write the aims of the
session on the board/flipchart. Minutes
10 Review lecture/previous assignment
Session aims:
a. T
 o review and practise language for structuring
seminars. 20 Listen to student’s presentation
b. (Optional) To discuss features of seminars.
c. T
 o review and extend language for responding to
student questions in a seminar.
d. ( Optional) To practise the four-step approach to 35 Discuss in small groups
answering questions from students.
2. I ntroduce yourself at the start of the session. Ask
participants to introduce themselves to the people they
are sitting next to. Give them 1 minute to do this. (If 50
Discuss as a whole group
participants have met before, move to the next step.)
55
Assign work for next week
3. E
 xplain that the session reviews the material they studied
online in Module 2 about the structure of seminars.
Minutes 20 50 55
4. E
 xplain that you are going to introduce the topic by
handing out a brief questionnaire and asking participants Review Discuss in small Assign
to stand up and walk around. Their task is to find people lecture/ groups work
who can answer yes to the questions on the handout. previous Discuss as a for
If they answer yes, they should follow up with a wh- assignment whole group next
question to get more information. (Note: This activity can Listen to week
also be done with a questionnaire for paired work, and an student’s
alternative version of the handout is provided.) presentation

5. Distribute Handout 1: Stages of seminars (version 1 is

for the whole class, version 2 is for pairs). Make sure
that participants understand what they have to do.
Demonstrate a question with one or two participants if
necessary. Allow 10 minutes for this activity.
8. A
 sk participants to share their charts. If appropriate, you
may want to discuss ways to add more detail to their
chart, or add to it using ideas from the questionnaire.

6. S
 ignal the end of the activity. Invite volunteers to tell you
about one person they found who said yes to a question
(or what their partner said, if doing the paired version).
For example:
Cambridge English Certificate in EMI skills | Module 2 | Session 1 | © UCLES 2015 3
Language for structuring seminars and dealing with questions

Part 2 (Optional)
Aims To discuss features of seminars
Discuss and compare reasons for including (or not including)
Activity
different features in seminars
Timing 15 minutes
Handout 1: Stages of seminars (version 2 for pairs)
Materials
Board/flipchart

Procedure
1. R
 emind participants of the section in Module 2 (section 2) where lecturers give
reasons for using different strategies in their teaching. Discuss some reasons for
using icebreakers. For example: I like to use icebreakers because they help students to
get to know each other and feel less anxious.
2. A
 sk participants to work in pairs. Distribute Handout 1: Stages of seminars
(version 2 for pairs). Ask them to create similar sentences for each of the items in
the questionnaire. Gather and compare results as a group.

3. W
 rap up this phase by asking participants how they might improve the structure
of their seminars in future.

4 Cambridge English Certificate in EMI skills | Module 2 | Session 1 | © UCLES 2015

 Language for structuring seminars and dealing with questions

Part 3
To review and extend language for 5. A
 sk the group to identify the different steps. Read the
Aims
responding to student questions in a seminar trainer responses again, if necessary. Then write the steps
Brainstorm common types of questions that on the board:
students ask during seminars a. Acknowledge the question.
The trainer models the four-step approach to b. R
 ephrase the question to make sure you have
Activity
answering questions from students understood and everyone can hear.
Participants practise the four-step approach
c. Answer the question.
to answering questions from students
d. C
 heck that you have answered the question and
Timing 30 minutes everyone understands.
Handout 2: Questions from students (cut
Materials into strips) 6. B
 rainstorm language to use for these different steps. Write
Board/flipchart the headings from this table on the board/flipchart and use
participants’ ideas to complete it. There are several alternative
ways of phrasing the language. Here are some examples:
Procedure
Acknowledge Rephrase Answer Check
1. E
 xplain that the aim of this phase of the session is to practise
language for responding to student questions in a seminar. That’s a good His/her question is The answer to Is that clear?
question. about … that is … Does that help?
2. B
 rainstorm with the whole group some common types Thanks for that He/she wants to The best way Did I answer
of student questions in seminars. Also brainstorm some question. know whether … to explain it is … your question?
common problems that participants have when dealing Yes, that’s an He’s/she’s asking One way to Does everyone
with student questions. interesting point. about … think about understand?
Good point! You’d like to know if … this is …
3. E
 xplain that you are going to demonstrate one possible
method for handling student questions and you would For questions That’s a bit complicated to explain. Let me get back to
like participants to observe and listen carefully and try to that you can’t you later.
identify the four steps in this method. or don’t have Let me think about that one.
time to answer
I need to think about that one. Ask me again at the end of
4. G
 ive the first question from Handout 2: Questions from immediately
the seminar.
students to one of the participants and ask them to read it out.
Can anyone here think of an answer to that question?
Participant reads question 1: Where can we find the reading For questions Interesting point, but I think we need to look at this from a
material for the next assignment? that are not slightly different angle.
relevant to the That’s interesting, but let’s not get side-tracked.
Trainer: Thanks for that question (Julie). [pause] The question topic
That’s a good question, but we need to focus on the main
was about where you can find the reading material for the next
idea, which is …
assignment. [pause] That’s easy to answer. All the reading
material is accessible via a link on the social science department
webpage. [pause] Is that clear to everyone? 7. D
 istribute question strips from Handout 2 to pairs. Explain
that they will write responses to their questions using this
Give the second question from Handout 2 to a different four-step approach. Allow 10 minutes for pairs to complete
participant and ask them to read it out. the task.

Participant reads question 2: Do we need to analyse both of 8. G

 ather ideas from the whole group and discuss how this
these theories and compare them or just focus on one of them? technique could be adapted or improved for their specific
subject areas.
Trainer: That’s a good question (Peter). [pause] The question
is whether you need to compare both theories or just focus on one.
[pause] Well, for this assignment, I would like you to compare
both theories and support your argument in favour of one of them
using evidence from the text. [pause] Is that clear?

Cambridge English Certificate in EMI skills | Module 2 | Session 1 | © UCLES 2015 5

Language for structuring seminars and dealing with questions

Part 4 (Optional)
To practise the four-step approach to answering questions from
Aims
students
Activity Participants practise using examples from their seminars
Timing 15 minutes
Materials Board/flipchart

Procedure
1. A
 sk participants to write at least one question on a strip of paper that they have
had from students in their seminars in the past. Then ask pairs to exchange
questions and attempt to answer them using the four-step approach.
2. Signal the end of the activity and gather ideas from the group.

3. W
 rap up this session by discussing the effectiveness and practicality of this
approach to handling questions. You may want to tell participants that the
focus of Session 2 is on language for asking questions and for teacher–student
interactions. Thank everyone for their participation.

6 Cambridge English Certificate in EMI skills | Module 2 | Session 1 | © UCLES 2015

 Language for structuring seminars and dealing with questions

Handout 1: Stages of seminars (version 1)

Task

Walk around the classroom and find someone who …

Name

1. … likes to use an icebreaker at the beginning of a seminar. __________________

2. … specifies the aims of the seminar at the beginning. __________________

3. … usually assigns reading material before the seminar. __________________

4. … nominates one student as a timekeeper. __________________

5. … sometimes changes the furniture around to suit the activity. __________________

6. … asks students to prepare discussion questions for the seminar. __________________

7. … sometimes asks students to work in groups or pairs. __________________

8. … assigns different roles to students during a seminar. __________________

9. … concludes the seminar with a summary of the discussion. __________________

10. … asks a student to give a summary of the discussion. __________________

11. … invites questions from students at the end of the seminar. __________________

12. ... assigns some extra work at the end of the seminar. __________________

Cambridge English Certificate in EMI skills | Module 2 | Session 1 | © UCLES 2015 7

Language for structuring seminars and dealing with questions

Handout 1: Stages of seminars (version 2)

Task

Work in pairs. Ask your partner these questions and circle their answer – Yes or No. Then follow up each
question with another question to get more information. You can use the suggested question prompt or
choose a question of your own if appropriate.

1. Do you like to use an icebreaker at the beginning of a seminar? Yes No

What kind of …?

2. Do you specify the aims of the seminar at the beginning? Yes No

How …?

3. Do you usually assign reading material before the seminar? Yes No

How …?

4. Do you nominate one student as a timekeeper? Yes No

Why …?

5. Do you sometimes change the furniture around to suit the activity? Yes No

Why …?

6. Do you ask students to prepare discussion questions for the seminar? Yes No

How …?

8 Cambridge English Certificate in EMI skills | Module 2 | Session 1 | © UCLES 2015

 Language for structuring seminars and dealing with questions

7. Do you sometimes ask students to work in groups or pairs? Yes No

Why …?

8. Do you assign different roles to students during a seminar? Yes No

What kind of …?

9. Do you conclude the seminar with a summary of the discussion? Yes No

How …?

10. Do you ask a student to give a summary of the discussion? Yes No

Why …?

11. Do you invite questions from students at the end of the seminar? Yes No

What kind of …?

12. Do you assign some extra work at the end of the seminar? Yes No

What kind of …?

Cambridge English Certificate in EMI skills | Module 2 | Session 1 | © UCLES 2015 9

Language for structuring seminars and dealing with questions

Handout 2: Questions from students

%

1. Where can we find the reading material for the next assignment?

2. Do we need to analyse both of these theories and compare them or just focus on one of them?

3. How will our presentations be evaluated?

4. How long does the bibliography have to be?

5. Should we include in-line citations in our essays?

6. If we work in groups, how will our work be evaluated?

7. What kind of questions will there be in the final exam?

8. Where can we access examples of previous student dissertations?

9. Can we use references from the internet?

10. What kind of evidence do we need to include to support our interpretation?

10 Cambridge English Certificate in EMI skills | Module 2 | Session 1 | © UCLES 2015

Further information
About Cambridge English, including international language standards
www.cambridgeenglish.org/why-cambridge-english

Published research
www.cambridgeenglish.org/research-and-validation/published-research

English Profile, including Cambridge Learner Corpus

www.englishprofile.org

Teaching English, including Cambridge English Teaching Qualifications

and Teaching Framework
www.cambridgeenglish.org/teaching-english

Certificate in EMI Skills

www.cambridgeenglish.org/emi

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