Academic English

Session 1

ANNA LOSEVA

anna.loseva@isb.edu.vn
Today we will...
● Set the Zoom class rules
● Start getting to know each other
● Learn ALL THE IMPORTANT
THINGS about this course
● Take a quiz!
Type in the chat:

What your 3 tips to

make online learning
EFFECTIVE?
● Keep your camera ON
● ALWAYS use laptop
● Only study at a desk!
● Be active!
● Smile and be present!
Rules in Anna’s online class

For every session, if you:

- are not on camera
- are not active in the chat box
- don’t use microphone to participate
- don’t submit this session’s assignment
→ marked ABSENT from that session
Which 5 words
describe you?
Make a note.

Moscow
Japan
bookworm
fruit bubble tea
colours
 Materials & instructions:
Session handout (see
“Speaking activity”)

1. Round 1 (5 minutes):
Random partners, ask and
answer the questions. Ask
extra questions to find out
more information!

2. Back in the main room.

Randomize partners.
Repeat.

3. Back in the main room,

report on what you’ve learnt
about classmates!
Speaking Activity
Ask and answer the following questions.

When you finish, ask extra questions to find out more information!

1. What is your name? Which 5 words describe you and why?

2. What is your previous experience with academic English

skills (writing, reading, public speaking)? Describe in
detail.
3. What are your strong and weak points as a learner? How
do they affect your studies at ISB?
So what have you learnt about your
classmates?
Academic English: Course Outline

What do you already KNOW

about this course?
Academic English: Course Outline

What do you WANT TO KNOW

about this course? Make questions
for Anna in this document.
Unit Guide Analysis

Work in small groups to analyse the

Unit Guide for our course. Find the
answers for your questions - and
mine (see the handout).
Unit Guide is on e-learning + here
HW (15%)
➢ video recording and/or
writing

➢ link submitted before

class in the class
spreadsheet
QUIZ (10%)
➢ 3 minutes at the
beginning of each class

➢ CANNOT be taken
again if missed

➢ based on homework
reading (textbook
chapters or extra
materials)
GROUP ESSAY (10%)
➢ groups of 4-5

➢ 1200 words

➢ topic decided in session 2

➢ minimum 4 references

➢ outline + draft workshops

➢ submitted by session 8 via

e-learning
DEBATING (10%)
➢ 3 workshops

➢ group debates, scored

individually

➢ topics provided by Anna

➢ independent research and

preparation

➢ building confidence and logic

in presenting your arguments
INDIVIDUAL POSTER
PRESENTATION (10%)
➢ walk-around poster
presentations held in a
conference format

➢ your research on the

individual essay topic

➢ explaining your work in

progress, interacting with
the audience (30-40 min)
GROUP
PRESENTATION (15%)
➢ same groups as group
essay, scored
individually

➢ same topic as group

essay

➢ 3 min speaking time per

person, 5 min Q&A
➢ 1 rehearsal
INDIVIDUAL ESSAY (30%)
➢ equivalent of final exam

➢ 1200-1500 words

➢ YOUR individual topic related

to the big group topic,
confirmed by Anna

➢ minimum 6 references

➢ outline + draft workshops

➢ submitted via e-learning 1

week after the course ends
… for workshops
 ONLINE
SESSIONS

efficient study
online!

Session 1
Session 2
Session 11
Session 14
Academic English skills

&

Soft skills
Important
● speaking AND writing in class as well as
at home
● importance of self-study, ongoing
research, regular reading, and attendance
● written work - always in progress!
● smooth group work!
Rate the following statements from
(1) IT’S NOT TRUE AT ALL to (10) IT’S VERY TRUE

1. Students plagiarise because they don’t really

understand what it means.

2. Paraphrasing your classmate’s ideas in your own

words and using that for your own assignment is not
considered plagiarism.

3. It is acceptable to use ideas from your own essay

(e.g. sentences or parts of a paragraph) in another
essay that you write on a similar topic.
Reliable sources (for ALL assignments)

• Academic articles
• Books
• SOME news websites
• Scholarly Journals
• Government websites
• WIKIPEDIA OR
BLOGS are not
accepted as sources
ISB E-library → ProQuest Database
http://search.proquest.com/login

● Username:
UEHCMC2010

● Password:
thuvien0810
1. academia.edu
OTHER
2. researchgate.net POPULAR
3. scholar.google.com RESEARCH
4. sciencedirect.com DATABASES to
look for academic
research
Common problems (online and face-to-face
classes)
Anna’s solution #1
Anna’s IMPORTANT solution #2

=
 Anna’s solutions for Zoom
camera anxiety
1. set up a virtual background
2. set up a profile picture (be creative!)
3. turn camera on when talking, engaging with Anna
and classmates, in breakout room; turn off when
working on quiz or assignment
4. “hide” your own video (you will not see yourself)
5. face camera up or to the side and show only part of
you =)
IMPORTANT!
● You must attend class 80% of the time, complete ALL

assessment types, and achieve a minimum of 50% of

average score in order to pass

● If you’re late more than 15 minutes (or more than 5

minutes after the break), or leave early without

Anna’s permission → you are marked absent

● Plagiarism and cheating result in score ZERO for those

assignments, with no resubmissions

REVIEW ALL SCHOOL POLICIES IN
STUDENT HANDBOOK!!!
(see e-learning)
HW for Session 2, Part 1
1) HW1.1: Video Recording (5 mins max, link in the
spreadsheet):

a) What do you want Anna and your classmates to

know about you?
b) How do you evaluate your academic skills
(writing, reading, public speaking, research) and
soft skills (critical thinking, collaboration, time
management, creativity of ideas, persuasion)?
c) What are your impressions after Session 1?
HW for Session 2, Part 2
2) HW1.2: A short reflective essay (400-600 words, link in
the spreadsheet):

Considering your self-evaluation from HW1.1

and the upcoming course assignments,
explain your individual goals for the
Academic English course and describe how
you are planning to achieve them.
HW for Session 2, Part 3
3) READ Unistep chapters 3, 12
There will be a quiz and a speaking activity based
on the chapters.
 NAME your HW files properly!

HW1_class1_yourfullname
Make sure you share your Google documents!
Homework Assessment Criteria file
on e-learning!
 Thank you
and
see you next week!

anna.loseva@isb.edu.vn