School of Natural and Social Sciences

APPROVED

________________ Renat E. Beissenov,

Dean

«____» _________ 2023

SYLLABUS

Discipline: LAN1183 Academic English 1_level B1 (Intermediate)

Number of Credits: 6/10 ECTS
Course pre-requisites: Academic English A2 (Pre-Intermediate)
Course post-requisites: HUM 1137 Merging Personal and Global Evolution Intermediate (B1) level
Semester: Autumn 2023
Course/Syllabus compiled by Sholpan Zhubanova and Saule Temirkhanova

Instructor:

Information on the Time and Place Contact Information

Instructor Class Room & Hours Office Room Tel: E-mail:
& Hours

Ainura Kobzhanova
Monday/Wednesday/Friday TBA a.kobzhanova@kbtu.kz
Lecturer

1. Introduction and Course Description

The Academic English Intermediate level course equips students with essential skills and strategies for success in
academic settings. The course is focused on developing language skills necessary for effective reading, writing, listening,
and speaking in the academic environment. Throughout the course, students will learn and practice key competencies to
navigate the academic landscape confidently in exploring idea generation techniques, research strategies, critical thinking
and creative problem-solving. Additionally, students will develop proficiency in academic communication through
written assignments and multimedia individual and group presentations. This presumes students’ active in class
participation alongside with their abilities to study on their own in a remote mode.

2. Course Objectives and Intended Learning Outcomes

Objective
The students’ competencies in idea generation, research strategies, critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and
academic communication through various mediums by means of developing their language skills in reading, writing,
listening, and speaking.

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to attain the following academic skills:

Listening:
Demonstrate effective listening skills in academic settings such as lectures, presentations, and discussions.
Identify key information, main ideas, and supporting details from academic audio materials.
Understand and analyze academic language structures, discourse markers, and academic vocabulary.

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Writing:
Create well-structured and coherent written texts in academic genres such as essays, research papers, and reports.
Use appropriate academic language and style conventions.
Show your ability to organize ideas, present arguments, and back up claims with evidence.
Speaking:
Participate in academic discussions and presentations with clarity, coherence, and confidence.
Use appropriate academic vocabulary and language structures to express ideas and opinions effectively.
Respond critically and analytically to academic topics and questions raised in oral communication.
Reading:
Understand and analyze academic texts using effective reading strategies.
Identify main ideas, supporting details, and rhetorical features.
Support academic research and writing, evaluate and synthesize information from multiple sources.
Strategies for Idea Generation and Research:
Generate innovative and creative ideas, use a variety of techniques.
Search, collect, select, process, and cite information using effective research strategies.
Use the research process to develop and critically analyze ideas in academic contexts.
Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking:
Use critical thinking skills to evaluate and analyze ideas and evidence.
Identify and articulate knowledge gaps, formulate research questions, and frame issues in academic contexts.
Create innovative solutions to real-world problems through rigorous analysis and critical reasoning,.
Academic Communication:
Modify communication style and tone to meet the needs of various academic genres.
Demonstrate written and oral communication proficiency for academic purposes.
Communicate ideas effectively, coherently, and persuasively.

3. Learning Support Materials

1. Westbrook, C., Baker, L., Sowton, Ch., Farmer, J., Gokay, J. (2019). Unlock 3. Reading, Writing & Critical
Thinking. Second Edition. Cambridge University Press. UK.
2. Westbrook, C., Baker, L., Sowton, Ch., Farmer, J., Gokay, J. (2019). Unlock 3. Listening, Speaking & Critical
Thinking. Second Edition. Cambridge University Press. UK.
Note: A set of supplementary class handouts on the topics and language material will be provided to students by the
course instructor via the Microsoft 365 Teams Files and Uninet Teacher’s Files
4. Week by Week Course Outline*
e
Weeks, dates, Class work details TSIS/SIS**
modules
Acquaintance, Course Overview, Academic Success My High School Background
1
introduction to the Syllabus and its Tips and
Add-drop
university components expectations;
04.09-08.09
KBTU platforms course
01.09-07.09
requirements
2-3 L1-2 L3-4 L5-6 Coursera platform:
11.09-15.09 Academic vocabulary, Reading Skills Listening skills Take your English
18.09-22.09 grammar in the context Protecting our intangible A podcast about Communication Skills to the
Customs & cultural heritage customs in the next Level: Communication
Traditions Writing Skills: modern world across cultures
Summary Speaking skills:
Paragraph/Paraphrasing Creating a talk for Module Assignment (2,5
Non-graded summary specific audience points):
writing (at the (creating a Mini-Project: "Global
instructor’s discretion) convincing Customs: Exploring Cultural
argument) Traditions Around the World"
Due: TBA
L1-2 L3-4 L5-6
4-5 Academic vocabulary: Reading Skills: Listening Skills:
25.09-29.09 phrases related to Is fast fashion taking Life Expectancy. Coursera platform: Build
02.10-06.10.09- health & well-being, over? Speaking skills: Your Professional ePortfolio
Health & grammar in the context Writing Skills: Structure Problem-Solution in English: Start Building
Fitness a balanced opinion essay Organization; Your Brand
.10 Critical thinking: present
Support an argument persuasively

2
 6-7 L1-2 L3-4 L5-6
09.10-13.10 Academic vocabulary Reading Skills: Listening Skills: Module Assignment (2,5
16.10-20.10 related to the fashion Fact vs Opinion, Unit 7 A podcast about points)
13.10-19. business reading 1 why some people Multimedia presentation about
Fashion 10 Grammar in the Writing Skills: Structure live a long life - an idea for a health
context a point-counterpart essay (Life Expectancy). product or
Critical thinking: Speaking skills: programme
Identify strong Problem-Solution (Convincing
arguments Organization; argument) OR
present - a fast fashion case
persuasively Due:

Week 8 Mid Term

23.10-27.10

9-10 L1-2 L3-4 L5-6

30.10-03.11 Academic vocabulary Reading Skills: Listening Skills:
06.11-10.11 related to the urban Predicting content using Urban transport of
transport&management visuals, Unit 3 reading 1 the future
Transport- Grammar in the Writing Skills: Structure Speaking skills:
02.11 context a problem solution essay Problem-Solution
Critical thinking: Organization;
Evaluate solutions to a present
problem persuasively
11-12 L1-2 L3-4 L5-6 Writing Assignment 3 (5
Academic vocabulary Reading Skills: Listening Skills: points):
13.11-17.11 related to the topic, Scanning to find A lecture about the Write an explanatory essay,
20.11-25.11 Grammar in the information, Unit 6 history of Inventions and Discoveries:
context reading 1 smartphone apps Transforming Lives through
Discovery & Writing Skills: Structure Speaking skills: Innovation
Invention/ an explanatory essay Summarizing Due:
Critical thinking: information using Module Assignment (5
Analyse Wh- questions points)
advantages/disadvantage Case Study: Virtual and
s Augmented Reality in
Education, Business,
Entertainment, Gaming…..
Due:
13-14 L1-2 L3-4 L5-6 Writing Assignment 4 (5
27.11-08.12 Academic vocabulary Reading Skills: Listening Skills: points):
Economics for economics and Skimming for general A podcast about Analyze and describe a graph
economic trends, ideas, Unit 8 reading 1 millionaire related to economics,
Grammar in the Writing Skills: Write an lifestyles demonstrating the ability to
context analysis essay Speaking skills: interpret and communicate
Critical thinking: A discussion data effectively.
Understand&interpret about whether Due:
line graphs young people Module Assignment (5
should be points): Hands-on experiment
allowed to have related to economics
credit cards. Due:

15 Revision Speaking exam Speaking exam

11.12-15.11 Mock Final Test Part 1 Part 2
08.12-15.12

Week 16 Final Exam***

18.12-23.12

*there can be changes in types of assignments and submission dates

**assessment criteria for TSIS/SIS assignments are available in the Appendix at p.6
***TBA by Office Registrar

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 5. Teaching Methodology

The teaching methodology for academic skills combines cognitive and linguistic principles to equip students with
effective communication and interaction abilities in English within academic environments. It emphasizes student-
centered learning, promoting active participation and autonomy.
Content-based and task-based learning integrate language instruction with academic subjects, while the flipped class
approach optimizes class time for interactive and collaborative activities. By incorporating these approaches, the
methodology fosters critical thinking, enhances language skills through real-life assignments, and empowers students to
become proficient communicators in English within academic contexts.

6. Course requirements and assessment

There are four aspects for assessment of students’ performance in the course which include In-class participation,
Module and writing assignments as part of SIS and TSIS.

Active participation in each class will give students 5 and 10 points in two attestations. Students must participate fully in
every class. While attendance is crucial, merely being in class does not constitute “participation”. Participation means
coming to class prepared to learn, ask questions and interact, practice with the exercises provided by the course book,
take part in discussions etc. Every class the instructor will mark your class participation as + (a student took part in all the
activities,+/ - (a student took part in some of the activities) or – (a student was present in class but did not take part in any
activities). Participation assessment is an average of all the marks earned for class activities, calculated out of 100%.

Module assignments encompass a range of activities such as project work, multimedia presentations, case studies, and
hands-on experiments. There are two module assignments in Attestation 1 and other two module assignments in
Attestation 2. The points for creative assignments are summed up in each attestation. By completing these module
assignments, students develop critical thinking, problem-solving, research, and presentation skills, which are essential
components of academic proficiency.

TSIS/SIS assessment
The TSIS/SIS assessment incorporates Coursera courses in Attestation 1 and speaking/writing assignments in Attestation
2, all designed to foster the development of academic skills. Late submissions are not allowed. The assignment details
outline the specific assessment criteria for these tasks. By engaging in both the Coursera courses and the speaking/writing
assignments, students have valuable opportunities to enhance their speaking and writing abilities, thereby strengthening
their academic proficiency. Furthermore, completing these tasks within the designated timeframes ensures timely
progression through the academic program.

Mid-term assessment (5 points maximum) is a test used to identify the students’ progress. The test will take 50 minutes
and include Grammar, Vocabulary and Reading Comprehension questions.

Final examination assessment (Summative rating) consists of the following parts: Academic language in use (10
points), reading (20 points) and essay writing (10 points for task achievement and language accuracy).

Grading Breakdown:
Aspects
1st Attestation 2nd Attestation Final Exam Total

Classes assessment 5% 10%

SIS (Coursera/Project) 10% 10%
TSIS (Home assignments) 10% 10%
Midterm 5%
Total 30% 30% 40% 100 %

Note: The assignments deadlines are specified in the course calendar.

7. Grading policy

At the end of the course a total final score, which is a cumulative measure of your attendance and submitted work, is
determined. The final rating will be offered according to the scale of assessments adopted in KBTU.
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 The grading scale is as follows:

95-100 A 75-79 B- 55-59 D+

90-94 A- 70-74 C+ 50-54 D
85-89 B+ 65-69 C Below 50 F
80-84 B 60-64 C-

8. Academic Integrity
Any time you put your name on a piece of work for this cource you are asserting that it is your own work. If it is not the
case, it is plagiarism. You must report, in proper citation format, the source of information used in a paper. Direct quotes
must be denoted by quotation marks and page references. Plagiarism is classed as cheating and will be dealt with
according to the policies and procedures of KBTU.
Cheating on exams and assignments will not be tolerated and will be dealt with according to the policies and procedures
of KBTU.

9. Conduct

Students are required:

 to be respectful to the teacher and other students;
 to switch off mobile phones during classes;
 to meet the deadlines;
 to come to classes prepared and actively participate in classroom work;
 to enter the room before the teacher starts the lesson;
 to attend all classes. No make-up tests are allowed unless there is a valid reason for missing them;
 to follow KBTU academic policy regarding W, AW, I, F grades.
Students are encouraged to
 consult the teacher on any issues related to the course;
 make any proposals on improvement of the academic process;
 monitor their continuous assessment throughout the semester.
Students must abide by all course management issues according to KBTU policies and procedures

Should students wish to raise issues regarding their grades, they must follow KBS and KBTU procedures.

Should students wish to raise issues regarding the conduct of the instructor (s), they should contact the Office of
the Dean, Room 332.

Course Instructor: ____________________________________________

Approved by the meeting of the Sector

Meeting number: __________________________

Date: __________________________________

10. Students’ agreement

I have read the LAN1147 English 1_level B1 (Intermediate) course requirements and agree to comply with them:

Student ID, full name, signature

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 APPENDIX
Assessment Details

The Assessment Criteria

Coursera Content Comprehension (2 Assessing the depth and accuracy of the student's understanding of
Speaking points) the course content. This includes the ability to articulate key
Review concepts, theories, and principles covered in the course.

Application of Knowledge Evaluating the student's ability to apply the learned concepts to
(1 point) real-world scenarios or examples. This criterion assesses the
student's capacity to connect theory to practice and demonstrate
practical understanding.

Critical Thinking (1 point) Assessing the student's ability to analyze and evaluate the course
material critically. This includes identifying strengths and
weaknesses in the presented information, raising insightful
questions, and demonstrating a capacity for independent thinking.

Integration of Ideas (0.5 Evaluating the student's ability to synthesize and integrate
points) different ideas or perspectives from the course. This criterion
assesses the student's capacity to make connections between
various topics and demonstrate a holistic understanding.

Clarity of Communication Assessing the student's communication skills in conveying their

(0.5 points) understanding effectively. This includes clear and coherent writing
or speaking, proper organization of thoughts, and appropriate use
of terminology relevant to the course.

Total score 5 points

Writing Introduction (1 point) The essay begins with a clear and engaging introduction that
Assignment 3 provides an overview of the topic, introduces the thesis statement,
(2,5 points): and captures the reader's attention.
Write an
explanatory Thesis Statement and Main The essay presents a strong thesis statement that clearly expresses
essay-"Inventions Points (1 point) the main argument or purpose of the essay. The main points
and Discoveries: supporting the thesis are effectively outlined.
Transforming
Lives through Content and Development The essay demonstrates a thorough understanding of the topic by
Innovation" (2 point) providing relevant and well-developed explanations of inventions
and discoveries that have transformed lives through innovation.
The content is informative, accurate, and supported by appropriate
examples and evidence.
Organization, Coherence, The essay is well-organized, with logical progression of ideas and
and Language (1 point) smooth transitions between paragraphs. The ideas are presented in
a coherent manner, enhancing the overall clarity and readability of
the essay. The essay exhibits a strong command of language,
demonstrating varied sentence structures and appropriate use of
vocabulary. The language used is precise, effective, and
contributes to the overall clarity and impact of the essay.

Total score 5 points

Writing Data Interpretation (1 point)  Demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of the
Assignment 4 graph's data and trends.
(2,5 points):  Accurately identifies and explains key features, such as
Analyze and peaks, troughs, and significant points.
describe a graph  Utilizes appropriate vocabulary and terminology related
related to to economics when interpreting the data.
economics,
demonstrating the
ability to Organization and Structure  Presents a clear introduction that provides context for the
interpret and (1 point) graph and its relevance to economics.
6
communicate  Organizes the description in a logical and coherent
data effectively. manner, with a clear progression of ideas.
 Uses appropriate headings, subheadings, or paragraphs to
enhance the organization and readability.

Communication and Clarity  Communicates the analysis effectively, employing clear

(1 point) and concise language.
 Presents ideas and observations in a coherent and
understandable manner.
 Uses appropriate transitions and linking words to ensure
smooth flow between ideas and sections.

Critical Thinking and  Offers insightful and well-supported analysis of the

Analysis (1 point) graph's implications for economics.
 Considers possible causes and effects of the observed
trends or patterns.
 Draws logical conclusions based on the data and supports
them with relevant evidence or examples.

Language Use and  Demonstrates a command of academic language and

Grammar (1 point) grammar appropriate for the task.
 Uses accurate and varied vocabulary related to economics
and graph analysis.
 Displays control over sentence structure, grammar, and
punctuation, enhancing clarity and precision.

Total score 5 points

Module Research and Content (1 Students are expected to conduct thorough research on various
Assignment (2,5 point) cultural customs and traditions from different countries. The
points): content should demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the
Project: "Global chosen customs and their significance.
Customs: Presentation and Students should effectively present their findings in a well-
Exploring Organization (0.5 points) structured manner. The project should have a clear introduction,
Cultural body, and conclusion, with appropriate headings and subheadings
Traditions to enhance readability.
Around the
World" Creativity and Engagement The project should reflect the student's creativity and engagement
(0.5 points) in exploring and presenting cultural traditions. Innovative
approaches such as visual aids, multimedia elements, or personal
anecdotes are encouraged to make the project engaging and
informative.
Language Use and Clarity Students should demonstrate proficiency in language use,
(0.5 points) including grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure. The
project should be clear, concise, and free of major errors that may
hinder understanding.
Total score 2.5 points
Module Content (1 point) The presentation should clearly outline the idea, its
Assignment (2,5 relevance, and potential positive outcomes. It should
points) demonstrate a strong understanding of health- related issues
Multimedia and present well-supported arguments.
presentation
about an idea for Students will be evaluated on their ability to effectively
a health product Delivery and Academic communicate and engage the audience through clear
or programme Presentation Skills (0.75 points) articulation, appropriate use of visual aids, and confident
(Convincing presentation skills.
argument). Structure and Organization (0.5 The presentation should have a logical flow, with clear
points) introduction, body, and conclusion. The ideas should be well-
(P.S. In the structured and easy to follow.
multimedia
presentation Creativity and Visual Appeal The use of multimedia elements such as images, videos, or
assignment, (0.25 points) graphics should enhance the presentation's visual appeal and
students have the creativity, contributing to the overall impact of the argument.

7
flexibility to
choose their
preferred
platform for
creating the
presentation.
Popular options
include Canva,
Google Slides,
and Prezi, among
others.)
Total score 2.5 points
Module Content Accuracy & The case study will be evaluated based on the accuracy,
Assignment (2,5 Organization (1 point) relevance, and currency of the information presented. It
points) should include accurate and reliable data and examples to
Case Study: support the arguments. Furthermore, the overall structure and
Virtual and organization of the case study, including the introduction,
Augmented body paragraphs, and conclusion, will be assessed. The ideas
Reality in should be presented coherently and logically, with a clear
Education, flow of thoughts and connections between different sections.
Business, Critical Analysis (2 points) The ability to critically analyze the topic by evaluating
Entertainment, different perspectives, identifying strengths and weaknesses,
Gaming….. and presenting a well-reasoned argument. Critical thinking
skills should be demonstrated through insightful observations
and logical reasoning.
Clarity of Expression (1 point) The clarity and effectiveness of the language used to convey
ideas. The writing should be concise, precise, and free from
grammatical errors. The ideas and arguments should be
expressed in a clear and coherent manner, allowing for easy
comprehension.
Proper Referencing (1 point) The inclusion of proper citations and references to
acknowledge and credit external sources used in the case
study. The assignment should follow the appropriate
referencing style (e.g., APA, MLA) consistently and
accurately.
Total score 5 points
Module Experimental Design (1 point) The quality and effectiveness of the experimental design,
Assignment (2.5 including the clear identification of variables, control of
points): Hands- confounding factors, and appropriate selection of
on experiment measurement tools.
related to
economics Data Collection (1 point) The appropriateness and accuracy of the methods used to
collect data, including the selection of suitable sources,
sample size determination, and data recording procedures.

Data Analysis Techniques (1 The application of appropriate data analysis techniques, such
point) as statistical methods or econometric models, to analyze the
collected data and draw meaningful insights.
Conclusions (1 point) The clarity, coherence, and logical connection of the
conclusions drawn from the experimental results,
demonstrating an understanding of the implications and
significance of the findings.
Overall Presentation (1 point) The organization, structure, and presentation of the
experimental report, including the use of appropriate
academic language, proper citation of sources, and adherence
to formatting guidelines.

Total score 5 points